Where are they now? Stanley Jackson
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
BY KEITH IDEC
The Record
STAFF WRITER
Stanley Jackson always dreamed big.
When he was growing up in Paterson, Jackson envisioned a long, lucrative career as an NFL quarterback. He instead spent seven seasons as a CFL quarterback and played another four seasons as a quarterback/co-owner for a Continental Indoor Football League in Marion, Ohio, an hour north of where he played for Ohio State in the mid-1990s.
Jackson learned some invaluable lessons from the mistakes the former Paterson Catholic star believes cost him an NFL career. Applying those lessons has made him confident that the massive television project he is championing in Columbus cannot fail.
As president of Black American Media, Jackson has done everything from developing marketing strategies to securing investors for a regional television station that?ll officially launch in Columbus next month. Jackson?s ambitious plan is to penetrate 25 percent of American markets within five years with family-oriented programming geared toward, yet not exclusive to, black families.
"Sometimes people would say I?m too much of a dreamer," Jackson, 35, said. "I have very lofty goals. There?s no difference with this. I hope to be a national network at some point. It?s been done before. No one knew about FOX before they got going [in the mid-1980s], so why can?t we do it?
"You have to dream big, you have to work hard to go after it and, at the end of the day, I think if we fail and don?t accomplish anything, then I won?t be disappointed because I gave it my best effort. But if you just sit on your dreams, you?ll never have the opportunity to succeed and you?ll have a lot of regrets."
Jackson has many regrets regarding his professional football career.
The Seahawks signed him as an undrafted free agent in 1997, following his lone season as the Buckeyes? starting quarterback.
They moved him to receiver, however, and Jackson was certain he could play quarterback in the NFL. He was a lot less sure he was athletic enough to play receiver, running back or free safety at that level, so he ignored interest from Arizona and Kansas City after Seattle waived him.
After three solid seasons in the CFL, Jackson suffered a major knee injury, just as he began receiving indications he would at least earn an invitation to an NFL camp as a quarterback. By the time he was healthy and regained his confidence to stand tall in the pocket again, it was too late to take another run at the NFL.
He played for CFL franchises in Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg prior to purchasing part of the CIFL?s Marion Mayhem, along with three partners. Business was good in a 3,500-seat arena for three seasons, but the economy caused the team to cease operations in 2009.
Jackson learned a lot about business as a player-owner, but he hasn?t limited himself to trying to become a media mogul. He also serves as an analyst on WTVN-AM?s pregame and postgame shows before and after Ohio State games and hosts a weekly Ohio State football show on his television station, "Buckeye Breakdown."
Multiple jobs keep Jackson plenty busy, but being his own boss enables him the flexibility to spend quality time with his wife, Ronita, and their three boys ? Stanley Jr., 6; Ronald, 4; and Tre? Major, 1.