Life Coach in Williams, AZ

Fourteen tight ends were selected during the 1998 NFL Draft, but only one would play in the league longer than Roland Williams, who was chosen by the Rams in the fourth round out of Syracuse.

"It was a dream come true," Williams said. "As a kid who grew up in the 19th Ward in Rochester, New York, there are a lot of people that weren't able to have their football dreams fulfilled. It was just a culmination of a lot of work."

In Williams' first season, he would be named as the team's Rookie of the Year. However, it was a season filled with disappointment for the Rams. Losing six of the last seven games, they finished with a 4-12 record.

But as discouraging as 1998 was for the Rams organization and their fans, the following season was incredible. A greatest-show-on-turf-Lombardi-Trophy-winning-kind-of-incredible. Led by the now Hall of Fame coach, Dick Vermeil, they posted a 13-3 record and went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV.

"I think the key to the turnaround was a few things. Dick Vermeil did an extraordinary job of convincing us that despite our past failures, we could be outstanding. And he told us the blueprint of how to get that done," Williams said.

"Dick Vermeil used to always say that 'the Vince Lombardi Trophy only weighs 7.5 pounds, but it takes an entire organization to lift it.' The Super Bowl for me was sort of the culmination of a life committed to football. And just a great moment."

Williams says the joy of the Rams winning their first Super Bowl has stood the test of time.

"Rams fans from across the world still remember our Super Bowl, and get so happy to reminisce on what we were able to accomplish that year," he said. "They still love seeing the ring and learning what it was like playing alongside some of the greatest to ever wear a helmet."

Playing eight seasons in the NFL – four with the Rams, three with the Raiders and one with the Buccaneers – Williams totaled 114 receptions for 1,004 yards and 13 touchdowns. What makes him most proud of his career?

"I'm most proud of what I had to overcome to make it to the NFL and the standard I maintained once I got in," Williams said. "Most people don't know I only played one year of high school football, then overcame a position change and injuries to only play a couple years in college.Once in the league, I did my best to work hard, build a reliable brand, bring a positive attitude and energy to the team."

Williams may have retired from the NFL in 2006, but he hasn't lost the competitive spirit and desire to be on winning teams.

As Chairman and CEO of Brown Diamond Holdings, Williams has become a successful entrepreneur committed to economic equity and empowerment. His portfolio of assets includes healthcare, manufacturing, consulting, technology and real estate companies.

One of his largest investments, J2 Medical Supply, is the largest African-American-owned MBE manufacturer of disposable gloves in the United States.

"Being an African-American athlete, there's a lot of stereotypes of what we can and cannot do off the field or court," Williams said. "So grateful for athletes who have come before us to show what is possible in life after sports. Syracuse legend Dave Bing, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Vinnie Johnson are all guys I look up to."

Williams is also is a football analyst for ABC7/KABC-TV in Los Angeles.

"Having the Rams come from St. Louis to Los Angeles was outstanding because we got a chance to become reconnected with the organization on a more frequent basis," Williams said. "I enjoy being around and helping make sure people know about and celebrate the Rams legacy. I do a whole lot of events for our Legends community.

"And I think at one of those, ABC reached out to the Rams and said they wanted me. At first, it was just the preseason. Then it went to the whole season. And now they may call me whenever there's something going on with the NFL."

Making his home in Los Angeles, Williams has three sons: Trustin, who is a junior at UCLA; Justice, who is a junior at Oaks Christian High School. A 6-foot-4, 200-pound wide receiver, he is being heavily recruited by Division I colleges across the country; and Phoenix, who is in the sixth grade.

"My three sons mean the world to me, and every day I think about how grateful I am to be a father and how important it is to be a living example of how to operate as a man," Williams said. "One key lesson that I've learned from the NFL is no matter what you've done in the past, next season is a new opportunity so you can get better and improve."

Williams has not forgotten his past and has looked to better his hometown as the Founder and Chairman of Champion Academy, a non-profit mentoring program which began in 2015, and has helped hundreds of at-risk middle and high school students.

And when Williams sees that he is making a difference…

"It feels amazing," he said. "Our mission of the Champion Academy is literally just to help students overcome adversity to maximize their human potential. And it's so important that we're here."

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The Eagles have made some terrific moves this offseason despite losing several key players. One of those moves was signing a 25-year-old cornerback that is looking for a reset. Greedy Williams met the Philly media today and right off the bat, you could see just how excited he was.

He was first asked to say how he ended up with the Eagles and his response was “a lot of prayer and a great fit… I wanted to be somewhere where guys compete and win. So it kind of fits me and who I am.”

That’s one thing that has been key to this Eagles’ culture. The players there are focused on one thing, winning. Which is why you see so many of them taking pay cuts just to stay with the Eagles.

Greedy is the next guy on that list but the key component to him is his age. At 25 years old, Williams has seen the ups and downs of the NFL and was looking to bounce back at the right place.

When asked about how free agency went for him, Greedy stated, “It was up and down, but you know, the perfect call came in at the perfect time and now I am an Eagle.”

He was later asked about how he felt being around veteran corners like Darius Slay and James Bradberry, Williams mentioned, “it’s my first time being around veterans with years under their belt..” he continued to go on by saying, “they can definitely teach you a couple of things. It’s just about being pro. It doesn’t have to be about football. It’s just about being a pro and how to maintain in this league.”

With the Eagles moving on from CJGJ and seeing his recent outbursts. It looks like the Eagles are honing in on guys that can be professionals on and off the field. This adds to the winning culture that they are building in South Philly. A culture that could build a championship pedigree for years to come.

Lastly was the question that has been on everyone’s mind. What will Sean Desai’s defense look like in Philadelphia and will it be an upgrade over Gannon’s defense?

Greedy was asked about his interaction with Desai and while holding in his excitement he stated, “oh we talked about a little ball. It was exciting. He’s a great guy. I’m ready to work with him.” He went on to add fuel to every Eagles fan’s heart by adding a key remark. He told the media, “you know, I’m excited man. And what he was saying, y’all should be looking forward to a great defense.”

With the Eagles continuing to rebuild their defense under the new DC Sean Desai. It will be interesting to see how many players like Greedy are brought in. We know they added Justin Evans who had a similar thought start to his career but my curiosity is at an all-time high thanks to Greedy Williams.

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire

Winter weather bringing wind and snow returned Wednesday, prompting many northern Arizona closures and thousands of Maricopa County residents to experience power outages.

“Blowing snow and slick roads will greatly impact travel today and early Thursday” by reducing visibility to a hazardous rate, the National Weather Service in Flagstaff said in a statement.

Wind chills from overnight would likely drop temperatures to single digits, the weather service added.

Winter storm warnings for areas above 4,000 feet

A winter weather warning remained in effect until 8 a.m. Thursday for most of northern Arizona. The areas affected were those above 4,000 feet near Dorey Park, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, North Rim, Sedona, Valle and Williams, according to the weather service.

Southwest winds reaching 45 mph and “significant” snowfall in areas above 5,000 feet with accumulating snow expected in lower valley areas were projected Wednesday by the National Weather Service Flagstaff.

Highway, school closures

U.S. 180 north of Snowbowl, off mileposts 236-248, was shut down, and Interstate 40 eastbound was closed between U.S. 93 and Ash Fork, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

At the Grand Canyon, Desert View Drive off State Route 64 from Grand Canyon Village to the east entrance at Desert View was closed, while South Entrance Road to Grand Canyon Village was open.

U.S. 93 was also closed southbound from the Nevada state line to Interstate 40. State Route 68 was also closed west of Kingman between mileposts 6-18. Southbound traffic was restricted on State Route 87 south of Winslow and to Payson. Interstate 40 westbound traffic was closed at Winslow as is eastbound traffic between State Route 95 and Ash Fork.

Northbound traffic on Interstate 17 between State Route 179 and Flagstaff was also closed, along with westbound traffic on Interstate 40 between Holbrook and Ash Fork.

"You should avoid traveling in winter weather to avoid situations where highways are impassable for long periods of time," read a statement on ADOT's website.

Coconino County administrative offices appeared unaffected, while Flagstaff administrative offices and nonessential services were closed. The city's website did say all available snow weather equipment and operators were in use 24 hours a day to tend to roads.

The unified school districts for Flagstaff, Humboldt, Prescott and Williams suspended classes for the day.

Additionally, in-person classes at Northern Arizona University's Flagstaff Mountain Campus, NAU-Yavapai and Show Low campuses were called off for the day. Coconino County Community College's Flagstaff campuses also did not open Wednesday.

Citing unsafe driving conditions, Lowell Observatory announced it was closed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Mountain Lion bus system schedule remained in place with possible delays due to the weather.

Citing the projected snowstorm, Sacred Peaks Health Center in Flagstaff closed its clinics and pharmacy.

Many of these closures reflect similar activity last Thursday in northern Arizona because of the weather.

Rain in metro Phoenix leaves thousands without power

Approximately 4,000 people were left without power as a storm hit the Valley.

The storm dropped approximately half an inch to 0.75 inches of rain as of Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix.

Taylor Swift promised “a journey through all of my musical eras” when she launched her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Friday.

That’s a lot of ground to cover — 10 hit albums, four of which have been released since the conclusion of the Reputation Tour in late 2018.

But she managed to make it look easy, enjoying the journey as much as the Swifties in attendance did while revisiting her catalog one era at a time in a marathon set that ran more than three hours and still left fans wanting more.

Every song she sang:Taylor Swift's Eras Tour opening night setlist, from 'All Too Well' to 'Anti-Hero'

Gayle and Paramore opened for Taylor Swift's first Eras Tour concert

A clear contender for the title of the most successful artist of her generation, Swift was forced to pull the plug on Lover Fest, the tour she had planned in support of 2019’s “Lover,” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that took everybody off the road in 2020.

That helped make this perhaps the most anticipated tour of 2023, and the excitement in the stadium before she even took the stage after opening sets by Gayle and Paramore was undeniable.

There were songs from her earliest albums, reminders that her journey felt a bit more country when the world first got wind of her prodigious talents.

There were songs from “Red,” the transitional album on which she managed to rebrand herself so brilliantly with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” and the synth-pop revival that followed with the brilliant “1989.”

There were songs from her pandemic albums — “Folklore” and its understated sister album, “Evermore.”

And she brought us up to date to close the set with tracks from last year’s “Midnights.”

Swift City?Here's why Taylor Swift launching her Eras tour at State Farm Stadium was a big deal for Glendale

'I don't know how to process all of this,' Taylor tells cheering fans

The newer albums got more stage time than the albums she recorded in her teens and very early 20s.

But as much as that suggests she may feel closer to the newer songs, you never would’ve guessed that the way she was throwing herself into vocals as impassioned as “Enchanted” or the vulnerability she flashed on the single that launched her career, an understated “Tim McGraw.”

And she definitely seemed like she was feeling 22 while singing “22,” a euphoric performance that had her doing high kicks like the Rockettes with her dancers before taking it up another notch with a joyous “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”

There’s a reason those 10 albums are among the biggest-selling records of the past two decades. Nearly every song in Friday’s set was a hit on some level, from “You Belong With Me” and “Tim McGraw” to “Anti-Hero” and “Lavender Haze.”

But Swift’s enduring popularity is based as much on the connection she’s built with her fans as it is on her unerring knack for coming through with records people want to hear.

There’s a rapport she’s nurtured through the years, and that was very much in evidence throughout the night.

As the audience roared its approval in response to her opening song, she stood there soaking in the applause before telling the fans “I don’t know how to process all of this and how it’s making me feel right now.”

Swift City, AZ:Glendale rebrands in honor of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour launch this weekend

'I can't even go into how much I've missed you'

The stage show was designed to reach the back rows of the stadium with a breathtaking blend of artful set design — that “Folklore” cabin was cottagecore gold — and film projected on the massive screen behind the stage.

There were countless costume changes meant to complement each era, a crew of dancers flanking Swift at nearly every turn and riding bicycles straight out of “Tron” on a show-stopping version of “Blank Space.”

But Swift was every bit as good at playing to the back rows of that stadium with that connection she’s been nurturing this whole time.

Not quite an hour into her performance, Swift asked the fans, “Is it just me or do we have a lot of things to catch up on?” Noting that “it’s been a really long time since I’ve been on tour,” she said they’ve “added four new members to the family” since that last tour, introducing them by name as “Lover,” “Folklore,” Evermore” and “Midnights.”

“I can’t even go into how much I’ve missed you,” she added, “because there’s no way to verbalize it.”

It’s doubtful any Swiftie left State Farm Stadium feeling that the singer hadn’t verbalized exactly how it felt to reconnect with every single person there.

It came through loud and clear when she interrupted herself in the midst of trying to explain how much she values that connection to say, “I’m trying to tell you I love you and I’m babbling.”

Taylor Swift albums in order:Here are all her eras from 'Taylor Swift' to 'Midnights'

Taylor Swift's opening acts: Gayle and Paramore

Gayle welcomed early arrivals with a spirited opening set that bristled with punkish abandon. She covered Alanis Morissette’s iconic breakup song “You Oughta Know” before bringing her set to a crowd-pleasing finish with her TikTok-driven breakthrough “Abcdefu.”

Hearing the stadium crowd sing along to her lyrics, she broke down in tears, saying, “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”

Hayley Williams of Paramore was just as thrilled to be there, sharing a heartfelt anecdote about being approached at a Grammy party in 2007 by a woman who said her daughter was also from Nashville and just starting out and asking Williams to look after her.

That woman was Taylor Swift’s mother. Rocking a black pleather miniskirt and matching jacket with bright red boots, Williams led her bandmates in a hit-filled performance that crashed the gate with “This Is Why” and only eased up on the energy just long enough to hit us squarely in the feels with “The Only Exception.”

They may not be the likeliest of tour mates but it felt right in the moment, seeing the Swifties go wild for highlights as explosive as “Misery Business,” “That’s What You Get” and “Ain’t It Fun.”

'Taylor has anchored you to this world':Mother says Swift keeps her son's memory alive

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour set list

“Lover” album:

“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” album:

“Evermore” album:

“Reputation” album:

“Speak Now” album:

“Red (Taylor’s Version)” album:

“Folklore” album:

“1989” album:

Wild card — a different acoustic song each show

“Taylor Swift” album:

“Midnights” album:

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

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Remember when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards? Well, apparently the moment sparked the beginning of her friendship with Paramore's Hayley Williams.

During one of Paramore's recent opening slots at Swift's Eras Tour shows in Glendale, Arizona, the band's lead vocalist recalled the beginning of their friendship and revealed she texted the then-rising country star following the infamous onstage moment.

"I remember feeling like, 'We're so little, we're so young.' I was like 18 at the time, and I felt kinda lonely to be that young and to be doing things, you know, like the Grammys and all that," Williams, 34, told the crowd at State Farm Stadium on March 17, according to a video shared by Variety.

She unknowingly met Swift's mother, Andrea, who suggested they meet one another. "She said to me, 'My daughter. She just played and she's just getting started and she doesn't really know anybody in the business. I just really want her to be around people her age that are doing the same thing,'" recalled the "Misery Business" singer-songwriter.

Andrea then gave Williams her daughter's phone number, but the Grammy winner said she was "the shyest freak" at the time and didn't reach out — until Swift, 33, had her run-in with West, 45.

"I did not text her until a certain VMA scandal. That was the first time that I felt like, 'I have to reach out because this person is really cool and did not deserve that,'" continued the star.

During the awards show, Swift had been in the middle of accepting her award for best female video for "You Belong with Me" when West stormed the stage and grabbed the mic.

"Yo Taylor," West began, "I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!"

At the time, it was reported that Swift was seen crying backstage after the incident, though she had to quickly pull it together to perform the song that won her the Moonperson to begin with.

"Around that time is when I got to know a little bit Ms. Taylor Swift," continued Williams, noting that she and bandmates Taylor York and Zac Farro have since been able to "watch her trajectory."

She added, "I'm sure you know this because you're here tonight and you obviously 'get it,' but there are moments when I've talked to people that I'm like, 'I am not sure that you get how f---ing incredible this person — this artist is in history.'"

While Paramore's dates with Swift have concluded, the Eras Tour resumes later this week in Las Vegas.