December 29, 1998
By Chris Harris
MU Sports Information
Picture it. The Hearnes Center is filled to capacity as 13,000-plus anxiously anticipate the emergence of their beloved Missouri Tigers onto the court.
The atmosphere is one of tradition, as the black and gold banners that hang from the rafters speak of teams that rose to greatness in previous years. And nowhere in the country is there a name more precedented in basketball history than right here in Columbia, with Head Coach Norm Stewart.
These factors combine to present an arena waiting to explode with expectation. With so much prestige and honor for which to be responsible, the individual who is lucky enough to be called upon to lead this team must possess all of the necessary qualities, such as strength, speed, and most importantly leadership.
Enter Brian Grawer. To look at the sophomore guard, one would think he was just someone who, in high school, caught a recruiters eye with his hustle, even though the recruiter might have been there to scout a more highly touted player. His small, 6-foot, 165-pound frame gives the impression of a practice squad member, used to improve the starting point-guards mental toughness.
However, this is far from the case with Grawer. The wide-eyed sophomore is the one who will lead the team, today, and into the future. With such a responsibility, one might think that the St. Louis native and the Pattonville High star would possess a self-glorifying mentality and a high degree of complacency. This could not be further from the truth.
A self-proclaimed "Gym Rat," Grawer is in the weight room three days a week, constantly improving his chiseled, four-percent body fat frame, for he knows he must continue to work in order to improve. Grawer, the youngest of six children, attributes his ambition to his family.
"Were a real competitive family," says Grawer. "Growing up, everything we did revolved around sports, and every time we played, the goal was to win," he said.
How competitive were they? "If Id lose, Id go home crying," states Grawer.
Add to that his father, Rich, who trained him during the summers of high school, planning his conditioning regimens and charting his shooting percentages. In fact, his father kept a log of Brians total shots, which, by the end of one summer, came out to be over 18,000.
"Wed work out six days a week for a good hour, or hour-and-a-half. It was real hard on me, but it was great because it instilled in me mental toughness and a hard work ethic," recalls Grawer.
Grawers work ethic is what enabled him to earn the starting point-guard position this season. "Coming in, I knew it would be in my hands if I was going to be able to play or not. I knew it would be my job to win or lose," he said.
Grawer brought this mentality into the season expecting great things. He brought with him a 45.6% three-point shooting percentage from last year -- the best among Tiger returners. Add to that his ability to energize his teammates on the floor and the result is a fierce competitor who cares about only one thing -- winning.
"I play hard and I do what I need to do to win," says Grawer.
Such an attitude is a refreshing break to the escalating theme of showmanship in college basketball. With Grawer, there is no personal agenda hes set for himself. There is no image he tries to portray, or live up to. And there are no individual records he wants to break. He simply wants to win.
Now look at Brian Grawer. Suddenly his less than intimidating appearance seems more commanding doesnt it? Suddenly he seems a capable fit to lead the Tigers into battle, for he is willing to strap the entire team and the entire arena of fans onto his back and carry them all to victory -- not through a singular effort, but by playing his role on the team.
"Ive got to lead with my enthusiasm and intensity. If I do that, others will follow," he said.
Yes, others will follow. Not because Grawer nails three-pointers from anywhere on the floor, and not because of his defensive tenacity, but because his abilities on the court transcend into an emotional charge he gives his teammates. That is the true mark of a leader. That is Brian Grawer.