OT - the way it was

[theboys]

My younger son's team played at YBOA Nationals a couple of years ago. Shaq's son's team was in our pool. We lost a close one to them, and my son had a pretty good game. Shaq made it a point to talk to the boys' coach afterward, and spent a few minutes with my son. The next day, they played right after us. While our game was going on, Shaq's son's team came into the gym. Shaq sat down beside me and spent the next 10-15 minutes just having a "dad stuff" conversation. After our game he spent a few minutes with my son, and had his picture taken with the team. During the next NBA season, when the Celtics came to Atlanta, I got tickets for my two sons to attend the game. Shaq spotted them when he came out for warm-ups and told them to wait for him after the game. They did, and he came out and spent about 10 minutes talking to them.

[Mark Padgett]

Previously, I mentioned Jerry Colangelo. I also saw him once here in Portland at Memorial Coluseum, which is where the Blazers played before moving to the Rose Garden. He was in the lobby talking on a pay phone (remember those?). At the time, he was the owner of the Phoenix Suns. I recognized him, and after he got off the phone (I could hear him talking about a trade!) I introduced myself and told him I had gone to HS with his sister, Rosemary, and that I once saw him at a party at his parents house. He actually remembered the party, although he didn't remember me. We talked about our old HS for a minute, then he had to leave.

And speaking of Jerry - when he did go to my HS (years before me), he was a pitcher on our baseball team. One of the other pitchers on that same team was Jim Bouton. I also saw Jim here in Portland. After his career was basically over, the class A minor league Portland Mavericks baseball team hired him on as a promotion. I went to one of the games and he was warming up in the bullpen. I leaned down out of the stands and yelled that I had gone to the same HS as him. He smiled and came over to the stands. I was able to reach down and shake his hand. Just like with Jerry, Jim and I talked for a minute about our old HS. I also told him how much I liked his books about baseball. He said that if I had one with me (which I didn't), he would autograph it for me. It was quite an experience.

BTW - the HS I was referring to is Bloom HS in Chicago Heights, Illinois.

[Mark Padgett]

Of course, there was that one time I ran into Dr. Naismith at Hooters! He was at a table next to Diebler.

Damn - where's those meds?