The attentive audience which included all of the upper grade classrooms lis- tened to Shed's message about keeping their attitude positive no matter what life may throw your way, "It is necessary for our children to consistently hear that," said Shed who brought his son David with him to impart this message to the fourth, fifth and sixth grade students at Glass, "Get a good education, follow your dreams, go for what you believe in and keep a positive attitude." 

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When reminded of the serious lack of respect for authority many of our youth have, leading a reckless life where the glorification of all things material drives these kids to get involved in illicit activity at a very young age, Shed had the following to add, "The more they hear it, it's going to eventually catch on, no matter who or what the personality of the individuals are, no matter if their young or old."

Next, the draft choice of Red Auerbach's Boston Celtics began to chime in on competitiveness in athletics or education, "When you can walk up to the teacher or the coach or your parents and say, 'I did my best' and 'I gave it ALL out there' and 'I still believe that I'm a winner because I'm gonna be blessed with another chance', if they keep that positive attitude, to get that negative energy and turn it into positive action, they're guaranteed not to fail."

Nevil Shed played at a time when the civil rights movement was barely beginning in our country, a polarizing time in our nation's history when segregation was still very much alive and well.  The News Gram asked him whether Coach Don Haskins told him what his plans were to start an all black lineup for the fledgling college in El Paso, this is what he said, "Coach Haskins said, 'If you listen to me and go by my rules, you'll be successful.  He didn't guarantee me an education, but he told me to work hard because there were going to be hard parts to this journey, but if I listened to him, he would get me through.  I'm living proof along with the other 12 members of that championship team."

This feat is well documented in the movie Glory Road, the 2006 film starring Josh Lucas and Jon Voight which depicts the challenges faced by the team in 1966, but next year, on the 50th anniversary of this accomplishment, ESPN will run a special 30 For 30 piece on Coach Haskins' National Champions and there are even plans for a possible re-make of the classic.

Finally we asked him to put us there, to take us back to that day in College Park, Maryland as they were preparing to take on legendary Kentucky, "You gotta realize that we were just kids and just getting the opportunity to break the myth of what we COULD not do and knowing later on that we literally changed the era of basketball.  We bridged that gap, giving children, if qualified, the opportunity to go to any school of their choice!  That's an honor and to see this man, coming from a small town in Oklahoma, he took a young man and turned him into a real man.  For that I thank God and him for being in my life."