Basketball

I have to admit that doing this everyday is really stretching me. I am going to begin with a remark on the weather. It was 60+ today and still hasn't snowed. Normally it hits at least by Halloween.

Okay enough of that talk. Here are a few of my favorite players
Favorite Ball Player to Watch:

Ray Allen-- without a doubt the best shooter of his generation, no one is as deadly or as smooth. I am still bent the Jazz didn't make that trade for him instead of the Celtics. Quick story--his practice workouts are the stuff of legend. He goes to the stadium at 2-3 pm (most players go at 5-6) and pays a ball boy to rebound for him. He then takes a few hundred shots, but does as much game simulation as possible. He runs back to halfcourt after each shot and then runs back and takes a shot as if it was in a game. Sure these guys are talented but the best players work extremely hard to be the best. Lenny Wilkins, who has been around bball for 40years as a coach and as a player, calls him the best shooter he has ever seen.

Honorable Mention-- Dwyane Wade--loved him in college before everyone else did.

Favorite Jazz player of all time:

This was an easy one right? John Stockton was pound for pound the toughest player I have ever seen. When his nose was broken he never wore that silly plasic face guard(ie Rip Hamilton). He was a consummate pro and a very genuinely nice guy. Quick story, when I was working for the Jazz, the guy who got me the job wanted me to get Stockton to sign a bunch of photos, like 20. This is kind of taboo to do without the trainer's approval. I asked Stockton if he would sign them and he said after the game when he was in the whirlpool. I told them they were for this other guy and he was fine with it. After the game we found the perfect time when he was in the whirlpool and he was signing away. Then the trainer came over. In a not so friendly way he asked what I was doing getting these autographs. I realized a few things; first off I had no good answer, secondly I was ticked cause I was gonna get in trouble and these weren't even for me, so I said nothing. Finally after an unbearable horribly awkward silence, Stockton told the trainer the autographs were for him and he had asked me to help. Danger averted. Stockton went on to say, "You tell him not to sell those cause I just saved your butt(he didn't use that word)"

Honorable Mention: I could name the whole team. They were all pretty classy.

Favorite Non-Jazz Player:


Charles Barkley
There are so many stories I could tell. He looked around the locker room before one game and went on to say that, "I think we have the ugliest team in the league, (looking now at Carlos Rodgers) and you're the ugliest player in the league" What can you do at that point but laugh. If you argue it will just get worse. Barkley was by far the coolest superstar. He was engaging, funny, charming, and friendly. When I asked him to personalize a picture I had with him he didn't ask my name he just signed To Zero.

Honorable Mention: Laphonso Ellis--one of the truly nicest people I have ever met.

Lawrence Funderburke, Hubert Davis, Chris Webber, Jason Kidd

Least Favorite
Patrick Ewing, Hakeem, and Scottie Pippen--let's just say they all deserve to be on this list.