Closing Time

In finishing the season up we unfortunately lost at home on Senior night. It seemed fitting that the last games as a Buccaneer I was in street clothes, considering that half of the games at Charleston Southern I was on the bench, because I transferred and got hurt. However, I was given a framed jersey and recognized before the game as a senior. Since then my life has been about graduating and getting my knee back to healthy. Anyone who is friends with me can see on facebook that I documented the injury step by step. The pictures many not be for the faint of heart. Since the season has been over I have had plenty of time to do things as a regular college student. If I want to skip a class, then I would do it because I couldn’t be punished. If I wanted to go to a function at night I could because I didn’t have to go to pick up. I was even able to go to the final four in Indianapolis, which was a great time. All in hopes of landing a job in coaching, which hasn’t worked out yet.

The only real responsibility that I have is showing up for rehab. Every day at ten a.m. I have to meet with Brad, and twice a week with sports south. I have been able to play Frisbee golf, which was a great time, something different anyway. The best thing that I have done is announce a baseball game on the Big South Network with Rob Walden. Which was a great experience and good time in the baseball booth with Blake, Ryan, Cedrique and of course Rob. The best thing that I do now is ride my bike everywhere on campus. It’s the best bike on campus, not a Harley or Yamaha but a Huffy. Yes it’s a purple huffy with orange splashed paint, a basket on the front and a horn. So if you see me riding around be sure to honk, and ill most certainly honk back.

Finally the biggest reason I came to college was to get my degree. As of May 8th I will receive my degree in Criminal Justice. It has taken me three schools: Coker College, Penn State Brandywine, and finally Charleston Southern. I went for nine semesters and even took a semester off after my first semester. I was told by many that I would never go back if I quit now. (Well so much for them) I took a semester of summer school that helped me graduate in 5 years. It took a lot of long hours studying, and pleading for good grades. I’m hoping to do something memorable at graduation so we shall see how it goes.

In summing up my college athletic career, as I ate at Outback the night before graduation, I saw a younger kid sitting at the table next to us. It was Jon Davis’ son and I said hi to Pastor Jon. His son said, "Yeah I knew he was on the team, I saw his picture on the front of the program." There it is folks....

I’d like to thank my parents for paying for my college and allowing me to be a walk on, my aunt and uncle for giving me tons of free meals at their house and letting me just get away and relax. Ms. Kennedy who made my first year a breeze with treating me like a son whenever I came over, CP for his experience as a walk on and motivating me, Coach Padilla who helped me get through this ACl injury by taking me out to eat once a week. Mr. Sheridan for all the calls asking me how I was doing and kept telling me that I was fulfilling the dream I set for myself at his kitchen table a long time ago..... Believe it or not I'm going to miss CSU and all of the people there.

Thanks for reading who knows what my future holds……….