The Long Shot Pt. 6

By Travis Williams

It’s hard to sit here and describe a tee-ball injury as “horrific.” But it’s even harder to describe it as anything less when it’s your own kid who‘s been injured. Scott Long’s mother Melanie remembers it vividly.


“There is no pitcher (in tee-ball) but Scott was kept there because the ball often came his way,” his mother told me through email. “At a very young age, he knew where the play was, could stop the ball and make the play. He would run to right, center, left field. It didn't matter, he had to make the play.”

Well on this day Scott did what he always does, he stopped the ball. But this time it was with his face.

“We stopped the bleeding and made sure he was ok,” Melanie said. “I don't remember any crying but my own. My dad asked Scott, ‘son, do you feel like going back in?’ Scott replied, What's the score?

“At that very tender age he learned to play through it,” Melanie said.

Fast forward some years and Scott is a few days away from becoming a professional football player in the NFL. At this point it would take more than a tee-ball to the face to stop the 6’2 216 pound Long from making a play on the field. Besides, he catches everything that comes his way now. Including his fianc’ee Caroline whom he proposed to last week.

This week Scott talks about preparing for the April 22nd NFL draft, the UofL spring game

Spring Game

It seems like there’s a lot more excitement not only from the fans but from the players too. There’s a lot more enthusiasm, guys were flying around making big hits and plays and getting exciting about it. That was something that was different (from last year).

They brought former players that are in the league and played the same position to present jerseys and Deion Branch gave me mine. That was a great honor to have a guy of his caliber present me with my jersey, it was pretty special. I got his number last year at the spring game, I had some questions on the whole agent process and he gave me some insight that, so that was pretty cool.


Draft

I had a bunch of calls from different teams checking on my draft information, making sure they had the right numbers and information. Its hard to say who really likes you. Its a lot different than college recruiting when you come out of high school and they call you and tell you how much they like you and how great you are. But you kinda get a sense by the questions they ask. They all ask “who else has contacted you,” or “who else has worked you out.” Then when they start to call two and three times you start to get a picture of who may like you a little better than someone else.

I’m more anxious than nervous.

There’s not a whole lot I can do about it, it’s in God’s hand. I’ve done physically everything I can do and now it’s a waiting game and having faith that God’s will will be carried out. It’ll be good to finally see what the outcome will be.

Closing

There's nothing worse than having something or someone rain on your parade. A Dream Deferred is a poem written by Langston Hughes that explores the negative consequencese that come with allowing your dreams to be taken away. It's comforting to know that God's purpose for your life was determined far before you were born. It's very likely that throughout life, things will come up that can try and defer your dreams. Let me encourage you with this, "Be assured of this: No one can hinder God from carrying out his plans for your life. Once God sets something in motion, no one can stop it," Isa. 46:11.

 

Don't let ANYTHING steal your dream, with God nothing is impossible.

 

Have a blessed week.

Yours truely, 84

Hey Doc, I got a question!

By Travis Williams

"Hey Doc! What exactly did Bird say to you that made you have to choke him?"

That's what I wanted to ask Dr. J Friday at the Kentucky Derby Festival They're Off! Luncheon. Julius Erving was the guest speaker for the event and about thirty minutes prior to the actual event, he had a brief press conference to talk about the Derby. It was the perfect chance for me to ask that question. But sadly, here's what really happened.


I'm expecting all the local media to be there asking Derby related questions and getting some sound bytes for the afternoon news. So my plan was to let them warm him up with a couple of those softball questions then throw my figurative curveball at him. I know the other reporters would look at me like I'm an idiot, but answering why you had to lock on Larry's larynx is what my people want to know.

No one really cares about what horse Dr. J is betting on or how many Derby’s he's been to. That stuff is for the morning talking heads on TV with the perfect hair.

I've got a real question cocked and loaded, all I need is a clear shot. But when I walk into the conference room I notice there's no one to provide cover fire, I'm the only reporter there. Ok, quick change of plans. I'll have to reel this one in slow. Lob the softball questions myself then hit him with the changeup. No problem.

After a short delay, the good Dr. finally walks in dressed like he could be your boss' boss' boss. He looks professional but not over the top.  No Armani suit or anything, more so Cliff Huxstable'esque with a salt and peppered low even haircut.  He greets everyone in the room, shakes some hands and jokes about an old ABA basketball someone brought for him to sign. Bottom line, he's cool. If Kobe and Lebron were brothers then Dr. J would be there dad.

By this time I'm joined by another reporter and my co-host Haven Harrington who's still upset at the fact he had to pay to park.

Perfect, they can provide some cover fire for me to get my question in. 
Press conference starts and after about three seconds of silence I decide to kick things off.

"Hey Doc, what's your most memorable Derby so far?"

Yea the epitome of lame questions I know, but I had to soften him up. He answers with a story which lets me know he had an answer for that question ready. Something about loving the people here, hanging with Darrell Grifffith and Junior Bridgeman and all the Derby's running together after attending about six of them. Now the other reporter, in a moment of sheer brilliance, recycles my question and asks it again. Great job. The Dr. rattles off another answer adding as much humor and personality to it as he can.  Everyone laughs and it's clear he's won over the room at this point.

My turn, "Hey Doc, how you feel about Lebron changing his number to honor Jordan but then taking yours?"

The CEO of dunking replies, "The first person I heard of wearing number six was Bill Russell. He accomplished more individually or with a team than any other player. So along as he (Lebron) is respectful with it and says respectful things, then I take it as a compliment."

Great Doc, a few more questions and then I'm pulling the trigger.

Another question by the aforementioned brilliant reporter and another by a cameraman and I'm ready to play my Ace in the hole.

And right then the Derby Festival media guy steps in and says,” That’s it, thanks everybody."

Eight minutes and the press conference is over.

Damn.

Well at least I'll get a picture with Dr. J for my Facebook page.
Wrong!!
Right after Haven gets his, Mr. Erving has to take a call. And I'm not sitting around waiting for a grown man to get off the phone so I can get a picture with him. So no pic and no answer to my question. All I have is this pic of Haven gushing as he poses with Julius Erving.
And yes, Haven's eyes are closed.

The Long Shot Pt. 5

Scott Long has issues.  Serious issues which may make his transitioning to the off-the-field NFL lifestyle somewhat difficult. He's weeks away from inking a pro contract and yet he's cruising around a used car lot instead of pricing Hummers.  The first time I met him he addressed me as "sir," and added "God bless you" when I left. He's also got a nagging habit of worrying about other people and making sure his words don't offend anyone. 

It's just weird. 

Throw in the fact that he has strong beliefs and isn't afraid to talk about or stand by them and you can see where I'm going right? 

Transitioning to the NFL may be difficult for this guy simply because there aren't many others in the league like him. 

And that's a shame.

On Handling the Media
By Scott Long as told to Travis Williams

I've gotten a first hand taste of the media with the whole combine experience.  Reading the blogs and different things people write,  the media kinda has free reign to talk about whatever they want to... For example that Tim Tebow story, I don't know first-hand exactly what happened, but I know he was in my group and I didn't hear anything even relevent to that story that came out.

True or not they're just giving their opinion.  Its just something you have to adapt to and know it comes with the territory.  I guess if they're not talking about you then you're probably on your way out of the league.  Hopefully they'll be talking about me, good or bad, for a long time. There's no writer, columnist, reporter or journalist that can ever criticize me harder than I criticize myself.

On the Perfect Shoe Commercial

The perfect shoe commercial? That's tough, but I'd say it would be with Nike and the commercial would be similar to that Adrian Peterson commercial.  But it be with me catching balls and eight or nine sets of arms coming out trying to stop me, and I'd be catching everything.  There'd be some slow motion, smoke and darkness.  It would just be kinda eerie. Maybe the tagline would be something like The Long Shot or something.

The one thing I probably wouldn't endorse would be anything with alcohol.  Not looking down on people who drink alcohol, but it's not something I partake in.  That woudn't be me.  I don't want to be perceived as someone who would do anything to get money, and if my name was on that then that's what I'd be doing.

Closing

One of my all time favorite songs to sing on Sunday mornings growing up was, "Jesus on the Main Line." As a youngster, I didn't even understand what it was actually saying. But I was still clapping my hands and bobbing my head... "Jesus on the main line, tell em' what you want."

As I got older and matured in my prayer life, I started to understand what it meant. James 4:2 says "you do not have because you do not ask, God." We have a direct line of communication with the manufacturer of all things of this world. There's no middle man or one of those annoying pre recorded operators.

Sometimes life weighs on us much more than we can bare. In those situations you have to, "let go, and let God." Take what ever it is on your heart to him in prayer and watch him deliver.
Have a blessed week.


Yours truely, 84

How Do You Dunk With No Hands?

How the hell do you dunk with no hands?
The only other way I can think of is to dunk with your elbows.  Either way, we're gonna find out tomorrow night during halftime of the Derby Festival All-Star game in Freedom Hall.  That's where University of Louisville signee Justin Coleman plans to unveil this mystery dunk. 

When I asked about dunk, all the 6'5 Coleman would say is, "It doesn't take your hands to do it."

So it has to be his elbows right???
Aside from the dunking, Coleman was easily the most impressive player at the Night of the Future Stars event last night.  He showed a great amount of versatility with his shooting and drives while also proving he could bang down low.  It can be hard to judge players from an all-star event but the young cat reminds me of a more atthletic Paul Pierce.  Seriously.

We'll be sure to get a pic tomorrow night during the finals of the dunk contest if he indeed flushes with his elbows so check back for updates.

The Long Shot pt 4

By September, Scott Long expects to be in a stadium filled with fans while catching spirals from an NFL quarterback.  Until that day comes though, he'll have to settle on catching tennis balls being whizzed at his head by his girlfriend.  Which by the way he asks her to do, he even taunts her while she's throwing them.

Aint love grand?

When asked if they'll burn through thousands of text messages a month while apart during the NFL season, Long just laughs and responds, "We do that now!"

He says he doesn't worry about things that most couples in along distance relationship might. He points to the fact that both he and his girlfriend have a close realtionship with Christ which will help them ease the struggles of separation.
So for a couple that close, the idea of throwing tennis balls at one another may seem strange. But that chunk of "quality time" pays dividends by improving Scott's hand eye coordination and preparing him for those spirals in September.


Monday
By Scott Long as told to Travis Williams

Monday was my latest workout which went great! I caught everything, ran my routes well and got some great feedback from the staff. The team that came in brought almost the ENTIRE staff. The general manager, offensive coordinator, wide receiver coach, special teams coordinator and two high level scouts were all there. They sent the big shots in. The head coach was the only person who wasn't there.

It gave me a satifying feeling because when a team brings that kind of heavy artillery it lets you know they're really interested.  I felt blessed for the opportunity for them to come down and God showed up in a big way like he always does.

We also watched the Kentucky game from last year and I took them through our plays and showed them that I understood our offense and understand how to attack certain defenses. They wanted to see my knowledge of football basically. It gave me a surreal feeling like I was in an NFL meeting room, it was just a really cool feeling.
 
Baseball and Downtime

With some of this downtime my girl and I are gonna go to the Louisville Slugger Museum.  Baseball was my passion, my heart and my best sport. My dream was always to play centerfield for the Atlanta Braves and I honestly think I could've played pro ball. 

I've been in Louisville for five years and haven't been to the Louisville Slugger Museum. I don't know why or what it is, but I've said since my freshman year that I'm going and just never had. So we're gonna check it out and see what that's about and just do some real "touristy" things.

Closing

Once there was this man who put on a show for a large gathering of people at Niagara Falls. He stood high atop the onlookers on a thin wire suspended across the falls.

He shouted down to the people, " Who thinks I can walk across this wire?"

The people all thought he was crazy and shouted back, "Don't try it, you will surely die." So the man walks the wire across to the other side. He shouts down a second time, " Who thinks I can walk back across blind-folded?"

The people again respond, " Don't do it, you will surely die." So the man returns to where he started wearing a blind-fold. He shouts down again, "Who thinks I can walk across, pushing this wheel barrel?" Now, a few people are confident in the man and reply, " We think you can!" The man says, "ok, come up here and hop in the wheel barrel." Needless to say those people were no longer so confident.

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

Sometimes, we just have to trust God, and hop into the wheel barrel. Even when we cannot see the outcome or are frightened by the unknown. It may sound crazy but he created the universe, I doubt there's anything too hard for him. Have a blessed week.

Yours truely, 84