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May 23, 2000
Message from the publisher: Welcome
to Leyden's Log. This will be a weekly or close to weekly column
on the wonderful world of sports. In this column, Tom Leyden,
the creator and braintrust behind tthe
STT Sports Talk radio program (on WEVD, New York, 1050AM), will
be throwing in his two or three cents on a subject that most
decent American males live and die for. Since I have very little
to offer on this subject and will therefore always be marginalized
in American society, Tommy has graciously offered to step in
to add a level of legitimacy and American-ness to CasaJP 2000
.
FINAL THOUGHTS: By Tom Leyden
Tonight's final thought is a tribute to
and commentary about a young man whose life was cut short this
weekend. Another athletic celebrity whose death unfortunately
reminds us of our own mortality.
It was eight years ago when we watched
Malik Sealy cap his stellar career at St. John's by being chosen
14th in the NBA Draft.
He consistently contributed in a supporting
role with the Indiana Pacers, LA Clippers, Detroit Pistons before
finally being given a shot to shine with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But that was on the court. Malik Sealy was a shining star off
the court throughout his eight year career. Sealy was one of
the NBA's best ambassadors, kept busy in the most positive manner
by his many charitable activities. He was one of the good guys.
As caring a man as Sealy was, it's ironic
that he was caught up in one of the NBA's Alltime Most Embarrassing
Moments. While with the Pacers, Malik accidentally left his playbook
at the airport after a roadtrip to play the Knicks in New York.
Unfortunately for Sealy, the playbook got in the wrong hands,
the hands of Don Imus. Needless to say, Malik Sealy soon became
the favorite whipping boy of the Imus In The Morning program,
as Pacer scouting reports and inside information were read over-the-air
to the hundreds of thousands of Imus listeners.
The faux-pas made for classic radio and
fulfilled Imus' mantra- Reveling in the misery of others-- but
to Malik Sealy, that was not misery.
To him, misery was in the eyes of a family
left wondering from where the next meal would come. Misery was
the desperate hug of a neglected child. Misery, to Malik Sealy
was much more than a lost playbook. And it was to those who suffered
from the more serious miseries that Malik Sealy dedicated much
of his energy.
So to the roll call of Roberto Clemente,
Thurman Munson, Bobby Phills, Payne Stewart and more, add Malik
Sealy. Those athletes who died too soon.
And that's my final thought.
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