Real Talk - Greg Newell on Dennis Johnson

Greg Newell

"SPEAKING CALLS FOR RISK, SPEAKING CALLS FOR A SENSE OF WHAT ONE HAS TO LOSE, NOT JUST WHAT ONE HAS TO GAIN.  SPEAKING CALLS FOR HEART." 

Anna Deavere Smith penned the preceding quote in her 2001 book "Talk to Me: Travels in Media & Politics." She traveled America "in pursuit of authentic language, the kind that reveals the truth of a person, not just information."

Dennis Johnson

Greg Newell has a unique & authentic voice and his passion revolves around basketball. Greg is the youngest son of the legendary Pete Newell, a force for many years in basketball as a coach, teacher, administrator & executive at the college and professional levels. Greg & I have been Facebook friends for many years. His Facebook posts on basketball have a unique slant and his legion of followers usually add depth to the conversation with their comments. 

Recently Greg responded to a Facebook comment by telling a fascinating story about his first brush with real adversity in basketball when he was a Freshman at LA Harbor College in 1974-75.

My Dad told me when I was about 18 years old and faced my 1st BB adversity.......and wanting to QUIT because the typical "Coach doesn't like me because I'm better than the guy I'm playing behind........." Which also resulted in a practice fist fight with another player I was mad at......so I got kicked out of practice and told the coach "I quit this bullsh*t team"!!! Pops told me, when he got home and I was in my room, feeling sorry for myself............."Greg, the easiest thing to do in life, when things get rough, is QUIT!!! Learn now, to get through tough times and adversity at your age, because surely there are gonna come days, when you are an adult, where you want to quit; but if you learn your lesson now? You have the strength built up to face any adversity?" He was right.........he didn't fight my fights or sugar coat his message......it was straight REAL!!! BTW.........that player I felt and to this day, I thought I was better than? Dennis Johnson (DJ) at Harbor JC my Freshman year!! LOL

Moral to my little story,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I came back to the Team and practice the next day and on my Dad's suggestion (which I did NOT want to do at all................but I did) I apologized to the Coach and he was cool with it and my outburst.................I earned the "Most Inspirational Player" on ourTeam that WON the State JC BB Title in California 3 months later and both my Mom and Dad were as proud of me, than when I earned a scholly and graduated from Pepperdine a couple years later. LOL

I saw Greg's comment & responded - Great lesson & greater story, especially when you did your "Paul Harvey" at the end & mentioned DJ's name - Idea for your blog - write about Dennis Johnson's development from his high school/junior college years to when he decided to declare after his junior year at Pepperdine. Was he a classic late bloomer? How good was he in high school/1st year of JC. Scottie Pippen has one of the greatest late bloomer stories of all-time. From NAIA College Manager to Hall of Fame.

Greg started a basketball/sports commentary blog called bballerschopshop.com in May, 2017. His 4-part series on Dennis Johnson is Real Talk & great insight into Dennis Johnson's college hoop years.  Many who read this blog post might not know who Dennis Johnson was - He's easily in my top 5 list of basketball players who are from the Los Angeles area (LA County). Below are the first 2 paragraphs from his Wikipedia Bio.

Dennis Wayne Johnson (September 18, 1954 – February 22, 2007), nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. He was an alumnus of Dominguez High School, Los Angeles Harbor College and Pepperdine University.^[1]

A prototypical late bloomer, Johnson overcame early struggles^[2] and had a successful NBA playing career. Drafted 29th overall in 1976 by the Seattle SuperSonics, Johnson began his professional career as a shooting guard. He eventually led the Sonics to their only NBA championship in 1979, winning the Finals MVP Award. After a short stint with the Phoenix Suns, he became the starting point guard for the Boston Celtics, with whom he won two more championships. Johnson was voted into five All-Star Teams, one All-NBA First and one Second Team, and nine consecutive All-Defensive First and Second Teams.^[3] Apart from his reputation as a defensive stopper, Johnson was known as a clutch player who made several decisive plays in NBA playoffs history.^[1]

Click Dennis Johnson's NBA Encyclopedia bio if you want further details on his basketball career.

I'm going to provide links to all of Greg's posts on Dennis Johnson as well as his words on this blog post. Greg posted the following quote from his dad in his last post:

Greg Newell - Part 1 - My Poignant Memories of Dennis Johnson and How HE influenced my Life

we go………….My memory of the “Late, Great: Dennis Johnson”…………..With several many THANKS to Clarence Gaines, Jr.; the son of BB Hall of Famer: Clarence “Big House” Gaines; who in his own right, a highly respected NBA “Scout and Talent Evaluator” most notably with the Chicago Bulls and the NY Knicks of recent…………Clarence Jr. encouraged me to write my time with DJ and share the memories of this oft forgotten GREAT BB player and offer some backstory how we came to meet, become teammates and everything after…….which upon reflection; is a GREAT memory to me……….because Dennis was my friend; first and foremost!!!

I first met Dennis; more or less, the very 1st practice held at “Try Outs” at Los Angeles Harbor Junior College.  “Try Outs” was one of those terms used for “other players” not me; because I felt, do my HS success, I didn’t need to “Try Out”; but that was the “Code of the Road” with the Head BB Coach: Jim White, who was NO JOKE!!!  Coach White was a former excellent BB player, who had played and started at USC back in the day and was known for his Defensive prowess and his PRIMARY emphasis as a BB Coach!!  So his “Try Outs” had more to do with ‘weeding out” those players who “bought in” on Defense first and if they had some offensive skill at the other end?  But it was ALL about DEFENSE  first with Coach White……….which is where our paths collided; because I played defense, as my Dad used to say:  “Matador Style”  LOL!!  In other words, my style of playing perimeter defense was to check a player and next thing I knew, the offensive player went right by me, like a Bull in a Bullfight, red cape and all…………causing my Dad to say……….”Greg, you are a great Traffic Cop……..you yell out “Switch”; Help”; “You take him”; etc like no other BB defender I have ever seen or heard!!!”  LOL (True Story)

I write all this, above, to set the stage for my 1st encounter with DJ……..it was quite apparent, Dennis was STELLAR on Defense and NOT just Man-to-Man; but “Help Side Defense” and his crazy leaping ability where he would come out of nowhere to BLOCK shots at the rim; or on a close out?  He was 6’3; but geezus, his wingspan………which I have no clue what it was, had to be nearly 6’9 or 6’10?  I mean, he had incredibly LONG arms and a quickness on his feet, to react in ‘cat like’ quickness………..He was one of those players you WATCHED and were focused on because he was so damm uncanny; or to me, he was.

Dennis and I connected as 1 on 1 Defensive Drills; due to our height being close (DJ was 6’3 and I was 6’4) and his not being quick off the dribble; so Coach White felt, I would “learn to move my feet” guarding him with that drill, where the offensive player would dribble 2 or 3 bounces to the right; crossover and take another 2 or 3 dribbles to the left and so on?  It was a good drill for what Coach White wanted, because he was a freaking STICKLER for NOT touching your heels, doing the defensive slide, defending.  I was a utter disaster figuring this whole thing out, because I was a “reacher” with my hands AND touched my heels repeatedly……..Coach White would scream at me, I was not doing the drill right, DJ would laugh at Coach’s angst and I was pissed off why this drill was so freaking important to begin with?

Because Dennis and I would often be paired up in Drills, we chit chatted quite a bit and I’d ask him about things Coach White expected and expected of me; etc.  Dennis, would giggle and say……..”Just keep your head up and do NOT talk back to “Whitey” (not to be defamatory, but Coach White was called by friends, “Whitey”……….LOL)  Coach noticed Dennis and I had this interesting relationship over the course of 2 or 3 weeks and called me into his office, one day and asked me if I wouldn’t mind driving Dennis home after practice?  At the time, Dennis lived with his Grandma in San Pedro, as did Coach White living in Pedro and gave him rides home…….I never blinked, of course I’d take DJ home.

Those drives to his home were both hysterical and poignant for me.  Dennis was absolutely one of the funniest people I had ever met or a teammate with.  Sharp as a tack with incredible humor breaking sh*t down.  His poingnantcy came from his upbringing………He was ONE of 16 children!!  He was the middle child, 8th to be exact!!  He shared with me, his older brother who was in Prison for a Murder rap; though he said, “he did kill the person” over a stupid ‘deal gone bad’ scenario………….

Dennis, as we spent more time together, driving to his Grandma’s and over the course of time and he just got better and better, offensively……….not great; but so damm smart and effective HOW he scored and got his points and his total unselfishness PASSING the ball and his anticipation, reading the defense and THEN making a heads up pass (Serious BB IQ!!!) He started telling me he was a bit pissed off and frustrated no D1’s or for that matter, no 4 year schools were writing him; or calling!?!?!  He felt, then, he was a “perfect fit” for Oregon; who back then, were well known for their Defense in the, then, Pac 8 and their D was dubbed the “Kamakazie Kids” led by Ronnie Lee and his all out aggressive style with limited offensive skills; except his bullish ways on offense to get his points because he was a freaking FB player in a BB uniform!!  I thought, Oregon would be a GREAT school for DJ and went home and told my Dad.  He and I had several conversations about Dennis at the Dinner table…………but this time, I was emphatic about this possibilty of DJ and Oregon.  He told me, he’d call Coach White the next day and “see”; which meant…..”Greg, I love you; but I’m not about to take your scouting report on Dennis………”  LOL  I knew the drill.

Next thing I knew, my brother Roger came to one of our games, to scout or check on “this Dennis Johnson kid, Greg is shouting about……….?”  Dennis put on a SHOW!!!  We beat LA Southwest, coached by LA BB Coach LEGEND at the time: Caldwell Black and this dude put together a team/squad that was comprised of former Verbum Dei HS studs, where he had coached; some D1 bounce backs and this one dude……….Felton Young, a 7’0 footer out of somewhere, USA and a certified D1 player ( he ended up at Florida St or Jacksoville, when they were good and nationally ranked)  Anyway, DJ went for 42 points; had 17 rebounds and 8 blocked shots, 5 of which were “helpside defense” against Felton who abused our 6’5 Center………….but when he went right or left, inside?  Dennis was THERE to knock his sh*t away!!

Roger went home, like a dart, to report back to my Dad about “this Dennis Johnson kid”………….So…………..my Dad believing the raves from me and Roger, called Dick Harter, who was the HC at Oregon and the “Architect” of the “Kamakazie Kids” to pass on what he’s heard and maybe he ought to send one of his assistant’s to check him out?  Coach Harter told him, he had “no more scholarships left and it would be futile to check him out because of the commits they already had?”  MISTAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also at the game that night, was both Pepperdine Assistant Coaches:  LeRoy Porter and Dan Yocum!!!!  Suffice it to say, Pepperdine offered Dennis a Full Ride the very next morning!!  Dennis, of course signed!!!   The crazy thing was and from what I had found out later, one other school offered DJ a scholarship and that was an NAIA school, Azusa Pacific!?!?!!?!  BTW………Yoke and LeRoy were there to SEE and SCOUT Felton Young; NOT Dennis!!!  LOL

Fast forward this story…………a year later, I was in my 2nd year at Harbor JC; but I gave up BB to concentrate on Baseball, as it was felt, I had a better ‘career’ being a Baseball player/prospect, being 6’4; Lefthanded and threw hard and a bit………..or a lot crazy!?!!?!?   But I had everything go wrong, health wise, I had arm problems; caught this nasty ass flu; which put me out of commission for 2 weeks and I found myself OUT of the rotation, where the year before, I was the supposed “Ace” of the staff………….so I grew despondent and yearned to play BB again……….somewhere and felt, I could get a dual scholarship………..maybe?

San Diego St. offered me a 50% baseball scholarship and the BB Coach, Tim Vezie, said if I were to make the team, I’d get the other 50%?  I was sold!!  Everything was in place for me to attend and play at San Diego St……..so I went on this crazy bb workout schedule over the summer to get ready for the Fall.  I looked for games everywhere in LA……..morning workouts by myself, looking for games that night?

Then one night, I get a call from this dude who KNEW where the “best runs were” and he told me “head up to Pepperdine tonight?” as he assured me, “great runs” were happening up there.  I had NEVER been to Pepperdine, let alone Malibu for any reason ever before………..so I was resistant because I had no idea where Malibu was and not sure if my “old girl” (Volkswagon Squareback) which leaked oil; gas and any other fluid out of the engine, would make it up there………wherever the hell Malibu was?  He broke me down and I agreed to go; but the instruction was, I had to stop in Inglewood and pick up Jackie Robinson; Reggie Theus and Robert Smith, who were all teammates at UNLV and pick up bb friends of mine………..get them and drive to Malibu!!

I get there, we all pile out and file our way into the Gym and I have ZERO clue about anything, just trying to soak the beauty in……….next thing I know and hear is a voice”  “Greg; Greg; Newelly!!!!!”  I look around and its Dennis Johnson barking my name.  I hadn’t seen DJ in over a year and he and I meet halfway with our jog towards each other, do the brotherly embrace……….checked on each other’s ‘life’ and then he says…………”We got next game, get ready?”  WTF!!!???  We ended up ‘holding the court’ the whole night!!!  Swear to God and we went up against UCLA players; USC players; fomer NBA players and otjher college players and kicked all their asses!!!

Dennis and I leave the court, together and chatted………..then LeRoy Porter shows up and re-introduces himself to me……..like I didn’t know who HE was anyway and asks me where I was playing?  I gave him the long story and he pulls DJ aside and then Gary Colson shows up and the 3 of them have this conference………..with all 3 finishing and approaching me.  Coach Colson offered ME, Dennis’ scholarship, because he was gonna sign with the Seattle Supersonics on a “Hardship” draft pick he received earlier with the NBA Draft and it was Dennis who convinced Coach Colson to give me HIS BB scholarship and That is why I wound up at Pepperdine and my friendship with Dennis Johnson!!

Greg Newell - Part 2 - DJ.......................

Dennis was “difficut”; but not an asshole by any stretch of anyone’s imagination; except his Coaches?  He was ‘troubled” and “immature”;  as has been written; but it goes much DEEPER than that!!  Dennis was NEVER a BB player, of note, in HS and in fact, when he graduated, he went to work right away never; every expecting to play competitively again; truth be told.  I mean, he never started for his HS team; didn’t play Varsity BB till his Jr or Sr year……….He never gave up on the game; he just felt he wasn’t a “player who had ability to play at the next level……….”?

Coach Jim White, saw DJ play in a pick up game, one night at Harbor JC and saw something?  See, great coaches ‘see something” and he did and encouraged Dennis to enroll at Harbor and “give the game a retry?”  DJ did and lo and behold the Legend of DJ started

Dennis had NO problem acting up at practice or games, in JC and because I followed him onto Pepperdine, as I relayed the story in my last post……I heard the stories about him getting into it with Coaches and some teammates; but I did laugh them off; because I KNEW who this dude was…….he was NOT a malcontent; he was just figuring out his greatness and working through the immaturity we ALL go through in College………..and add in the MAIN fact, Pepperdine was on the College BB map because of Dennis and his play, the ONLY year he played there’

Dennis did have problems once he got to the League and his 1st year with the Sonics, with coaches and one veteran, in particular, Paul Silas; but the Sonics won the the NBA Title his Rookie Year and he was a Play=Off and Fina;’s hero too; so a lot was forgiven or forgotten…………take your pick?  Facts were, Dennis in a matter of 2 short years, became a STAR; but he was still the 8th child in a family of 16 brothers and sisters, who never started for his HS team; his brother in Prison for a Murder committed and just growing up in Compton with all the mess that environment posed daily……………he was as STREET as they came, even though he was from SoCal and outside of LA and California, Compton was never considered a Mean Street………because to the outside world?  It was Watts; not Compton that garnered the headlines outta of the ’65 LA Riots……….but Compyon was just as “Mean”‘ just as “badass”of a city to come up in as any Ghetto across America………This was WHO Demmis was; but NOT what he desired……..

His NBA career came full circle, when he was, basically, GIVEN away in a Trade by the Phoenix Suns, where DJ was traded to 2 or 3 years earlier out of Seattle and looming stories, that the Suns had a “serious drug problem’ with their team and Jerry Colangelo, as GM, got rid of what he felt were the “problems” and one of them, was Dennis.  He traded DJ to the Boston Celtics for Rick fu*king Robey!!!  Red Auerbach was slick as they came, trading for or trading away players who shined as Celtics; but were otherwise castoffs to other teams they came from…….Dennis is the photo next to THAT definition in the Dictionary!!

Larry Bird, of all teammates of DJ’s; summed it up best……….and I concur because I played with him when he was a “kid”:  “Dennis was the best teammate I ever played with…..”

Greg Newell - Part 3 - DJ is Gone!!!

can’t nor won’t speak for everyone who was touched by Dennis Johnson; but I can reasonably believe, we ALL were saddened, shocked and had tears in our eyes the moment we heard the news and you gotta remember, this happended before Social Media’s ‘full frontal’ getting news out fast and furious like today’s world of information

I received the news, via email or phone call?  Not sure which now?  From my older brother, Tommy; as he knew Dennis and I were friends and teammates; etc. and the news of DJ’s death hit him hard when he heard within hours of his Heart Attack from one of his (Tommy) NBA cronnies.  I was schocked!!!  Stunned to the point of “WTF?”

I immediately thought back on my time with Dennis and the times spent and shared and the REAL fact, our friendship was truly based on TRUST and Loyalty, both as teammates and as friends.  The year we spent together at Harbor JC and the cast of characters Coach White had put together, as OUR team and NO ONE, I mean NO ONE knew how good we WERE gonna be that season?  Clearly, we didn’t and not so sure Coach White felt it either?:  I mean, during the season, we had serious issues amongst us, TRYING to fit Coach White’s system and KEEP our individuality; if that was possible; which it really wasn’t………LOL  Dennis had a couple of incidents that year, early, where he showed his ass, walking off the court, during a game, because he didn’t like what the other teammates were doing (selfish play by them) and Coach White had NO idea Dennis walked off the court and then realizing we were playing 4 on 5 for two full possessions already……..and he starting counting our players who were on the court and when he ‘got it’?  All HELL broke loose with Coach White that carried over at halftime and his just exploding on all of us.  I made the mistake of sitting next to Dennis, during the halftime RAGE by Coach White and 80% of his ‘talk’ was right in front of Dennis; but I caught the spit flying out of Coach White’s mouth and too damm afraid to wipe it away??  True Story!!  Sh*t was intense!!

I thought about my teammates at Harbor upon the news of DJ’s death and felt a loss; because I had lost track of all of them through the years and basically kicked myself over that, because we became a TEAM that year who wound up winning to coveted California Junior College Basketball State Title!!!  And as I mentioned above………There was NO ONE; I mean NO ONE who felt we were ‘that team’ to have even a legit shot going to State; let alone winning the damm thing?  There were so many great JC Programs, who historically, made their way to the State Finals, out of SoCal………Compton JC; Long Beach City; Pasadena City College and I could go on and on, listing more local JC’s who had consistency travelling to State………but Harbor?  We had a 6’5 WHITE Center, who had a vertical about 6 inches; but just tough as nails and defended every big we faced…..regardless of height and/or weight and strength?  He was a San  Pedro “tough kid” (Jim Butner—–shout out)’ but we also had 3 other starters who were so good, aside from Dennis, who, as a starting five?  Meshed………and though I was pissed off I wasn’t one of them; even I saw the chemistry these 5 had.

At one early point in the year, I was battling to just STAY in the rotation of freaking PLAYING; not sitting.  I never sat on the bench; ever!!!  Be it baseball or basketball.  But that reality was soon to hit my ass; flush!!!   I realized every practice was important for me to show out and go hard………..so I had zero qualms about getting into it, with a guard, I felt was above me on the invisible depth chart?  One teammate and guard I felt was ahead of me, was a player I had played against in HS my Jr. year (he was a Sr.) from Verbum Dei HS; which then, was a freaking POWERHOUSE of a HS Program.  I’m not gona mention his name; because I don’t want to give him any pub here………….but he was a flat out PUNK ASS and he and I would get into it, when we scrimmaged and he’d always guard me, talking sh*t; cheap shots………….I had enough, we squared off and had a 3-5 fist fight on the court!!  I mean, a FIST FIGHT that no one broke up!!!  We were both bloodied; tired and still mad at each other…………..but Coach White, who allowed us to go at it…….that was his style and to him?  He LOVED that kind of sh*t; so long as no guns or knives were involved; of course?  LOL  He kicked us both out of practice; however, we had to go in the same locker room and we started up again………I mean, just punching the fu*k out of each other!!    This dude could fight; no doubt; but he had NO idea I could too!!!  Because of the noise, Coach White ran in and broke us up again, to which, I said to him, “I quit this bullsh*t team………..”  I meant it

I grabbed my stuff (school clothes and school books) and got the fk out of there…..pissed off as all get out………..but where my car was parked, I had to walk through the gym and practice was still going on……….but at that exact time, Coach White called practice for the day…………..so as I’m walking through the gym, Dennis yells out………..”Greg, can you get me?”  Meaning he needed a ride home.  I really didn’t want to have anything to do with anybody on the team………NONE of it………but I said “Yeah, I got you; but hurry up…….?”  Within a flash, DJ ran out of the Locker room, with his practice gear on and sh*t hanging out of his gym bag…………so we ride

Dennis was initially quiet on the ride and I was silent; fuming mad and actually physically shaking from the adreniline rush from the fights………Dennis breaks the ice and says………..”You can fight, can’t you?”  I said nothing………….Dennis goes:  “You know _______________(name of player) went after you because he thought you were a typical whiteboy and was trying to intimidate you because you are taking his place in the rotation?”  That got my attention; but nonetheless, I wanted no more part of this bullsh*t and I told Dennis that.  He understood and when I dropped him off at his Grandma’s; he looked me dead in the eye and said:  “I’ll see your ass tomorrow at practice!!””  I responded:  “Don’t fu*king bet on it!!!”  And drove off

******I got to run off now…don’t mean this story to end here…………..I’ll finish it off shortly; or before long**************SORRY!!!!

Greg Newell - Part 4 - Last of the Dennis Johnson ‘series’……..

Sooooooooo…….I drop Dennis off at his Grandma’s and he was, during the drive home, caring but in a different way……….he understood why I was so pissed and the fights and me “quitting”; but he wasn’t enabling; if that makes sense?  He just told me:  “I’ll see your ass at practice tomorrow……!!   Like he didn’t believe I was serious, which I was…………I thought?

I get home, slam the door, hard, my Mom in the front room and she knew by me storming in, something was up?  She asked if everything was OK?  Was I OK? To which, I gave her inaudible answers……….she got pissed, as I was slamiming shut kitchen drawer; the fridge and she has heard enough of my tantrum!!!  She stormed into the kitchen and demanded I tell her what was wrong and of course, I saw that look in her eye (She was also NO JOKE) and I told her and started tearing up and sobbing like a bitch!!

So I go to my room; feeling sorry for myself about how I let this dude at practice lure me into a fight, then the reality of quitting; but I was good with it and just how fu*king embarrassing the whole scene was and how it would be played out with my (former) teammates, when I showed up to school the next day and have several of them in my classes; etc.  I was a freaking wreck!!!  LOL

About an hour later, my Dad came home from work (he was the GM of the Lakers at this time) and I hear he and my Mom talking in the front room; not really loud enough for me to hear; but I wasn’t overly concerned with what they were talking about; becasuse I was still pissed off………..next thing I knew, my Dad knocks on my bedroom door, calls my name and comes in…………

My Mom obviously to him as much as she knew, from what I told her which was sketchy; but a Clift Notes version more or less…….so he asks me, innocently “What happened at practice today?”  I told him and told him “I quit, that it was bullsh*t; the coach didn’t like me; the dude I got in the fight with was an asshole and I was done with the whole thing..”  The whole self pity and woe is me; feel sorry for me bullsh*t……he listened, looking me in the eye and waited for my pity party to end and said to me:  “Greg, I know your upset and angry but quiting never solves any solution to the problem?”  “You may not understand this now, because you’re so upset; but IF you get through this event/issue, suck it up and stick it out, you will have accomplished something you can look back on, the next time you want to quit on something?  Quiting is the easy way out and those who quit learn nothing from adversity.  But sticking something out till the end and enduring throughout the season or class; or even a job?  You’re gonna have that strength, inner strength to take on any problem and bounce back……….”

He asked me if I still wanted to quit and said he’d support me either way, but the look in his eyes said something else?  I said I won’t quit and he suggested I go in, early in the morning, to talk to Coach White and the teammate I fought with and freaking apologize!!??  WTF!!!  He was the other sonuvabitch I was mad at……..now I got to apologize to him too?  I did………..Coach White accepted it; but NEVER took my “I quit this bullsh*t” seriously and that teammate?  I’m not gonna say we became friends; but there was a respect earned from that point forward.

Season ends and we win the State and now we have our Awards Banquet.  Its a big deal; because we did win State so more people were in attendance and I was there with my Mom and Dad, of course………..now mind you, the players vote for the team and individual awards given or at least it was that way with our group/team……….Dennis gets the MVP; of course, Most Improved Player went another deserving teammate and Best Defensive Player went to that teammate I brawled with………..then the LAST award, by design?  Coach White gives this speech about the award and that all but one player didn’t vote for him and I KNOW what that player was…………..”The Most Inspirational Player Award goes to………………………”Lefty”………Greg Newell!!”  I was shocked!!  At that point Dennis stands up and gives ME a standing ovation, then the rest of the team stands and claps………I’m stunned and I made my way to the podium; I look back at my parents and my Mom was crying and my Dad had this proud look on his face……….all this for a Most Inspirational Award, I thought?

And yes, I was the lone vote……….I voted for Dennis and that’s NO lie; because he was so freaking inspirational