G Brandon Fuss-Cheatham (official thread)

[osugrad21]

Link

Another Look: Brandon Fuss-Cheatham

By Bob Barrickman, Times Sports Correspondent

Published: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 12:17 AM EST
The time between Brandon Fuss-Cheatham?s junior and senior seasons was tumultuous, at best. But injuries and coaching changes and team probation were beginning to become tolerable for the Blackhawk High School graduate and his Ohio State men?s basketball teammates.

Until Nov. 3, 2004.

The day began like most. The Buckeyes were preparing to scrimmage Bowling Green.

Then the news reached Fuss-Cheatham in Columbus. His mother, Chris, had died after injuries sustained in a car accident. His father, Jeff, was injured.

?The tragedy of the loss of my mom played a lot on my mind,? Fuss-Cheatham said.

He sought solace on the court. And although the Buckeyes were on probation ? which prompted a coaching change from Jim O?Brien to former Xavier coach Thad Matta ? which left the team little for which to play, Fuss-Cheatham delivered some highlights. He was credited with an assist on a winning 3-point shot which upset No. 1 Illinois that season.

?The time I spent on the (basketball) court took my mind away from it,? Fuss-Cheatham said. But, it was hard for me during my idle time or when I was studying. That?s when I thought of my family.?

Fuss-Cheatham?s father is doing well, he said.

Fuss-Cheatham?s Ohio State career starting off promising. The Buckeyes went to the NCAA tournament in his freshman year. But a knee injury in his sophomore season hampered his speed and agility. He started as a junior and senior, but his injury didn?t allow him to realize his potential.

?I was thinking about playing (pro) ball overseas, but my knee was a problem,? said Fuss-Cheatham.

He?s still involved in the sport. He owns a basketball-training business in Irvine, Calif.

Cont...

 

[SEREbuckeye]

My heart certainly goes out to the kid. He played the best he could with what he had.

One thing I admired about the team with guys like him, Sly, and JJ was the chemistry. Following their departures, OSU has went through many transfers and one-and-dones. Conley and Oden may have been more talented and won more games, but none could match the team play and pure love those guys had while playing for the Buckeyes.

Fuss-Cheatham built his own legacy as a man that has done extremely well forhilm through the trials of life.

(Nice find Grad)

 

[Buckskin86]

Humility, Grace, Redemption
April 03, 2013

What if I told you that some of life?s greatest achievements are the ones we overcome internally? That shared success isn?t a true measure of blood, sweat and tears, and that happenstance is just a word people say.

For some athletes, life after sports is a callous beginning; it?s an adaptation to normalcy and a search for true identity ? and for one former Buckeye, this struggle can never be truer.

Brandon Fuss-Cheatham experienced athletics? greatest heights and lowest depths. From starting Ohio State point guard to off-court tragedies, this is the story of his evolution.

From his inception, Fuss-Cheatham was born to do one thing: be a high-caliber point guard.

Nurtured by his father to do just that, he began his journey at Blackhawk High School in Beaver Falls, Pa. It was here that Fuss-Cheatham wore the Cougar coat-of-arms and distinguished himself as a player.

Coveted for his exceptional court vision, smart playmaking ability and strong leadership, Fuss-Cheatham was hailed by many as Western Pennsylvania?s finest player in decades.

He would go on to average 27.1 points per game in his senior year, despite attempting only 18 shots a contest, and ranked among the top 10 point guards in the nation. Naturally, this awe-inspiring senior season led to his selection as the Post-Gazette Male High School Athlete of the Year.

For an athlete so promising, this came as no surprise ? it was an expectation. Fuss-Cheatham, his father, and their community demanded no less. But his narrative didn?t end there; in fact, it had just begun.

cont...

http://sportsrappup.com/sections/stories/13-04-03/Humility_Grace_Redemption.aspx