Layups: Family Over Final Four Dreams
Posted by Justin Kubatko on March 29, 2011
This is only tangentially related to the NBA, but it's one of the most moving columns I have read in a long time:
A father’s choice: Family over Final Four dreams
Fantastic work by Dan Wetzel.
March 29th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Great column, this site is quickly atop my daily reading list.
March 29th, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Thanks for the post--that was a fantastic article, and especially meaningful to me as I've done a lot of research lately (for education courses) about housing patterns and the effect of poverty on family life and school.
The choice that Thabiti made is one which most people think should ALWAYS be made, but life is easier to reflect on when you see the world through middle-class glasses. The "circle of poverty" to which the article refers has strong and lasting bonds. It is difficult for most people to see beyond the confines of what they have lived everyday.
“Those two [grandsons], they don’t know anything about poverty and tragedy,” he said. “That’s my legacy.” Awesome stuff.
March 29th, 2011 at 5:54 pm
I agree, that was an amazing piece.
March 30th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Thank you so much for sharing this link. I can't say that I have ever experienced poverty as I grew up in a two-parent middle class household. However, I have a toddler of my own and nothing brings me more joy than knowing that I am providing him with a life in which he will not have to experience such troubles.
This story is truly touching and I will be forwarding it on to many others. The troubled communities (particularly african-american ones) could use more success stories like these to help inspire change.
March 31st, 2011 at 12:38 am
What an amazing man. I wonder who served as his mentor, giving him direction. He seemed to have nothing but fools around him, modeling poorly and giving horrid advice.
He altered the landscape of generations to follow by stopping the nonsense and doing the right thing------putting his child 1st. God bless him.