Wake Forest Athletics News
100% Cotten - Where He Belongs
Jan. 23, 2004 With Josh Howard and Wake Forest, pride is a two-way street. Early in his Demon Deacon career, I think Josh was often misunderstood. He oozed with God-given talent, but he lacked a certain something - a smoothness - to his demeanor that led to various labels. Most of which were nowhere close to the real Josh - the one waiting to come out. An official once called Josh a "punk" during a game at the Joel Coliseum. I'll never forget that. I bet Josh never will either. I was shocked that an ACC official actually called a player that to his face during a game. I've known punks. And Josh Howard was no punk. He was a fighter, though. He wouldn't take anything from anybody. And he nearly took that official's head off. His Deacon teammates helped cool him down, and Josh went on to greatness. The two games in his career that I'll remember most are Wake Forest at Maryland during Howard's junior year and the non-conference game at Wisconsin last season as part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Against the Terps Josh played basically on one leg and nearly beat the highly regarded and soon-to-be national champion Terps by himself in Wake Forest's last game in the retiring Cole Fieldhouse. Josh had the misfortune of calling a timeout in the waning moments the Deacs did not have - a gaffe that in all likelihood was the difference in the game. But without Josh's courageous effort playing with that very painful high ankle sprain the game would not have been close. He dropped 30 on the Badgers in the game at Madison that helped the Deacs snap Wisconsin's ridiculous home winning streak. He showed he was one of the best players in the country on that night. He did about whatever he wanted to do. He put the Deacs on his shoulders that cold night inside the Kohl Center and dared to lead. By the time you read this, Josh's #5 jersey will either be hanging or on its way to hanging in the rafters of the Joel Coliseum in its rightful place among the greatest players to ever don the Old Gold and Black. Josh won't be remembered as the best Deacon player ever, but I'd argue he was as versatile as any. I didn't see most of those other greats play, but I'm willing to bet none could play every position on the floor as effectively as Josh if called upon to give it a shot. There's not a whole lot he couldn't do. By the time his career at Wake Forest was winding down, most realized they had been watching a special player. He was the consensus ACC Player of the Year - the first since N.C. State's David Thompson. Think of all the great players between Thompson and Howard - none received such special recognition. Perhaps Josh's greatest achievement at Wake Forest was his graduation day. There were times when it looked Josh would never make it. He nearly left. But he summoned the courage and conviction to fight - like he had all of his life - to make himself better. And now that he's come through the fire, he's on his way. He's a shining rookie with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He's a college graduate with a Wake Forest diploma. And his school is giving him the ultimate honor. And that two-way street? He's as proud of Wake Forest as Wake Forest is of him. When visiting with him recently before the Deacs' game with SMU in Dallas he beamed at the opportunity to get re-connected with his team. His school. His roots. The place that gave him a chance. Josh's story is one worth telling. And his jersey is one worth hanging. |