A Story About Smiles

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There are way too many sports stories that are filled with liars, cheaters, criminals and thugs. The Bills recently signed a guy who's been in trouble with the law on a regular basis for a lot of years. Most of the comments that came along with the signing were:

"Who cares, as long as he can play?"

Yet character is a real important factor when evaluating these guys...at least for me...

And finally!

A heartwarming, but sad story.

Adreian Payne is a 7' basketball player. He just finished up his season and career at Michigan State. I got to know him because he was pissing us off!

He kept drilling long shots and neither Sam nor I had picked Michigan State to advance.

"He's a good player," I said to Sam. "I wish someone would guard him! He's Cliff-ing shots from everywhere!"

And then Sam told me the story.

You see, Payne had befriended a young girl who was suffering from cancer. Lacey Holsworth took a shine to the player and vice-versa.

"They're really good friends," Sam told me as we watched the tourney. "They text each other, they color together, and he brought her to the games."

The story grew.

The media took a shine to a guy showing good character!

Imagine that.

And Payne didn't seem all that interested in making it a story, he genuinely just cared for young Lacey.

He talked about how she was drawn to his smile, but how her smile just tore him up inside.

Lacey died on Wednesday.

Payne talked about how her death just devastated him.

And I can see that.

His life was changed by that love.

It just had to be.

That smile and Lacey's struggle and death will stay with him for the rest of his life.

My boys talked about Payne all night on Wednesday. I could tell that they felt pain for a player that they had watched play (and even rooted against).

"I hope he's a star someday," Sam said.

He already is, kid. He already is.

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