Bill Gates and Bono.

Two men seemingly on opposite ends of the American spectrum, found a medium ground in 2005.

The location was the cover of one of the most prestigious magazines in American history, TIME, where they earned the humbling honor of Person’s of The Year for their philanthropic and humanitarian work.

It was in the story of these two men that Coach Joe Crosby, former head football coach at Morris Brown University, found justification for an idea that would be criticized, or even crucified, by the normal cutthroat capitalistic mindset.

The idea of giving.

“For me, people like Bill Gates, Bono and Oprah,” said Crosby. “If you look at what they’ve done, it’s incredible. God gives them big. If you look at some of the richest people in the world, they’re also some of the most giving people in the world.”

It was two years prior to the publishing of the inspirational cover, 2003, when Crosby, along with the support of his wife Christina tried his hand in the food business by opening up the T-60 Grill on Mother’s Day after 23 years of coaching football.

“Originally, our menu was very simple with only steaks and sandwiches,” said Crosby, a native of Charlotte.

“However, four months after the restaurant opened, and with Tina’s encouragement, we introduced the Low Country Boil – an entrée consisting of sausage, corn, potatoes, shrimp and crab – which are all boiled in a pot containing the special seasoning that we developed.

The response that Tina and I have received to our Low Country Boil has been beyond our imagination.”

Crosby’s success in entrepreneurship is the product of A&T’s school of business, which he graduated from in 1977.

He was a member of the Aggies’ football team as well.

Under the guidance of the school of business’ dean, Dean Craig, and the watchful eye of Coach Howell, Crosby was tremendously influenced by them as a young Aggie.

And for that, Crosby has been more than generous to his alma mater. As stated on the side of his Coach’s Low Country Boil Seasoning, two dollars of each 23-ounce bottle sold is being donated to A&T.

The money is divided equally among the academic and athletic departments.

The Crosbys have not been discriminative with their giving as they also have the same deal with Clemson seeing as though they are based in close proximity in Seneca, S.C.

Along with both those charitable endeavors, they also have the Joe and Christina Crosby Foundation.

Through this organization, they give back in three specific areas: culinary education, collegiate education and elementary education.”We recently provided all the elementary teacher’s in Ocone County (South Carolina) with school supplies,” said Crosby. “We also put six kids on scholarship. You can always get to a point in your life when you can give back because you never know.”

Over a span of four short years, Joe Crosby went from a small restaurant owner to having his products sold in Wal-Mart, Bi-Lo and Food Lions nationally.

According to coach Crosby, the bigger his business grows, the bigger he will be able to give back.

• Malcolm S. Eustache