Let me make something perfectly clear:
In case you think the legend of Gary Neal at Towson University began Dec. 18 when he first suited up against VMI (finishing with 28 points and nine assists in 29 minutes) you are sorely mistaken. A group of students, myself included, knew the name and the game long before. We weren't only aware of the rumors surrounding his possible addition to the team-we started them.
Let me take you back a year: Spring semester, 2005.
Any regular at Burdick Gym's afternoon pick-up basketball games is accustomed to a couple new faces each semester. Some good. Some bad. But last February there was one in particular that made going to Burdick well worth the walk.
That "one in particular?" He was known as 'G.'
'G' was there every day. Playing against the best Burdick had to offer. Everyone tried their hand against him. Few had any success.
The fast-break, pull-up 3-point shot? Virtually unguardable. The fade-away midrange jumper off the glass? Laughable.
Awe gave way to disbelief. Disbelief to curiosity.
Who is he? Where did he come from? And most importantly, why wasn't he playing for Towson? As quiet, unassuming and comfortable as he seemed playing pick-up games in a hot, dusty gym with guys that didn't exactly get Division I consideration, you couldn't help but be curious. He might not have said much, but there was no shutting up his game.
Naturally, people began to catch on. After torching my intramural basketball team for at least 40, his team was disqualified because of a rule not allowing former Division I players to play less than a year after their most recent season.
The secret was out. And rumors began to swirl. All the logistics were taken into account. All possible circumstances were given consideration.
Speculation was put on hold through the summer. When school rolled around this past fall, there was one familiar face missing among the new faces in the 4 o'clock afternoon runs. Gary was no longer with us. Speculation had reached an all-time high because Burdick's finest had rightfully moved on.
I think you know the rest of the story.
Through Neal's tenure at Burdick, a bond was built between him and one particular segment of the Towson student body. Now, when you go to a men's basketball game you are likely to come across a number of people that are there solely because of him â€" people that played against him.
They are people that can brag about that one time they scored on him. And people that finally want to see him play for their long-suffering team. Gary had a fan base long before he put on a black and gold uniform and it hasn't gotten any smaller.
On one particular day a year ago, after finishing an easy lay-up off of a pretty feed, I heard him respond by saying something to the effect of, "With passes like that I could make a living doing this."
Don't be surprised if 'G' does. And remember: You heard it from us first.
RSS Feeds
Be the first to comment on this article!