Werdsniper2
12-14-2012, 03:02 AM
I was just beginning my freshman year at Towson University when I watched my first TU basketball game. It was an awful performance, an embarrassing loss. There was one guy who stood out from the crowd, however. His name was Gary Neal. I didn't know anything about Gary at the time. I was a college novice, an absolute newbie one might say. Just by watching the guy, he seemed like something special. The question swirling around my head however, was…is this guy legit?
I dove head first into google search results, looking for anything that might pertain to this "Gary Neal" that I had subsequently grown to love. The results were not overwhelming, to say the least. There were a couple of hits, of course. Most of them in regards to the now famous La Salle University rape accusation.
Like any other sports fan, I was at first suspicious of his acquittal on all charges. After all, a man is only as good as his word. But after delving deeper into the story than most others would, I found his interpretation of the nights events much more plausible than that of his apparent victim. It was at this point in time that I realized Mr. Neal himself was the victim, not the woman whom he allegedly raped.
After briefly pausing to analyze his personal life, I began to focus on Neal's athletic abilities; his stroke beyond the arc, his touch below the rim, his angle behind his floater. His skill set was seemingly simple. A shooters mentality with a few deft moves outside the rim. I knew he had great ability, I knew he could make it. There was one question that remained, however. Was this man mentally prepared for the NBA. After all, he was the #1 college player in points scored for the 06-07 season.
He was a bubble prospect with almost nothing to lose. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he was not selected in the NBA draft. He went on to perform admirably overseas with various teams. He continued his scoring prowess, harkening back to his days at Towson University. He was forgotten by most, a distant memory you might say. For me however, he was "the" Gary Neal. THE awesome player of my college tenure.
We all know the story from here regarding his meteoric rise through the Spurs organization. From training camp fodder, to last man off the pine, to 6th man off the bench, and now, perhaps amazingly, to starting guard on the San Antonio Spurs.
While this glory may not last, let us not forget…this man is one of no fear. He WILL take that shot when nobody else will. He WILL take that shot when nobody else could. That, in itself, is the glory of the one and only, Gary Neal.
And to finish things off, let me tell you about a little conversation I had with him during lunch where I spotted him at a cafeteria in college.
Me: "So what are your plans for the future?"
Neal: "To play in the NBA"
Me: "Are you slotted to get drafted?"
Neal: "No"
Me: "Ok, so what will you do?"
Neal: "Whatever I have to do to make it"
And with that statement, he wasn't kidding. Congrats Gary.
-A former college buddy.
I dove head first into google search results, looking for anything that might pertain to this "Gary Neal" that I had subsequently grown to love. The results were not overwhelming, to say the least. There were a couple of hits, of course. Most of them in regards to the now famous La Salle University rape accusation.
Like any other sports fan, I was at first suspicious of his acquittal on all charges. After all, a man is only as good as his word. But after delving deeper into the story than most others would, I found his interpretation of the nights events much more plausible than that of his apparent victim. It was at this point in time that I realized Mr. Neal himself was the victim, not the woman whom he allegedly raped.
After briefly pausing to analyze his personal life, I began to focus on Neal's athletic abilities; his stroke beyond the arc, his touch below the rim, his angle behind his floater. His skill set was seemingly simple. A shooters mentality with a few deft moves outside the rim. I knew he had great ability, I knew he could make it. There was one question that remained, however. Was this man mentally prepared for the NBA. After all, he was the #1 college player in points scored for the 06-07 season.
He was a bubble prospect with almost nothing to lose. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he was not selected in the NBA draft. He went on to perform admirably overseas with various teams. He continued his scoring prowess, harkening back to his days at Towson University. He was forgotten by most, a distant memory you might say. For me however, he was "the" Gary Neal. THE awesome player of my college tenure.
We all know the story from here regarding his meteoric rise through the Spurs organization. From training camp fodder, to last man off the pine, to 6th man off the bench, and now, perhaps amazingly, to starting guard on the San Antonio Spurs.
While this glory may not last, let us not forget…this man is one of no fear. He WILL take that shot when nobody else will. He WILL take that shot when nobody else could. That, in itself, is the glory of the one and only, Gary Neal.
And to finish things off, let me tell you about a little conversation I had with him during lunch where I spotted him at a cafeteria in college.
Me: "So what are your plans for the future?"
Neal: "To play in the NBA"
Me: "Are you slotted to get drafted?"
Neal: "No"
Me: "Ok, so what will you do?"
Neal: "Whatever I have to do to make it"
And with that statement, he wasn't kidding. Congrats Gary.
-A former college buddy.