Dec. 16, 2004

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Richard Harvey has a simple outlook on life. Simple to say, but not necessarily simple to follow. His philosophy: In order to excel, you must work hard and dedicate yourself. Do whatever it takes to succeed.

"No matter what I do, that is what I do and it works for me," said the former Tulane football star. "And I think it works for other people as well."

The formula has worked at every level for Harvey. After an honor-filled high school career at Pascagoula High School in Mississippi, he brought his football talents to New Orleans in 1985, anchoring the Green Wave defense from his linebacker position. At the end of a successful Tulane career, he was selected to play in the Blue-Gray All-Star Game and then was drafted by the Buffalo Bills. An 11th-round selection, it was his work ethic which allowed him to play in the NFL for 12 years for five teams, including the New Orleans Saints. He made three Super Bowl appearances with the Bills.

Harvey, who earned his bachelor's degree in computer information systems from Tulane, was also a player representative for the NFL Players Association from 1993-2001.

Now, with football behind him, Harvey finds himself succeeding in the business world. Living and working in Pleasanton, Calif., outside the San Francisco Bay area, Harvey also enjoys having weekends off from football in order to spend time with his family. He has five children (two boys and three girls), ages six months to 14-years old.

"It was time for me to stop playing," said Harvey, whose last year in the NFL was 2000. "I was ready to move on and do other things. Since I have retired, real estate is my main career. It is fun and it is something I have had the opportunity to excel at."

But football is by no means out of his life. Harvey is now a key figure in the establishment of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) All-Star Classic. The inaugural game for stars from the often under-exposed schools is scheduled for Jan. 17 at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans. Information about the game is available online by visiting HBCUAllStarClassic.com.

"The purpose of the game is to give guys from smaller schools like Jackson State, Alcorn State and Grambling a place to get exposure," Harvey said. "A game of this magnitude needed to happen and New Orleans is the place for it to happen. The coaching staff will be all guys who played in the NFL. The players need experience and opportunity. We have guys who have volunteered to give them that."

In true New Orleans style, the Classic will be far more than a football game. A gospel lunch, art exhibits and multiple parties make it an event which celebrates music and art, as well as football.

Looking back at Harvey's roots shows why he has chosen to assist underdogs in their quest to reach the NFL. While he was an all-state, all-district and all-conference selection in high school, he was not a nationally-recruited player. Tulane's academic reputation sealed the deal for him to join the Green Wave.

Drafted in the 11th round of the 1989 NFL draft by Buffalo, Richard Harvey helped lead the Bills to three consecutive Super Bowls from 1991-93 and also played for the New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers during a 12-year pro career.

"Tulane, of all the schools that recruited me, was by far the best quality university which would give me a good education," Harvey said. "That stood out to me then and it still does today."

At Tulane, Harvey was a valuable reserve for much of his freshman season, before earning a start in the final game of his rookie year. He would remain a starter for the rest of his career, finishing with over 300 career tackles and catching the eye of NFL scouts.

Mack Brown, the Tulane head coach from 1985-87, described Harvey at the time as "the kind of guy who loves to hit, and he's the kind of guy you want to know off the field."

"If you look at the Tulane program, there is a myth that Tulane does not put guys in the league," Harvey said. "For years, there have been a lot of guys who made the NFL, and who have had long careers. If you have the talent, people will know who you are."

While he credits Tulane's football program for preparing him for an extended and successful NFL career, he values the way his university experience prepared a small-town boy to take on the world.

"Tulane was so diverse; you could meet anybody, all different backgrounds, income brackets, religions, everything," he said. "For me, being from a small town, it was really good. I have been all around the world for football and other events, and Tulane gave me the ability to be comfortable in all environments. It gave me confidence."

Despite travels throughout the country as a player at the highest level of his sport, Harvey looks back wistfully at relaxing days on the levee and in Audubon Park, "just hanging out or studying." And while his top football memory is Tulane's Independence Bowl appearance in 1987, the overall college football experience is what sticks in his mind.

"I remember a lot of good people," he said. "I was back for Homecoming this year and I saw guys I had not seen in 15 years and met younger guys who I had never met. It was a great time. For me, the overall experience and the quality of people that I met, those are my best memories."