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Saturday, January 01, 2005
Sayson: Where are they now?
By Homer Sayson
Second Overtime
CHICAGO – Melvin A. Banzon (sorcebsales@pacific.net.ph) e-mailed me what he dubbed as “12 Questions this Holiday.” Having grown tired of “reading about hyped issues between Kobe vs. the rest of the NBA,” Melvin sought the whereabouts of many old-time greats who used to rule the NBA.
If I’d answer these dozen queries, I’m afraid I’ll have to charge him. So Melvin, allow me to entertain two of your Qs for free.
1) “Where is Clyde Drexler?”
Last September, Drexler was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball
Hall of Fame Class of 2004. “The Glide” cruised smoothly towards his induction, toting a set of credentials truly worthy of hoops immortality.
A 10-time All-Star, Drexler won an NBA title as a Rocket in 1995. He played in 1,086 regular season games and normed 20.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per. After retiring in 1998, Drexler coached his Alma Mater, the University of Houston. He left that job after just two seasons.
Drexler was a special assistant to Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe from Sept. 27, 2000 to Dec. 30, 2001. He also served as Nuggets assistant coach during the 2001-2002 season. After his induction to the Hall, Drexler talked about an NBA comeback. He hasn’t been publicly heard of ever since.
2) “Sir Charles Barkley, where you at?”
When realtor and banker Robert Sarver bought the Phoenix Suns for $401 million last March, Charles Barkley was among the 12 investors whose money helped seal the deal. But a minority team ownership in the NBA is just one of the many interests that is keeping Barkley busy and very wealthy.
Barkley works as NBA analyst for the Ted. N. Turner television Network, which airs NBA games US-wide twice a week. Barkley’s self-deprecating humor, acerbic tongue and sharp basketball mind is earning him rave reviews. Although he has homes in Orlando and Philadelphia, The Round Mound of Rebound lives full-time with his wife and daughter in Scottsdale, Arizona.
SLEEPER AT CONSECO. Glenn Senorin (grss1982@yahoo.com) wanted to know my take on “the Dec. 26 game between the Pistons and the Pacers.” Glenn wondered about the “atmosphere” and the “measures” being taken to prevent a repeat of the rumble at The Palace.
With its bulky frontline, Detriot won easily. A 49-39 rebounding edge hammered the Pacers and the Pistons backcourt of Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups, who combined for a deadly 45 points, proved too much. Reggie Miller had 24 for Indiana, but Jermaine O’Neal only had 21, what with the rust of a 15-game suspension.
Security was good and the atmosphere was electric. But no thanks to Detriot’s overall dominance, the Pacers fans’ mood quickly turned funereal. Talk about a sorry Christmas.
YOU GOT MAIL? Malcolm Sanchez (malcolm_sanchez@yahoo.com) wants to know “Where is Karl Malone?”
The Mailman’s off-season knee surgery is doing well, and so is his rehab. Malone should be ready to go by February. Not necessarily 100 percent but certainly good enough to make a legitimate contender win it all in June. Look for him to surface either in San Antonio or Minnesota.
From Ben Bornia of Canada (sborniap@shaw.ca), who was nearly fooled by my column last Wednesday (“Drool not, my Christmas gifts are yours too”). Ben wrote: “As always, I was dumb enough to drool at the clueless brainteaser of yours that no amount of acuity could lead me to...until you woke up.”
Thanks, Ben. And thanks also to Don Bosco hoops legend Hendrill Saliz and
Patrocinio Degamo Jr. Both your kind praises did warm my heart.
THE BOYS OF BATCH ’89. Blue-chip lawyer and boxing scholar Jingo Quijano recently attended the high-school batch 1989 reunion of Sacred Heart School-Jesuit. Jingo was pleased to tell me that a lot of his long lost batchmates have “gone bigger or smaller, taller or balder, yet surprisingly more handsome.” A lot of them, the boxing guru says, are followers of this column. How nifty.
Well, to the dudes of SHS-J batch ’89, more power and keep reading Sun.Star Cebu, will ya?
(homsay@hotmail.com)
(January 1, 2005 issue)
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