(Note: I am drafting a series that look at the leading players on each of the positions PITT will field this season. I am doing the RBs now but as I was writing I got side tracked by the referenced article on James Conner’s good works. Here is a compendium look at what he’s done in that area since he’s been at PITT.)
The Trib has a June 18th article by Jerry DiPaola regarding James Conner and his relationship with an ill six year old with Klippel-Feil Syndrome which necessitates multiple open heart surgeries….
Before the game, Conner told Roman Pfister, who was recovering from his third open heart surgery, that he would score a touchdown for him.
Conner — like Roman, a resident of Erie — did score, tying Tony Dorsett’s all-time Pitt record. Then, after getting hurt, he sent an autographed football and his game-worn gloves to the Heinz Field box where Roman was watching the game with two of Conner’s injured teammates, Artie Rowell and Adam Bisnowaty.
“He wanted Roman to know these are special hands for securing the football,” Roman’s mother Tiffani Wasiela said. “He wanted him to know that he cared about him. Roman went home and fell asleep with those gloves on, holding that football.”
An interesting bit in that article involves Conner and a hand baked cake…
Wasiela (Roman’s mother), who owns a pastry shop in Erie, baked a cake for the occasion. Conner declined, sticking to his offseason diet that has helped him lose about 15 pounds to 235. “I was very thankful for it,” Conner said, “but I didn’t have any.” Said Wasiela: “When he is ready to eat some cake, we are going to get him some cake.”
Dammit’ to Hell!! Get that man some pastries!! Apparently Conner can have his cake and eat it too at a later date. Here is one from that bakery James might like.
So, he’s dropping 15 pounds for the 2015 season. What the Hell? He wasn’t effective enough last year at 250 pounds when he gained 1765 yards, scored 26 TDs and sent multiple opponents back to their bench crying their eyes out? Is this what Chaney means by tweaking the offense?
It is a good article and it lays out just one in a long line of selfless things Conner has done since he’s became a Panther back in 2012.
Back in March DiPaola also wrote this early account of Conner’s helping others. After finding the father of his best friend fallen ill with the results of kidney disease and helping the man to the hospital, Conner has since devoted his time and energy to the National Kidney Foundation and to those who suffer from that disease. From the Trib again:
When James Conner and his best friend Sean Gallagher walked into Gallagher’s house one day, they were horrified by what they saw.
Gallagher’s father Michael, who suffers from kidney disease, was laying on the floor, bleeding from his mouth and nose. The Erie McDowell football players fought the urge to panic, gathered Michael in their arms and carried him to the car. With Sean behind the wheel, they drove his father to a hospital emergency room.
The boys were 15.
He had been close to that family for a long time and when the Gallagher’s daughter, Megan was afflicted with the same illness he kept on serving:
Conner has shown support for Gallagher’s daughter, Meghan, another kidney patient. When Meghan was hospitalized, he visited her frequently, once carrying Meghan to a window so she could see the sun set over Lake Erie.
“He has seen all that and been around all that, but he hasn’t wavered,” Gallagher said. “He could have said this family is a little too nutty for me, but he never did.”
All these good works, and the many more I’m sure James did in the past and that we have never hear about, led up to his being awarded the prestigious National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) “Gift of Life” award. Talk about being in rarified air; take a look at who his fellow awardees are for that award:
On March 7, 2015 the National Kidney Foundation Celebrated Life at the 2015 Kidney Gift of Life “All that Glitters is Gold” Gala at Heinz Field’s West Club Lounge! This year’s Gala featured live entertainment by Protégé as well as a VIP reception, open bar, sit down dinner, and silent and live auctions.
The night featured a VIP Reception to honor our 2015 Gift of Life Awardees. This year’s Gift of Life Awardees were:
Mark Costanzo, President, Renal Therapies Group of Fresenius Medical Care;
Dr. David Levenson, Section Chief, Renal Division and Vice-Chair of Medicine, UPMC Shadyside; Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Medical Director, DaVita Pittsburgh Dialysis Unit; and, Partner, Partners in Nephrology and Endocrinology (PINE);
Dr. Richard L. Simmons, Distinguished Service Professor of Surgery, Chairman Emeritus, Department of Surgery, Medical Director, UPMC; and
James Conner, University of Pittsburgh Sophomore Running Back. The awardees epitomize the profound commitment that is essential in providing the best quality of life for those affected by chronic kidney disease.
Hmmm, let’s see, a President of a Medical Group and two highly distinguished doctors from the renal Division of UPMC… and star PITT running back James Conner. That’s a hell of a starter resume’ for James right there.
You can listen for yourself how the NFK appreciates Conner’s work with the organization in this podcast clip (listen to it all for Conner’s first impressions of Narduzzi). The clip is at the bottom of the page.
Back in December of ’14 John Dudley wrote an article about Conner being the Erie Times-News Sportsman of the Year and how Conner is remembered very fondly by his Erie friends. Here is a piece that shows where Conner’s head is after receiving all the accolades he has garnered in his two years at PITT.
While posing for photos with students and teachers, Conner filled the doorway at his old school — figuratively, if not literally, a larger-than-life presence for young athletes who will grow up recognizing him as a household name.
The legacy he’s contributing to in his hometown and the Erie region — one fed over the years by a string of football stars like Mike McCoy, Fred Biletnikoff, Mark Stepnoski and Bob Sanders — isn’t lost on him.
He’s well aware of what he represents, and the obligation that comes with it. “With having success and having younger kids look up to me comes a lot of responsibility,” Conner said. “You have to do the right things at all times because people are always watching. But I enjoy that, being a role model to the younger kids, and showing them that dreams do come true.”
That last part is something that we all hope every PITT player embraces as much as James Conner does.
BTW – in doing research for this I stumbled on this RotoWorld NBC Sports website that lists info on Conner and links all the latest national articles written about him. Here is that site’s Tyler Boyd page and Chad Voytik’s also.
DJ Dozier – 1st Round 14th pick
The Vikings have used eight first round picks on running backs in their history, and while not all have panned out, Dozier stands out like a sore thumb.
Coming out of Penn State in 1987, Dozier was a national champion, an All-American, and had already graced the cover of Sports Illustrated.
In other words, Dozier did not exactly have “bust” written all over him leading up to the draft.
Once he joined the Vikings though, Dozier struggled to earn carries and make an impact on the field. Through four years with the team, Dozier only ran for 691 yards and nine touchdowns.
Bricen Garner Highlights
James “the lean Beast” Conner Is a leader we Pitt fans can truely be proud of.
Welcome Mr. Garner – glad to have you at Pitt.
HTP!
If there is any truth to this WPIAL class wanting to play their college ball together, this commitment may start a domino effect.
There are some legit studs in the WPIAL the next couple years. I like Pitt’s chances of landing them with this staff a lot more than I would with the previous staff.
Pitt fans need to do their part and show up and fill up Heinz!
Hail to Pitt!!!!
Good to get another commit and get off the long schneid.
Welcome a Viking into the Panther fold.
As Dan noted the other day, this is almost a daily occurrence in NCAAF & NCAAB anymore.
Goes with the chaotic times and the continued societal regression and decline.
I’m ready for some football…
HTP!
He is a good get. The others, if any, need to follow suit. I think that there are only so many numbers at each position and we can’t wait until the end of the season to close on some of the talent we are recruiting.
If Pitt starts off hot, it will be tough to find enough openings to bring them all in here. Pitt is their best chance to play and play early. Have a great senior year Mr. Garner!
There are many reasons why, but it is generally thought that the poor, very corrupt leadership of the Western Part was one of the major reasons why.
It took the Western Roman Empire a long time to fall, it was not something that happened overnite, or in a year or two. It was a long steady decline.
America is mimicking it in it’s decline, but I don’t think it will take the 100-200 years, it took the Western Roman Empire to fall.
Just like everything else these days, things happen at a much quicker pace. A general, quickening, is occurring, as it’s almost impossible to keep up with all the fronts of America’s regression into chaos.
HTP
“Soon it therefore became a contest between those of genius and those of mediocrity, of aspiration and vested interests, between men of action and men of intransigence.”
Lol. They did overlook that damn lava proofing. I pictured a prominent Pompeiian saying “aaahhh we’ll be ok. what are the odds Vesuvius erupts?”
Mr. Conner is a fine young man – I’m not sure how strong of a Heisman pitch that Pitt will make, but James sure does represent Pitt and his home town of Erie very well.
HTP and to building respectful, fine young men!
But if Conner is to win, Pitt needs to win big … not saying they necessarily need win to the ACC, but they have to make a splash
In case you missed it, CC’s football coach responded to the statement that Garner is the 1st CC Pitt commit since Sunseri back in 2008. His reply, “we’re going to see if we can change that”.
Wheeler and Hamlin sure would be welcomed additions from the Central Catholic crew.
Could Garner be the second rock, (Ford being the initial rolling stone) that initiated a 412 Crew WPIAL landslide of commitments coming Pitt’s way?
Time will tell. One thing is for sure, Pitt winning big this season can do nothing but help that situation. Hail to Pitt and Welcome To the Pitt family Mr. Garner!
Unlike the attitude of the PSU coach Gattlin with his stupid quote on ‘package deals’ directly specifically at Garner.
Lot of top talent at Pitt yesterday including Clairton kid and….. sanders… RB….
This kid flipp’n from ped state to Pitt is going to be part of the explosion early in fall when/if Pitt looks like the team Coach Duzz is talking about….
Whose House? link to youtube.com
And NOT ONE comment about getting Conner snaps at D-END.
See, all things are possible!
2,000 is a number that comes to mind.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound bruiser has been super productive for the Nittany Lions, in 2014 he rushed for 1,765 yards, with a whopping 26 touchdowns (ACC Record) earning ACC Player of the Year and First Team All-American honors. Jun 18 – 2:35 PM
WTF? Are there no proofreaders anymore?