When I was a young whipper snapper I used to be a pretty picky eater. To be honest, not much has changed.
My Dad started a special tradition in my family when he told me that he’d give me a dollar for every new food that I tried. Broccoli, asparagus, and all sorts of other icky things became my friend. Motivation works, kids.
When Nihar Janga was training for the Scripps National Spelling Bee his father promised him that if he won, he’d take Nihar to AT&T Stadium so that Nihar could see the Cowboys and his favorite player, Dez Bryant, in action.
“The Machine” as Janga is known, delivered on his end of the bargain three weeks ago when he established himself as one of 2016’s Co-Champions. What he did in the immediate seconds after is what has spelled the greatest thing of all.
That’s right. Nihar Threw Up The X like his hero, Dez Bryant. 88 not only catches everything, he sees everything. And he liked what he saw in Nihar.
#NiharJanga you just made my whole day buddy.. Congrats on winning the #spellingbee champ.. Some how some way I have to get you to a game #x
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) May 27, 2016
Whether or not Nihar makes it to a game this season (I’d say it’s l-i-k-e-l-y that he will) he had the experience of a lifetime on Wednesday when he visited Dez and his Cowboys teammates at Valley Ranch.
Nihar took part in a press conference with Coach Garrett, held court in the media, and had the time of his life. It doesn’t take a Scripps Spelling Bee Co-Champ to know that the best part of this “process” as Coach Garrett would call it was when Nihar did indeed meet Dez.
When Dez Bryant gets in a scuffle while under the summer heat of Training Camp the country is put on red alert by the national media. When he befriends one of his biggest fans and literally takes him under his wing it’s not as big of a deal, unless you’re a part of Cowboys Nation.
That’s because we know who Dez Bryant really is.
He’s passionate. He’s caring. And he’s an even bigger fan of Nihar’s skills than Nihar is of his.
NFL players meet fans all the time. It’s a normal day at the office for them while it’s the greatest day of someone else’s life. What’s so special about Dez Bryant is that he recognizes that detail and returns the same type of emotion. That’s who he is.
https://twitter.com/NariAustin/status/743290941801324545
It’s so great to know that someone who appreciates his fans as much as Dez Bryant does goes to work every day wearing the Star for the Dallas Cowboys.
These are the guys that we want to root for. These are the guys we hope to get when we turn in their draft card, sign them in Free Agency, or stumble across them in whatever other way. Nihar Janga loves Dez Bryant, Threw Up The X in victory, and look at the insane ride that put him on.
Throw up the X. Nihar style.
