A Legend Matches Expectations
When our kids voice their dreams to us, as parents we want to do anything we can to see them come true.
Since Ross was four, he's loved the Duke Blue Devil basketball team. He watched their games on TV with a level of awe not seen often in the eyes of such a young child. And after every game he�d say to his father and me that one day it was his dream to see them play in person.
He wanted to be a Cameron Crazy.
For the past 12 years, his love of this team has only grown. He agonizes over every basket and is elated when they win. When they lost last year in the NCAA Regionals to Indiana, he was in mourning for days.
Everywhere you look, his bedroom pays homage to his team. A piece of the floor from Cameron Stadium hangs on one of the walls. A Blue Devil banner adorns one of his windows. More often than not, his head sports the latest Duke hat. When asked what he'd like for Christmas or his birthday, the list always includes something from Duke.
When I started moving around doing this publisher thing, he always wanted me to land somewhere close to Duke Univers-
ity. Not because he wanted to move.
Not because it would be a good choice for my career.
His only concern was seeing them play.
I found out in October that the Duke Blue Devils would be coming to Indianapolis on November 30 to play UCLA in one of the two games featured in the annual John Wooden Tradition. The other two invited teams were Louisville and Purdue.
And a lightbulb went off in my head. We are credentialed to cover Purdue. Not only could I get him into the game, but possibly put him on the floor with a digital camera in his hands to shoot the Duke/UCLA game.
A dream was about to become a reality.
If you read Tuesday's paper, you saw the story written by Mike Siroky, managing editor of The Pilot News, on the games last Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse. With the story was a photo of the teams warming up. The photographer was my son.
He's still floating on Cloud Nine almost a week later. He saw his team warm up while he took photos, watched them play while sitting with his dad and then attended the press conference after the game with Mike where he heard Coach K speak. Not from the TV, not from even the back of the room. Close enough, according to Ross, to count the hairs on his head.
I've had several perks at times with publisher gigs. But this time in Indiana will always and forever be remembered by my son as the time he saw his team play.
Dreams are wonderful to have. Having a hand in seeing a dream come true warms anyone's heart.
Having my son rendered speechless made it all worthwhile.
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