Lyman White Why I Changed My Name
“Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” Khalil Gibran
Count Time Podcasts archives the stories of some of our greatest living legends. Podcasts on history, sports and life.
Selected quotes and notes from Count Time Podcast with LD Azobra on Why Lyman White changed his name.
Good evening. Good evening. Good evening it’s 4:00 PM. Stand up, It’s count time, time for every man and woman to stand up and be counted. Welcome to another edition of Count Time podcast. I am brother LD Azobra formerly named Lyman white. Thank you for joining us today.
I’m Brother LD Azobra, formerly Lyman Dan White Junior I want to start with my first Count Time podcast episode. LD Azobra because a lot of people want to know what brother, why did you change your name? What was the reason for changing from Lyman White? Why did you feel the need to change your name, I guess because I learned over the years. First off, there’s power in a name and we all know that particular Christian world or you give me a Buddhist, Muslim. We all know there’s power in a name and the name is that there’s a certain name that you hear he said name of Jesus that’s power in that name, that’s life, the peace, that’s joy. And we want to be able to bring the same thing this way.
When my name came about, LD Azobra. That was interesting for me too. And I’m gonna give you a little history of how this comes out. I want to be able to take you for the journey that I was on. That brought me to where I am. But I even know that those that have been knowing me all of my life and I’m 60 something years old, now. And the one’s that truly know me, probably say. But brother LD, I knew it was only a matter of time. knowing you knowing how you think I’ve been around you. I’ve been hearing you speak and share for many, many years and I know your heart.
I know what you’ve been dealing with and as anybody else ups and down on the light for the happiness to join us of light, the peace transport of life. You’re gonna get it all. Just continue living. But also you’re going to have the confusion down down days, the days that you just don’t want to get out of bed, figure out how you gonna make it, how you gonna survive all this is part of this thing we call life.
So none of us are new to. None of us are able to get out of here alive. In fact, today. So we want to enjoy these days. In the early 90s, I started traveling and I started traveling to Africa. I guess it had to be right at 30 years or so ago and then the 19th. That was my first trip after I went to Egypt. What I have we can experience that works. I got more than what a bargain for enough to wear it, I could almost say changed my way of thinking changed the way. Assault at open, open up an expanded moment to see things in a different way. Then that’s what I realized also that everything that was taught to me, a lot of it was stone truths, but for a different perspective. And the truth is when the travel is there a lot of information that I was taught. There was a lot of truth, but the perspective where it came from or who was the original of that information to create that information was not the truth.
Lyman White biography links
Lyman Dan White Jr. (born January 3, 1959) is a former American football linebacker. A Franklin High School Class of 1977 graduate White was drafted in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons out of Louisiana State University in the 1981 NFL Draft.[1]
Mr. White, after retirement from the NFL opened several restaurants in Baton Rouge, LA, and the surrounding area. One of the most acclaimed, Buffalo Wings Express restaurant, was a wonderful buffet of southern/soul food and hot wings nestled on Highland Road just outside the gates of LSU campus. Mr. White was frequently on site to banter with students and locals who enjoyed the food.
Since Lyman White was released from prison Oakdale Federal Correctional Complex in 2008 he has continued to dedicate himself to community service. LD Azobra formerly Lyman White Co-Founded Professional Athletes Supporting Students (PASS) following Hurricane Katrina. The organization provided food and services to evacuees of Katrina living in the Baton Rouge area. It also provided computers and school supplies to evacuee students. PASS continues to serve students through the PASS the Ball and Read to PASS programs serving students in Baton Rouge and soon nationwide.
-
- Back to School Book Bag event
-
- Mentoring Students with Charlie Granger, Sharon Lewis and Eddie Fuller
-
- LD Azobra, Albert White, Brian Kinchen and Sharon Lewis - PASS The Ball program
October 2, 2022 @ 1:24 am
I really enjoyed your testimony! I agree totally with the fact that we’re the only one that can shackle the mind. I believe the mind should be free to move. This is a sign of a healthy mind. Thank you L. D. Adzobra!
September 22, 2022 @ 12:38 am
Hi Coach, wuz up!!! It’s great hearing from yah. How great it was to read that wonderful story that brought tears to my eyes. I’ve long forgotten that story but do remember that they had just integrated the little league and Leonard Foster, who’s no longer with us and I were the only 2 from our community that made the team. Didn’t take long before the team came together and started winning, I even made the little league all-star at catcher, thanks to your great coaching of course. Looking forward to some more dialogue and would love to have a copy of that picture. Coach thanks so very much for reaching out and being a part of my growth and development. Apologize for such late response but never thought to go back to view this page.
July 25, 2022 @ 9:29 pm
Hello, This a old old friend trying to get in touch with Mr. Lyman White. I’m Ms. Peggy Singleton-Lewis for Morgan City, La.
July 24, 2022 @ 10:07 pm
Hello Lyman, This is a old, old, friend that grew up with you. I so happen to read about you and hear how well you are doing in life. This is Peggy Singleton-Lewis. I would Love to hear from you.
March 12, 2022 @ 6:14 pm
Little League, Lyman, Doug & the “N” Word
By Mike Sublett
It was 1970 and I decided that dropping out of college was a really smart idea. DUH! My dad had taken a management position with Cabot near Franklin, Louisiana and said that if I wasn’t going to college at West Texas State anymore, then I was to get my behind down to Franklin & start working.
After I had been there a few months, I got a call asking if I would help coach a Little League baseball team; I accepted. At the end of the very first practice the head coach handed me the team scorebook, the equipment bag and told me he had been transferred for the rest of the summer to another work site. YES, that meant that I was the new head coach. (20 yrs old)
After a week of working the boys out, I had pretty much decided on who our starters would be. Our shortstop was named Doug and our catcher was named Lyman; Doug was white & Lyman was black and we were in south Louisiana. Lyman was the biggest boy on the team, Doug was big too, but not as big as Lyman. (Lyman would later be a 2-time All American defensive lineman at LSU)
I was working the boys really hard one day with a 3-ball drill catching grounders. Doug made one of his throws to Lyman and Lyman missed it. Lyman thought it was a bad throw; Doug thought it was good and that Lyman had botched the catch. I hollered, “Come on, boys, get this right.”
That’s when it happened. Doug hollered, calling Lyman the “N” word. Lyman flipped off his mask and took off for Doug. I ran as fast as I could to get to Doug before Lyman did. I grabbed both boys and yelled, “Now stop this.”
That’s when we had our first “come to Jesus” team meeting. I told the boys that I couldn’t control what the vocabulary at their home was like, but that I was in TOTAL CONTROL at baseball practice and games. I told them that since I hadn’t specifically addressed how I personally felt about the “N” word, then there would be no punishment today.
Then with a firm, deep voice I said, “I better never, ever hear that word used again from any of you and especially NEVER toward a fellow teammate. ARE WE CLEAR?” Then one at a time I got uncomfortably close to each of the players, stared at them and asked: “ARE WE CLEAR?” Each boy said “YES, COACH.”
I saved Lyman for next to last and Doug for last. Both of them said, “YES COACH.” I then looked at Doug and asked him, “Is there anything you want to say to Lyman now.” That’s when God showed up at our team meeting. Doug teared all up and not because I had hollered at him. He looked over at Lyman, eyes full of tears, tears running down his cheeks and poured his heart out, “Lyman, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. That was a bad thrown and I knew it. I guess I was just mad at myself and was taking out on you. Honest, I’m sorry, It won’t ever happen again; I promise.” I looked over at Lyman and asked, “So are we OK now?” Lyman always had the biggest smile, but as he looked over at Doug, I think his smile was a record-setter. “Yeah, we’re ok.”
I never heard that word used again with my Forest Motel boys. And even though we were picked for last place, we won the Championship. I still have our team photo and I smile every time I look at it. God, please bless all the boys, wherever they are.
February 12, 2022 @ 4:21 am
LD Azobra, I must first say that You have a testimony. I have always looked up to you. I think that you played football with my brother Gregory Bolden. You have truly been an inspiration to me. I want to aquire more knowledge and also know the truth. I think as a people we have been stripped of mostly everything. I thank The Most High for the source that provided this information. I am so grateful to have heard your story. I oftentimes would wonder where were you. You never know who in this lyfe that you had an impact on!💯❤️👊👑