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Mark Tyndale

by Malik from Wheeling, West Virginia

When I think of a hero I think of positivity and non-selfishness. That's why my hero is Mark Tyndle. He played for Temple University. He first tried out for the NBA and didn't make it. Then he was signed by an Australian league for one of the best teams. He averaged twenty points per game, six rebounds, and four assists. He was a really good guard. Then he got cut. They just needed someone in his spot that could score 25-30 points per game.

When he was in high school at Simon Gratz, he was a four star player. He is tough as nails. I could remember his freshman year at Temple. During one game, we were losing by 10 points. Mark was in the game shooting and missing every time he got the ball, not being selfish. The fans were yelling at Coach Cheney to take him out. They were yelling, "You stink!" at Mark. He didn't cry. You would have thought he was deaf because he didn't have any expression whatsoever. Also another example is one game we were losing by 2 points. Mark had the ball, went up for a shot, and made it. He got fouled. Now the score was tied and there were only a couple of seconds left. He went through his free throw routine and shot. He made it! The other team got the ball, threw up a Hail Mary, and missed. We won!

When Mark finished college last year he started to get ready for the NBA. He got his agent and had already started working on basketball. He was predicted to be drafted in the late first round or early second round. If he did not get drafted then, he was not predicted to be drafted. Then, he started to work out with different teams from the Seventy-Sixers to the Suns. Finally, the night came, the night of the NBA draft. I watched the whole thing, from 7PM to 9PM. "Number 15 the 76ers select Mar..." I jumped up and down as soon as they said the M! "...the name was over." It wasn't Mark. I started to cry a little. At 8:30 PM the first round was over. Mark didn't get drafted. Now, I was starting to worry again. At 9PM the draft was over. Mark didn't get picked. That night I didn't sleep. I was so sad and angry. Even though he didn't get picked, he had worked so hard. The next morning, I woke up, and told my Dad what happened. He said "he still has a chance to make it." "How?" I replied. "Well, he can go to a teams try-out." Mark tried, but still didn't make it. Then he got that call from Australian, that call changed his life. It was the Aderline 36ers, one of the best teams in the Australian league, offering him the starting Shooting Guard position. He took it.

He was happy. I was, too. He was doing great, scoring 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists a game. But apparently it wasn't enough, so they cut him and brought back their other American star, Julius Hodge. They needed someone who could score 30, 35 points a game. But he still had some money and sent his little brother, Malik to Penn Charter, which is a great school in Philadelphia.

At least Mark's life has been good. And I'm glad. I still sometimes talk to him. I'm glad I know Mark because I don't know what he's doing today, but I bet his experiences will take him somewhere. That's why Mark Tyndale is my hero.

Page created on 12/9/2008 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 12/9/2008 12:00:00 AM

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