[12thMan]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

This story is a very personal one for me. I actually knew Len Bias. I grew up in the District and in my neighborhood it was always tough for the "little guys" to get on the courts to play ball or generally when you did you would be playing with guys who were so much better and bigger than you. The talent level at the playgrounds was just amazing! Anyway, me and another kid who lived on my street figured we would hike it out to Cole Field House (the old arena) to play hoops and get our game together without the inner-city pressure, if you will. It was about 15-20 munutes away from my area and his dad would drive us up there with no problem. In the process of us just shooting around in the gym, when the courts were open to the public, the Terps would take the courts to practice. We would sit in the stands for some of the practice until Lefty kicked people out. Afterward we would sneak back in and hang out to just get a glimpse of "the college athletes". As time went on we got to know some of the players and vice-versa. Of all the players we bonded with the most, Lenny took me and my boy under his wing for some reason. Herman Veal, Adrian Branch, and Keith Gatlin were really cool with us too. But Lenny was like a big brother to us! It's so wild I can't even believe, in hindsight, that I actually knew him so well. But of all the people I've had the pleasure of knowing and being around he was by far one of the most incredible people that I can remember. Very genuine and gregarious is what I remember the most.

I still remember the very place I was sitting, the way the phone rang, and who told me and how I was in utter disbelief for hours when I learned of his death. It was inconcievable!

Many in this area were making comparisons to him and Jordan at that time. Both were ACC products and had great careers. What a shame and a tradjedy. I think today's athlete is a different animal from the one back then.
But sadly enough drugs are still very much a part of our culture. I think it's hard to say how much we've learned since then.

My memory failed on one fact. It wasn't Herman Veal but a guy named Terry Long whom we knew as well.