TEMPE, Ariz. -- The first piece of advice Ryan Whiting gave Jordan Clarke when Clarke arrived at Arizona State for the 2009 track and field season had nothing to do with the shot put. It was all about grooming.
"He had this shoulder length hair, an eyebrow ring, he was riding a skateboard, he had size 16 shoes and he wears checkered Vans all the time," Whiting said. "We were like, 'who is this person from Alaska?'"
Whiting wasn't expecting conformity, but he did perform a small service for a man he describes as his little brother.