Brian Jordan shares life lessons at Semoball Awards

Former MLB and NFL player Brain Jordan speaks at the 2024 Semoball Awards, presented by Mercy Health, at the La Croix Church on Friday, July 12.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

Brian Jordan, a two-sport athlete who played in the NFL and MLB, shared lessons he’s learned throughout his life at the 11th Annual Semoball Awards, presented by Mercy, on Friday night at La Croix Church in Cape Girardeau.

Jordan shared three goals he has lived his life by from when he was a kid to even now as an adult.

“My three goals are education first, stay out of trouble by picking the right kids to be around, like-minded like yourself,” Jordan said. “My third goal was just to outwork every kid your age, always be early to practice and leave late.”

Jordan discussed lessons he was taught by both his parents and his grandfather when he was playing baseball and football in school.

Mercy is the presenting sponsor of the Semoball Awards, the area’s premier awards show recognizing student-athletes and coaches in Southeast Missouri.

“It was always to never give up and make sure education is first. You gotta have a plan A, B, C, D, don't go in there with all your eggs in one basket, that’s why education was so important for me,” Jordan said. “But just go out there and give 110%, whether you’re on the field or in the classroom.”

Playing both baseball and football in college at the University of Richmond, Jordan ran into two other athletes doing the same thing. Bo Jackson at Auburn University and Deion Sanders at Florida State University inspired Jordan to work even harder than he already was.

“They were tremendous athletes and I knew I had to continue to work hard so I could be just as great as them,” Jordan said. “I think all of us achieved our goals and proved to a lot of people that you can do it, you can achieve your dreams.”

Jordan closed the night by discussing his time in both the NFL and MLB and the things he learned in a professional sports setting.

“Football was so easy for me and baseball was so hard, I started in the big leagues so I didn't really get that learning curve in the minor leagues. So I had to learn at the big league level and my mentors, Ozzie Smith and Willie McGee, I learned so much from those guys,” Jordan said. “I learned how to fail, baseball is a failing sport. If you don't learn to be positive, you'll never be successful in the game of baseball.”

The Semoball Awards are presented by Mercy and brought to you by official bank sponsor The Bank of Missouri and title sponsors SEMO ESPN Radio, the St. Louis Cardinals, rustmedia, and your local newspaper.