The GovX Heroes of the Game participate in the coin toss with the team captains. Photo by Tony Gonzales
John Drdek, a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve as a Public Affairs Officer, and John Coligan, who served five years as a second class petty officer in the Coast Guard, were selected as the GovX Heroes of the Game for the Raiders match-up with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8.
Drdek was grateful to be able to represent the Navy, as well as the military as a whole, during the GovX Hero of the Game Coin Toss. "Events like this are especially wonderful in getting to express to tens of thousands of people here in the stadium and millions of people around the country and world that Navy is serving them and we serve to be honorable and noble professionals in our course of duty," said Drdek.
To be selected as one of the Heroes of the Game was an honor for Drdek. "Though I'm just one of many, we're a team effort and the hundreds of thousands of uniformed personnel around the country – Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard – all serve our country, so it's an honor to represent them," said Drdek.
GovX heroes of the game have the opportunity to watch pre-game warm-ups from the field and then participate in the coin toss with the team captains. "I think it's a great honor. I think it's an amazing thing that the Raiders organization is doing," said Coligan. "The fact that they're taking some time out to recognize the men and women that serve in the military, I think it's a very special thing. I'm honored to be a part of it."
Both Drdek and Coligan are big football fans. "I'm a huge fan. For me, it's maybe better than going to the Super Bowl because I wouldn't be able to be on the field for the Super Bowl, so I love both of these teams and it's very special to me," said Coligan. "I'm very appreciative to be here right now."
Click here for more GovX Heroes of the Game: http://www.raiders.com/fans/heroes.html
