In Their Memory

Happy Tuesday! As a reminder, Full Court Press is using sports to remind us of what once was good, and what could be again. This edition is a bit personal and I hope you can take this with you the next time you or a loved one experience grief. Let’s dive in.

Jose Becker died at age 57 in February of 2021. He was swimming in a lake near his vacation home in Brazil when he drowned - police suspected no foul play, just a horrific accident near the dam of the lake.

His son, Alisson Becker, was in the middle of his toughest stretch yet as the goalkeeper for Liverpool. After winning the Premier League title in 2020, the Reds were fresh off of a six-game home losing streak and sitting at 8th in the table. A top-4 finish is required to maintain Champions League eligibility for the following season, a necessity if Liverpool were to maintain their momentum from their trophy the year before.

Already facing professional challenges, Alisson now had to balance the death of his father - while being across the Atlantic Ocean.

Liverpool faced a daunting task - finish the season near-perfect or risk humiliation. They won three straight in early March. Then two straight draws. Now, wins were the only acceptable result.

Following two more wins, Liverpool faced West Bromwich Albion on May 16th - the 3rd-to-last game of the season. Tied 1-1 going into extra time, they were desperate for a win to stay alive in the Top 4 chase.

What happened next was something the Becker family could only have dreamt of…

Every now and then, sports moments are overshadowed by the personal lives of the players. I will forever remember this goal - not because of Liverpool finishing Top 4 and securing a Champions League spot, but because of Alisson scoring for his father.

Also, look at how the team supports him! He said in an interview (watch this for the perspective of his family) that he thinks Mo Salah celebrated his goal more than any of Mo’s goals in his entire career.

How special is it to have teammates in your corner when you’re going through a difficult time? Don’t forget this moment the next time someone you love is fighting grief - and if it’s you, look to your teammates for support.

Two weeks ago, Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate’s father passed away from a heart attack. As expected, he missed a week and mourned the loss of his dad back in France.

On Saturday, he returned to action for Liverpool and faced Newcastle in the Premier League. In the 93rd minute - right before the whistle blew - Konate scored from a corner kick.

His teammates embraced him, as he fought tears while celebrating. And from the other end of the pitch ran a teammate - someone who knows the weight of what he is carrying.

Seeing Alisson embrace him makes you well up a bit, no?

Grief due to the loss of a loved one is an inevitable feeling. We’re all due to have someone we love - a parent, a friend, a pet - pass away and have to face the reality of being without them.

I can think of no better way to honor them than to continue to play - while that might look different for you and me (unless someone reading this plays for a Premier League side), the point remains.

Honor them in your actions. Love them in your memories and the sharing of their story. Ignore the urge to hide your emotions and welcome them - good or bad!

The world recently lost a bright light far too soon.

On January 8th, Paul Jeffrey Clary passed away in Houston, Texas.

We were basketball managers at Texas A&M together and shared a love for all things Aggie sports. His family and friends - and most importantly, his loving wife, Jenna - are deeply saddened by his death.

Here’s to honoring those who we love - just like Alisson and Konate - and continuing to cherish the most important relationships in our lives. Grief is a funny thing - anger, sadness, numbness, and confusion are all relevant feelings. I’ve found that processing it with my “teammates” and reverting back to play has been helpful so far.

While I won’t be scoring a stoppage-time goal any time soon, I’ll always think of Paul when I check TexAgs, get a notification from a sports app, or whip out my iPad with a magic keyboard.

I know he would’ve loved reading Full Court Press and can hear his encouragement as I type this out.

Miss you, pal.

Thanks for reading my newsletter! Maybe more than others, this one came straight from the heart (AI definitely couldn’t do that).

Reply with your feedback and I’ll get back to every response in my inbox. I hope you’d consider sharing it with a friend who enjoys one or more of the following:

For Paul Wall,

Brandon