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Posted by: Bradley McDonald

It's refreshing to see how many professional athletes have stepped up to help in the aftermath of Katrina. Warrick Dunn, who I've mentioned in this blog before as being an all-around great guy, immediately began coercing NFL players to give at least $2,500 each. Many past and present players answered phones last night during Monday Night Football to take pledges for Katrina relief.

There's really been so many professional athletes helping that it's hard to mention everyone. Peter King outlines a few more stories here:

I think I need to give kudos to those -- and I know I'll forget many -- who've been so generous with their money and time in the last couple of weeks for the hurricane and flood relief. Forgot to mention this last week, but I was sitting in Baltimore VP of public relations Kevin Byrne's office the day before the Ravens-Colts game when David Modell, the former owner's son, called to say he was matching the players' collected contributions of $165,000. I realize he's got more money than most of us will ever sniff, but it's a heck of a gesture anyway. The Ravens ended up giving more than $1 million between players and owners, and they're not done. ... Last week, on his day off, LaVar Arrington and wife Trisha took 150 Katrina evacuees staying at the D.C. Armory to a Wal-Mart and gave each of them a $200 gift card. ... Brett Favre sending 37 -- thirty-seven! -- tractor-trailers of aid and supplies to Mississippi. ... Tiki Barber donating a minimum of $10,000, depending on his stats tonight. ... Jets center Kevin Mawae spearheading a Saturday collection drive to load trucks on Long Island with aid for Louisiana. I know I'm a cornball and I know I'm missing hundreds of similar gestures, but I thought these efforts were notable in their spur-of-the-moment generosity.