AND IN BROWNTOWN'S CORNER; JUAREZ AND HERNANDEZ!

From The McHale Report Blog

Mike Hernandez, a Brownsville native, moved to North Texas in his youth. He traces his roots back to South Texas' historical families. A graduate of Texas A&M and presently a regent at the same university, Hernandez, a self-made millionaire, returned to the border and founded OP 10.33, an organization that intended to elevate education and eliminate corruption.

When your hometown is one of the most ignorant and corrupt communities in the United States, he knew that his challenge was not going to be an easy task. When he immersed himself in local politics, he discovered firsthand that punching a tar baby only frustrates the aggressor. But the one-time boxer has bounced off the ropes on several occasions. His efforts have not been in vain and his accomplishments have been significant.

As a result of his achievements, his alma mater recently presented him with the Distinguished Alumnus Award that is the highest honor bestowed upon a former student at A&M. Only 303 Aggies out of 517,000 former students have received such esteem.

But in Brownsville terms, who is the real Mike Hernandez? Max Maxwell, the dean of the RGV sportswriters and a former Golden Gloves champ himself who fought professionally in Matamoros, says that the Hernandez method is comprised of three parts: confrontation, compromise and cooperation.

"Mike doesn't beat around the bush," begins Maxwell. "He didn't become a successful businessman by playing patty cake. He confronts you from the outset. He wants to know if you're a contender or not. If he determines that you're a serious aspirant, he searches for the middle ground because he understands that compromise is the foundation for progress.

"Once he has your measure, he seeks cooperation, which is the basis for success. In the context of a boxer, Mike isn't one to retreat into a rope-a-dope strategy. His basic instincts are to stand in the middle of the ring and set you up with his straight right after a series of stiff jabs. He's a no-nonsense guy, but he has a sensitive side. A favorite verse from the New Testament, Mike often quotes Luke 12:48: 'To whom much is given, much is expected.'"

But Mike isn't about metaphors. He's more a doer than a thinker. He prefers walking to talking. And there is probably no better narrator than Rudy Juarez to give us the literal translation of Mike Hernandez.

Rudy is the father of pugilistic sensation Omar "El Relámpago" Juarez (20). His other two boys and daughter are no slouches either. His oldest son Rudy (21) is a running back for Bethel College in Iowa and his youngest son Sebastian (15) is following in his brother Omar's steps. Daughter Katya (14) is an accomplished dancer and performs throughout the country.

"I was raised in the ring both emotionally and physically," says Rudy. "My father fought across the border and he taught me the rudiments of boxing. I trained, but I wasn't disciplined and didn't pursue a career. Nevertheless, I never lost my love for the sport.

"When Rudy and Omar were born, I told my wife that they were going to be boxers. They started when they were ten and eight. They trained at a variety of gyms. Rudy broke my heart when he decided he preferred football. In his defense, he was following his heart and he has made his mother and me proud because he has never surrendered in his dream to excel in football and he's living his dream while he attains his college education.

"When Rudy made his decision, however, I turned to Omar and asked him point-blank if he was going to dedicate himself to boxing or not. Otherwise, I would buy myself a nice car rather than spending all my money on training and tournaments. He said he wanted to be a boxer and he was willing to make the sacrifices to reach the highest levels. In terms of Sebastian, he learned to walk inside a ring.

"To make a long story short, Omar had a sensational amateur career and won a number of state and national belts. Sebastian is proving just as successful. Around the time Omar was deciding to become pro, Mike took an interest in both my sons. I met him through George Sanchez and George Gavito. He's been a blessing from above because he came into our lives at the perfect moment.

"He told us that he would provide us with anything that we needed. We were like gypsies as we worked out at various gyms which can be an inconvenience for obvious reasons because you can't control your future as precisely as you would want.

"Mike immediately resolved that obstacle. Behind his CCEI school on 802 where students can attain their credentials in various trades, he took a building that he had originally projected as a welding classroom and remodeled it into a first-class gym. As a result of his commitment, I have been able to create a program that reaches more than 50 kids who might otherwise be on the streets. Twelve of them are competing throughout the nation.

"When he's in town, he calls me and asks me if I need anything. He helps with expenses because the equipment isn't cheap and transportation, food and hotels are expensive. He tells me to keep doing what I'm doing and not to worry about anything. And he's made it very clear that he doesn't want any recognition. I hope he doesn't hold it against me that he deserves praise and recognition for his unselfish generosity. He's real cool."

Maxwell believes that there is an affinity between Hernandez and the Juarez family because they share the same affection: They love Brownsville.

"Rudy tells his boys that they are fighting to put Brownsville on the map," offered Maxwell. "The father tells them that if the 250,000 citizens of Brownsville love them, then the world will love them. There are those who say that Hernandez has been willing to bear the slings and errors of merciless criticism because he, like the Juarezes, loves Brownsville.

"There is nothing that Rudy and Mike would love more than standing on either side of Omar--"Let's get ready to rumble: Wearing blue trunks with white trim, weighing 140 pounds, undefeated and untied in 23 bouts with 20 knockouts, hailing from Brownsville, Texas"--and holding up the young man's arms as he is declared the junior welterweight champion of the world.

"If I were writing a short story about this trio, I would entitled it: THREE TOUGH GUYS WITH HEARTS OF GOLD."