On The TunneySide of Sports March 12, 2018 #683 Up next…Parenting
After further review…”Parenting is the most neglected, uneducated, misunderstood contributing factor in the economic and moral corruption of American culture.” Denzel Washington offers, “So, you know, I can’t blame the system. It starts in the home. If the father is not in the home, the boy will find a father in the streets. I saw it in my generation and every generation before me – and everyone since.” The first quote is a statement by Stan Morrison, a former Cal athlete and former head basketball coach at University of Pacific, University of Southern California, and San Jose State University. This writer is in full agreement with both! Here’s a story about a current college athlete who benefitted from positive parenting
When my sons Mike and Mark were playing Little League baseball in South Pasadena, CA., Gordy Bohannon was also playing in the same league. My boys recognized that Bohannon was a superior athlete as he moved on to quarterback the South Pas Tigers. Upon graduation he enrolled at Iowa and quarterbacked the Hawkeyes, taking them to a Rose Bowl game in 1981 defeating the Washington Huskies. Iowa? What happened to USC and UCLA in his backyard?
Gordy Bohannon remained in Iowa City as he and Brenda raised four sons – Jason, Zach, Matt and Jordan. All four sons played basketball for the Hawkeyes. Jordan, now a sophomore (# 3 in your program), is who this blog is all about. “My entire life, said Jordan, I’ve been thrown in the back of the car, traveling around the country watching my brothers play. All those times, when I was younger, have really helped me growing up, how I got here and who I am.” Maybe this story that happened last month will explain how Jordan got to where he is today.
Playing against Northwestern, sophomore Iowa point guard Jordan Bohannon had a chance to break the Hawkeye record of 34 consecutive free throws set by the late Chris Street. Street, a Hawkeye basketball legend, and potentially an NBA player at 6’8” 220 lbs. was tragically killed in an auto accident 25 years ago. Jordan had planned with older brother Zach that if he got to the point of breaking Street’s record, he would not make that free throw. As Jordan stepped to the line in that Northwestern game with his 34 free throws “in the books,” he looked to Zach in the stands, then pointed skyward to recognize Street, and intentionally “throws up a brick” missing the shot that would have broken Street’s record.
After the game, which Iowa won, the media were all over Jordan asking if he intentionally missed that free throw? Jordan’s response: “It’s not my record to have – it belongs in his (Chris Street) name.” Iowa? Isn’t that where “Field of Dreams” took place?
Will log-in your thoughts about the importance of parenting in today’s environment?
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