OCR Text |
Show Anderson Back From Open Heart Surgery Sports Commentary by Keith Duncan Words Praising Cougars MarreoBy Miss Americas Remarks Time-l- y By KEITH DUNCAN KAYSVILLE - Mike Gardner likes to call Brad Anderson his "Miracle Player. BEFORE every game, while we watch the junior varsity, I tell the story of our miracle player to the opposing coaches. Every coach has been totally amazed and marveled at how' well Brad can Here's one to try on. IN THE December 3 st issue of Time Magazine," Tom Callahan put together a fine article, in my opinion of Brigham Young University's claim to finish out the present college football season as America's Team if you will, or at least No. I in the polls. But the following space hasn't been dedicated to Callahan's performance in writing nor an agreeancc or disagrecance on whether BYU is the No. I team in the nation. THK THOUGHTS portrayed here center upon the comments of Miss Sharlene Wells, the current Miss America who confirmed my belief, that "silence is golden sometimes." It was ironic that upon reading the Time article located on the Sport' page, page 71 . that a good friend of mine. Charles Ehin of Bountiful. Utah had the exact feelings that I had. BY THK time we had talked, he had already w ritten a letter to the editor of Time and following letter appears here. To the Editors: There is no question in my mind that the Brigham Young University Cougars are this year's national champions (Sports. Dec. 3 ). I admire Coach L.aVell Edwards not only as a fan of his. but also as a close personal friend. In fact, when I lecture on the subject of Management. I usually use EaVell as a model to portray what I consider to be the ideal leadership style. play the game today. It's not just our coaching staff that sits amazed at a feat that couldn't have happened ten to fifteen years ago, it's every coach we face that gets humbled by the ex- were the words of veteran Davis High coach, Mike Gardner. perience. CALL IT what you'd like miracles. faith healing, or just plain unbelievable. the truth witnesses today that Davis High junior. Brad Anderson, is alive and dribbling, and enjoying himself completely w hile a member of the Dart basketball team. It was just a year ago that as a sophomore, Anderson became quite ill and after a string of events that provided enough nightmares to last a lifetime for his family. Brad trusted a group of Salt Lake physicians to perform surgery which saved his life and open-hea- Before every I One must keep in mind, however, that there are thousands of other equally dedicated young men and coaches throughout the United States besides those w ho are part of the BYU program. That is w hy it was disheartening and embarrassing for our family to read in your article Sharlene Wells' (Miss America) statement concerning college football. 1 daily-weekl- PLAYED high school and college football in the East and have been close to athletics all my life because of our son's involvement in sports, both in Utah and elsewhere. I can say w ithout reservation that there is no team that goes out and gets drunk the night before a game. Players sacrifice too much during the week before a game both physically and mentally to just throw" it away before a game. Occasionally, however, there are players who break training, including BYU players, both alike! After all, BYU players are Mormon and human beings and, therefore, just as fallible as anyone else. I can guarantee you. however, that if these young men (team members from Anywhere. U.S.A.) are not caught and punished by their respective coaches, then they are severely admonished by their ow n teammates. Penalties and chastisement imposed by peers in most instances can be much more severe than what is levied by the coaches. I I non-Morm- I (WE) believe Miss Wells owes an apology to all the young dedicated football players and their coaches throughout this great nation. She should also learn from this that ignorance and arrogance is not part of the conservative values set at BYU or anywhere else. There is more to wisdom than having an opinion on every subject. When one does not have all the facts, "silence is golden. Charles Ehin. Ph.D. Dean, School of Business Westminster College of SEC miracle player . Mike Gardner 1 I'VE SINCE talked to a half dozen college football players that play for schools other than BYU and feel the sensitivity of Miss Wells comment that there is finally a team who wins all of its games and doesn't get drunk the night before the game. These players, like Charles pointed out, work w ith every ounce of mental and physical strength they have through the week to throw it all away with one night of partying. ITS LIKE one local coach said, who played college football, that kind of statement and the way it got blown up won't help the BYU football program." t ANDERSON, who proved through sophomore football and what little basketball he played before getting sick, he was a pretty good athlete. When the doctors told him he wouldn't be playing basketball or football anymore, he either didn't believe it or didn't hear it. He refused to give up on the thing that made him the happiest. When it did come time to make a decision about sports, football was ruled out and initially basketball was too. REMEMBER going down to I Brad's room and finding him in tears at times because he couldn't play football. But the coaches at Davis proved to me they are as interested duties which brought him home one day elated that he could be a part of the entire thing. I CANT thank the coaches enough, there's some pretty spe- cial people down there. And for that matter, the entire coaching staff, the teachers, the administrators and the students probably had as much to do with Brad's recovery as anything. They w'ere all super, Anderson. IT WAS just after the January 14th game against Highland last year that Anderson developed a lingering illness that would eventually lead to the serious heart operation. His father. Rich Anderson of Farmington, remembered it this way. THE ILLNESS just kept getting worse. Some physicians thought it might be a sinus infection and others a serious case of the flu. "It was about a month later that my wife, Nada. and I were preparing for a trip to California. Prior to leaving, and never quite satisfied that all things had been considered with Brad, we took him to see a specialist at Lakeview Hospital to have some blood tests performed. WE LEFT that evening and ere to call the following afternoon from California. But couldn't wait and actually phoned the next morning while Brad was still in the office. The doctor informed me that Brad was critically ill and just hoped he'd caught the bacterial endocarditis in time. He was admitted to Lakeview immediately where he was treated with some very potent antibiotics. "We flew home from California w said Mr. WHEN IT came time for basketball tryouts. Brad went in for a total physical with his doctor. The physician shook his head with disbelief that the Davis High junior was in such good health and asked him. What do you want to do? Brad answered back, I want to play basketball." And it's basketball he plays this very month. He is presently starting on the junior varsity squad and hopes that he'll get a shot of varsity action before the season is over. nis recovery has BY NOTHING SHORT of a miracle, Brad Anderson is back again doing what makes him happiest playing for Davis High in a basketball uniform. hes back with us today. was surprised though, when he came back. I was told he would work he could be one of our main players." said Gardner. never play competitive sports BUT WHETHER Brad becomes a starter or star or whatever. isn't important to Mr. Anderson anymore. "I think Nada and got caught up in having Brad become something that isn't that important anymore. I he fact he can rur and do things other boys do is far more important to us today. I get a whole new perspective watching him play today, said Mr. Anderson. I here arc some precautions that everyone has stuck to, but only a few. Gardner went to the Ander-son- s in the beginning and asked if there were any. was told there were few if any," said Gardner, Brad has done every drill and ev- being, I again and because of that, that's why 1 call him. our miracle player. IT WOULD almost be a serious crime to take away athletics from him. During football he was highly dependable and was always there taking stats. Now' hes playing basketball and Im grateful hes back with us. What more is life about, than for a boy to do the things that make him the happiest? In the Declaration of Independence it says the basic rights of man are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Heres a fellow through a freak infection and sickness was told he w'ouldnt be able to pursue those things that make him happy. But through a miracle or whatever, here's a boy that is being allowed to do the things that make him happy, said Gardner. THE COACHES, Gardner and John Robison, agree that Anderson has been an inspiration to the rest of the team. Gardner was also tickled about Anderson's future. "Hes a good ballplayer and by next year I can forsee him being a starter on the varsity. He needs a lot of work after missing last year, but if he'll 1 ery phase of practice that the others do. and Brad hasn't held back once. ABOUT THE', only thing we need to watch is if Brad takes a blow or gets bruised. His blood is much thinner than usual and we need to have ice ready if a bruise does occur. One of the first things Brad said after opening his eyes after the open heart surgery w as. Dad, I'm not going to be what I wanted to be, w ith tears in his eyes. But Mr. Anderson told it correctly. "Brad has proved us all wrong." simply been I as soon as we could and learned upon our arrival that Brad had a heart murmur and that his aortic valve was damaged, to what extent it wasn't known. his condition began deterrating badly, enough d that he was by chopper to EDS Hospital in Salt Lake City. FROM THERE) As said. Charles and agree on the subject of keeping quiet if you don't know all the facts. I Brads father. assigned him some important game... tell the story ofour .) AT 1:30 a.m. the following morning, the surgeon emerged and told us the valve had been eaten away like acid on tinfoil. They had replaced it with an artificial valve. Mr. Anderson was at a loss of words when talking about his oldest sons recovery. Its simply been brilliant. Because of his athletic strength and drive, hes recovered well enough to play basketball again. The doctors can't believe how strong he is." continued in helping young men feel a part of things as they are in winning. They got Brad out of class one day and UD SHORT, Coach Edwards with his flexible management approach and high personal values has led. and continues to lead, young men of all faiths (including my son who completed his playing eligibility two years ago) towards very high and worthwhile personal goals. (The BYU team is 33 percent WHEN ASKED heropinoin concerning the mythical national championship after BYU had defeated Michigan in the Holiday Bowl, she replied in part that it is "refreshing there is a team that wins all of its games without getting drunk the night before. believe that with this insulting, ignorant and above all arrogant statement she not only insulted all of our nation's young football players and their coaches, but also extensively tarnished her own image. Is she insinuating that all the other schools' coaches tolerate y such behavior as a occurrence, i.e. getting drunk the night before games? rt now allows him to run and play like any other boy. IN but when he learned of the needed he sensed for the first time that he might lose his life. operation, I think Journal Sports life-line- Once there the doctors diagnosed the condition as congestive heart failure. Four specialists were called in who debated for three hours on just what action to take. OUR FAMILY went through a million nightmares through it all. Finally open-hear- t surgery was decided and it was me who told Brad of the decision. think through the entire ordeal Brad had hoisted higher spirits than anyone, 1 brilliant . Davis-Clearfie- ld Mr. Rich Anderson I TOLI) the coaches that if was going to play, then let me play and let the chips fall where they will, said Brad who didn't want sympathy from anyone. I was sick and upset when the doctors originally told me couldn't play anymore, but Im not Basketball Clashes Are Custom-Mad- e 1 1 surprised I'm back today. I'm thankful though for all the help from all places for my recovery. Journal Sports The January 2nd scheduled basketball game between Davis and Clearfield wasn't just an ordinary game - it was a custom-mad- e athletic event whos history alone makes it appealing to those on either side. -- pre-seas- THE COACHES here have been great to give me the chance. I lpve my parents too for sticking with me all the way. Weve all grown close through this thing. My mom had my younger brothers and sisters at home but came to the hospital every day," said Anderson. GARDNER has taken Ander- sons recovery personal and be- its a happening that is than us." Because of greater Brad's belief and faith in a supreme lieves I of Hastings even more absolul the presence of coaches like N Gardner and Craig Hansen. By KEITH DUNCAN WHETHER kids like Casey Lloyd, Mike Taylor, Greg Boykin orTroy Markham realize it, the traditionalistic clash performed each winter either in Kaysvillc or Clearfield has had a built-iexcitement about it that started in the early n 60's w GARDNF.R and Hansen w in the histology of rivalry. Gardner, the coacl Davis, never got the chance to as a player against the Falcons cause the school in Clearfield nothing but draw ings on paper, as a coach he has never failei have the Falcons on his schcd knee-dee- p As a youngster. Gardnergrcv Clearfield on 300 North whe good many of his cousins brothers were being reared as v Clearfield High may not have h in hen Clearfield first became a senior high. What makes these annual battles Continued next page t |