Joey Dorsey, who comes from a neighborhood in Baltimore so stark and bleak that he says THE WIRE didn't really capture how bad it was, who is not only the first member of his family to attend college but the first to GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL (let that soak in for a moment), is on track to receive his Bachelor's degree.
Given his background, abandoned by his father, this is is a far greater accomplishment than all of his wonderful playing for the Tigers combined. Joey, if you finish and are willing to walk across that stage, I'm coming to your graduation, and I'd like the whole city to come with me.
Folks, we owe this to Joey for having the courage to escape the hellish nightmare of his neighborhood, for having the courage to graduate high school under such conditions, and becoming the first member of his family to graduate from college. He has given us thrills for lo these many years, and we need to honor him for something that will matter far more than his numerous accomplishments on the court.
I would like to see at least a thousand people, if not a lot more, pack the stands at graduation, and when Mr. Dorsey's name is called, we need to give him a standing ovation for this achievement.
I will get more details later, but let's plan this shindig!
4 comments:
Why single him out? Because he's an athlete? Why not stand for every child that has overcome the same obstacles to graduate high school and/or college? Why don't we celebrate them the same way we are celebrating these athletes? What makes the athlete any more special than any other child that is working hard to make the grades and graduate?
Where are our priorities?
How many students are in that position who aren't as well known as Joey, and deserve just as much credit? We'd never know.
I do agree that it would detract from the other graduates (especially those right after him).
I'd still love nothing more than for that place to erupt when Joey walks across the stage...for him to be the first to graduate from high school, much less college, out of his family, he deserves the cheers.
I'm biased, though...hell, I just want to hug each & every one of the players right now, regardless of how close they are to graduating!
I'm just seeing this–great post and great idea. If he gets drafted he could probably take the remaining handful of credits he needs online with little stress and walk across the stage in December. And I know he spends time online because he's constantly on Facebook ;)
Save this mg, many of us have come to regard Joey as a member of our families. Over the last four years we've watched him progress from a rough-around-the-edges bigmouthed kid from Baltimore into a thoughtful, talented and inspiring young man. It's got nothing to do with priorities and everything to do with the emotional connection he's made with us.
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