2008 Woodie Awards
Loyal athletes make Miami sports unique
Ben Garbarek
Issue date: 4/29/08 Section: Sports
Coles may have been able to ride the momentum of that magical run to a bigger, more lucrative job, but Coles has no intention of going anywhere. He already has his dream job here
at Miami.
He is able to bring his "crew" of grandchildren to each press conference after a game. For him, Miami is not just an employer; it's a part of his family.
Even some that go pro play with that kind of passion. Senior captain Ryan Jones could have bolted for the NHL following his junior year but came back for his senior season at Miami.
After the RedHawks' heart-wrenching loss to Boston College in the NCAA Tournament, Jones, who wore his jersey to the press conference, said he didn't want to take it off because he knew the moment he did, his Miami career was over.
Jones immediately left Oxford for Houston to begin his professional career, but that kind of passion and dedication is what makes college sports special.
I grew up watching Chicago professional sports and entered college with only a passing interest in collegiate athletics. Four years later, the zeal and devotion of these amateur athletics have changed my perspective entirely.
With ESPN laundering the latest whining of pros like Chad Johnson or Kobe Bryant to Ben Roethlisberger supposedly getting kicked out of uptown bars for lewd behavior, old-fashioned fans perpetually complain about the "modern athlete" and their insatiable drive for money and fame.
Stories of star college athletes like Reggie Bush receiving cars only give credence to these arguments, but you don't hear those stories here.
Although I'll leave Oxford without witnessing a national championship or a bowl game victory, there are deeper rewards to take away from the past four years. The genuine love for the game that drives these athletes is truly what makes college athletics unique and what makes sports in general so enjoyable.
at Miami.
He is able to bring his "crew" of grandchildren to each press conference after a game. For him, Miami is not just an employer; it's a part of his family.
Even some that go pro play with that kind of passion. Senior captain Ryan Jones could have bolted for the NHL following his junior year but came back for his senior season at Miami.
After the RedHawks' heart-wrenching loss to Boston College in the NCAA Tournament, Jones, who wore his jersey to the press conference, said he didn't want to take it off because he knew the moment he did, his Miami career was over.
Jones immediately left Oxford for Houston to begin his professional career, but that kind of passion and dedication is what makes college sports special.
I grew up watching Chicago professional sports and entered college with only a passing interest in collegiate athletics. Four years later, the zeal and devotion of these amateur athletics have changed my perspective entirely.
With ESPN laundering the latest whining of pros like Chad Johnson or Kobe Bryant to Ben Roethlisberger supposedly getting kicked out of uptown bars for lewd behavior, old-fashioned fans perpetually complain about the "modern athlete" and their insatiable drive for money and fame.
Stories of star college athletes like Reggie Bush receiving cars only give credence to these arguments, but you don't hear those stories here.
Although I'll leave Oxford without witnessing a national championship or a bowl game victory, there are deeper rewards to take away from the past four years. The genuine love for the game that drives these athletes is truly what makes college athletics unique and what makes sports in general so enjoyable.
Be the first to comment on this story