European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 14, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday december 14, 1994 sports the stars and stripes Page 31 the Man behind the Heisman Winner by William c. Rhoden the new York times Rashaan Salaam is a testament to the ancient proverb that it takes an entire Vil Lage to raise a child. As Salaam accepted his Heisman Tro Phy on saturday evening the longest part of his acceptance was a list of thank yous to the creator of course. To his motherland Stepfather to Bill Mccartney the retiring Colorado head coach. There was also his Offen Sive line and All of those special others who helped him see and run to Daylight. Finally Salaam looked Over his shoulder at a Man who sat in group behind the podium. There was a special Gregory thanks for coach Gregory his position coach who had talked to Salaam about playing football and living life. Ben Gregory smiled arid nodded. He had t been a surrogate father for Salaam or the father i never he was More like Rashaan s big brother Salaam s Mother said. As Gregory watched he hashed Back to a kid who had come to Colorado As a hot shot 18-year-old who finally free from his Mother s tight discipline was going to devour the world. Rashaan was a gangster Wannabe Gregory recalled. He came Here Wear ing All this red stuff talking about gangs. He had t done it Back Home because his Mother would never have tolerated neither did Gregory. He never told Rashaan what to do never lectured. Never preached. The Only thing i eve wanted for Rashaan was for him to be a productive citizen Gregory said. He wanted to be his own Man. That Why he made mistakes. I just did t want him to make old mistakes. There were too Many new ones to they had conversations never lec Tures. When Salaam was keeping questionable company Gregory simply asked questions. He said that these ple were his friends Gregory recalled. I said sure they Are your friends but Are you their Friend they know what you re trying to accomplish. They know the potential you have to do great things. If you Are their Friend when they get ready to get into something they la say Salaam get your butt out of Here. Go Home and study " even As he pushed Salaam to be in the Best shape of his life this season Gregory refused to allow him to play the Prima Donna role and drilled into his head that the wonderland of football could end on any Given play. He told him that he had a permanent Limp to prove it. Gregory was drafted out of Nebraska As a running Back by the Buffalo Bills in 1968, his career effectively ended in the seventh game of the 68 season when he suffered a knee injury though he remained with the Bills into 69. Gregory spent the next few years trying to land a teaching Job. In the interim he worked All sorts of Odd jobs to support a wife and their two Young children. He spent years asking himself Why me what did i do he was a graduate assistant at Nebraska and considered launching a coaching Ca reer. One Day coach Devaney asked me if i could live without football Gregory said of then Cor Husker coach Bob said yes. Coach Devaney said then you Don t need to be a coach " Gregory drifted away from football and focused on his two children. As the product of a one Parent Home he was determined that his children would not face the deficit of not having a father who was an Active Ever present Force in their lives. I realized then that i did t want to be a coach or a player that i just wanted to be a father to get Joy out of that he said. He worked As an elementary school teacher from 1974 to 1982 and never went hear a football Field just so i could be Home when the kids came one son is 26 the other is 25 now and the Gregory have two grandchildren. He finally returned to coaching in 1982 As an assistant at Denver East High school from 1982 to 1986. He was then named head coach at Montebello High school in Denver. In 1991, he accepted the Job As Colorado s running backs coach. Now i m coaching a Heisman trophy Winner he said laughing. I never would have thought that. As the Heisman trophy room at the downtown athletic club emptied out Gregory spoke about the ebb and flow of life. A few months earlier he was at one of the lowest Points of his life because a Friend of. Simpson a Man he had roomed with briefly in 1969, was now a defendant in a murder Case by contrast Gregory said that watch ing Salaam accept the Heisman on sat urday night was one of the greatest moments of his life. This is the exact opposite the High Point he said. Relocation Washington Northern org sofa Quon fico free relocation packet free lodging a no Money Down guaranteed buyback free Home inspection property management on turn us Italy my. 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