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♦ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2007
8A
BOND
From page lA
we're going to go out togeth
er."
Joiner adds of Sessums/'He's
a good friend," but if you'll
note the earlier statement:
It's just not them, adds, "The
first time I met him," - curly
long blond locks and all - "I
thought he was one of the
most obnoxious overbearing
people I'd ever met. I have two
nicknames for him 'Good Eye'
and the 'Blond Bomber'. But
he grew on me... and I think I
grew on him.
"Still there are those who tell
him, and me included, he acts
like Rick Flair sometimes."
' Ouch! But being compared
to a wrestler on TV is a form of
flattery only they can appreci
ate.
Joiner's day with the coach
es, their "sporting event” - a
little boxing, a tackle here, a
touchdown there - typically
begins at 8 a.m.
That's when someone, usu
ally his Parapro Robert Lucas,
wheels him in - right dead
center of the coaches' office.
And, he typically stays there
until the bell rings for his first
class at 11 a.m.
Middle of the room is per
fect because from there he
can watch the world of the
coaches go by. And, humor
aside for a bit, it is a world that
fascinates him. In truth, he
didn't just haphazardly show
up on the coaches'doorsteps.
Sports is his world.
At home he watches "a lot"
of TV, he says. Sports programs.
"He's fascinating," says Jones.
"He knows every player, every
team, every stat. He's a wealth
of information."
On a side note, he also likes
to watch game shows. Would
he like to be on one? You bet.
But, being a Christian since he
was 10 - he had a rededication
of that decision last year - "I'd
give my winnings to charity."
The deepest part of his
sports convictions, however,
comes from his father, Jeff.
Joiner says the two attended/
attend all sorts of events
together, from baseball - his
favorite, and favorite team
is the Braves - to football
(Falcons, and you'll read later
about his favorite "college"
team).
The only thing to make it
less than perfect: Differing
opinions."He likes golf and
hates basketball and I hate
golf and love basketball,"
Joiner says. In fact, he loves
basketball so much the coach
es have let him help coach the
junior varsity team.
Or was it a setup?
"Hey Ryan," calls out Athletic
Director George Collins, this
the morning after a game
last week and from inside the
"safety" of his office." What
happened at the game last
night? I heard they were up
20-1 and they letyou coach
a little bit and the other team
scored 21 straight points.
"That says a lot about your
coaching (ability),"Collins
adds, now coming out of his
office with a smile as wide as
his receiver on a pass play, and
giddy to gauge Joiner's reac
tion.
No disappointment there:
"Hey Coach Collins ('Big-head
ed AD' is Joiner's nickname for
him), I could say a lot about
your coaching, too."
From somewhere across the
room another "ouch" goes up.
OK, so maybe he has yet to
find his niche in basketball. He
is still an inspiration. In fact,
he sometimes gives motiva
tional speeches before a big
contest, the coaches say. That's
something he began when he
started his pseudo-coaching
career last year under former
Bears baseball coach Andy
Gentry. (He also got his letter
man's jacket at that time. And,
he also had his head shaved
just like the players prior to a
big series.)
But back to "motivational
speeches." The coaches
wouldn't have it any other
way but - once again referring
back to the it's not them com
ment - are quick to point out
they sometimes don't have the
effect intended.
"He gave us a motivational
speech in the third round
of the state soccer playoffs,"
Baxley quips, ensuring Joiner
hears every word. It should
also be noted at this point that
the coaches, extremely sensi
tive to never wanting to hurt
his feelings, always gauge his
initial reaction before deciding
on whether to lower the ham
mer. "And that was the worst
defeat in school history."
He laughs.
Joiner laughs. In fact the
whole morning can be
summed up with a jab, a laugh,
a counter-attack and another
laugh. Or "laughs" as Joiner
is seldom not the center of
attention and always thriving
in it - same as for the coaches
on his behalf.
On this past particular
Tuesday morning when he was
interviewed, an BXIO sign is
taped to the wall. It reads:"Dec.
21 is Be Kind to Ryan Joiner
Day in the coaches' office."
In itself it's hardly threaten
ing (although if not for the
Bear Brawl basketball tourna
ment on that day, it could be
a joke that the coaches aren't
going to be there).
In fact, there's only thing
that gives the guys with whis
tles an advantage:The Florida
Gators. Pretty soon someone
will mention them and when
one domino falls, they all do.
The truth: "I'm not a Florida
fan at all," Joiner says, instead
pointing out the University
of Georgia is, and always has
been, his No. 1 ."My whole fam
ily went there. My dad's whole
family went there. It's just been
in me ever since I was born."
Nevertheless ..."Ryan did you
ever get rid of that shrine you
built,"asks Sessums, explaining
about a fictional Gators shrine
Joiner has been rumored to
have built in a school closet
somewhere.
Even as Joiner attempts to
defend that away, Coach Fort
Halstead's cell phone rings
- no coincidence he's stand
ing right next to Joiner when
it does.
"Hello. Oh, Ryan it's for you."
Joiner chuckles. He sees this
coming from a mile off. In fact
he's no stranger to cell phone
pranks as one of the coaches
once planted one on him and
then called it in the middle of
class.
Nevertheless, he takes the
call.
"Hello?"
"Ryan this is Urban Meyer
(head football coach at
Florida). I was just wondering
if you're going to come help us
out this year.”
Ryan laughs deeply again.
"No, it's not. I know it's you
Coach (Doug) Johnson (former
athletic director, who appears
to spend just as much time
up there these days as he did
when he wasn't retired)."
Then he hangs up and
laughs some more. He does
likewise - to the point of near
ly losing his breath - when
someone hangs a Florida
Gators badge around his neck
when it came time to shoot his
picture for this article.
He laughs but his body lan
guage says he has just been
infected with the biggest
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IMSC
(of science
IN NURSjjt#
1
■option oTre services'
■OF MUDDLE GEORGIA
Site 'll ■
Spring Semester
Weekday Classes Begin January 7
ON CAMPUSES IN MACON & WARNER ROBINS
Contact the Office of Admissions:
471-2800 or 1-800-272-7619
maconstate.edu
ijagigsl HH
■
Journal/Don Moncrief
Houston County High School coaches gather around their favorite son , Ryan Joiner, Tuesday at the school.
batch of cooties known to
mankind. If it's cooties, mind
you, he doesn't want them
to come from those nasty old
Gators. They're reserved for
one special girl, the crush of
his lifetime. But, her name shall
remain a secret unless he tells
you himself. Or, unless those
coaches spill the beans, which
is quite likely as that's also
been a verbal target on his
back.
Ditto for jokes. In fact, lately
he's been in trouble with the
coaches for passing on this
one from them to his mom:
What's the difference between
beer nuts and deer nuts?
Beer nuts are a buck 25. Deer
nuts are found under a deer.
The coaches get him going
by telling him he broke the
"coaches' creed," i.e. taste
less jokes should never leave
the office - and especially
shouldn't be told to you mom
... especially if they came from
coaches!
He takes the heat for a
bit then calmly explains the
"mom-son" creed is much big
ger. than the coaches' creed
(The coaches in turn cry foul,
once they get him off by
himself, saying he only says it
because his mom was in the
room at the time.)
Oh, and by the way, who
does he say is most respon
sible for the jokes he learns at
school? "Coach Johnson," he
says."He gives me some pretty
good ones. I did one time
(break the code by telling the
■p,
beer/deer nuts one) and that
nearly bit me in the butt," he
says tongue-in-cheek. (P.S. If
you meet him, be sure to ask
him about the "naked" jogger
at Warm Springs.)
The humor aside once more,
Joiner describes himself as a
kind, compassionate, loving
person." And funny," blurts out
Jones'assistant on the volley
ball courts as well as Baxley's
in basketball. She and Joiner's
affectionate war on words bor
ders around her connections
with North Carolina.
He says he strongly believes
in having good morals and
having a "good, strong faith
in the Lord." A good portion
of his outlook on life he also
credits to his grandmother.
"She really stepped up and
filled my heart,"he says."l real
ly, really love her... and she can
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"I continued to work full time and take
care of my family while I attended classes
at Macon State, it's a great way to get a
bachelor's degree!"
make some really good, really
great pecan pie."
Adds Lucas, who is in his
fourth year now as Joiner's
parapro - a relationship that
as you might imagine extends
well beyond the classroom
walls, and will continue to do
so far into the future, Lucas
says:"He doesn't want to hide
behind his disability. He has a
wonderful outlook on life ...A
real piece of work... God sent."
"He's Batman. I'm Robin,"
adds Joiner. (Jones retorts by
saying:"l thought you were
Wonderwoman.")
Soon, however, that won
derful, special one-of-a-kind
dance between Joiner and the
coaches could be over. With
39.5 credits to his name and
only 22 needed for graduation,
he will some months down the
line leave his high school days
27majoreki our
growing number of Bachelor's Degree programs.
Our Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts
programs support rewarding professional careers
and enhance the Central Georgia economy.
' MACON STATE COLLEGE
THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
behind.
Even though he loves
Science, his hands "don't work
too good.” It's his hope and the
hope of the coaches - some
thing Collins is working on
- that he return as some sort
of community coach.
It needs to happen, Joiner
says. Houston County High
School needs him.
"The school, I really love
it," he says,"And it's been an
honor to be here for seven
years. But maybe once I
return." He then shifts to open
ly talk about what's to happen
if he's not there. Who's going to
point out all their mistakes?"A
lot," he quips in that regard.
And in the other: "Maybe
(with me here) they'll win a
state championship."
In the spirit of celebrity roasts
...Well done Ryan,well done.
SI
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