Thursday, December 01, 2005

Football - Find Your Tissues

........ because you will probably find a tear forming in your eye while watching this salute to our gridiron seniors. Outstanding tribute............


Speaking of the seniors, read this outstanding article about Dawan Landry and his brother LeRon, who plays at LSU.

"If you tell Dawan, 'You got to get over that wall,' he'll find a way over it," Frank said. "Climb it, scale it, whatever. LaRon thinks he can go through the wall. He plays like that. This year, (LSU coach) Les Miles chewed him out for a 15-yard late hit. LaRon said he couldn't stop. Sometimes, you got to. Dawan always told him, you got to slow down sometimes.


"LaRon is finally listening."


Dawan was always quiet (still is), loved to ration his words (still does) and, despite playing in monstrous settings in front of national television audiences, he was shy in some situations (still can be). He never pursued the spotlight or extracurriculars standouts are afforded, like LaRon did, choosing instead to pass the days focusing on advancing academically and athletically. Heck, Frank says, on the rare occasions Dawan comes home, best bet is you'll find him in the backyard shed, lifting weights, even when his girlfriend is around.


LaRon -- at least, the old high-flying, death-defying LaRon -- gave up weights back in middle school when Dawan purposely stacked on too many plates and watch his little brother struggle as the bar stayed pinned on his chest. Dawan refused to lift it, hoping tough love would touch a nerve inside his little brother. Didn't work.


"Coming up, I had no work ethic," LaRon said. "(Dawan)e always told me I needed to develop a work ethic. I never listened until, when I was in high school, I'd go watch those guys (when visiting Dawan at Georgia Tech) work out and I was like, 'Man, these guys are real big on the next level.' "