Bernie Fratto

Speaking
of
Sports 

by
Bernie 
Fratto

 
Under The Christmas Tree for '06-'07

12/22/06

Happy Holidays to all, and thanks to everyone that reads this column and enjoys the novi.org website. The number of daily hits continues to grow and frankly, it’s astronomical.

For Christmas, I hope for the continued success of Novi sports teams, their coaches and their families. Sports have become an integral part of education and opportunity, while also providing a vehicle for a community to come together collectively for the betterment of all. You never know what a simple act could do for a young person’s future.

I was reminded of this particularly by the announcement that Allen Iverson would be traded to the Denver Nuggets. Without sports, and the favor of a concerned party, Iverson would be in jail.

A brilliant HS athlete from Virginia, as an All-American QB, he had offers from everywhere, and he was even more talented in basketball. But on Valentines Day in 1993, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when a fight broke out at a bowling alley. He was charged and convicted with felonious assault, and began serving a 15-year jail sentence.

However, the rush to judgment proved to be erroneous. The evidence was weak and some accounts indicated he’d left the property before the violence even began. Gov. Douglas Wilder issued a pardon, and at the behest of his mother, Georgetown basketball Coach John Thompson agreed to give Iverson a chance with the following disclaimer; “ I will send you back to custody with your tail between your legs if you step out of line, even once.”

The rest is history. As a Freshman All-American, Iverson left for the NBA after his sophomore season, and pound-for-pound, is considered one of the greatest backcourt players in the history of the league.

Sports opened the door for Allen Iverson, and it even gave him a second chance. It’s a privilege to participate in athletics, especially in Novi… In fact it’s like a gift.

Wait until you get to be my age, you’ll know what I mean.

Merry Christmas…

(c) 2006 Novi Information Network
www.novi.org

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Bernie Fratto is a freelance writer, radio personality, and motivational speaker.  His passion for sports comes in part from his experience as a former Cincinnati Red farm- hand.  "Behind every sports story lies the hearts and minds of real human beings" said Fratto.  "These athletic endeavors often serve as a metaphor for the game we call life."

Bernie is also on the broadcast team at Live 97.1FM talk-radio, and is a frequent co-host on the popular "Parker & The Man Show," a nightly sportstalk show which airs Monday-Friday from 7-11pm.