Dr. Steven Greenberg’s comments about his father, Martin J. Greenberg, turning 80 years old.
My Father: “The Gentle Giant”
At 3 years old, Sadie and Shelly stared up to you, Dad, and said “Giant.” While they were likely referring to your stature, something that evaded most of us in the Greenberg Family, they were onto something much more at such a young age. That is Dad, you have a been a “Gentle Giant,” in so many other significant ways in your life that have so positively impacted your profession, colleagues, friends and family. Tonight, we don’t just celebrate 80 years, we celebrate a life that has not only been just built on achievements but on kindness, resilience and love.
Dad, at an early age, I learned the value from you of scholarship. I watched you excel as a nationally renowned attorney, a well-respected Marquette law professor and a critically acclaimed author. Some would say a “creative genius,” as when no one could see the value of something called “Sports Law,” in 1989, you defied the odds and created one of the most successful National Sports Law Institutes in America at Marquette today. Not only do you still have prowess today as a real estate lawyer, but you have also most recently protected young athletes from further abuse in the tumultuous world of college athletics. You have excelled in representing coaches, players and the development of sports facilities. Most of all you remain a brilliant author, something that I still am trying to accomplish but learned from you in your law office in downtown Milwaukee, when you showed me how to use NEXUS-LEXUS to investigate the roll of NBA athletes on influencing young teenagers. While you have published numerous legal books, articles, you are now even on a SportsBIZ blog-WOW DAD YOU REALLY KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES! For all of this, you have been named the Top Real Estate Lawyers in Milwaukee, honored as Lawyer of the Year by the Milwaukee Bar Association, included in the Wisconsin Law Journal Power List for 2024 for real estate excellence and awarded the Master of the Game by the MSLI in 2014. DAD, you have always set the bar high like the GIANT you are, but you do it in a humble, GENTLE way that makes you what you are and that is an incomparable human being.
While racking up the accolades among your colleagues and in your profession, you were and are always engaged in your family and its own success. Sports has always been a way of convening and spending quality time together. I remember at an early age, every Sunday you, me and Grandpa would watch every Packers game together and have a corned beef sandwich at BENJIS and I will never forget when you brought me to every home game during the 1997 Packer Super Bowl run. You always taught me the value of family and being together was such a powerful thing.
Dad, I don’t think there was a basketball, soccer, tennis or baseball game you ever missed of mine. And when I could barely hit a barn side in baseball, you found me a coach to get me to actually hit. You always knew how to calm me down and direct me to achieve more and be proud of what I had accomplished. As hard as you worked, you always put your family first and we are forever grateful for that.
Now, I do know that you longed for me to work alongside you as an attorney. While that did not work out, you have so impacted my life to be a scholar and to continue to try and exceed expectations. You taught me to never give up and with the peaks and valleys you have experienced and overcome, I always took that to heart. One moment in my life stands out in particular and that is when I struggled to get into medical school despite finishing with an A average at UW. You came up to Madison on a moment’s whim and took me out to the very famous at the time Smokey’s steakhouse supper club. There, you looked at me in the eye and said, “Son, we are not measured by what we do with our successes, but how we manage adversity.” You went on to say to keep fighting, stay focused and things will come to you.” Well, you were right then, and I still use those words when I talk to my kids on our walks today.
Today, you are revered for being an incredible father, husband and grandfather! Your impact reaches far beyond the courtroom and classrooms. It lives in the values you have passed down, the examples you have set and the lives you have touched. We are all better because of you. You have always thought of others before yourself and you remain one of my true role models in life. Thank you, Dad, for being the “Gentle Giant” that we have all known to love for so many great years. Cheers to another 80 years. Happy Birthday!