"Who do you want?"
"Dhani!"
"When do you want him?"
"Now!"
With this chant, Nursing professor Christopher Coleman riled up a large Fagin Hall crowd yesterday as audience members eagerly awaited the arrival of the Philadelphia Eagles linebacker.
Looking classy in his signature bow-tie, Jones spoke passionately about men's health and fitness and how the perception in the U.S. that men need to be tough could actually threaten their lives.
"If we fall, we have to get back up. If we are sick, we have to deal with it. If we get hurt, we have to keep going," Jones said. "The truth is, however, that there are many of us who are suffering and struggling every single day."
According to Coleman, "men have higher death rates and die six years sooner than do women."
Jones said he is extremely grateful for having found a trainer who has equipped him with the right advice in order to stay healthy.
"My trainer changed my entire mindset about health and fitness," said Jones. "He taught me about the three most important and necessary aspects of my life that I need to feed: my mind, my body and my soul."
Jones emphasized these three important aspects throughout his speech.
"You have to feed your mind with knowledge," Jones began quietly. "For your body, you must eat right."
Jones, who eats healthy foods such as vegetable omelettes and oats, says taking care of yourself is one of the most important things a person can do.
He added that he believes men especially need to learn how to feed their soul.
"Men don't really talk to each other; they only talk trash," he said. "But if they learn who they are as people and get to know themselves better, they will be more comfortable with talking to one another."
Jones played a video showing a 91-year-old man who works out five days a week and can run a 100-yard dash in 17 seconds.
Said Jones to the amazed audience: "Take care of yourselves in such a way so that you, too, will be able to sprint the 100-yard dash in 17 seconds when you're 91. Don't let death chase you. Instead, chase life."
Nursing junior Heather Cunningham said she thought it was "great that Penn was able to get such a high-profile person to speak on the issue of men's health."
"I think it's important for men's health to get out there because a lot of men aren't aware of the dangers [of] not taking care of oneself," she added.
