Latest / Sports History Network / From Darkness to Dominance: The Inspiring Journeys of Reggie Williams and Joe Donches
Transcript
- 0:57Imagine
- 0:58lining
- 0:58up
- 0:58on
- 0:58the
- 0:58gridiron,
- 0:59the
- 0:59crowd
- 0:59roaring.
- 1:00But
- 1:00the
- 1:00world
- 1:00around
- 1:01you
- 1:01is
- 1:01pitch
- 1:01black.
- 1:02No
- 1:02yard
- 1:03lines,
- 1:03no
- 1:03jersey
- 1:04colors.
- 1:04Just
- 1:04the
- 1:04sound
- 1:05of
- 1:05the
- 1:05snap
- 1:05and
- 1:06pure
- 1:06instinct.
- 1:07Now
- 1:07imagine
- 1:08a
- 1:0813
- 1:08year
- 1:09old
- 1:09walking
- 1:09away
- 1:10from
- 1:10his
- 1:105th
- 1:10grade
- 1:10classroom
- 1:11for
- 1:11the
- 1:11last
- 1:11time.
- 1:12Forced
- 1:12to
- 1:12trade
- 1:12his
- 1:13textbooks
- 1:13for
- 1:13a
- 1:13job
- 1:14just
- 1:14to
- 1:14keep
- 1:14his
- 1:14family
- 1:15head
- 1:15above
- 1:15water
- 1:16after
- 1:16a
- 1:16shattering
- 1:17tragedy.
- 1:18Most
- 1:18people
- 1:18would
- 1:19call
- 1:19these
- 1:19dead
- 1:19ends.
- 1:20These
- 1:20two
- 1:21men
- 1:21called
- 1:21them
- 1:21starting
- 1:22lines.
- 1:23Today
- 1:23we're
- 1:23diving
- 1:24into
- 1:24the
- 1:24unbelievable
- 1:25true
- 1:25stories
- 1:26of
- 1:26players
- 1:26who
- 1:27conquered
- 1:27childhood
- 1:28blindness
- 1:28to
- 1:28dominate
- 1:29the
- 1:29field.
- 1:29And
- 1:30a
- 1:30fifth
- 1:30grade
- 1:30dropout
- 1:31who
- 1:31rose
- 1:32from
- 1:32the
- 1:32depths
- 1:32of
- 1:32grief
- 1:33to
- 1:33reach
- 1:33the
- 1:33pinnacle
- 1:34of
- 1:34American
- 1:34football
- 1:35and
- 1:35beyond.
- 1:36These
- 1:37are
- 1:37two
- 1:37great
- 1:37stories
- 1:38of
- 1:38football
- 1:39here
- 1:39on
- 1:39Pigskin
- 1:40Dispatch
- 1:42in
- 1:43Flint,
- 1:43Michigan.
- 1:43The
- 1:44world
- 1:44started
- 1:44to
- 1:44go
- 1:44quiet
- 1:45for
- 1:45young
- 1:45Reggie
- 1:45Williams.
- 1:46Not
- 1:46because
- 1:47he
- 1:47couldn't
- 1:47hear,
- 1:48but
- 1:48but
- 1:48because
- 1:48he
- 1:49couldn't
- 1:49see
- 1:49what
- 1:49was
- 1:50coming.
- 1:50A
- 1:51childhood
- 1:51injury
- 1:52had
- 1:52left
- 1:52him
- 1:52with
- 1:52a
- 1:52detached
- 1:53retina.
- 1:54To
- 1:54the
- 1:54rest
- 1:54of
- 1:54the
- 1:55world,
- 1:55he
- 1:55was
- 1:55a
- 1:56boy
- 1:56losing
- 1:57his
- 1:57sight.
- 1:57To
- 1:57Reggie,
- 1:58the
- 1:58shadows
- 1:59were
- 1:59just
- 1:59an
- 1:59opponent
- 2:00he
- 2:00hadn't
- 2:01yet
- 2:01learned
- 2:01how
- 2:01to
- 2:02be.
- 2:03Doctors
- 2:03told
- 2:04him
- 2:04his
- 2:04sports
- 2:04days
- 2:05were
- 2:05over
- 2:05before
- 2:05they
- 2:05began.
- 2:06After
- 2:07multiple
- 2:07surgeries
- 2:08to
- 2:08save
- 2:08his
- 2:09vision,
- 2:10he
- 2:10was
- 2:10left
- 2:10with
- 2:10thick
- 2:11lenses
- 2:11over
- 2:11one
- 2:12eye
- 2:12and
- 2:12a
- 2:12fire
- 2:12in
- 2:13his
- 2:13chest.
- 2:13He
- 2:13didn't
- 2:14just
- 2:14want
- 2:14to
- 2:14play,
- 2:14he
- 2:14wanted
- 2:15to
- 2:15dominate.
- 2:15He,
- 2:16he
- 2:16used
- 2:16his
- 2:16ears
- 2:16to
- 2:16track
- 2:17the
- 2:17snap
- 2:17of
- 2:17the
- 2:17ball
- 2:17and
- 2:18his
- 2:18instincts
- 2:18to
- 2:18find
- 2:19the
- 2:19ball
- 2:19carrier
- 2:19through
- 2:20the
- 2:20blur.
- 2:20He
- 2:21wasn't
- 2:21just
- 2:21playing
- 2:21with
- 2:22sight,
- 2:22he
- 2:22was
- 2:23playing
- 2:23with
- 2:23vision.
- 2:25He
- 2:25took
- 2:26the
- 2:26resolve
- 2:26to
- 2:27the
- 2:27Ivy
- 2:27League.
- 2:27At
- 2:28Dartmouth,
- 2:28Reggie
- 2:29Williams
- 2:29became
- 2:30a
- 2:30wrecking
- 2:30ball.
- 2:31He
- 2:31broke
- 2:31the
- 2:31records
- 2:32and
- 2:32redefined
- 2:32the
- 2:32linebacker
- 2:33position,
- 2:33earning
- 2:34his
- 2:34spot
- 2:34in
- 2:35the
- 2:35College
- 2:35Football
- 2:35hall
- 2:36of
- 2:36Fame.
- 2:36And
- 2:36he
- 2:36proved
- 2:37that
- 2:37the
- 2:37Ivy
- 2:38League
- 2:38just
- 2:38wasn't
- 2:38for
- 2:39scholars.
- 2:39It
- 2:40was
- 2:40for
- 2:40warriors
- 2:40who
- 2:41refused
- 2:41to
- 2:41be
- 2:41sidelined
- 2:42by
- 2:42a
- 2:42diagnosis.
- 2:44Then
- 2:44came
- 2:44the
- 2:45NFL.
- 2:4514
- 2:46seasons,
- 2:47two
- 2:47Super
- 2:47Bowls,
- 2:48the
- 2:48Walter
- 2:48Payton
- 2:49man
- 2:49of
- 2:49the
- 2:49Year
- 2:50award.
- 2:50For
- 2:51over
- 2:51a
- 2:51decade,
- 2:51Reggie
- 2:52Williams
- 2:52stood
- 2:52at
- 2:52the
- 2:53heart
- 2:53of
- 2:53the
- 2:53Cincinnati
- 2:54Bengals
- 2:54defense.
- 2:55He
- 2:55wasn't
- 2:55just
- 2:55a
- 2:55man
- 2:55who
- 2:56overcame
- 2:56blindness.
- 2:57He
- 2:57became
- 2:58the
- 2:58man
- 2:58the
- 2:58NFL
- 2:59couldn't
- 2:59look
- 2:59away
- 3:00from.
- 3:02Reggie
- 3:02Williams
- 3:02spent
- 3:03his
- 3:03childhood
- 3:03fighting
- 3:04to
- 3:04see
- 3:04the
- 3:04light.
- 3:05He
- 3:05spent
- 3:05the
- 3:05rest
- 3:06of
- 3:06his
- 3:06life
- 3:06making
- 3:07sure
- 3:07the
- 3:08world
- 3:08saw
- 3:09his.
- 3:10Truly
- 3:11a
- 3:11remarkable
- 3:11story
- 3:12of
- 3:12Reg
- 3:12Williams
- 3:13rising
- 3:13up
- 3:14from
- 3:14this
- 3:14childhood
- 3:16debilitating
- 3:17condition
- 3:18to
- 3:18become
- 3:19an
- 3:19all
- 3:19Pro,
- 3:20a
- 3:20star
- 3:20NFL
- 3:21player,
- 3:21College
- 3:22Football
- 3:22hall
- 3:22of
- 3:22Famer.
- 3:23But
- 3:23our
- 3:24next
- 3:24story
- 3:25also
- 3:25talks
- 3:26about
- 3:26a
- 3:26College
- 3:26Football
- 3:27hall
- 3:27of
- 3:27Famer
- 3:28who
- 3:28overcame
- 3:28a
- 3:29different
- 3:30type
- 3:30of
- 3:30a
- 3:30circumstance.
- 3:31In
- 3:31the
- 3:31Mahoning
- 3:32Valley,
- 3:32the
- 3:33sky
- 3:33wasn't
- 3:33blue.
- 3:34It
- 3:34it
- 3:34was
- 3:34a
- 3:34bruised
- 3:35purple.
- 3:35Choked
- 3:36by
- 3:36the
- 3:36breath
- 3:36of
- 3:36the
- 3:37Mills.
- 3:38Now
- 3:38here,
- 3:38your
- 3:39future
- 3:39wasn't
- 3:39written
- 3:39in
- 3:40books.
- 3:40It
- 3:40was
- 3:41forged
- 3:41in
- 3:41fires
- 3:42of
- 3:42a
- 3:42factory.
- 3:44In
- 3:451916,
- 3:46Joe
- 3:46Donches
- 3:47was
- 3:47in
- 3:47the
- 3:47fifth
- 3:48grade.
- 3:48He's
- 3:49a
- 3:49bright
- 3:49boy,
- 3:50quick
- 3:50with
- 3:50a
- 3:50math
- 3:51problem
- 3:51and
- 3:52even
- 3:52quicker
- 3:52on
- 3:52his
- 3:53feet.
- 3:53But
- 3:54in
- 3:54a
- 3:54family
- 3:54of
- 3:55immigrants,
- 3:55survival
- 3:56is
- 3:56the
- 3:56only
- 3:56curriculum
- 3:57that
- 3:57matters
- 3:59now.
- 3:59The
- 3:59Donches
- 4:00family
- 4:00was
- 4:00shaken
- 4:01to
- 4:01the
- 4:01core
- 4:01that
- 4:02year
- 4:02when
- 4:02Joe's
- 4:02father
- 4:03passed
- 4:03away.
- 4:05Times
- 4:05were
- 4:05tough,
- 4:05and
- 4:05by
- 4:05age
- 4:0613,
- 4:06Joe
- 4:07had
- 4:07closed
- 4:08his
- 4:08textbook,
- 4:09thinking
- 4:09it
- 4:09was
- 4:09the
- 4:09last
- 4:10time.
- 4:11At
- 4:11the
- 4:11age
- 4:11of
- 4:1213,
- 4:12donchos
- 4:13quit
- 4:13school
- 4:14and
- 4:14lied
- 4:14about
- 4:15his
- 4:15age
- 4:15to
- 4:15take
- 4:15a
- 4:15job
- 4:16as
- 4:16an
- 4:16apprentice
- 4:16at
- 4:17a
- 4:17local
- 4:17factory
- 4:18to
- 4:18do
- 4:18a
- 4:18man's
- 4:19work
- 4:19for
- 4:19a
- 4:20boy's
- 4:20wage.
- 4:22For
- 4:22four
- 4:22years,
- 4:23Joe
- 4:23was
- 4:23a
- 4:23ghost
- 4:24in
- 4:24the
- 4:24machine.
- 4:25While
- 4:25other
- 4:25boys
- 4:26played
- 4:26in
- 4:26the
- 4:26dirt
- 4:27lots,
- 4:27Joe
- 4:28hauled
- 4:28scrap.
- 4:29He
- 4:29learned
- 4:30the
- 4:30rhythm
- 4:30of
- 4:30the
- 4:30hammer.
- 4:31He
- 4:31learned
- 4:32that
- 4:32if
- 4:32you
- 4:32aren't
- 4:32strong,
- 4:33the
- 4:34mills
- 4:34and
- 4:34factories
- 4:35will
- 4:35break
- 4:35you.
- 4:36But
- 4:36he
- 4:36needed
- 4:37this
- 4:37to
- 4:37support
- 4:38his
- 4:38family
- 4:39as
- 4:39this
- 4:39youngster
- 4:40had
- 4:40become
- 4:40the
- 4:40breadwinner.
- 4:42But
- 4:42the
- 4:43mind
- 4:43is
- 4:43a
- 4:43stubborn
- 4:44thing.
- 4:45Joe
- 4:45didn't
- 4:45just
- 4:46want
- 4:46to
- 4:46be
- 4:46strong.
- 4:47He
- 4:47wanted
- 4:48to
- 4:48be
- 4:48more.
- 4:49He
- 4:49saw
- 4:49the
- 4:50local
- 4:50high
- 4:50school
- 4:50stars
- 4:51and
- 4:51realized
- 4:52that
- 4:52he
- 4:52was
- 4:52faster
- 4:53than
- 4:53him,
- 4:53tougher
- 4:54than
- 4:54them.
- 4:54But
- 4:55he
- 4:55lacked
- 4:55one
- 4:55thing
- 4:56that
- 4:56the
- 4:57factory
- 4:57couldn't
- 4:57give
- 4:57him.
- 4:58A
- 4:58chance.
- 5:01Sometimes
- 5:02the
- 5:02climax
- 5:03of
- 5:03life
- 5:03isn't
- 5:04always
- 5:04a
- 5:04touchdown.
- 5:05Sometimes
- 5:06it's
- 5:06an
- 5:06unexpected
- 5:07kindness
- 5:07of
- 5:08a
- 5:08stranger.
- 5:09Though
- 5:09Doncic
- 5:10worked
- 5:10hard,
- 5:10he
- 5:11relaxed
- 5:11by
- 5:11playing
- 5:11on
- 5:11a
- 5:12variety
- 5:12of
- 5:12factory
- 5:13sports
- 5:13teams.
- 5:13And
- 5:14his
- 5:14athleticism
- 5:15was
- 5:15recognized
- 5:16by
- 5:16a
- 5:16group
- 5:16of
- 5:17company
- 5:17engineering
- 5:18execs.
- 5:19Struck
- 5:20by
- 5:20Doncjes
- 5:21raw
- 5:21grit
- 5:21and
- 5:21relentless
- 5:22work
- 5:23ethic,
- 5:23these
- 5:23mysterious
- 5:24patrons
- 5:25ensured
- 5:26Joe's
- 5:26path
- 5:27was
- 5:27cleared,
- 5:27either
- 5:28by
- 5:28personally
- 5:29financing
- 5:29his
- 5:29tuition
- 5:30or
- 5:31securing
- 5:31him
- 5:31a
- 5:32scholarship
- 5:32to
- 5:33the
- 5:33prestigious
- 5:34Wyoming
- 5:34Seminary
- 5:35in
- 5:35Kingston,
- 5:36a
- 5:36known
- 5:37feeder
- 5:37pipeline
- 5:38for
- 5:38the
- 5:38prestigious
- 5:39Pitt
- 5:39Panther
- 5:40football
- 5:40team.
- 5:41With
- 5:41the
- 5:41encouragement
- 5:42from
- 5:42these
- 5:42guardian
- 5:43angels
- 5:43at
- 5:43age
- 5:4318,
- 5:44Joe
- 5:44made
- 5:45a
- 5:45choice
- 5:45that
- 5:45defied
- 5:46the
- 5:46gravity
- 5:46of
- 5:46the
- 5:47valley.
- 5:47He
- 5:47decided
- 5:48to
- 5:48go
- 5:48back,
- 5:49not
- 5:49to
- 5:50the
- 5:50fifth
- 5:50grade,
- 5:51but
- 5:51to
- 5:51a
- 5:51prep
- 5:52school.
- 5:53He
- 5:54was
- 5:54a
- 5:54man
- 5:54among
- 5:55boys,
- 5:55a
- 5:55laborer
- 5:56among
- 5:56scholars,
- 5:57and
- 5:57they
- 5:57called
- 5:57him
- 5:58the
- 5:58steel
- 5:58man.
- 5:59And
- 5:59he
- 5:59had
- 5:59to
- 5:59cram
- 6:00seven
- 6:00years
- 6:00of
- 6:01missed
- 6:01education
- 6:02into
- 6:02three.
- 6:03He
- 6:03studied
- 6:04until
- 6:04his
- 6:04eyes
- 6:04bled
- 6:05by
- 6:05candlelight,
- 6:06driven
- 6:06by
- 6:06the
- 6:06terror
- 6:07of
- 6:07the
- 6:07hard
- 6:07manual
- 6:08labor
- 6:08he
- 6:08left
- 6:08behind
- 6:09in
- 6:09a
- 6:09factory.
- 6:10By
- 6:11the
- 6:11time
- 6:11he
- 6:11reached
- 6:11the
- 6:12University
- 6:12of
- 6:12Pittsburgh,
- 6:13Joe
- 6:13Doncius
- 6:14wasn't
- 6:14just
- 6:14a
- 6:15player,
- 6:15he
- 6:15was
- 6:16an
- 6:16architect
- 6:16of
- 6:16the
- 6:17game.
- 6:17Under
- 6:18the
- 6:18legendary
- 6:19coach
- 6:19Jock
- 6:19Sutherland,
- 6:20Joe
- 6:21became
- 6:21the
- 6:21greatest
- 6:21end
- 6:22in
- 6:22the
- 6:22country.
- 6:251929,
- 6:26he
- 6:26was
- 6:26a
- 6:27consensus
- 6:27All
- 6:28American.
- 6:28He
- 6:29led
- 6:29Pitt
- 6:29to
- 6:29the
- 6:30Rose
- 6:30Bowl.
- 6:31He
- 6:31was
- 6:31the
- 6:31man
- 6:32who
- 6:32never
- 6:32dropped
- 6:32a
- 6:33pass,
- 6:33never
- 6:34missed
- 6:34a
- 6:34block,
- 6:35and
- 6:35they
- 6:35called
- 6:35him
- 6:36the
- 6:36Indestructible.
- 6:38Because
- 6:38how
- 6:39can
- 6:39a
- 6:39linebacker
- 6:40break
- 6:40a
- 6:40man
- 6:41who
- 6:41is
- 6:41tempered
- 6:42by
- 6:42the
- 6:42working
- 6:43world?
- 6:43At
- 6:43age
- 6:4313,
- 6:45Joe
- 6:45Doncius
- 6:46went
- 6:46on
- 6:46to
- 6:46become
- 6:47a
- 6:47surgeon.
- 6:47And
- 6:48not
- 6:48just
- 6:48any
- 6:48doctor,
- 6:49but
- 6:50chief
- 6:50surgeon.
- 6:51A
- 6:51man
- 6:52who
- 6:52used
- 6:52his
- 6:53hands
- 6:53once
- 6:54to
- 6:55do
- 6:55manual
- 6:56labor
- 6:57now
- 6:57was
- 6:57to
- 6:57save
- 6:58lives,
- 6:58and
- 6:59he
- 6:59was
- 6:59inducted
- 6:59into
- 7:00the
- 7:00College
- 7:00Football
- 7:00hall
- 7:01of
- 7:01fame
- 7:01in
- 7:011979.
- 7:03He
- 7:04proved
- 7:04that
- 7:04the
- 7:05circumstances
- 7:05of
- 7:06your
- 7:06birth
- 7:06are
- 7:06just
- 7:07the
- 7:07raw
- 7:07ore.
- 7:08It's
- 7:09what
- 7:09you
- 7:09do
- 7:09with
- 7:09the
- 7:10heat,
- 7:10the
- 7:10pressure
- 7:11and
- 7:11the
- 7:11courage
- 7:12to
- 7:12leave
- 7:13the
- 7:13mill
- 7:14behind
- 7:14that
- 7:15determines
- 7:15the
- 7:15strength
- 7:16of
- 7:16the
- 7:16steel.
- 7:17And
- 7:17if
- 7:17a
- 7:17factory
- 7:18ever
- 7:18tempered
- 7:19anything,
- 7:20it
- 7:20definitely
- 7:20did
- 7:21it
- 7:21to
- 7:21this
- 7:21young
- 7:22man.
- 7:22Joe
- 7:22Doncic,
- 7:23College
- 7:23Football
- 7:24hall
- 7:24of
- 7:24Fame
- 7:24and
- 7:25legendary
- 7:25Pitt
- 7:26Panther
- 7:27that's
- 7:28all
- 7:28the
- 7:28football
- 7:28history
- 7:28we
- 7:29have
- 7:29today,
- 7:29folks.
- 7:29Join
- 7:30us
- 7:30back
- 7:30tomorrow
- 7:31for
- 7:31more
- 7:31of
- 7:32your
- 7:32football
- 7:32history.
- 7:34We
- 7:34invite
- 7:35you
- 7:35to
- 7:35check
- 7:35out
- 7:35our
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