lefty
07-01-2009, 02:35 AM
DUANE RANKIN
Keep your head up. That's what I told DeJuan Blair late Thursday night.
As I was leaving the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh last week, I had only one thought: Where did I park my car?
Then I saw five cars parked in front of the hotel.
Hmmm.
So I start walking toward the vehicles. Is that him? Can't be.
Yep. It sure is.
Suited down from head to toe, Blair was taking a picture with a fan in front of the hotel without the fanfare.
No honking horns. No cheers of celebration.
He began walking back toward a black car when I got within earshot.
"Hey, DeJuan, keep your head up," I semi-shouted.
With an almost blank look, Blair gave me the upward head nod and got in his car.
One by one they drove off. Only crisp engine sounds broke up the dark silence.
Things didn't go according to plan that night.
Hours earlier, family and friends joined Blair in a suite at the hotel waiting to cheer his name getting called.
With size, agility, strength, will and charisma, this sophomore power forward out of Pittsburgh seemed to have all the tools of an NBA first-round draft pick.
So as the media gathered in a room away from the Blair party, this is how the night was supposed to go:
Blair gets drafted in the first round. He'll enter into the room sharp as a tiger's teeth in his new suit.
He'll entertain us with funny, entertaining quotes and take cherished pictures with his family.
None of this happened.
Reporters sat in the room wondering what was going on. The guy was first-team All-America for one of the best teams in the country.
As teams passed on Blair, it became clear they were more concerned about him not having any anterior cruciate ligaments in his knees than they were about his play.
He had owned guys like Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet, who was the second overall pick in the draft, but wasn't worthy of a first-round selection in the draft.
As the second round began, I began wondering how Blair and his family were taking all this.
The next day, he admitted in a teleconference that it was eating him up.
In fact, he left the room to get away from it all.
So when the San Antonio Spurs used their second-round pick to take Blair, people in the media room were relieved for him.
You have to remember, many of them have followed Blair since he led Schenley to a PIAA title.
So even though he chose not to talk to us afterward, I wasn't mad at Blair.
Disappointed, yes, but his night was ruined, not mine.
He was experiencing a hurt I can't fathom, but if Blair keeps his head up, his magical moment will come.
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090701/SPORTS0512/307019952/-1/SPORTS05
Keep your head up. That's what I told DeJuan Blair late Thursday night.
As I was leaving the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh last week, I had only one thought: Where did I park my car?
Then I saw five cars parked in front of the hotel.
Hmmm.
So I start walking toward the vehicles. Is that him? Can't be.
Yep. It sure is.
Suited down from head to toe, Blair was taking a picture with a fan in front of the hotel without the fanfare.
No honking horns. No cheers of celebration.
He began walking back toward a black car when I got within earshot.
"Hey, DeJuan, keep your head up," I semi-shouted.
With an almost blank look, Blair gave me the upward head nod and got in his car.
One by one they drove off. Only crisp engine sounds broke up the dark silence.
Things didn't go according to plan that night.
Hours earlier, family and friends joined Blair in a suite at the hotel waiting to cheer his name getting called.
With size, agility, strength, will and charisma, this sophomore power forward out of Pittsburgh seemed to have all the tools of an NBA first-round draft pick.
So as the media gathered in a room away from the Blair party, this is how the night was supposed to go:
Blair gets drafted in the first round. He'll enter into the room sharp as a tiger's teeth in his new suit.
He'll entertain us with funny, entertaining quotes and take cherished pictures with his family.
None of this happened.
Reporters sat in the room wondering what was going on. The guy was first-team All-America for one of the best teams in the country.
As teams passed on Blair, it became clear they were more concerned about him not having any anterior cruciate ligaments in his knees than they were about his play.
He had owned guys like Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet, who was the second overall pick in the draft, but wasn't worthy of a first-round selection in the draft.
As the second round began, I began wondering how Blair and his family were taking all this.
The next day, he admitted in a teleconference that it was eating him up.
In fact, he left the room to get away from it all.
So when the San Antonio Spurs used their second-round pick to take Blair, people in the media room were relieved for him.
You have to remember, many of them have followed Blair since he led Schenley to a PIAA title.
So even though he chose not to talk to us afterward, I wasn't mad at Blair.
Disappointed, yes, but his night was ruined, not mine.
He was experiencing a hurt I can't fathom, but if Blair keeps his head up, his magical moment will come.
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090701/SPORTS0512/307019952/-1/SPORTS05