 Mike HlasHi, I'm Gazette/TheGazette.com sports columnist Mike Hlas. This is the Hlog. We will meet here, discuss things, and then go [...] |
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Wow. DJK. How discouraging. How dumb.
I, frankly, have more important things to worry about than Tuesday’s arrest of Iowa wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos on multiple drug-related charges.
Early Tuesday morning, my wife’s father died after an extended illness. Bob Hinman of Klemme in north-central Iowa was a genuinely fine man. He was a farmer. Which is another way of saying he was a hard-worker. He was a good and loving husband and father. He and his wife, Carol, instilled great values in my wife that I see and hear in her every day. He was smart and funny. He loved to read, and he was open-minded.
He served in the U.S. Army. He was a good citizen, a good friend to many. He was proud of where he came from, the open, windy farm country of northern Iowa. He was the kind of salt-of-the-earth person you like to think this country is built on.
Late Tuesday night, feeling emotionally wrung out (but nothing compared to what my wife, mother-in-law and brother-in-law experienced this day and the week ahead), I heard the news that Johnson-Koulianos had gone to jail in Iowa City.
I’m sure every one of you know people like my father-in-law and my dad, who died five years ago, people who worked damn hard their whole lives to provide for their families. Then there’s this guy who was on Iowa’s football team, with the athleticism and football skills to fly through life if he worked anywhere near as hard as those people you’ve known, and if he steered away from doing stupid things …
Last April after Iowa’s open scrimmage that capped spring practice, I asked Ferentz to consider making Johnson-Koulianos available to the media for his senior season. He said he’d have a talk with the player about it. You know how that went. Johnson-Koulianos had a very verbose Media Day appearance, and that was it for the season.
In June, however, I sent Ferentz an e-mail asking if I could interview Johnson-Koulianos for a preseason magazine SourceMedia published on the Iowa football team. Apparently that was all it took, to ask.
So I went to Johnson-Koulianos’ house, on a quiet Iowa City street not far from downtown. Neighbor kids passed by, waving at the player and getting a wave and a greeting in exchange. It seemed like a sanctuary from the public eye. How wrong I was.
It turned out to be the same house the Iowa City Police Department searched on Tuesday, finding cocaine, marijuana, and various prescription drugs for which he had no prescriptions.
No, I saw absolutely no evidence whatsoever of any sort of drug use. Zero. At the time, I’m pretty sure he didn’t have Brady Johnson as his roommate. Johnson also was arrested on an assortment of drug-related charges Tuesday.
I spent about 90 minutes with Johnson-Koulianos that day, interviewing him on a variety of subjects. Mostly, I sat and listened to him give me a narrative he clearly had spent some time thinking about beforehand. Much of the interview was about his childhood and where he came from. He was the child of a teen mother who left him to his own devices, and the boy bounced all over Youngstown, Ohio until he was 10. That’s when he was taken into into the home of Peter and Lauren Koulianos, who gave him a stable home life that he hadn’t known until then. He went from having nothing to lacking for nothing.
He switched back and forth in the interview from ultra-confident to humble. He gave, in no uncertain terms, praise to his teammates and coaches. One of his walls was covered with pictures and newspaper clippings of former and present Hawkeyes.
He also was very enamored with the idea of becoming Iowa’s all-time leader in receptions and reception yardage, and stayed enamored with those things after claiming the records, as any of the thousands of people who followed his Facebook page could attest. He certainly didn’t lack for ego. When I wanted to take a couple of snapshots of him to put on this blog, he wanted to look at the photos and tell me which one I should use. The right pose was important to him.
He told me that I could get the first interview with him post-bowl game if I would do it “Epic. ’60 Minutes’ style.” I should have gotten that in writing. It truly would be epic now.
He was a big kid in many ways, I thought, but also very intelligent in many ways. Funny, engaging, very interested in music and media. I’ve heard many accounts about how well he has treated Hawkeye fans, how good he’s been with kids.
But he had dust-ups with coaches throughout his career, things undoubtedly caused from being head-strong. They cost him playing time here and there over the years, which was probably a punishment that hurt him more than anything. He didn’t start the final game of his college career, at Minnesota on Nov. 27, for undisclosed reasons. Then he went and scored two touchdowns, anyhow, one on a kickoff return. Which was fitting, really, the best and worst of his career up to that point, all represented in one game.
Ferentz said it was because Colin Sandeman “had a better week of practice.” Johnson-Koulianos told someone it was because of a flippant remark he made to Ferentz on the day before the game. That’s small potatoes now.
My wife and I have a college freshman son who lives in Iowa City. I called him Tuesday night. After making plans on how and when to head north for a funeral, I told him about Johnson-Koulianos’ arrest and why it happened. You hope it registers, the consequences of doing illegal, stupid things.
You hope.
I’ll be back here later in the week. Like I said, I’ve got more important things to worry about right now.
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tremendous story Mike, sorry for the loss to your family
Mike,
First of all, I would like to wish your family condolences for your loss and hope the great memories you have of your father-in-law will help to diminish the pain you all feel.
On the subject of DJK, I think you said it all in your piece. What a waste of talent. Now, tomorrow morning, I have to tell my two sons, 10 and 6, that one of their heroes will not be playing in the bowl game and will be spending a long time in jail. I remember being a kid and what it felt like looking up to athletes. Wanting to mimic their actions, and be like them when we grew up. The old slogan “Be Like Mike” immediately comes to mind. Now, anytime one of my boys finds interest in an athlete I become very apprehensive. Like with DJK, the persona they exibit to the public eye can be very decieving to what they truly are as an individual.
I will however, use this (as I hope other fathers will) to teach my children about how detrimental drugs truly are. He will be a poster child to my children about how much drugs can take away from you. You can go from the top of the proverbial world to rock bottom in an instant because of the decision to use drugs. How ironic that this happens as the State of Iowa in in the midst of discussing whether or not to legalize marijuana for medical use. I have a feeling this story may affect their opinion.
Again Mike, I am sorry for your loss and wish your family the best.
Because a person has exceptional talent playing sports does NOT make them a hero. This is a lesson to teach children that a hero is someone who does something truly great and noteworthy outside their chosen field. Saving one’s life by putting your life on the line in a area you are NOT trained to do comes to mind. DJK is no one’s hero. He’s a bum. There are many people who would cry to have the talent he has yet he chooses to do that. “Its allabout me and the word entitlement is his mantra.” As they say, “You can’t fix stupid!”
Try as we might, kids are going to look up to athletes, we as parents can explain to them the true meaning of hero and who they should consider heroes, but they are still going to idolize the athletes. They are the ones making millions, they are the ones being adored by adult fans, they are the ones getting reality shows, they are the ones on the front of Wheaties. This is a good opportunity about the pitfalls of drugs and that the public persona is not always the true character of the person. But to chastise Adam McCann because he chose to use the word “hero” about someone with exceptional talent is being petty.
Adam,
DJK won’t be doing any jail time. I guarantee you this gets pleaded down to probation, community service and a hefty fine. I know that doesn’t change your situation with your kids but he’s not going to be catching passes from Paul Crewe anytime soon.
IMO, Koulianos MIGHT or might not get a few days in the slammer. It’ll depend on the judge.
But, the guy HAS probably done himself out of several million dollars.
He was being projected as a second to third round pick. Now, assuming that he’s even drafted at all, it will be a late round pick.
He sure as he** won’t be getting a good recommendation from Ferentz, whose opinion is very highly respected in NFL circles.
Mike, thanks for taking the time to write this personal, insightful, human piece. My wife and I went through what you’re going through about 18 months ago, so I empathize and offer my sincere condolences.
A lot of college kids are knuckleheads (I know, I was one), but this takes it to a whole new level. I just wonder who else from the team might be involved.
My condolences on your loss.
Large condolences Mike.
My condolences Mike, thanks for taking the time to write
a very meaningful piece. I will be passing this one on to all my loved ones.
Mike – thank you for taking time to write this in a personally difficult time. I’m so sorry for your wife and your loss.
Thanks for the much-needed shot of perspective, Mike. Sports fame is fleeting; family is forever.
Hey Mike – Let me focus on the real story:
From Ukraine, please accept my deepest heartfelt condolences. I am so sorry to hear about your loss. You, Mike and Scott and your professionalism and coverage of the season were the real highlights. Thank you!
Hey Mike, from Denmark….one of your best pieces ever, hands-down.
Way to put perspective on ‘people in our lives’ – your father-in-law vs DJK, or any sports figure whom we might tend to get too excited about. It’s a ball game they play, not life-skills mentoring, like your wife’s dad.
Who got more press over the past 5 years?
Who deserved more press? Who’s the real hero, the real idol, the real role-model?
I agree with others here and can relate, with two 18 yr olds and a 17 yr old – and you mentioned it yourself with your son – kids that age (even up to 23 with the supposed maturity of an elite Big Ten athlete?)are basically stupid in their decision-making, and naive when it comes to ‘consequences’. We’ve all been there. Some of us survived, some didn’t, like DJK.
He’ll end-up playing on Sunday next fall, for sure. But he just cost himself millions in the draft, and a “Legacy” in the eyes of Hawkeye fans who will never, ever, consider him an elite member of the “Family” due to this arrogance and stupidity, which only makes Kirk look like more of a genious than we already think he is when it comes to reading kids. He knew something wasn’t right with DJK. Kirk’s not perfect, but he just won the DJK vs KF battle of credibility. Again, hands-down. Not that there was even a debate there….
Let’s see how DJK recovers, and where he is in 10-20 years. We have to wish him the best, because right now he is a royal screw-up who should have known better at his age, and his experience, at this level of major college sports.
Thanks again Mike for a great article, and my condolences. Best wishes in the coming days for your family.
You have my sympathy Mike.
DJK has my sympathy also. Mis-directed, sure. Stupidity, yep. But I think that we as fans need to also be human. Let’s let this thing play out. I have been on the messageboards and it reminds me of a lynch mob. I think DJK needs support, guidance and encouragement.
Great blog entry by the way. One of your best.
trapperjohn said it best. Lets wait this thing out and see how it evolves.
Mike, Pam & her family have my condolences.
Mike…thanks for helping me be a better dad…I’m going to forward this to MY 23 year-old son. You very eloquently expressed how I feel about all of this. My sympathies for your loss and my gratitude for your persepective.
Mike,once again, you captured the true essence of the situation. But, unfortunately for you and your family, it has a personal touch. I am very sorry for your loss. Your Father-in-Law and Dad must have been wonderful men.
As for DJK, all I can say is—what a shame. All the talent in the world and it will be wasted. Many will say he deserves a second chance. Sure he does. No problem. But let’s wait and see how it all turns out.
It has been my experience that, simply put, people do not change. We will see if that is the case with this young man.
My heart goes out to his adopted family. What must they be thinking tonight?
And by the way, DJK, if you are reading this (which I highly doubt) take off the glasses and show some humility. This is not the Academy Awards. It is a trial for your young life.
Kudos Mike. My best to you and your family.
Joe George
My sympathies to you and your family.
I appreciate the honesty and directness you brought to this.