1) We're starting on a far less happy note than we generally do here, but I think it's important to do so. Aaron O'Neal died 16 years ago Monday. SIXTEEN YEARS.
On one hand, for those of us who really remember it, for those of us who were there--but far more importantly, for those who were closer to him than any of us were--it doesn't seem nearly that long ago. On the other hand, I know it's been a long time because in the last couple of years, I've had to look up exactly when it happened and had to remind myself to remember it.
I try to link the story I wrote on the ten-year anniversary of Aaron's death every year. For those who haven't read it, or those who have and feel pulled to do so again, here is the story. I've written very few things I'm more proud of than that in my nearly 18 years doing this. But that's not why I'm linking it. I'm linking it for this quote from Brad Ekwerekwu that hit me when I re-read the story on Friday:
"As far as what does it look like now and is the program still affected by it, yeah, I think so, but a lot of the cats now, man, they don't know who that dude is. It happened ten years ago, these cats, they don't know Aaron. They may know his high school and they may know that so and so wears number 25 now. But it's just a story now."
"It's just a story now." And that's true. I mean, it's kind of almost become true for me and I was at that workout. I'd talked to Aaron O'Neal. I knew his teammates--still keep in touch with some of them. And it's faded for me. So how many Missouri players know Aaron O'Neal's story today? How many who have become fans in the last 15 years don't even know who he was?
Maybe that's natural. Maybe in some ways it's even good. But AO shouldn't be forgotten. If you were around when it happened, it's a story that should be kept alive and passed on. If people don't know, maybe there's a responsibility to let them know. Rest in peace, Aaron.
2) Along similar lines--and I promise we're going to get to more uplifting, or at least less depressing, things soon--I wanted to highlight a book I read that made me think about a lot of things last week. The book is What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an American Teen by Kate Fagan. There's no real mystery here: The main character dies. Her name is Madison Holleran and she committed suicide early in the second semester of her freshman year at Penn. She was a state track champion and might have been a better soccer player than she was a runner. The book goes deep into the pressures felt by college athletes. These kids were almost all among the best at their sport growing up. And then they get to college and they're one of many. They're trying to balance handling the sport with doing well in school. And now they're all doing it in the age of social media. The line that really hit me said that being on social media "is like comparing your every day life to everyone else's highlight reel."
We all are passionate about our teams. We think winning and losing is of great importance. And we often forget the people we pin our hopes on are human beings themselves. It's worth remembering now and again. The games don't really matter nearly as much as we think they do.If you don't want to read an entire book, Fagan did an ESPN story on her, which is what led to the book. It's the most watched video in ESPN.com history. You can watch it here.
My son leaves for college in two months, where he'll be swimming and taking classes that are harder than any he's ever taken before. This book gave me a lot of insight into things I should say to him before he leaves.
3) So let's lighten things up a little bit, huh? Let's talk about some college football.
Whether you are looking for more space to host those game day parties or looking to upgrade, Stein & Summers is your #1 fan in helping you find the home of your dreams! We have over 100 licensed agents servicing Kansas City, St. Joseph, and surrounding areas - including Kansas! Interest rates are at a record low while homes sales prices are at a record high! Contact us today to get started.
Stay up to date on all the Mizzou news with your premium subscription
Talk about this story and more in The Tigers' Lair
Make sure you're caught up on all the Tiger news and headlines
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video and live streaming coverage
