This Road Show Isn’t a Comedy

Pasadena Muir, the final resting place for Michael Graham’s high school football career.

Lovely Muir High, just a short drive down the freeway from Duarte, where Graham attended Northview Middle School for two years--a lifetime in this Bing and Bob movie.

The road ends here. Graham is a senior and the football future his father, Leanzo, has long talked about is just around the corner. Provided they haven’t made a wrong turn.

When last seen wandering around Orange County, Graham was being held in check by a top-ranked Los Alamitos team in the 1993 Southern Section Division II playoffs. He was an Edison running back then and already had been around the block once.

A top-ranked Los Alamitos team plays Muir Friday at Pasadena City College and, lo and behold, there will be one Michael Graham at running back. At this juncture, he has circled the block, run downtown, sprinted past the city limits and crossed the county line.

Gulliver traveled to Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa and Houyhnhnmland. Graham hit Mater Dei, Edison, Covina Charter Oak and Muir.

Will his serpentine route lead to the stuff dreams are made of--a college scholarship and, eventually, a professional career and beyond, a happy life? Or will Graham find it was football doing the using, like it has to many before?

In short, did people do the right thing or did Graham juke and spin, hoping his talent on the field was enough?

If, someday, he is doing an NFL/United Way spot, praising those who gave him a second (third and fourth) chance, then all can share the credit.

If, someday, he’s bouncing a grandchild on his knee, weaving stories about those who made his college education possible, then all can take pride.

Then again, if someday, he’s bitter and angry and realizing too late that life demands more than nimble feet and breakaway speed, you won’t have enough fingers to do all the pointing necessary.

Coaches, administrators, Leanzo and even Michael can take a slice. There will be plenty of blame to go around.

He has been allowed to tour two counties. But were fresh starts the answer?

Each coach hoped to be a savior, but the open-arm, open-door welcome might not have been the best approach. Athletics keeps some kids in school, but some abuse those good intentions. How can you pick and choose? The third transfer should have been a hint.

Maybe a harder line was necessary. Maybe a firm hand at home was needed. Maybe Graham shouldn’t have believed everything in a shoe commercial. Maybe there were skills to hone besides that Heisman pose he once proudly displayed on the field playing for Edison.

In the last three years Graham has played for four high schools, chasing fame while others chased him.

He left Mater Dei four games into his sophomore year after a series of rule infractions. Leanzo cited racist mail.

He left Edison after landing in continuation school after the second half of his sophomore season. Leanzo blamed hostility from parents and teammates.

He left Charter Oak after being expelled for disciplinary reasons. Graham reapplied for admission for this fall but was denied. Leanzo, without comment, moved the family to Pasadena.

Now Muir. It should end here, but will it? It took only one game for Graham to publicly lash out at the team’s offensive line. So who knows?

Maybe this isn’t the final high school football jersey in the Graham collection. Maybe the road meanders on.

One thing’s for certain, he’ll get winded trying to attend all those class reunions 20 years from now.

Maybe others should take note.