The Darker Shade of Sports

The biblical story of David VS Goliath is often preached and used in sports circles the story is usually told from the perspective of the underdog overcoming impossible odds , but I often wonder how the story would differ  if told from Goliath’s experience.  Recently an old high school friend called to inform me that a former high school basketball legend had just passed, the young man was in his Forty’s.  As we reminisced about how talented this young man was back in the day and what it meant to play against him during our formative years. A thought that had been buried in my subconscious finally found its way to the surface. This young man was considered by many to be the best BIG man to come out of the area in a long time. It was during this reflection that I recalled a troubling phenomena that is taking place all across the country and has been for a decades.

The sports world is always in search of the next dominant force in the game, yes the NBA has been valiantly trying to find someone to replace the marketability of Jordan, with Lebron being the closest. However, there is still the quest to find the next “Shaq” This search is not limited to the men’s game as more and more coaches on the women’s side too are seeking that dominant force in the paint.  The thing that has always disturb me about the whole concept is the damage we do to our youth at a very early age in trying to make them live up to such lofty expectations. You have seen this occurrence take place on playgrounds and courts across the country. Whenever there is a young boy or girl who is taller and bigger than everyone else, coaches and fans alike expect them to take over a game even at the tender age of 11.  What people often miss when this occurrence happens are the feelings of the individual.  They fail to appreciate the beauty of their game if they are not breaking back boards, dunking on someone’s head or sending people flying as they make their move to the basket.  Nor do they consider for one moment the person’s damaged psyche when they fail to live up to the “Big Man” mystique. I have personally witness the harm this can do. In fact the friend who called to tell me about the passing of the high school all star, was expected by many to take the mantle of becoming the next great Big man, but instead his game was not one of brute force, despite being the tallest in his class. His game was more finesse think Ralph Sampson as oppose to a  younger Patrick Ewing, he had a beautiful jump hook, could run the floor like a gazelle, rebound and when he blocked shots he kept the ball inbounds much like Bill Russell instead of sending the ball to the 5^th row.

The fans never truly appreciated his talents, despite helping our high school team win a state championship. He was often the target of crude remarks, jokes and taunts. I use to feel bad for him, especially being his best friend.   To his credit he never showed or let the naysayers have the pleasure of seeing how they got to him.  He developed a layer of skin so thick, you’d need a diamond tip drill just to break the surface. I use to wonder how he dealt with all of the negative comments. Years later it dawned on me how he dealt with the pain. My friend turned to alcohol to anesthetize the pain and rejection.  

Recently, I had the opportunity to coach a young woman who stood 6’4 the tallest player in the school’s history. Not only was she tall she was built like a wall. She had all of the physical appearances of “Shaq” but her skill level said otherwise. People quickly wrote her off, all of the big universities didn’t give her a second look. I recall while watching one of her high school games another college coach who was in attendance shared his opinion “ What a god given waste of talent and size, she is AWFUL” I was stunned that a person who is in charge of leading young people  and share values could make such a disparaging comment.  I recruited her anyway, because I saw and appreciated the potential she had, all she needed was someone to believe in her. In fact the line I used to get her to attend my institution was “I’m not recruiting you to be “Shaq” instead I want you to be the best player, you can be”. I’ll never forget the look on her face, finally there was someone who believed in her and appreciated her skills just the way they were. She was a beautiful person inside and out we had a great four year run together. During her four years I watched her go through some of the same antics my high school teammate went through, the comments she endured were brutal “she sucks, if I had that height I would” the fans taunted every facet of her game from physical appearance to her limited skills, and the referees were just as bad, they would allow her get beat up and manhandled on a regular basis, her arms were covered with bruises and scratches. I would give the refs an earful whenever I witnessed this unfair treatment by shouting ”Goliath has feelings too” or “there is nothing in the rule book that states if you are bigger or taller than everyone else  you should be allowed to take more punishment. Unfortunately this is all too common, for some reason just because an athlete is bigger or taller than their peer that somehow disqualifies them from being human or having the same rules apply. The late Wilt Chamberlain could attest to this fact.  My center also had an escape mechanism; she would immerse herself in drawing beautiful illustrations of scenery, places that brought her serenity. And we also had long reassuring pep talks affirming that I believed in her. It was because of our relationship that she worked extra hard and gave me everything she had and she played a pivotal role in our successful run during her career. 

As the world tunes in for the start of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Magic, There are 2 big men who will be on center stage Orlando’s Dwight Howard and the Lakers Andrew Bynum, one of them will play a pivotal role in the series and for the other hopefully he has people around him who truly appreciate and love him just because.

The spring season is finally upon us, time to put away the winter coat, stock up on the antihistamines, open the windows for some much needed fresh air, watch a few baseball and softball games and time to reflect on my progress toward those New Years’ resolutions.  Recently I attended an event that recognized individuals and corporations that gave of their time and resources to support a program that focuses on encouraging young people in the 5^th grade to reach for their full potential.  One of the speakers who addressed the gathering shared his personal testimony about how it was a teacher that was instrumental in his life as a child and helped him become the success story he represents today. His words inspired me to reflect on whom that “Unsung Hero” was that influenced me at a critical point of my childhood.

For me that person was a coach named T-Bone, he was a tall, slim, dark skin young man who spoke with a soft tone, a few decibels above a whisper, that my team mates and I thought was so cool. T-bone always came to the game clean, well dressed and he had a way of motivating us without yelling or using abusive language. He was the epitome of cool and I admired him as a role model.  I was a lanky 13 year old athlete who just started to pick up the game of basketball after segueing from my first love of baseball.  I decided to join a local league at the urging of a classmate who happened to be the best player in the league; he noticed my height and convinced me to sign up.  The details of my first game are still vivid, I was nervous to say the least, as I knew my skills were not up to the level of some of the players in the league. I didn’t possess an arsenal of ball handling wizardry such as a killer cross over, behind the back or between the leg dribble that would wow you and in the hood if you don’t have game everyone will let you know about it, but for some reason T-Bone saw something in me and started me for the game, I did not score a basket, but I did defend, rebound and made some great passes to help the team to victory.  As the season progressed I settled into my role, my stat’s were hardly anything to brag about, but I quietly came to the game, played within myself and left, we went undefeated that season and won the championship, it helped that we had the best player in the league on our team, who surprisingly was very unselfish. T-Bone was great at keeping the focus on the team and not just one player; he somehow convinced us all that we had an important role.

T-Bone was the perfect coach for me at that time, as I was just coming from an abusive relationship with a former baseball league coach who kicked me off the all-star team in my last season of little league. This coach was the antithesis of T-Bone, and took my confidence.  At the conclusion of the championship game Bone took us to a local pizzeria to celebrate, it was here that he made his biggest deposit into my life, as he dole out the accolades MVP, defensive player and so on, he announced that he had a special award to issue the “Unsung Hero” . To paraphrase T-Bone it was like the MVP, and he began to describe the characteristics, played hard, sacrificed personal stats, efforts often over looked, etc he concluded by saying the award goes to Tony Price, I was both dumbfounded and elated as my teammates and I didn’t really know what the award meant, but I do remember catching the words it was like the MVP and that’s all I needed to feel 10 feet tall.  I raced back home to the housing projects to share the good news with my mom.  From that day on there was no stopping me, T-bone made me a believer. Fortunately I had the chance years later to thank him. Who was that unsung person in your life?  Are they still alive?  Have you ever thanked them?  Now is the perfect time for some spring cleaning

March Madness has officially started the time of year when thousands of avid and casual fans are watching each game with the intense focus that serious investors exhibit when watching the ticker symbols scroll across.  Fans are monitoring the results of each game to see if there picks are holding up true to form or if their brackets just went Bust!  Each year I tell myself that I’m not going to watch much of this hype driven hoop frenzy which is strange since I’m a college basketball coach, maybe it’s because at this point of the year I’m experiencing the wear and tear of a long season spent coaching my own squad. Yet the allure of watching the games somehow always creeps into my living room and before you know it, hours have passed and there I sit on the edge of my couch shouting at the television set offering coaching suggestions.

There is no question March Madness represents different things to different sectors of people for many it represents Big Business, just look at the commercials in between games, same for merchandising, while some watch to familiarize themselves with the next generation of NBA stars, others watch because of school pride and lastly the games serve as a temporary diversion from the troubled economy. I on the other hand watch the games for another reason; I enjoy watching a collective group of individuals work together and demonstrate what you can achieve with preparation and Faith, not Luck despite the predictions of the experts. This is the time of the year when millions of fans become familiar with a school or players who have flown under the radar screen for most of the season; we watch them become overnight heroes.  For me the attraction of the games comes down to the unfolding story line “small school over achieves and defeats Big time University” Besides like many Americans I love cheering for the underdog and seeing the “nobody’s of the college basketball world” stick it to the Big Dogs. There’s something exhilarating about watching that happen right before your eyes.  There is also a spiritual principle we can learn through watching the triumphs of the Cinderella’s of the big dance.

I’m referencing a story found in the book of Numbers from the bible, chapter 13 it’s the story of Moses sending out a team of individuals to go and spy a land that was promised to his people, the land was beautiful filled with resources a virtual paradise, however when the team returned the majority came back with a negative story based on Fear (they saw giants) and did not think they could overcome these mighty people to possess the land.  The naysayers spread their message of doubt and unbelief, amongst the rest of the people convincing them to give up their hopes and dreams of a better life, despite seeing evidence to the contrary.  But a couple of the spies came back with a different perspective, yes they saw the same giants the others witnessed, but they still believed they could win they knew they were prepared and the desire to taste victory was a strong enough motivating factor to press on.  Today many of us face are facing scary and tumultuous times filled with uncertainty, yet the will to succeed and not live a life of fear has to be great enough to overcome the negative reports we are constantly bombarded with. I encourage you not to succumb to the reports of the doomsayers. You have to adopt the same philosophy the small programs have that win in the NCAA tournament, when no one else believes in you or gives you a chance, step onto the court of life with confidence and take your best shot!

Like many of you I receive my fair share  of those chain emails that flood my inbox, you know the ones, if you pray this and that you will experience days of blessing, however if you don’t forward the email to all of the special people in your life, you will be cursed. Or the emails with the unabridged versions of how people have overcome personal tragedies or the time consuming power point presentations with so many pictures your eyes start to cross by the 8^th picture. Often times I just delete these annoyances, unless I come across one that is straight to the point and inspirational. Such was the case this past week, I received an email and the message line simply read “Beautiful” so I decided to click and open. Wouldn’t you know it, it was one of those everlasting power point presentations, I’m not in the mood for this was my initial reaction but for some reason I decided to half heartedly watch the entire slide show, maybe it was because I was feeling down, the night before my team lost in the playoffs which meant our remarkable season suddenly came to an end. As the images scrolled through there were a few images and quotes that caught my eye.

One image along with the accompanying text  hit me with the sensation you experience when getting splashed with cold water; it read like this  “ Don’t take yourself so seriously, No one else does”  I paused the image and just stared at the screen. I am one of those ultra competitive people you hear about that hates to lose at anything. I was this way as an athlete and now as a coach when my team wins, the joy is usually temporary and short lived, yet when the team loses the pain, anguish and lack of confidence as a teacher and motivator is long lasting, so you can imagine how I felt the next day after suffering defeat in the first round of the playoffs. Reading the words on that image, produced and aha moment; I came to the following hypothesis that yes it hurts to fall short of reaching a specified goal  in this case a Championship; however the sting of failure should not eclipse the wonderful journey the team experienced along the way. I soon realized that beating myself up over the loss, mentally replaying scenarios from the game in which I could do nothing about at this point, resenting certain players I felt didn’t play up to expectations and  spending lots of valuable time and energy worrying about what others thought of me as a coach was unproductive.  Like so many people when things don’t go their way, I was dwelling on a bad past experience, to the point it was ruining my present day. I had to make a choice to either let the negative experience spoil the next few days, something I have been prone to do or I could take a step back to reflect on what the team accomplished during the season that put us in the position to challenge for a championship. There are a lot of teams who would’ve given anything to be in our position, and yet I couldn’t appreciate this perspective because of wallowing in the mud of disappointment. The one thing I have come to realize over the years is that no matter how tough things look today the sun will still rise the next day and no one really cares how you feel. There is a biblical passage that speaks to this fact Psalm 30:5 reads weeping may endure for a night, but Joy comes in the morning.   In life we all face disappointment, some of which we have no control, however you do have the power to control your response to the situation and how long you will let that darkened cloud impair your sunny day.  In other words get over it, life is still waiting on you to get back in the game.

Oh No! was my initial reaction as the referee made his way to the scorer’s table and signaled the foul on blue # 22, which was his 5^th foul disqualifying my son Michael from the game with 3:03 left on the game clock.  What made this foul tough were the limited options of replacement players to come in and take his place amongst the “Shockers” junior college roster, they were especially scarce at inside players.  Another factor that made this foul and its implication loom large was the fact the team was on the verge of winning their first game of the season.  To the teams credit the remaining players held together and withstood a furious run down the stretch by the home team as they realized the game was getting away from them, as the clock wound down 10, 9, 8, and the final buzzer sounded the players joy of lifting that monkey off their back was all too evident, it was as if they won a championship game. The exuberance was something to behold as these young men along with the coaches and fans breathed a collective sigh of relief of not going 0 for the season i.e. Detroit Lions. You are probably wondering why is winning one game a big deal?  First you have to consider the pain, agony and embarrassment this team experienced to start the season and prior to this game, they were 0-8 and lost most of the games by 20 plus points.  Coincidentally a few days earlier I had a conversation with Mike about the team’s record, which he did not want to discuss and purposely blocked out of his mind, I asked about the teams psyche after starting the season in such a dismal fashion.  He expressed what I already knew and witnessed from the stands; morale was low, the game they loved was no longer fun and despite the season just getting under way it already seemed too long, the players dreaded everything from practice, listening to the coach scream, to the long van rides to some of the most destitute places only to come back with another “L” on their record. 

I’m sure the team that lost to the Shockers on this night all but had this game neatly wrapped and packaged before it started. I can’t say I blame them given the fact that Mike’s team had not won a game and were getting blown out; surely they would not lose to them? To make things more interesting there were some internal conflicts on the Shockers that finally manifested a couple of days before the game. Half of the players on the team quit, they couldn’t take losing so they simply walked away. How is it that people can justify quitting as the best solution, unless you are referring to harmful addictions, is beyond me, I think quitting is a selfish act in most cases but it happens. Those players are alike so many when things get tough and their dreams are deferred; they gave up and quit.  The ironic twist to this story is that some of the remaining players  started the season so far down on the bench you’d need a GPS system to locate them, but they stuck it out. What does that say about their character? As a coach I know the importance of having talent, but I also understand that chemistry is the key ingredient for any team’s success whether you are talking sports or business.  The 8 players who stayed found a common cause and a bond, they competed twice as hard and showed some fight that was clearly lacking in the previous games, they played with something to prove. I was amazed at the 180 degree turn around and determination this small group of players displayed and to see their efforts rewarded with their first win of the season was very emotional. These young men had the chance to experience something the other players who gave up didn’t a victory. What a great affirmation of a life lesson. Success rarely comes to those who lack the toughness and discipline to push through the obstacles and challenges standing in the way of their Goals and Dreams. The Shockers pushed through and on this night walked away Winners!   

“Words can either Inspire or Douse the fire of the Receiver”

                                                                                                                        Tony Price    

    What an amazing feeling I just experienced, as I wiped the sweat from my brow and headed for the exit door. I just wrapped up one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had in a while as the guest speaker at a local school in the City of Boston. I was there to speak to the 5^th grade class as part of a program called “If they  made it, so can I” www.theymadeitsocani.org  this program is the divinely inspired creation of a dynamic woman named Patricia Spence and should be replicated throughout the country. The premise of the program is for professional adults to come and share their life story of how they got to where they are today beginning with their own 5^th grade experience.  After a rousing introduction, Pat’s a great hype person and would be great on a hip hop tour, I walked through the classroom door to the amazement of the students who marveled at my height.  I began to address the class and share my story of growing up in Mission Hill one of Boston’s most notorious housing projects, avoiding the pitfalls that rob so many of their potential and share how the 5^th grade was the last time I was in the advance class, because growing up know one explained to me that it was possible to be both smart and cool I also shared my TPC principle’s of Talent, Purpose, Calling.

      There was a young man in the class named Isaiah (not his real name) who inspired to be a pro ball player as did a few others, no surprise as we unfortunately know our young people overwhelmingly think that success is tied to a sports or entertainment career, This brazen young man  sat straight up in his chair and stated to me that he thought he could beat me in a game of one on one, immediately his class mates erupted in laughter they riddled him with jokes and comments about how I would Kill him, even the administrator who  was present at the time mentioned that I was at least 4 feet taller than he, immediately Isaiah’s countenance change and his body language reflected the loss of confidence.  I sprang into action and came to his defense and told him that it’s great he thought he could beat me in a game of basketball, he set his bar of success high, he thought of me as the ultimate challenge. I then followed up with these words “Isaiah it doesn’t matter what others think about your goals and dreams, what matters most is what you believe and if you think you can beat me, don’t let others discourage you”.  Instantly I could see the rush of confidence return. How many of us can relate to what Isaiah experienced? Or perhaps your words discouraged someone else from pursuing their dream.  At the conclusion of my talk, the principal asked if I wouldn’t mind playing basketball with a few of the students in the gym, and though I was clearly not dressed to play, I said of course, because Isaiah would be one of the students who participated, and you know what despite the odds being stacked against me, it was 3 on 1. I had a great time.

   As for Isaiah that young man got game, as he displayed a variety of ball handling skills straight from the And 1 mix tour, along with a consistent jump shot from 15 feet, imagine if he came to the gym having the last words spoken to him be the jokes and comments made by his fellow classmates at the thought of him beating me and I didn’t pick him back up. I think the game would have turned out differently.   As a coach I often remind the athletes in my program that in order for us to achieve our goals, we have to have a strong belief in what we think about ourselves, despite what the critics say, this season we were chosen to finish 7^th in the pre-season polls, however to date we are off to a 2-0 start, here’s hoping we keep believing in the powerful words within that say we can become Champions.  

Sometimes when you are in the midst of watching an historic event unfold, you don’t know what or how to feel, such was the case for me as I watched the culmination of what was nothing short of miraculous, an African-American male became the 44th president of the United States. As the build up to the election approached I could not help but think of how men like D.W. Griffith (Birth of a Nation) must be turning in their graves at what is taking place in their beloved country, while the restless souls of the thousands of nameless people who lost their lives during the middle passage to this country in cargo ships, discarded overboard like trash, those souls of individuals who did nothing wrong except be born with the wrong skin color and were hung from trees or the internal and external wounds inflicted on the freedom riders, how they must have danced and shouted at this monumental occurrence.

In between answering the barrage of text messages I received from my athletes, friends, and family my feelings were put on ice, I wish there was something in me that could produce tears of gladness, but alas there were none, there was just this sense of surreal numbness and a discreet pessimistic eye watching the TV screen as the poll numbers kept streaming by, I was anticipating something or someone to come in and pull the plug on the entire festive moment, any moment someone was going to come on the air and say” wait a minute we have a recall or large numbers of voter fraud have been discovered”  the next president elect is not Barack but John McCain.

 As a black man in my forties, I grew up hearing and thinking there will never be a black person as president of the United States in this lifetime, and until recently that statement was true, outside of the fictitious characters in television and movies, even then I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea that an African-American president was something that could actually happen, so what changed? I’ll tell you; the young people of this generation changed, they said enough is enough, they asked the question that many of us never did, if not my generation then when? And they answered the bell, this helped to propel Obama over the top, given his credentials if he were a white male, this race would not have been a race at all, but a large segment of the population could not get past his race, leave it to the youth to show us the way, this generation for all of its criticism stepped up and got to work. “Yes we can” was not just a catchy slogan on a button or t-shirt it was a blue print of how to roll up your sleeves and integrate the small parts into the larger sum. They didn’t want to listen to another sermon, speech or lecture about the pie in the sky fallacy of how one day this country will rise up and come together or how they should be change agents, they made it happen now. Also while I’m at it lets give a loud round of applause to the women of this country who refused to have the Republicans insult their intelligence, by simply placing any woman on the ticket.

As a coach I know there is always a defining moment for any team during the season, the point in the season that reveals the true character of the individuals in the room and determines if we’ll accomplish our goals by sticking together or just play the string out, looking forward to the end.  For the country that defining moment will forever be marked as November 4, 2008.  Barack’s transition to the white house will be met with great challenges, fear for his safety and skepticism that you can be sure, but this country has finally come to the realization that there is nothing inferior about black leadership, and the sports world with the success of the black athlete set the tone for this truth. The recent accomplishments of men like Tony Dungy, and Doc Rivers, showed us all that if given a fair opportunity and the resources needed we can get the job done, and the same will hold true for President Obama. 

As I casually strolled across the dingy Boston playing field on a brisk Sunday afternoon the winds began to whip through my jacket and the words watch your step scrolled across my mind as I carefully navigated through the debris that is a part of many urban ball fields , broken glass, geese droppings, etc. Wait a minute is that human feces?  I finally made it to the sideline set up my portable sports chair and got ready to watch an M2Sports flag football game between the Giants and the Eagles. The only reason I was at this game was to watch my son Tony aka “Tadow” along with the rest of his Giant teammates “H8me, Sho Nuff, Killa, Toby, Javafi,Jeebies, El Negro, Phil, Cbert and P.T compete.  

Before the game started the first thing I noticed was how diverse the teams were, there were men of all racial, social, religious and economic backgrounds playing side by side or as opposition.  The formation of the league was the brainchild of Mario Lopez a Latino brother who had the vision to create a format where men can be men have fun, stay in shape and release the stress of daily living at least once a week and have the freedom to unleash their alter ego’s with names like K-Dogg, Speedy, Mr. Puerto Rico etc. It was great to see such a diverse collection of men gathered together.

The game finally began and immediately there was a lot of trash talking, this was my first time attending the games, so the language assault I experienced caught me off guard, I was sure someone was going to take the comments out of context and blows would be thrown, this was definitely not a PG-13 event and don’t get it twisted just because it’s a flag football league, this sports is not for little boys, hits on the sideline are legal and people can and do get cracked, much to the delight of the crowd on run backs or blocking at the line.  Both teams spent a fair amount of time and energy trading verbal air assaults from ethnic put downs to the questioning of “Manhood” for everyone to hear and laugh at on the sidelines.  The contest was intense and went back and forth the Giants scored first then the Eagles and this pattern lasted over two hours, until “Tadow” scored the game winning touchdown. What happened at the conclusion of the game is what really impressed me, I just knew that after all the jarring that took place the end of the game would be the opportunity for someone to over react to something that was said and blow it out of proportion, as I watched the teams walk toward each other at midfield,  the teams simply shook hands, embraced, laughed, shared water and a genuine respect for their brothers after all it was just a game they left their differences on the football field.

At that very moment I pondered the following, why can’t these same men who represent something larger than themselves come together for a common cause away from the playing field and take that same passion and energy back to the community to help tear down the walls that separate us and make a difference?  What is it that keeps our neighborhoods segregated once they exit the playing surface? After the games are over, the blacks will go their way and hang out with the blacks, the Latino’s will hang with the Latino’s and so on for the white males. It’s been said that sports serves as a microcosm of the larger society in many ways, but it’s ironic that the same people who can spend hours together as teammates or engaged in healthy competition go their separate ways and live in different worlds once the games end. Imagine how powerful it would be to see these same men standing side by side leading voter registration drives, mentoring programs, policing the block to make the hood safe, visiting classrooms, and juvenile detention centers. They would be excellent role models in demonstrating to our youth that beneath the obvious differences of color and race we can get along. On the playing fields diversity is what helps a team come together, the successful teams adopt the philosophy of inclusion and appreciation of variety and they figure out how to make those differences work together for a common goal, “winning”.  Yet that same approach is rarely seen in other area’s politics, education, religion and employment to name a few.   

Perhaps one day we will find a way to make society a microcosm of sports, rather than the other way around.  

A forgotten Sports Pioneer or simply ignored

Quick by a show of hands how many of you ever heard of Dick Leftridge before today? I have to confess I too never heard of Mr. Leftridge until recently, when I was contacted by his son Jack Richard Leftridge Jr. The younger namesake is on a quest to have his father’s name and accomplishments remembered and properly acknowledged in the history books. The timing of this movement could not have come at a better time in lieu of the highly anticipated release of the  Disney movie ”The Express” due to open in theaters. The Express is based on the life of the late Syracuse great Ernie Davis who was the first African-American football player to win the Heisman (1961).

Like Mr. Davis all accounts point to the fact that Dick Leftridge was a pioneer in his own right, according to my research and a synopsis received from his son, Dick Leftridge was the first African-American to receive a football scholarship to play for a major college in the south, after he signed with West Virginia University in 1962, which at the time played in the Southern conference, below the Mason Dixon line. The recruitment and signing of Dick Leftridge accompanied by the subsequent signing of another black player Roger Alford represented a shift in the culture at the university.  According to Richard Leftridge Jr., WVU was not his father’s first choice despite being a hometown product (Hinton, WV), he wanted to attend Ohio State to play for the legendary Woody Hayes; however the elder Leftridge bowed to the pressure he received from boosters to local politicians all of whom wanted him to stay home and play at WVU. According to the document even the local chapter of the NAACP encouraged Leftridge to attend the local university and be the one who broke the color barrier at WVU.  Dick Leftridge played for WVU from 1963-1965 during that time he put up some impressive stats he was the leading ground gainer and scorer each of his three years at WVU, in 1965 he was named Amateur Athlete of the year by the West Virginia Sports writer Association. Dick Leftridge was the first African-American to play for the south team in the North-South Shrine game in 1965, he was also the first African-American named to the University of Pittsburgh All-Opponent team, and Dick Leftridge was also the first African-American voted to the second teams all south conference.  

 A few of you older Pittsburgh Steelers fans may remember Dick Leftridge as the team’s first round pick in 1966 he was chosen third overall that year, he was also a fourth round selection of the AFL’s Miami Dolphins that same year. Unfortunately Dick Leftridge only played one unspectacular season for the Steelers and many fans and media personnel labeled him a bust. This is where the story gets interesting; there are varied accounts as to why an athlete with so much promise lasted only one season in the NFL? Depending on whose version you believe some say Dick Leftridge, simply didn’t have the desire and discipline to make it, there are stories that say he simply “ate” his way out of the league by putting on too much weight to be effective as an elite running back,  according to one article on Mr. Leftridge written in the Hinton Daily News (7/19/66), the Steelers had a weight clause put in his contract, the fine print read that every pound over 230 he brought to camp would carry a $50 fine, however in an interview with a reporter of the Charleston Daily News (9/26/85) Mr.Leftridge gave a different account of the events, he is quoted as saying the “Steelers put in the  papers that I weighed 300 pounds when I reported. Everybody believed that and they still do. I admit I was lazy sometimes, but I wasn’t fat. I weighed 242 pounds when I reported; Hell all I know is how to play football. That’s all I’ve ever done. I was just a poor boy from Hinton (WV). How could people think I’d throw away a chance to make a million dollars? I’d never turn my back on that”.

Controversy seemed to follow Leftridge from WVU through his short pro career he was dismissed from school in the middle of the semester of his senior year a few days after he played his last collegiate game and his eligibility was done, in 1976 he would return to school to complete his degree.  The younger Leftridge is also quick to point out that his dad was no saint; he wrestled with his own demons once his football career finally ended. He shared details of his father’s checkered past this included time spent in Detroit working in the automotive industry, and making questionable decisions to get involved in the drug game as a dealer both in Detroit and upon his return to his hometown, as a result of being on the wrong side of the law, Mr. Leftridge was sentenced to a five year stint in federal prison (1987). According to his son while the elder Leftridge sat in prison there were a number of alleged verbal, mental and physical harassment of the family on the streets and places of employment.   

He also shared stories of his frustration in getting his dad’s story told and published. “I’ve contacted a lot of people, especially the African-American celebrities I see and hear in the media and received little to no interest, I’m not sure if the story is too controversial or what? He’s also faced an uphill battle in getting WVU to properly acknowledge his father’s achievements and historic significance for the Mountaineers. According to Richard JR. the school didn’t really acknowledge his accomplishments until his death and even then the school just published a short blurb, to this day he still has not been inducted into their Hall of Fame. Now the critics will argue that being inducted should not be based on race as a criteria for selection, and you should be judged strictly on athletic achievements , on the flip side supporters can point out his stats and some of his awards (mentioned earlier) and in this case his being the first African-American player at WVU, during a time of tumultuous unrest (Civil Rights Era) in this country’s history, should be taken into consideration alongside his on field performance, he was and still is the schools highest ever NFL draft pick. Does Dick Leftridge deserve to be inducted in the WVU Hall of fame? I’ll let you decide. In my humble opinion I think the story of Dick Leftridge is one of intrigue, mystique and historical importance and one that needs further exploration, if any of you would like to assist the younger Leftridge on his journey to promote his dads story (he can be reached at jrljr63@yahoo.com), he would be very gracious, he is not seeking fame and fortune from this story, just a chance to share the legacy of a forgotten Pioneer.  

2 Timothy 1:7 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

What a powerful sermon the young pastor preached today about that four letter word that begins with “F”.  That special word that has robbed so many of their dreams and evokes such negative emotions the minute you hear it. Of course I’m talking about the word FEAR.  The atmosphere in the church was electrified as the pastor stood on the pulpit exhorting the congregation on ways to overcome their anxiety and how our lives would be greatly enriched once we mastered the technique of tuning out those negative voices in our head. You know that voice the one that comes when you are about to embark on something new and step out of your comfort zone.  That voice that penetrates your subconscious and is begins to discourage you from taking action and moving forward to realize your potential.  It suddenly came to me how often as a coach I’m called upon to help the young athletes in my program get through this paralyzing emotion on a regular basis.  In a competitive sport like basketball there are pressure situations that manifest throughout the contest, particularly during what is known as “crunch time” the end of game moments in which one play or lack thereof could determine the outcome. I think It’s amazing the time many of today’s athletes spend going through rigorous physical training to get their bodies in peak conditioning, yet, spend very little time preparing for the mental challenges of facing and handling pressure situations. Many of these individuals would rather not face the ridicule and scrutiny that’s sure to follow should their efforts fall short, (missed shot at the buzzer) the pressure to perform when it matters most, is scary and a situation many try to avoid.

Below are a few strategies I share with my athletes to help them prepare and overcome FEAR (on and off the courts)

1.At the beginning of the season I have the team write out specific goals they want to achieve for the current season this exercise helps them to set clear, concise and attainable goals it also helps to train their minds to focus on how they will reach their objectives. Many people can envision what they desire, but have difficulty in seeing how to get their dreams to materialize there’s something powerful and unlocking when goals are written. Utilizing visual images (a picture or physical sample) are also effective. For a team you could use a replica championship trophy or banner as the visual. At the beginning of each season I to write down specific goals for the team, This blue print helps me formulate practice plans complete with special situations, specific drills and exercises needed to help the team prepare to face challenges.

2. Another exercise I put the team through is to have them share their goals out loud in a group setting for accountability. I believe if you feel so strongly about obtaining something you want and desire, you should have no problem sharing it publicly. What I often notice is a growing confidence that emerges through this activity as individuals stand up in front of the group to share their goals at first with trepidation that quickly dissipates into strong conviction, after all if they don’t truly believe in what they are saying how can they expect others to? This is important as they begin to paint a picture for the audience to follow.  It’s important to note that I also point out to them that not everyone will share their enthusiasm, or zeal. But they should not let that discourage them. 

3.  I encourage them to face Fear head on, you have to desire something so badly or develop an intense yearning to change your current situation that nothing will hold you back. If there is a particular team I know we have a difficult time matching up with, they may have better athletes or play a particular style that gives us problems (press style defense) I try to get the team to breakdown what they view as insurmountable into manageable parts and learn how to aggressively attack the GIANT. We still may not win the game, but the outcome won’t be as a result of being intimidated.

4. Lastly when all else fails in preparing them to confront their fears my goal is simply just getting them to start the process. You see many people become so paralyzed by fear that they never begin taking actions that will lead to the desired results. By taking some type of action toward a specific goal signals progress this could be as simple as starting an enhanced strength and conditioning program to the memorization of a document filled with motivational quotes or specific drills to improve their individual performance. Just by taking that first step helps quell those feelings of anxiety and doubt.  A Large percentage of individuals never reach their goals and overcome fear, because they never take the first step!

©2008 Tony Price Unlimited LLC