Wednesday, Apr. 30, 2008

Ex-UW great Kauffman to speak at Richland church

By Jeff Morrow, Herald sports editor

Napoleon Kaufman spent years running through, over, around and past other men, trying to get any advantage he could over them.

Now he helps as many of them as he can.

On Saturday, Kaufman will be one of the featured speakers at the Iron Sharpens Iron men's conference at Bethel Church, 600 Shockley Road in Richland.

Registration for the program, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., costs $55.

Kaufman is a former University of Washington football star who played running back for the Huskies from 1991-95.

The two-time All-American is still the school's all-time leading rusher with 4,106 yards.

In 1995, the Oakland Raiders made Kaufman their No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, and he went on to have a solid six-year career with them.

He amassed 4,792 yards rushing for Oakland, with his best season coming in 1997, when he rushed for 1,294 yards and caught 40 passes for 403 yards.

Kaufman retired from football in 2000 to become a Christian minister.

He is the senior pastor at The Well Christian Community Church in Dublin, Calif.

Rick Kingham, president of the National Coalition of Men's Ministry, is the co-headliner with Kaufman at Saturday's event.

Also scheduled to speak are former NFL players Steve Wisniewski and Robert Jenkins.

Wisniewski, an eight-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman for the Raiders, was once named the NFL's dirtiest player by Sports Illustrated. He is now a minister at Kaufman's church.

Jenkins is a former defensive lineman with the 49ers and Cowboys.

The event also will have 15 different seminars relevant to men of every age. The conference also includes worship, stimulating resources, and helpful exhibits that will encourage and equip men to grow deeper spiritually.

The conference uses football as a metaphor and encourages men to be participants rather than just spectators in the game of life.

The event is co-hosted by the Tri-Cities Men's Ministry and the Outdoor Connection Ministries.

Jim Grassi, the founder of Outdoor Connection Ministries, has known Kaufman for years and has enjoyed watching his transformation.

"He was pretty much a rabble rouser when he was younger," Grassi said. "He got in a fight in college and almost lost his eye. He had a real mouth with the Raiders. He was arrogant, a chip-on-the-shoulder guy.

"Then a guy named Jerome Davis, a fullback for the Raiders, started mentoring him," Grassi continued. "He said 'Why you acting a fool?' Several people were praying and working on him."

Kaufman, said Grassi, eventually figured things out.

"All of a sudden he put in as much into (being a Christian) as he did football," said Grassi.

This is the first time an ISI conference has been in the Tri-Cities, and Grassi said he expects more than 700 men will participate.

To register, call 628-0150 or visit www.theoutdoorconnection.org/isi.

* Jeff Morrow 582-1507; jmorrow@tricityherald.com

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