Replies: 14
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Orange Blooded [4074]
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Nice Dabo story (sorry it’s kinda long)
Aug 10, 2021, 8:03 PM
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Forgive me if this story is Germans. I just learned this yesterday as our school district hired Damon West as our convocation guest speaker. He spoke about his backstory being a former college QB and suffered a career ending injury freshman year. He graduated and had a great job as a broker I believe and was introduced to crystal meth from a colleague. He became instantly hooked and ended up losing everything his job and later his home. While on the streets, he began a life of burglary and became known as the uptown burglar. Of course he got busted and was sentenced to 65 years which was a life sentence. Once in jail he began to clean up his act. Thankfully a lady on the parole committee took pity on him and granted him parole. He went back to school and earned his masters in criminal justice and later became a professor.
He decided he wanted to help others (primarily athletes like him) so he got into motivational speaking. His buddy, who was a member of the press, called him and said he had an extra press pass to the Bear Bryant coach of the year banquet. He tagged along in the hopes of booking an engagement with a big time collegiate team. Seven coaches were in attendance and six immediately shot him down. He almost gave up and went home, but he had to try with the last coach, Dabo. He finally got up enough courage and talked to Dabo. Coach didn’t seem too interested but did politely ask for a card. He thought he was shot down again until he received a call 4 months later from someone at Clemson. Coach Swinney wanted him to come speak to his team. After speaking, Dabo shook his hand and told him that was the best speech he’d ever heard and he was so thankful he told his story. Being the nice guy Dabo was, he shared Damon’s info with Saban and the next day, Bama called. This meeting with Dabo led to many elite college football program speaking engagements. Of course, Dabo didn’t stop there. He shared Damon’s story once again, this time with a publisher who later published his book…which became a NY best seller. He said one meeting with Dabo changed his life! I had never heard this story. Once again made me really proud that Dabo is our coach!
Lastly, West’s motto is all about being a coffee bean. This is why you may have seen our players in shirts that say “be a bean.” I had no clue what that meant until yesterday.
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CU Guru [1349]
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Re: Nice Dabo story (sorry it’s kinda long)
Aug 10, 2021, 8:29 PM
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Thanks for posting.
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CU Medallion [68165]
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Re: Nice Dabo story (sorry it’s kinda long)
Aug 10, 2021, 8:41 PM
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can you explain the bean thing further? Great story
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Legend [15213]
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Good story, hadn't heard it before
Aug 10, 2021, 8:48 PM
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and please elaborate on the coffee bean thing.
Go Tigers!!!
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All-Conference [424]
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POTD
Aug 10, 2021, 9:28 PM
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I hope when I log in tomorrow this is on the front page. Thanks for sharing.
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All-In [48858]
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Re: POTD
Aug 10, 2021, 9:47 PM
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Absolutely needs to be the POTD.
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Orange Blooded [4074]
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Re: Nice Dabo story (sorry it’s kinda long)
Aug 10, 2021, 9:39 PM
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Absolutely! I was nervous I was too long winded on my post! Click the link (you can skip to 5:30 if you just want the coffee bean story)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TWszGs3v6U0
In summary, he explains how an old inmate named Mr. Jackson helped him in prison. He said prison is like boiling water. We can be a carrot, we are hard and prison makes us soft. We can be an egg, soft but hardened by prison. Or we can be a coffee bean. We can change the water and make an impact on what’s around us.
https://damonwest.org/phone/index.htmlDamon West, motivational speaker and life coach, uses his experiences to serve as both a cautionary tale and a message of hope and perseverance. A former college QB, recovering addict and ex-con, Damon inspires youth, college athletes, professional organizations and businesses to achieve their full potential.
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Orange Blooded [4074]
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Re: Nice Dabo story (sorry it’s kinda long)
Aug 10, 2021, 9:48 PM
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Also forgot to add that Damon West was scheduled to speak to both Clemson and USuC yesterday as well.
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110%er [8565]
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I had not heard this story...
Aug 10, 2021, 9:57 PM
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Be a bean.....funny saying, but great message.
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All-TigerNet [10787]
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Re: Nice Dabo story (sorry it’s kinda long)
Aug 11, 2021, 12:01 AM
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story not really long,and certainly well worth reading.thanks.
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Legend [15863]
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COOL -- This guy ?? the coffee bean
Aug 11, 2021, 8:20 AM
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??
https://damonwest.org/books.htmlDamon West There is not another redemption story like this one. I am the only D1 college QB (or any other division, position or sport) to ever get a life sentence in prison and get out with enough life left to live to tell the tale: a nightmare story about life in a maximum security prison for over seven years.
I have seen the coffee bean thing mentioned by Dabo - I had a clue it was about transforming but never really chased it down before .
So that's where it comes from - very nice
https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Bean-Simple-Lesson-Positive/dp/1119430275The Coffee Bean: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change (Jon Gordon) [Gordon, Jon, West, Damon] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Coffee Bean: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change (Jon Gordon)
Here is a you tube video with Dabo in it
this is pretty cool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWszGs3v6U0
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Orange Blooded [4074]
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Re: COOL -- This guy ?? the coffee bean
Aug 11, 2021, 9:28 AM
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Yep! That’s him!
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All-TigerNet [10892]
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Re: COOL -- This guy ?? the coffee bean
Aug 11, 2021, 10:07 AM
[ in reply to COOL -- This guy ?? the coffee bean ] |
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I wonder if he ever tried to look up Mr. Jackson after he was paroled.
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Legend [15863]
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Re: COOL -- This guy ?? the coffee bean
Aug 11, 2021, 10:14 AM
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I had the same thought
wonder where he is now Mr Jackson
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Orange Blooded [4074]
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Re: COOL -- This guy ?? the coffee bean
Aug 11, 2021, 2:49 PM
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That’s a great question. I’d love to know that myself.
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