No Athletics for Usher

Even though every mom has dreams of their little boys playing pro football player, Jonnetta Patton found out early that athletics wouldn't be a part of her son's future. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Patton went to see little Usher Raymond play at the Boys & Girls Club in Chattanooga, Tennessee. While the other boys were busy running and catching and tackling, her baby -- who would grow up to win five Grammys -- was on the sidelines eating cookies. At that point, Patton said, "We rethought that career!"

Patton told that story to a crowd gathered outside the Boys & Girls Clubs of America's national headquarters in ATL last week to celebrate the organization's Be Great campaign. Billboards of Denzel Washington, Martin Sheen, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and other celebrities as children were unveiled across the country to increase awareness of the clubs, and to encourage everyone to help America's young people be great.

Usher -- whose six-year-old likeness is displayed in Atlanta -- set the record straight about his game. He told the crowd, “Football games aren’t just about the game. You’ve got to enjoy the concessions!”

Denzel Does His Part for The Kids

Every time we think we can't love Denzel Washington any more, we hear about things like this. Last week, the Oscar winner took time off from filming The Book of Eli in New Mexico to present a 50-thousand dollar check to a struggling Boys & Girls Club in Roswell.

The actor and director, who's also a spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Club of America -- decided to help after hearing reports that the club was on the verge of shutting down because of a lack of funds.

Washington challenged residents of the town to match his donation. According to Art Garcia, the Roswell club's director, several community groups and private donors have answered the call. In fact, Eastern New Mexico Medical Center ponied up five-grand.

Meanwhile, look for The Book of Eli -- a Hughes Brothers flick described as a post-apocalyptic Western that centers on a lone man who's fighting his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind -- to hit theaters in January 2010.