| | A Public Apology to Tennessee's Chris LoftonI was browsing around ESPN.com this evening when I got home from work when I happened upon an utterly stunning news article about Tennessee All American basketball player, Chris Lofton. The headline read, "Tennessee's Lofton Quietly Faced and Beat Cancer." I obviously had to read the story immediately. The story tells us that Chris Lofton got testicular cancer about a year ago, had to have a very painful procedure and go for regular radiation treatments, leaving him weak and sick for quite a while. And NO ONE KNEW!!! (OK, his parents and the coaches knew, but no one else did, not even his teammates!) He internalized his pain and fear and made it through, often crying himself to sleep at night. His parents, who live in Kentucky, couldn't even come visit him because it might have drawn undue (media) attention, which he didn't want. Fortunately, it seems that Chris is now cancer-free and that's wonderful, because he is really a great young man and a heck of a basketball player.
While this story is in itself pretty amazing, I wish this information had been public, because poor Chris Lofton had to endure some awful criticism this past year. Including from me, both on my blog here and verbally to others around me. And now I feel ashamed. See, Chris Lofton is one of the greatest basketball players in Tennessee history, if not even college basketball history! He ended his career last month as the third leading all time three point shooter in NCAA history!!! That kid could shoot it, and from anywhere. He was an All American and won countless games on last second shots for the Vols over his four year career. He had a stellar junior season, averaging close to 21 points a game and winning SEC Player of the Year honors. Everyone expected his senior season to be that good too, if not even better.
But it wasn't. He started the year off looking pretty darn bad. After conference play started, his game picked up, but it tailed off badly in the playoffs and it wasn't a pretty way to end such a spectacular career. He still led the team in scoring, but at only about 15.5 points per game. His shooting percentage slumped too, and frankly, he just was no longer that go-to guy we'd all come to love and respect. Everyone, including me, still loved the kid, but wanted to know what the heck was wrong??? I mean, he just wasn't the same player and it was deeply disappointing. Now we know. The poor kid had cancer! He dropped about 15 pounds, didn't get to work out at all for quite a while, got winded easily, and his game was impacted by that, as would be the case for anyone. Frankly, I can't believe the courage he had to go out there and do what he did in the face of that dreadful disease and mounting public criticism. So, I just want to publicly apologize now for dogging him occasionally this past year. He'll never see this blog and that's OK, and I didn't know what he was going through either, but I feel like crap now and I am proud that he was a UT Vol and I wish him nothing but the best in the future. Here's to a great NBA career, Chris!
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| | Posted 5/1/2008 8:24 PM - 1 comments
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