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GROWING INTO THE SPOTLIGHT: The inconceivable rise of Greg Garno
By Gregory Garno

ANN ARBOR — Inside the 420 Maynard building, home of the student publications the tables are filled with papers, books, laptops and a broken hockey stick. There sits a young man, somewhere near the middle, with his head buried in the bright lights from a Macbook air.

Hunched over, a pen resting on his ear, it’s difficult to notice the glow that rises off of the skinny, sophomore writer originally from Adrian, MI. His presence couldn’t be any bigger, though.

Born in the golden age of 1992, the communication studies major has been on the rise in fame ever since his birth. Raised in the home tucked away in the farm land of Lenawee County, Greg worked tirelessly at consuming sports television, spending endless hours glued to Sportscenter, or sneaking down to the basement to watch the last half of a unimportant game.

“He was a real pain in the ass,” said Greg’s dad and promoter of newspapers, Raymond. “All I wanted was a kid who would be easy to handle. Instead I was stuck with this angel, who’s greatness was too much.”

Added his mother and the most superior cook, Grace: “If he was so great, why does it feel like he is still mooching off of us today. I swear if the twerp (the first use of the word since 1987) doesn’t make me money I’m going to punish him with more mindless hours of HGTV.”

Greg’s sports career began with the ass-whoopings delivered to his younger sister, who unenthusiastically played along at his persistence. From soccer to basketball the possibilities seemed endless — that is until football, in which Greg had no strength to tackle another 12-year old boy.

Greg developed a love for running near the end of middle school, deciding that distance running actually had some joy to it. The 135 lb. frame of skin and bone soon became successful in the sport, running year round to train for the Olympics.

“I figured the Olympics would take away from sitting on the lake in summer,” Garno said of his decision to tone down his tremendous talent. “You ever been to the lake? It’s not really special or sensational, it just feels good when the temperature is over 100 degrees.”

After finishing his senior year, Garno took his talents and love of athletics to the University of Michigan, choosing not to further his competitive running career. It was in January 2012 when he opted to swing by The Michigan Daily, deciding to write about the sports he read about day after day.

Garno quickly rose in the ranks, where he was chosen as a softball beat member. Greg’s love of Taylor Swift was also a hit at The Daily, one of the few places where tone-deaf men serenade the musician that wrote “I Knew You Were Trouble.”

“She’s terrible live, and honestly I still love Carly Rae Jepsen,” Garno said. “Actually, I would say the Backstreet Boys are still better, but she’s got catchy stuff.”

Greg didn’t slow down, taking an opportunity to write for his hometown paper The Daily Telegram in the sports section during the summer. It was after his summer, trapped writing about high school sports and a NASCAR race, that Greg returned to cover both the volleyball and women’s basketball teams for The Daily.

“I wouldn’t say he was the hero The Daily needed,” Batman said. “But he is definitely the one it deserves.”

“He loves cats a lot, which is cool cause I have eight,” said Managing Sports Editor of the Michigan Daily, Zach Helfand. “Sometimes I’ll catch him licking his hands and it makes me smile.”

Now a hockey beat writer, sacrificing his weekends to cover a losing team and an assistant sports editor, Greg continues his pursuit of a career in sports journalism where he undoubtedly will not make as much money had he just stuck with the Olympics plan.

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