Search this site
IRONSTRIKES
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Beliefs
  • Formation
  • For Women
  • Meetings & Events

Dwayne Allen:  From Hell Raiser to Devout Christian

9/8/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
INDIANAPOLIS -The story has been told before, but it's worth telling again, if only to better understand the evolution of Colts tight end Dwayne Allen.

“I was in high school walking to gym class, and I was a write-up away from being kicked out of high school,'' the Colts tight end said recently. “I'd already been in alternative school throughout middle school.

“I was walking, and the football head coach saw me and asked if I played football. At that time, I was a big basketball player, but I wasn't playing football. He told me, with my size and athletic ability, I could someday plan on Saturdays and if I really wanted to and was willing to work for it, I could play on Sundays.

“So he proceeded to go back to his office and come back with a $10 bill. He said, `Now, Dwayne, you can take this 10 dollars and go buy a bag of dope, or you can use this money to take a physical and show up to practice Monday'.''

Allen, who grew up in the Fayetteville, N.C., in rough socioeconomic circumstances, made the right choice, even if he spent a lot of his childhood making the wrong choices.

It's at this point that we write “…and the rest was history,'' but that's only part of his story.

While that was a seminal moment in Allen's personal evolution, so was this: Last year, while sitting out nearly the entire season while recovering from a hip injury he suffered in the season's first game, Allen underwent a religious conversion. Now, like so many teammates and athletes throughout sports, he proudly proclaims himself to be a Christian.

In January, he was enjoying a quiet moment in his room at home when he opened a book that he received from a friend. It was “How Good Is Good Enough?'' by Andy Stanley. The book spoke to him in a deep and almost unfathomable way.

“The book really opened my eyes to some of the things I was doing that weren't right,'' Allen said. “I read it and I just dropped to my knees and started praying. That was January 8 of this past year. Then March 6, I was baptized. I did it without hesitation. I knew it was the right decision.''

This was quite a transformation for a young man who was, by his own admission, a bit of a hellion when he was growing up.

“Growing up in a single-parent home in the projects isn't the easiest way to grow up,'' Allen said. “I'm so thankful my head coach in high school came along and offered me an opportunity of a lifetime to play. And he continued to mold me as a man. He enriched me with character and values that, where I grew up, weren't respected and weren't taught.''

Allen grew up in a nominally Christian household, but didn't ascribe to the faith in any tangible way. If anything, he held to the same general notion espoused by Karl Marx, who talked about religion as the “opiate of the masses.''

“There was a time in my life when I believed whoever created religion was a genius who helped get people to believe in some external thing to help them hold onto their sanity,'' the thoughtful Allen said. “I was an atheist. I didn't believe in a higher power at all. I think people grow up thinking they have all the answers, or at least I did, and they can handle everything in life on their own.

“Slowly but surely, though, He started to show me how things happen for a reason, and from that, I adopted that philosophy and gained peace and contentment.''

He continued, “I was at a point where I really needed peace in my life. Whenever you're so busy with your life, or a girlfriend, or whatever, it's hiding the fact that you need peace. Then when that distraction is gone, you begin to go down that spiral. For me, football was that distraction. A lot of fans probably think otherwise, but honestly, I'm so thankful for being able to sit out last year. I just needed something. I was searching. And until this year, I just didn't know where to find that peace.''

By any measure, Allen had a marvelous rookie year two years ago, catching 45 passes for 521 yards while establishing himself as a mauling blocker. Last year, though, he was injured in the season opener, never to return. Now he's back, which means offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton can once again utilize his entire playbook, which is heavy with uses of dual tight ends.

Missing an entire season? For most, it's a lonely, challenging time. And Allen had his tough moments while living in the training room. But the time off gave him time to think, to come to terms with some of the issues in his life. And it gave him a chance to more fully immerse himself in the Indianapolis community. Mostly, though, he found out how much he missed football.

“I was able to sit back and really grow an appreciation for the game itself,'' Allen said. “I was good and I was good early, and I knew I was good. Not in a cocky way, but I started to plan things out, thinking I had everything in the bag. I really wasn't working as hard at my craft. I remember last year, my second training camp, I hated it. But I had a blast this year at camp. I really enjoyed the teaching aspect of the game and getting back to basics. And that's what I needed. I missed football.''

Backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is one of the religious leaders of the team, and has noticed changes in Allen.

“He's really grown since he came back,'' Hasselbeck said. “And he's become one of the young leaders of this team, kind of filled that role that opened up when Antoine Bethea left.''

When it comes to athletes, we can easily quantify their evolution statistically. With Allen, though, there's been a continued personal evolution. He says he has peace now, and that's most of the battle.



This post was written by Bob Kravitz of WTHR sports.  For the original post go to:  http://www.wthr.com/story/26451049/2014/09/04/kravitz-from-hell-raiser-to-devout-christian-colts-allen-evolves-on-the-field-and-off



0 Comments

    Rules for commenting:

    1.  Be respectful  
    2.  Refer to rule #1

    All comments may not be approved.

    Note that many identifying details about individuals in these posts are not accurate.  Their identity is protected, except for those individuals who are being honored or are public figures.

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Categories

    All
    Abortion
    Abraham
    Abstinence
    Abuse
    Accountability
    Adam
    Adam Yauch
    Addictions
    Admiration
    Adultery
    Affair
    Amos
    Angels
    Anger
    Anniversary
    Anoint
    Anonymous
    Anxiety
    Atheism
    Avoidant
    Bad Boy
    Battle
    Beastie Boys
    Beautiful
    Bestiality
    Betrayal
    Bird
    Blame
    Bobby Petrino
    Bondage
    Book Review
    Brian Head Welch
    Brothel
    B.T. Roberts
    Camping
    Cancer
    Challenge
    Change
    Chaotic
    Character
    Children
    Choice
    Christmas
    Church
    Church Camp
    Closed Door
    Compulsions
    Confession
    Confident
    Control
    Courage
    Covenant
    Creator
    Crown
    Crucifixion
    Darkness
    Death
    Deception
    Decision
    Demons
    Depression
    Detachment
    Devotions
    Dez Bryant
    Differences
    Dilemma
    Dirty
    Discipleship
    Disgusting
    Divorce
    Domestic Violence
    Domination
    Doubt
    Dreams
    Dr Hart8bb80a7b00
    Dwayne Allen
    Dysfunction
    Easter
    Eden
    Ego
    Eleazar
    Elitism
    Empty
    Envy
    Ephesians
    Equality
    Erectile Dysfunction
    Esau
    Eternity
    Euthanasia
    Evil
    Exhibitionism
    Eyes
    Facebook
    Faithfulness
    Fantasy
    Fasting
    Father
    Favorites
    Fear
    Fellatio
    Fighting
    Fishing
    Flashing
    Flattery
    Flesh
    Force
    Forgiveness
    Gentleman
    Girls Gone Wild
    G.K. Chesteron
    Goals
    God
    Good Friday
    Grace
    Gratitude
    Greek
    Guard
    Guilt
    Heart
    Heaven
    Hebrew
    Hell
    Henri Nouwen
    Histrionic
    Hogging
    Holiness
    Hollow
    Honesty
    Honor
    Hope
    Humility
    Humor
    Ichabod
    Idols
    Impurity
    Individuality
    Input
    Insane Clown Posse
    Integrity
    Intent
    Intimacy
    Isaac
    Islam
    Jack Schaap
    Jamaica
    Jealousy
    Jimmy Needham
    Job
    Joy
    J.R.R. Tolkien
    Judgmentalism
    Justice
    Kindness
    King David
    Kittens
    Komboloib7e292a311
    Korn
    Larry Norman
    Leave It To Beaver
    Lies
    Light
    Listening
    Loneliness
    Love
    Lust
    Lying
    Macho
    Manners
    Marriage
    Masculinity
    Masturbation
    Maturity
    Mca
    Meditation
    Messianic
    Meticulous
    Mighty
    Missions
    Money
    Monogamy
    Moses
    Motivations
    Movies
    Music
    Normal
    Obedience
    Obscenity
    Open Door
    Parenting
    Passiveaggressive2ed940c88b
    Pastor
    Path
    Perfection
    Personality Disorders
    P.O.D.
    Politics
    Pornography
    Pornograpy
    Power
    Practical
    Prayer
    Predator
    Prejudice
    Premature Ejaculaton
    Preparation
    Pride
    Problems
    Promises
    Protection
    Providence
    Purity
    Quechua
    Quiz
    Racism
    Regret
    Religious
    Repentance
    Reputation
    Research
    Respect
    Responsibility
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Revival
    Righteousness
    Robots
    Roughhousing
    Routine
    Rules
    Rut
    Sabbath
    Sacrifice
    Sadism
    Salvation
    Sanctification
    Satisfaction
    Selfishness
    Self Love
    Self-love
    Service
    Sex
    Sexism
    Sexuality
    Sexual Response
    Sexual Response
    Shame
    Sin
    Singing
    Snobbery
    Soldier
    Sovereignty
    Stalking
    Stephen Hawking
    Step-parenting
    Strong
    Success
    Succubus
    Suicide
    Swearing
    Sword
    Teenagers
    Temper
    Temptation
    Tenth Ave North
    Testing
    Theology
    Thinking
    Thomas Cogswell Upham
    Tim Tebow
    Tournament Male
    Tradition
    Trafficking
    Trapped
    Trauma
    Triggers
    Trust
    Truth
    U2
    Uncle Buddy
    Unity
    Violence
    Virtue
    Vulnerability
    Warrior
    Watchman Nee
    Waywardness
    What Is A Man
    Women
    Worry
    Worship
    Wussification
    Year In Review
    Zombies

    Archives

    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

IRONSTRIKES

Men Forging Men