My first visit to the Wide World of Sports for the AAU 17-under national basketball tournament left no doubt, Ron Crawford had clout.
I saw a tent where people were registering and assumed that’s where the media registered too, since there was a sign that said: Media.
Gave my name and ID to the guy and a few minutes later he said, nope, nothing except you have apparently written some unflattering things about Disney.
At which point he got up and walked off.
A call to Ron’s cell and everything changed in a heartbeat.
Special parking, all-access press pass even to the coaches' lounge.
For years Ron was the AAU treasurer.
When he got involved the organization was broke and when he finally retired a few years ago the AAU had more than $5 million in the bank.
Ron coached the Arkansas Wings to two National Championships and afforded many kids and Arkansas to be found by college coaches.
Dion Cross would never have been discovered by Stanford then-coach Mike Montgomery if it hadn’t been at the AAU Nationals.
The list goes on and on.
Yesterday morning, too soon, Ron took his final journey and is expected to be coaching Heaven’s Angels shortly.