Photo via SJSU Athletics
By Ryan Carlson – Former Executive Editor
I can’t remember when I sent my first email to Lawrence or when we first met. But I do remember that I quickly became fond of the kind of person he was.
If you knew Lawrence, you knew that he wouldn’t take long to respond to emails or show too much emotion, at least to the reporters.
As a student journalist, I knew that I was one of many who would send him emails to request an interview with this player or that coach. He would always be as accommodating as possible.
Yesterday’s news hit hard. I was getting some work done and listening to NHL radio when a broadcast friend texted me a screenshot of San Jose State Athletics tweet about Lawrence’s passing.
I was immediately flooded with memories I had of Lawrence, along with a feeling of complete shock and disbelief.
I remember walking along the sidelines of the San Jose State football practice field with Lawrence in his beige sun hat looking for a player that I had requested an interview with. We wouldn’t walk in silence, he would ask how school, work and life were going and show genuine interest in me.
He would always observe my interviews with players, and I didn’t have a problem with that. Knowing who Lawrence was, I wanted to be respectful to how he wanted things done and he would suggest other questions that I hadn’t thought of during interviews.
I remember the first time I covered a Spartan basketball game, and I ran into Lawrence in the media room with a cake in front of him. He offered me a slice of what I soon found out was “Fan cake” which made me feel welcomed.
As a student broadcaster for the campus radio station, it wasn’t easy to get football broadcasts due to the high demand/competition among other broadcasters. Road games however, were “easier.”
We had to clear any request to cover a road game with Lawrence and he would do all he could to make it happen.
Because of Lawrence, I was able to broadcast two Spartan Football road games for the student station against the University of Nevada Reno at Mackay Stadium in Reno.
These weren’t just any games, my grandparents lived in the area and I asked Lawrence if my grandpa, who is a former broadcaster himself, could get a media pass also to come and watch. Lawrence confirmed the request for both games which made life-long memories for my grandpa and me.
The last time I saw Lawrence was at the second game I covered in Reno. I was excited to introduce my grandpa to him and tell my grandpa that Lawrence is the reason we were able to be there.
I feel especially blessed to have shared one moment in the press box that will live on forever. He was one row above me at the Mountain West championship game in Las Vegas when San Jose State won its first conference title. Everyone was ecstatic and everyone wanted to congratulate and celebrate with Lawrence.
Thank you, Lawrence, for the memories we were able to make and all the kindness and opportunity you provided for me and many others.