I work in collegiate sports. While I have no experience with pro sports, other than being a spectator and fan; generally college sports and pro sports have a common goal: money. Pro sports is about making money for owners and for players and for coaches. It creates in many cases a system that includes greed and fowl play to get to the top. There is plenty of that to go around at the college level, particularly in the big schools, but at every level; even down to non-scholarship programs.
With that being said, I couldn't help but find a refreshing story today out of Cleveland, Ohio. From the same NBA organization that fielded the LeBron mania for seven years before they were burned by their hometown star's departure for greener pastures, the Cavs have struggled this season. Fans were hurt, the owner lashed out immediately with a public letter (one of those things written immediately as emotions are hot rather than sleeping it off to have some even keel thoughts), and this season's record is below the standard LeBron created, attendance is down, etc.
But, the Cavs are the big winner today, or yesterday whenever the decision was made when they ignored the un-written rules of society and hired a homeless man to hold an undetermined position for their organization. Not only that, they bought him a house. Ted Williams, a homeless man who had planted himself in the same spot off a freeway exit in Cleveland, caught people's attention.
Most homeless people that panhandle hold up signs. Some use dogs to seduce empathetic animal lovers into giving money; the old "Will Work for Food" sign as well as "Hungry God Bless" signs are common. However, Williams' sign said something different; it said the following:"I have a God Given Gift of Voice. I'm an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times. Please! Any help will be greatfully appreciated. Thank You and God Bless You / Happy Holidays."
He didn't lie, as you can see in the YouTube videos posted he's a sports PA announcer waiting to happen.
I think the thing that should catch people by surprise is where the sound is coming from. When you see Michael Buffer, the "Let's Get Ready To Rumble!" guy; he looks like a man that would be capable of such things. However, when you're driving down the freeway at a stop light, the wonderful, deep and rich sound is unexpected from an unkept man with jagged teeth, beat up clothes, dirty poofy hair and rugged skin.
What's funny is I know there are skeptics to this story. I can hear the voices "Oh, he'll blow it, he'll relapse and then the Cavs will have screwed up." But that's not that point, and that's the definition of grace. For those who are of the Christian faith, grace is given to the undeserving. So whether it backfires or not, I applaud the Cleveland Cavaliers for awarding this man a second chance.
Psalm 113:7
"He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill"
News links to the story:
http://www.businessinsider.com/homeless-man-with-radio-voice-job-2011-1
http://warmingglow.uproxx.com/2011/01/everythings-comin-up-hobo
http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/cavs-offer-homeless-man-with-golden-voice-a-job-and-a-house
