Spectators wonder what sports figures are like behind the scenes. Especially when the fans have cleared out.
Seniors Jerald Fields, Zakee Wadood and track-and-field standout Brad Yewer are the same on the field of play as they are off.
Fields probably has the best disposition of anyone I know, athlete or non-athlete. He is usually smiling and never has a harsh word for anyone. Not even Western Carolina’s Kevin Martin who told Fields that he was going to foul him out in the Catamounts’ loss at ETSU this season could shake him.
Wadood is quiet and reserved. With him, usually you don’t deal with chit chat, it’s business about the game. If anything, his humble upbringing in Arkansas has made him a stellar person and player.
The best quote has to come from rarely seen Yewer, a senior from Newbury, England, who has brought his talent to ETSU in a sport with the least fans.
But, Yewer can always be counted on to give the great quotes.
In sports reporting, that’s hard to find. There are usually only two or three athletes on each team you can use for good quotes.
Most of all, these three gentlemen have helped ETSU reach success in the Southern Conference.
Yewer is looking for a win in several events this weekend at the Memorial Center in the SoCon indoor championships. He is ranked first in this indoor season’s mile time at 4:08 and second in the 3000 with a time of 8:27. Not to mention he is ranked fifth in the 800 with a 1:56 season best.
If he had some of the past ETSU track-and-field greats like Ray Flynn to push him, he would most likely be looking at close to sub-4 timings.
Wadood and Fields, ETSU’s twin towers of power, are in the rankings of almost every category of Southern Conference statistics.
Wadood is targeted at away games because his name sounds interesting. But the more the foe yells it, the more he scores. App. St. and UTC fans know his name well.
Now that he is a SoCon basketball god, the same fans that booed him will praise his name for accomplishments on the court after he graduates.
When there was a teddy bear sale on campus, Fields, among other basketball team members, was pictured holding the bears.
But, don’t let that smile fool you. On the court, Fields is a grizzly. He’s quick for a big man.
Let’s just say if he played for the football team last season they might have added a couple of wins.
I asked Fields if he made the big dance what would happen if the opposition had pictures of him holding a teddy bear. He just smiled.
ETSU will not only lose three great athletes this spring but three gentlemen who have handled success with honor and gratitude.

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