Word came out of Pittsburgh this week that for the second year in a row,the Steelers were unable to come to terms on a contract with Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell. That means Bell will play under the franchise tag for a second straight year before hitting the open market next spring.
One of the league’s most versatile players, the 26-year old Bell, who has held-out the last two years in an ongoing contract dispute, will have to settle for $14.5 million dollars this season before he’ll finally have a chance to test his worth the open market. Most believe there is zero chance he will return to the Steelers after the extended impasse.
Like Le’Veon Bell, Minnesota resident Michele Braun also plays football. Unlike Bell, Braun has no illusions about getting a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract from her team, the Minnesota Vixen.
“We do get paid if we make a profit during the season, right now we pay to play and we’re also paying for all our training to help us learn how to play football correctly”, says Braun. “The most I ever had to pay, including money out of my own pocket for injures and stuff like that, because I’ve gone through a few of them in 20-years, has probably been over a thousand dollars, but that’s what you do when you’re passionate about a sport, Tim.”
Yes, you read that correctly. Bell, the Vixen's long-snapper and backup center, is a 20-year veteran who (like most of her Vixen teammates) pays out of her own pocket just for the opportunity to play the game she loves but never thought she’d get a chance to actually play.
“I saw a little 1-inch by 1-inch ad in the Star-Tribune way back in the fall of 1998,” Braun recalls. “I decided to try out and I tried out with 450 other women at the Metrodome, and I made one of 80 spots and I’ve had a hand in it ever since.”
Along with teammates Cynthia 'Red' Bryant, and Jodi 'Moose' Rehlander, the 51-year old Braun is an original Vixen who started as a guard, played most of her career at center, and now serves as the team’s long-snapper. While the other two have had interruptions in their tenure with the Vixen, Michele has played in all but one of the Vixen’s games... and that was only due to a coach’s decision.
“I missed the New York game back in 1999 because I wasn’t picked to go on the trip”, Says Braun. “The coach wanted bigger people on the offensive line.”
That coach obviously wasn’t looking at the size of Michele’s heart. A resident of the St. Cloud area, Braun drives 150-miles round-trip at least three times a week for practice and/or games in a season that runs from early April, to the end of July.
“It usually takes between 75-90 minutes each way, and if you include training, I’m making that trip starting in December to Northwest Health & sciences University, where we train, where we practice, and where they keep us in tip-top condition to play football.”
The Vixen dress 45-players for their games in the Women’s Football Alliance. They finished with a 7-1 regular season record, have won two playoff games to earn a spot in the D-2 National Championship against the New York Sharks August 27 In Atlanta. Despite the pay-to-play model, the Vixen have no problems attracting women like Michele who’ve always wanted to get off the sideline and into the game.
“We had a lot of women who came out to play with us this season who said, ‘you know, I’ve been thinking about this for the past six years, and I just haven’t done it,” says Michele. "Or, boy I’ve been wanting to do this for the longest time but the stars haven’t aligned or my place in life wasn’t right where I could do this, because it’s a huge commitment”.
And that’s where you come in. As I said, the Vixen are playing for a National Championship a week from Friday, and travel to Atlanta costs money. If you are intrigued by Michele's story and are so inclined, go to www.mnvixen.com and hit the tile down under Vixen. The last option is for the “Adopt-a-Vixen” program, an opportunity to support a specific player with their costs. PLEASE UNDERSTAND, at no time during our interview did Michele ever ask for a contribution for herself or for any of her teammates. This is the author’s effort to raise awareness about a group of women who have earned their shot.
“People wonder what’s this all about, we’re the same football that you guys watch on television. It’s the same football that maybe you watched your son play, it’s the same football you see the Gophers play, you see the Vikings play, it’s just that we happen to be females,” says Michele. “We don’t want to play football like men, we want to play football to play football.”
In 20-seasons of play the Vixen have battled in four different leagues and made it to the post-season six times, but in true Minnesota fashion they’ve never won a championship. If they get it done in Atlanta, will this be the end of Braun’s days as a player?
“I’m hoping that I can coach with our team if I retire," says Michele. “I’m hoping that I can be part of our coaching staff because I think it helps the women to see another female who has done what they are doing and she would understand how to help and how to coach them.”
Win or lose, Michele Braun has lived her dream and paid a price both financially and in terms of commitment. No matter what happens in Atlanta she can walk away with her head held high.
“I’m just absolutely glad to be able to say that I played the game, and I’ve played it at the absolute highest level that I can play it, and I played it how the game is supposed to be played.”
Spoken like a true champion.