Savage Words: Some advice for the Class of 2026 ...

This Sunday, another class of graduates will bid farewell to Brandon Valley.

Not that they’re asking, but here’s some words of advice to those graduates, coming from a guy who went through the same thing 39 years ago, and just like your parents, have a wealth of experience to share with you now.

Take this for what it’s worth, but I really wish I would have listened more intently 39 years ago. To be honest, I hardly remember my graduation ceremony from Sioux Falls Lincoln in May of 1987. I remember being there, but I don’t remember a word that was said. 

Actually, I was dating a girl at the time. Her last name ended with an ‘H’, so she was seated far from me. She said she wanted to see me after graduation. That, I remember.

So, here it goes, from a guy who’s been around the block:

• Don’t stop listening to your parents.

I promise you, no one will ever have your back like your mom, dad, or parental guardian. That makes zero sense to you right now, but that little kid they carried in their arms yesterday, is about to walk with a cap and gown on this Sunday. That’s heavy stuff for them.

No one - NO ONE - will back you more than them. Listen to them, and as you get older, you’ll realize they were right all along.

• Save every rejection letter you get.

You might, but it’s unlikely, that you’ll be perfectly content with the first job you get in your career. 

You’re probably going to get rejected in some of the jobs you apply for. My advice: save every single one of those rejection letters. Actually, I don’t know if they send out letters anymore, but whatever form of communication it comes in, save it.

I’ve saved all of mine. It’s actually quite an impressive pile of letters with different sports logos on the top. I applied for – and was politely told “thanks, no thanks” – from the Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, Super Bowl XXXII, Minnesota North Stars, University of Pennsylvania, the Big 10 Conference, Nicholls State University, Fort Lewis College, George Washington University, and the Sioux Falls Skyforce, which ironically, I eventually got that job a few years later.

I still have the Skyforce rejection letter hanging on my wall. I looked at it all the time when I was trying to break into my career. I wasn’t going to let it end because of a rejection from the Skyforce.

Eventually, in 1997, the Houston Rockets called me back.

And that’s all you need. You just need one to go your way, and eventually, it probably will.

Longtime Sioux Falls sports broadcaster Danny Olson told me one time when I was first starting out that I needed to “put a lot of bobbers on the water.” Sooner or later, he said, “one will go down.”

I never forgot that. Eventually, one did…in Houston. And from there, I parlayed my move to Texas to a long career in sports.

• Don’t give up on chasing your dream.

It will be easy to get into a rut when you’re chasing your dream over the next several years. I got into that rut a couple of times, and nearly gave up. Thankfully, I did not.

My ultimate goal was to work at the Indianapolis 500. In 1996 while working as a part-time sportswriter at the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, I begged my editor to send me to Indianapolis to cover the race. Back then, it wasn’t uncommon for EVERY newspaper in the country to cover big sporting events such as the 500, the Masters – you name it.

They sent me, and it was my first trip to the famous Speedway. As I sat in the press box on May 26, 1996, I knew I had to be a part of that event. I did have one, sort of, acquaintance that I knew at the Speedway and Indy Racing League.

I brought a letter with me to Indianapolis, hoping I might get a chance to hand it to him personally. I didn’t see him the entire weekend, and it was a longshot at best that I’d accomplish it.

After the checkered flag flew, I went back to my car, dejected that I hadn’t seen him. But – and I remember this vividly – I looked in my bag and saw the letter I had for Cary Agajanian. I put my bag over my shoulder and started walking towards the Indianapolis Motor Speedway administration building for one last shot at finding him.

On the walk, the skies opened and it poured rain. But I trudged on, running through the rain to the admin building. 

I didn’t find him.

But when I got back to Sioux Falls, I mailed the letter. I got a rejection letter back, but I stayed persistent.

Seven years later, I was named the Director of Public Relations for the Indy Racing League.

Don’t give up.

• Just be nice.

You’re going to meet some crummy people in your life. They could be neighbors, bosses, co-workers, strangers. 

I’ve told my daughter this phrase since she could talk: “The secret to a happy life is just be nice.”

Sounds simple, and a little corny. But it’s true. There were times when I used to be one of those crummy people. Thankfully, I’ve lightened up a tad on just about everything as I’ve gotten older.

I will say this, it’s a lot easier to put my head on the pillow each night after being nice throughout the day, instead of being one of those crummy people.

But whatever comes your way, be proud of where you’re from. You’ll find in years to come, that you were in one of the best spots in the country.

Now, go find your people.