BIRMINGHAM, Ala. β On a night when University of Alabama coaches trade their crimson for blue sneakers, the message isn’t about football β it’s about survival. The annual Blue Shoe Ball, hosted by the Mike Slive Foundation, raised more than $5 million for prostate cancer research, but the real weapon being deployed was conversation.
Former SEC Commissioner Mike Slive, who died of prostate cancer in 2018, had a vision: get the biggest names in sports to use their platforms to attack a disease that men often won’t discuss. His daughter, Anna Slive, has carried that torch, and this year’s event at Region’s Field in Birmingham drew coaches, athletes, and broadcasters β all united by blue footwear and a shared mission.
Jay Harris: From Survivor to Advocate
ESPN anchor Jay Harris, a prostate cancer survivor, co-hosted the event alongside Greg McElroy, the former Alabama quarterback and current broadcaster. Harris delivered a candid call to action that cut through the usual sports-banter noise.
“While we raise money for prostate cancer research and pray for a cure, men, let us do the one thing that costs us absolutely nothingβ¦ Let’s talk,” Harris told the ballroom.
Harris knows the stakes firsthand. His father had prostate cancer, but Harris admitted he knew little about the disease until his own diagnosis. After testing positive, he channeled his reporting skills into research and uncovered a devastating family pattern: two uncles and several cousins had died from the disease.
That knowledge became a life-saving tool when he urged his younger brother to get tested.
“I shared my story with my younger brother. I said, ‘Please make sure your doctor checks your [prostate-specific antigen levels] the next time you go for your annual physical.’ And he did,” Harris recounted. “They drew the blood and they tested it and guess what? Prostate cancer. His is not aggressive, and I hope it stays that way.”
That single conversation β a brotherly nudge β may have caught the cancer early enough to make all the difference.
The Numbers No One Talks About
Prostate cancer affects one in eight men overall, but for Black men, the rate jumps to one in six, according to the foundation’s materials. Harris emphasized that these aren’t abstract stats β they’re fathers, brothers, coaches, and colleagues.
The Blue Shoe Ball, now in its fifth year, has become a signature event in the college sports calendar. This year’s gathering featured coaches from across the SEC, all donning blue sneakers β a visual reminder of the cause. Slive, a numbers man who built the SEC Network, would likely be proudest of that $5 million raised through his foundation’s efforts.
Breaking the Silence on Side Effects
Harris didn’t shy away from the uncomfortable truths of prostate cancer treatment. He acknowledged the fears many men harbor β fears about side effects like erectile dysfunction β and dismissed them with blunt humor.
“Men, anything we have to do below the belt, they might mess with our sexual prowess, and we don’t like it. You know what else messes with your sexual prowess? You being dead. I ain’t never seen a dead person have sex,” Harris said, drawing laughs but making a serious point.
“Prostate cancer is nothing to be ashamed ofβ¦ even the side effects from the surgery or radiation is nothing to be ashamed of; erectile dysfunction is nothing to be ashamed of,” he added.
Harris pointed to the example set by women, who regularly schedule mammograms and talk openly about their health. Men, he suggested, could take a page from that playbook.
“That’s what y’all do every year, and you just go and you talk about it and you just go,” Harris said. “Men, it’s a blood test.”
Early Detection Saves Lives
The event also highlighted the power of accessibility. Former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl partnered with the Mike Slive Foundation to set up PSA testing centers at an Auburn basketball game. A man named Mr. Jerry, a friend of the author’s, stopped by before tip-off after a conversation with his wife β and that early detection helped him fight off the disease.
“Who knew you could effectively fight cancer with a conversation?” Harris asked.
That sentiment resonated throughout the evening, as several men in attendance credited their wives for pushing them to get checked. For many, a routine blood test β a simple PSA check β became the difference between life and death.
A Call to Keep Talking
As football season ramps up and group texts fill with fantasy football chatter, Harris wants men to remember that one conversation could save a life.
“Let’s keep talking and keep living,” Harris said.
For the sports legends gathered in Birmingham β from coaches to broadcasters β the Blue Shoe Ball is more than a fundraiser. It’s a chance to use their platform to tackle a taboo health crisis head-on, proving that the most powerful tool in the fight against prostate cancer might just be a simple conversation.
Source: www.dailywire.com β https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-sports-legends-are-tackling-a-taboo-health-crisis-head-on