Feb. 28, 2008

Gillispie reminds us that sports people are human beings, too

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Florida coach Billy Donovan once interrupted a 2003 press conference to take a phone call from a U.S. soldier in the Middle East, a regular Joe from Tampa who liked the Gators. Donovan later gave the soldier's family game tickets and behind-the-scenes access during the NCAA Tournament. He never told the media.

North Carolina's Roy Williams holds an annual clinic for Special Olympians during the season. Illinois' Bruce Weber and Gonzaga's Mark Few take their teams to a hospital to visit kids fighting cancer. Louisville's Rick Pitino helped start a homeless shelter in Owensboro, Ky.


Gregory Parrish, a 'Pack fan with brain tumors, was befriended by ex-coach Herb Sendek. (Provided to CBSSports.com)

When he was at North Carolina State, Herb Sendek befriended a boy with brain tumors. The kid, Gregory Parrish, was a staunch Wolfpack fan getting treatment at a Duke hospital in 2004 -- so staunch that he turned down tickets to a Duke game because he liked N.C. State. Sendek heard about that and invited Gregory to a game. Soon Gregory was in the 2004-05 team picture. He rode the team bus, hung out in the locker room and sat behind the bench, and when the tumors took his eyesight, his father called out play-by-play. When Sendek left in 2006 for Arizona State, he told Gregory before he told the media. When Gregory died a few months later, Sendek came back to Raleigh to speak at the funeral, where everyone reminisced about the time Gregory was scheduled for brain surgery and told the doctor to make it quick -- the Wolfpack had a game coming up. Two days later, Gregory was behind the bench in a red wig.

These are great stories. They don't always end well, but sometimes they do. Saturday night, for example. Saturday night in Lexington ended well. Gillispie struggled through his unprepared speech before leaving with a sentence he certainly hadn't planned to say:

"If it'll do any good ..." Gillispie started, then stopped and shook his head. "I love this. I love people. I love tough people. I love tough people that won't ever give up. And if it'll help, I'd like to give a check for $10,000."

Stunned, the 500 students erupted into loud cheers, but Gillispie had nothing else to say. He gave a small wave, handed away the microphone and walked quickly off the stage. As the video fades to black, I'm not sure if he had tears in his eyes. But I'm positive I did.

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