You could have knocked me over with a feather this morning when I heard the news that Wayman Tisdale passed away after a 2 year battle with cancer. We weren't close friends or anything but I knew him well and yet I had no idea he had even been sick. Funny how you lose touch with people.
The world was a much better place with Wayman in it. I met him while he was playing for the Sacramento Kings and my company was a major sponsor every year for a Shriner's Hospital fundraiser golf tournament. I got paired with Wayman and spent the entire day chatting with him like we were long lost friends. From there he got me involved in a couple of organizations that provided youth mentoring and I got him to do some appearances at different Scout events. He was tireless when it came to supporting kids and treated everyone he met like they were family.
Unfortunately after the '93-94 season he moved on the Phoenix to finish out his career and we kind of lost touch which was more a of loss for me than for him. I have known few people like him that are such a positive influence just by being who they are.
Funny thing is as good as a basketball player as he was his real love was music. He would have thrown the whole NBA thing away in a second if he had to choose between the two.
Sorry for your loss Meat ~ btw I also worked for Shriner's Children's Hospitals in Hawaii inpatient ward and tele communications group co-ordinator , mostly as a private citizen. We did weekend RA camps for the kids too. It's a spectacular place. Must have been a hell of a guy. Blessings to you and his family.
Sorry for the loss......I am not a big NBA fan so I admit I didn't know who he was but from watching that video I would sit my ass down and listen to him play guitar all day. It's strange the impact a person can have on our life without us realizing it in the moment......and it's a shame it doesn't happen more often.
Sorry for your loss Meat ~ btw I also worked for Shriner's Children's Hospitals in Hawaii inpatient ward and tele communications group co-ordinator , mostly as a private citizen. We did weekend RA camps for the kids too. It's a spectacular place. Must have been a hell of a guy. Blessings to you and his family.
Thanks Kim. I'll tell you my Shriners story some day. Still makes me get teary eyed just to think about it.
Tisdale was great. I remember him playing for the Pacers. He was always doing something for the community, even when there was nothing in it for him. A classy guy in a very self centered profession.
“Wayman Tisdale is one of the best people I have ever had the privilege of knowing,” Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel said in a statement. “He had an incredible gift of making the people who came in contact with him feel incredibly special.”
dude!! i didn't hear about this until now. man, sorry about the loss of a friend. the music world looses a great bass player and sports looses a great sportsman. and the world has lost a good person. wow.
i don't ever remember hearing he was sick, either.
Sorry for your loss. I lost a friend under the same circumstances. I was shocked to read of his death in the obituaries. Circumstances had changed, and I had been away.
total bummer 
