America's Team

"Walk inside the lion's den...take everybody's chips, about to cash them in..."

Nas - Success

Mother's Day, 2011 - Los Angeles is swept out of the playoffs, and it was Dallas that provided a glimpse into their imminent achievement.

Teamwork

The Mavericks are the NBA champions, and while a lot of people thought the series would go in a different direction...it was the total team effort that delivered the Mavs their first title in franchise history. Perhaps it was the star power and top billing of the Heat that over shadowed their stellar play...nonetheless, the 3-point shooting, rebounding, and zone defense allowed Dallas to split the first pair of games, and then travel home to capture 2 of 3...setting the stage for the105-95 win in Game 6.

Jason Terry was the catalyst for everything the Mavs were able to do in the final game, while Dirk Nowitziki, was the constant throughout the series...playing through a sinus infection, fractured finger, and ridicule. In the end, his team laughed last, leaving south Florida with the agony of defeat.

I doubt that I will ever fully comprehend Miami's lack of aggressiveness in the deciding game, however I will give full credit to the Mavericks' defense, and to the victor go the spoils.

My only concern at this moment is an NFL and NBA lockout...which of course is a horse of a different color.

Words: @axgilbert

Photo:  Mark Ralston/AFP PHOTO

The Fifth Element

"There's a long list of high profile celebrities..."

Nas - Get Down

It's been slightly over a year since the Lakers defeated the Magic for the title...but before we take a trip down memory lane...it was merely a few weeks ago, when they did the impossible and repeated as champions.

Rivalry

Ron Artest, and Derek Fisher stepped up in the final two wins... nevertheless, Kobe Bryant received all the credit. However this was the best of one team in the Lakers, against the fire power of another...the rival Celtics. Anytime a best of 7-series goes the distance, the teams are evenly matched and it's the little things that go a long way. For example Kobe had a terrible shooting night in the finale, however he still managed to grab 15 rebounds...and Sasha Vujacic knocked down 2 critical free-throws down the stretch to help seal the victory.

Now that both teams have beaten one another for all the marbles in the last 2-years...it is safe to say that the heated rivalry from previous decades are back...which is a great thing for the fans and the overall popularity of the league.

What I didn't appreciate is how it seemed everyone cheered for the C's and they weren't even Boston fans. Much respect to my friend Ariana, who is legit and bleeds green...nevertheless, now that the season is over, it's time for the rookies to make a name for themselves, and for free agency to make everything topsy turvy.

It's July, and I can hardly wait for next season to begin.

The Villain

"You want me off the scene fast...but good things last..."

Nas - Hate Me Know

With a lithe build, and determination of 10 men...Reggie Miller gave me hope that I could one day grow to be just like him on the basketball court.

Heart

I was always the skinny kid on my team, and while that may not seem to matter...on top of that I had really BIG glasses to add fuel to the awkward fire. My mom didn't indulge in my heart's desire of Nike sneakers, and Ralph Lauren clothing...instead she made sure that my siblings and I had a good education, home cooked meals, a house to dwell in, and a bunch of other things 13-year old children take for granted.

There was one place where my clothes from the local thrift store and poor taste in footwear didn't matter, and that was on the playground where I learned the finer points of playing basketball. Once I became one of the better defensive players in my neighborhood...I took a cue from the very skinny, unorthodox guard of the Indiana Pacers, Reggie Miller, because it was in him that I found solace in being different. At the end of the day Miller, as quirky, and nerdy as he might have appeared...was an ambitious NBA All-Star that got respect, and if and when he did not get it...then the better he played, and the more he was feared.

I began to emulate Miller as best I could even growing my hair into a "pump" or "slope" just like him. I even understood why he loved playing on the road more than at home...because when my high school team was away from our friendly confines I used the crowd against themselves. I begged them to boo and jeer me, because it didn't take me long to make them regret that day. I wouldn't score many points, but it was when I scored...or stole that ball that made the difference. Oh yeah...I was a big trash talker...I would talk to the other team...opposing coaches...as well as the rabid fans...it made me work harder to silence them, and that was better than anyone cheering for me to succeed. My father was always very negative, so in a way...the harsh environment of road games enabled me to shine, just like my hero once upon a time.

Reggie Miller will forever be one of my all time favorite players, and every time I see him, I smile because he provided so much relief for me, all through the wondrous sport that he helped make so great.

Next week on Sunday, March 14, ESPN will continue their ESPN 30 for 30 movie series...and Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks is the one that I will watch with the fervor and joy of a scrawny,13-year old boy from the playground.

Street's Disciple

Preparation

Desire

"Pure euphoria...a dose of death to all of ya...coroner choruses sung from the 'Bridge to Astoria..."

Nas - Money Over B******t

The NBA season ended with the Lakers winning it all, outlasting the Magic in five games, and while the landscape of sports has shifted to the World Cup qualifiers, baseball, and Wimbledon...the Lake Show is back making headlines.

Thirst

Ron Artest has agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers...and while many teams around the league are making roster moves...the fact that Ron Ron has taken his talents to the City of Angeles for an NBA mid-level exception is bigger news than Shaq to Cleveland, or Hedo Turkoglu to Toronto.

The main factors in this deal are two-fold...let's start with the obvious...as the reigning champions, they are looking really good to repeat by adding the former league Defensive Player of the Year. This move complements Kobe Bryant, a defensive stopper in his own right, more than possibly we can understand. Artest is a basketball player with the heart of 10 men. The other interesting fact is that he's not playing for the money...this is about winning a title. He was on SportsCenter the other night, and he explained that, "I have money...I've made money...this is about winning..."

I'm never one to make predictions, however I'm already looking forward to October, so I can watch the World Series, and get ready for what is shaping up to be another great year in the NBA.

The Sandman

Admiration

Victorious

"Peep game from the brain of an all-star..."

Nas - Hold Down the Block

The Yankees played in prime time last night against their crosstown rival the Mets. Since the inception of inter league-play, the Subway series has been one of the crown jewels of the MLB.

Super Ego

The Yankees controlled the game for the most part of 8 innings, and once they took a lead into the latter parts of the contest, things dramatically shifted like something out a movie scene, to one of the best closers in the game...Mariano Rivera.

As the road team in a National League ball park, Rivera had to step in the batter's box, after having pitched successfully to finish out the 8th. Not only did he foul off a pitch from K-Rod, but he also walked with the bases loaded for his first career RBI.

Rivera earned save number 500, good enough for 2nd on the all-time saves list...and with the 4-2 win, the Bronx Bombers swept the weekend series earning bragging rights for another year.

Photos: REUTERS

Presidential Suite

Larry Miller and AG. in Philadelphia

NYC

"America surprise us, and let a black man guide us..."

Nas - Black President

I, like most young people wanted to grow up and play sports professionally. At a very early age I was so intrigued with competition, and sport that I often dreamed of becoming an All-Star in either basketball, futbol, or baseball.

Role Model

It was Sir Charles Barkley who once echoed that he wasn't a role model...now at the time, I disagreed with him because I was a child that looked up to him as a fan of the Philadelphia 76ers. However Barkley was correct, as he backed up that statement by saying that he was just a basketball player and that parents, and working professionals were the people we should look up to.

It all makes perfect sense now, as I never attained my dream of playing in the NBA, but I did land a job with the League office upon my graduation from Temple University. The rationale was that my skill set didn't live up to my ambitions, so I had to channel that love for basketball into a job.

Since then, my zeal for the game continues to propel my career path, as I have switched gears from working in public relations to becoming a journalist.

One of the persons that I look up to and have looked up to for quite sometime is Philadelphia native and Temple University alum, Larry Miller. I first met him when he worked for the Jordan Brand in New York City during a Jumpman promotional tour. What amazed me the most was that he is from the same neighborhood that I'm from, and he now serves as the President of the Portland Trail Blazers organization. His love of sports helped him to excel and grow into becoming an executive of an NBA franchise.

His name was in the news recently as he sent an email to all the NBA teams, warning them not to sign Darius Miles to spite his organization. It's a long story, but at the end of the day, he is just doing his job, and for that I will continue look up to him.

Bill Cosby, Will Smith, and Larry Miller have proven to me, that my environment does not and should not decide my future. If they can achieve, then I too can follow in their footsteps.

Photo: Webster Riddick

Week 17

Controlled anger

Carmichael and McNabb

High 5

Unity

Swoop

"It ain't hard to tell, I excel, then prevail..."

Nas - It Ain't Hard to Tell

The NFL is the best sport in these United States, as this season has turned out to be a memorable one. The Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins, are back in the playoffs, and the early Super Bowl favorite Dallas Cowboys were knocked out of contention by their rival Philadelphia Eagles, making the last week of the regular season a television ratings dream, just in time for the post season.

Birds of Prey

A few scenarios had to take place in order for the Philadelphia Eagles to make a return trip to the playoffs in an NFC Wild Card match against the Minnesota Vikings. First and foremost the 'birds needed losses from both Tampa Bay, and Chicago...and if that happened, the last task on the list, was to defeat the Dallas Cowboys in a winner takes all match in South Philly.

The game began at 4:15pm and at approximately 4:00pm the Bucs as well as the Bears were playing to a losing effort, setting the stage for the Eagles to play like there was no tomorrow. I arrived to the stadium by noon, and everything, from man to beast was electric in preparation for the game. And by no means was this just another match-up between division foes, it was another chapter in the historic clash of the titans, that has become Philadelphia versus Dallas.

Everything was on the line, from a playoff berth, to bragging rights, and the home team did everything right, after recovering from an early Brian Westbrook fumble in the 1st quarter. By the end of the 2nd quarter the press box noise level had risen from a quiet whisper to a full roar, turning us "unbiased" members of the media into full fledged fans.

At halftime I sat with my fellow writers and personalities, Hugh Douglas, Ike Reece, Michael Tillery, and Stephen A. Smith. We conversed on the game, and other topics, like why does the main stream media have such a love affair with Bret Farve? I like Farve, however...to quote Muddy Waters...Jet Farve is not "the greatest man alive", or quarterback either, nevertheless it was good to talk shop with the guys, and afterward I had opportunities to take in the press conferences with both teams.

The Eagles locker room was full of accomplishment, and focus, but when I ventured into the Cowboys side of the hallway, the first thing I heard was that Tony Romo collapsed in the shower and needed the attention of the trainers. I then headed over to Terrell Owens to catch up with him for a spell and to wish him a Happy New Year. I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, yet I was sincere because he and I developed a good friendship during his days as an Eagle. He seemed to take the Eagles 44-6 victory in stride, knowing that the media and fans couldn't blame this loss on him, even though they might try.

The following are questions and answers from both teams, and their press conferences:

QB Donovan McNabb

On reading his critics and the revival of his game this season:
“No. I’ve been kind of revived I guess. They’ve [critics] thrown me out, they ran over me, spit on me…but you know what…I just continue to prevail. I just continue to keep my chin high…stay positive, and just make sure that guys in this locker room understand that if given the opportunity…that we will take full advantage of it. Knowing that last week just wasn’t us, and if anything worked in our favor, with all these scenarios, that I would not let them down.”

On keeping his head up through all the adversity:
“You know what…I think it’s easier now, and I say that because I’ve been through those types of experiences for years. I think when you go through something for the first or second time; you don’t know how to handle it. But me being apart of something like that, and it happens, over, and over, and over again…the way that I continue to show that it never affects me, is by just going out and doing my job.”

On getting tired of hearing the negative talk:
“We’re human beings, you get tired of it, but you never let them see you sweat. And you never show that it bothers you because you kill them with kindness, and when you kill them with kindness and you go out and you do your job, people understand that it never really affects you.”

On the range of emotions prior to the game, with a chance at a playoff berth:
“You know what, I think of last week, and no matter what has happened we all have something to play for. And this week we play for pride and we play for each other. And we couldn’t control anything that happened in Tampa, we couldn’t control anything in Minnesota or the Houston/Chicago game…what we could control is what happened out there today, and you saw a team that was resilient, you saw a team that played with a lot of emotion…and once we got word that there was an opportunity, that the door was open, this team played with a lot of passion. Still knowing that we had our pride on the line, to come out here and defend what happened last week, and with this opportunity that was granted to us…to make sure we take full advantage of it.”

On his career and accolades:

“You know what…you never get enough credit until you’re gone, and I’m not looking for any credit right now, I’m just looking for this team…all 52 guys in this locker room to be ready to roll for next week, and if we continue to win, a positive outlook will be looked upon.”

On the 59-yard play by RB Correll Buckhalter:
“They did a good job of covering up the left running lanes, I was able to bide time. Buck did an excellent of job of just staying on the move, and I was able to get it over one of the defensive tackles arm, and Buck did an excellent job of just finishing the play. You just want to give guys an opportunity to make plays for you, and Buck did a wonderful job picking yards after the catch.”

On facing Minnesota Head Coach Brad Childress:
“Brad is a good friend of mine…we talk occasionally, you know I also have my offensive coordinator and quarterback coach from college over there as well [Kevin Rogers], so we talk. I’m really happy for Brad…everyone pretty much counted them out in the beginning when he pretty much benched Tavarus and went with Gus, and they were able to rally behind Gus…all of a sudden now Tavarus is back at the starter, and they’re rallying behind Tavarus, and you are seeing a team that has truly bought into Brad’s philosophy and they seem to be playing well, with a lot of intensity…knowing what was on the line they still played well, so I’m happy for him. Now with that said, come Saturday or Sunday when we play…we’re enemies.”

RB Brian Westbrook

On keeping the faith after last week’s loss:
“I think everybody, their goal was to go out and win this football game. Not worry about what would happen in Tampa Bay and not worry what would happen in Chicago, but to go out there and win this football game and we did that and strange things happen in the NFL.”

On how special the experience was today:
“It was very special. It’s special that all those other things happened, but for us to go out there and put a defensive show on like we did. Offensively, we did very well but our defense ran the show today and I don’t know how many points they scored, either 14 or 21, but they did a great job.”

On whether he can put his finger on the one thing that opened Pandora’s Box today:
“I just think that the defense was getting turnovers. Correll Buckhalter came in there and lit it up, in the running game as well as the passing game. You know, our guys wanted it more than they wanted it and that was the biggest difference.”

On when he knew the Eagles’ destiny was in their own hands:
“I think right before the game one of the assistants came up to me and let us know that both the teams had lost that we needed to lose and now it was up to us and we went out there and handled our business.”

CB Sheldon Brown

On whether the team feels renewed with the new life they have entering the playoffs:
“The postseason is a new and full season in itself. You have the preseason, regular season, and then the postseason. Anything goes once you get into the postseason. We have a great opportunity ahead of us. There are still things we need to work on, I know that. But this has been a magical season with everything that has happened.”

On FS Brian Dawkins’ leadership:
“There may be some ‘nay-sayers’ and people who don’t think he deserves this award but he’s been doing this his whole career. Not a better time, against a better team, in a better place.”

On the team’s thoughts towards the Minnesota Vikings:
“Brad Childress, we’re coming to town.”

On the defense’s ability to get turnovers tonight:
“I haven’t seen a season like this; turnovers or anything. This game is one of those rivalries where you think it’s going to be a close game at the end, but for it to go in the manner it did. Just the season alone. I guess a tie is better than a loss after all.”

DE Darren Howard

On the defense’s ability to get pressure on QB Tony Romo:
“It’s a lot easier when you stop the run and put up a lot of points like that, that’s our kind of defense. We stopped the run early, then you get a team into a third and long, or second and long situation, you just pin your ears back and go. And that was pretty much the game plan, was the second half so if we get anything like that, we have a good chance to everything we did today.”

On DE Chris Clemens’ fumble recovery for a touchdown:
“I wasn’t watching him, I was running in front of him and then I went straight to the oxygen tank after that.”

On FS Brian Dawkins’ emotional leadership:
“Dawkins is just a constant in this locker room. Whether it’s a preseason game, or a huge game like this, he’s always pumped up and he’s always trying to get everyone motivated. It was no different tonight. He goes out there and he says what’s on his mind and he expects everybody on this team to give what he has given.

Head Coach Andy Reid

On injuries sustained during the game:
“[DE Chris] Clemons and [FS Brian] Dawkins cramped and came in [the locker room] for an IV.”

On the victory:
“I thought the fans were awesome. What a great job they did of keeping the noise level up for [Dallas QB] Tony [Romo] and the Cowboys. I thought turnovers obviously were big. I’d also like to thank the Oakland Raiders and the Houston Texans. They both did a heck of a job today. I’m very proud of our guys. They very easily could have lost the faith and not prepared themselves right for today. Right from the get-go, it was all about the Cowboys. They weren’t worried about anything that would happen or any of the scenarios today. I’m proud of them, because that’s the only way you can to that. It’s very hard to do, and they did it. I’m not exactly sure what day we’re playing next week, but it looks like we’re playing Minnesota. We’ll worry about that after we enjoy this win here tonight.”

On whether this win offers him any personal vindication:
“This is the NFL. I’m proud of the guys, but we’re not done yet. We got to the doorstep, but now we have to climb up the steps and get in.”

On when he learned the Eagles controlled their own playoff destiny due to the losses by Tampa Bay and Chicago:
“When we went out onto the field.”

On whether he watched any of the other three games which impacted the Eagles playoff chances:
“I didn’t watch a single snap. Those things rip your heart out when you’re watching them. I let other people tell me, and I figured the fans would let us know once we got out there.”

On the play of quarterback Donovan McNabb:
“I thought he did a great job of managing the football game all the way around – preparing himself during the week and showing the rest of the players how to do the thing the right way. I thought the leadership of him and Dawk [S Brian Dawkins] was invaluable for this week.”

On his elation with the outcomes considering where the Eagles stood at the beginning of the day:
“I’m enjoying this moment right now. You couldn’t have drawn it up any better than it happened today. It came right down to December 28. It was awesome to see Lincoln Financial Field electric like that. It’s what this league is all about.”

Head Coach Wade Phillips

On his thoughts regarding the game:
“There’s not much I can say about this one. It was a disaster from the opening kickoff, from kicking the ball out of bounds, to two 80 or 90-yard plays to start off the second half when we had a chance to get it back to 21-17 or something like that. We had everything to play for. I think that the turnovers that haunted us all season ended up really hurting us in terms of not getting enough turnovers on defense and giving up too many offensively. We got by with it a lot of the year and won a lot of games, but we were minus 1 or 2 in the turnover ratio and that ended up getting us. It obviously wasn’t penalties, it was turnovers.”

On whether the Eagles got more of an emotional lift from knowing they could reach the playoffs with a win:
“Well obviously we didn’t play well enough. They played well and I expected them to play well, but I expected them to play like that no matter what. Obviously, I expected us to play better.”

On his perspective of the entire season:
“It’s hard right now. We had everything riding on this and we didn’t step up to the plate. It’s hard to look at the whole season right now.”

On not making the playoffs:
“Well, I mean that’s where we are right now. There wasn’t a player or coach in there that thought we weren’t going to win that game, but we didn’t.”

On why the team didn’t step it up when they were only one game away from making the playoffs:
“If I had an answer, we wouldn’t have done that. We started out kicking the ball out of bounds on the first kickoff and it hurt us position wise. The 10 points to start the half were big and those two turnovers really put us out of reach. And then of course the two touchdowns in the first two series of the second half where we got down inside the 20 yard line both times. I can’t explain those.”

On whether the turnovers were due to QB Tony Romo being careless:
“Well, they made the plays and we didn’t. We didn’t make their quarterback do those things, so I think it was both parties.”

On what he told the team after the game:
“There’s not much you can say after a game like this. The season’s over obviously. We will meet tomorrow, but it’s an utter disappointment. That’s all you can think about right now.”

Dallas Owner Jerry Jones

On what he will be looking for offensively next season:
“I am looking to have the same offensive coordinators and I will be looking for some continuity. I will be looking for the best ways for us to address what we want to do to win games. I think there are some things that we will need to do better and I have had to look at this many times in my life. I have been saying for weeks that I really think that we will not be changing our coaching.”

On what needs to change to have his coaches win big games:
“I think we will look at [QB Tony] Romo and have another year that I hope he can make us better. I think it will help in a big way. I would like to see some more continuity on offense and the quarterback position is such an important position.”

On whether he was embarrassed with such a loss:
“I am about every way you can to explain about feeling embarrassed. We did not play to what my expectations were this season. We did not score a touchdown and I really think that that is telling in itself. We ended up with five turnovers in the game and that is not a good thing. We were not effective at scoring in this game at all. I think that [QB Donovan] McNabb was McNabb in that he played really well. I think offensively the Eagles really made some big plays.”

On what he likes about Wade Phillips as a coach:
“I really like the experience that he brings to us. I like that he is willing to really develop players and the things that he sees. He is really flexible and he is great and having players to adjust to his schemes. A lot of coaches talk that they will do that but not do it and he does.”

TE Jason Witten

On his feelings about the game:
“The Eagles played a lot better than us obviously. It is just really hard to see your season go down the way that it has. All the expectations of this year and unfortunately things did not go our way. It is just disappointing.”

On where they go from here:
“That is going to be the hard part because we did not make the playoffs and it is going to be a long off season. The next season will not be able to get here quick enough for a lot of us. We have a lot to evaluate and we just need to get better.”

On what happened with the offense this month:
“I think over the last month we played some of the best defenses in the league. We just did not execute the way that we should of. The great thing though about this team is that we have a lot of play makers on this team still. We still have a great offensive line and on offense when things got tough we always seemed to make the big plays.”

On whether he thinks team chemistry will be given a lot of the blame:
“I think this team is fine. We had a couple of things come up this season but I do not think anything was bad enough to affect the team. I was the middle of things but it got blown way out of proportion. It all comes down to making plays and executing.”

And that's the way it was...Philadelphia 44, Dallas 6.

New York State of Mind

Anomaly

Defense first

"Young, early 80's throwing rocks at the crazy lady..."

Nas - Street Dreams

When I first heard of Lamar Odom, I was very impressed at what I had read. So when I saw the left handed, 6'10" point guard, from South Side Jamaica, Queens...my greatest fear had come to fruition. The stage was set, as my Temple University Owls played against the Rams of Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10 Championship game. Much to Coach Chaney's dismay the game's balance was the hands of Odom with a few seconds left on the game clock. To make my story of agony brief, he put up a shot from the arc that not only ended Temple's championship run...it also beat the buzzer, and the rest is history. 

When it was a game

The aftermath of that 3-point shot, resulted in Lamar entering the NBA draft that summer, and becoming the 4th overall pick for the Los Angeles Clippers. It no secret that as a native of Philadelphia I was raised a fan of the 76ers. However, because of where I grew up, I met Sharia Bryant older sister of Kobe, and because of that fact, I cheer for the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Having explained that...as a journalist, I attend as many Laker games as I can when they travel east. Last Wednesday, they were in Philly, and I spoke with Odom, and Stephen A. Smith about New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress. After our conversation, I decided that I would interview Lamar before the next game against the Washington Wizards.

I drove to DC with my fellow writers Jeff Young, and Michael Tillery. Jeff and I, after walking over to the visitor's locker room, spoke with Derek Fisher first, and then Lamar Odom.

Here is the score on my chat with the man they call LO:

Talk to me about your role on this team:

"I just bring my energy off the bench. My role is to fill any position that we need...ball handling, rebounding, I come off the bench...score a couple of buckets, and try to get people involved. Basically it's my job to play basketball the right way every night."

On the possibility of a starting role:

"That's not really my focus. My focus is to...my job is to basically do what I'm asked, you know what I'm saying...and I just leave it at that, and put my head in the right place mentally, so whatever they ask of me, I can fulfill that. Whether it's coming off the bench or starting...at the end of the day it's basketball. You know what I'm saying, when you come off the bench of course you don't get to play as much, but you never know. Injuries, streaks...as far as people playing good or bad, you know it's a long season...minutes, whatever may be, I just try to stay prepared. You know keep my mind, and my body prepared so when the time does come, I can play my role, do what I do."

Talk about the college game when you were in school and what it is now:

"There was a transition in the college game in the early 90's until now. The transition was that guys started to leave a lot earlier. You know when I was coming up, watching the [NBA] draft... '92 draft, '93...even the guys like Big Dog, Grant Hill, stayed like 3-years. Now guys...the guys that are really good, are going like basically 1 [year] and done. So you see a lot of teams dominating, like all the way through the season, like you can pick who is going to be in the Final Four, and Sweet 16 a lot easier, because the teams that are able to keep players there, and keep really good players there of course, are going to be good. When I say keep them there I just mean, you're a veteran right now if you're a junior in college. I think when [Kevin] Garnett went to the league, and the whole AAU situation, and the high school age limit, all that kind of changed college in general. But I think the college game is a necessity for a lot of the kids to come to the NBA, not for basketball, but for the off the court prep that it gives you. I spent two years in college, and played 1, and I miss it to this day. It's nothing like it...there are people that I know...I bump into journalist, to lawyers...it was probably the most incredible time I've had in my life. You got to do what you love on a national stage, but yet the off court scene still had an innocence to it. This is business, you know what I'm saying...even though we love to do it, but a lot of what we do is based upon economics and politics...like any other job."

You were highly touted as a high school student, what are your thoughts in looking back?

"I've been playing basketball against Ron Artest...I'm only 28, 29-years old...I've been playing basketball against Ron Artest and Elton Brand for like 15-years. You know what I'm saying...more than that really, since like 12, or 13-years old. So to grow up with dudes like that and to get to this level and still play against them...and still be with them...for the whole borough of Queens that's special. I went to Christ the King with Chamique [Holdsclaw] and Sue Bird, and that New York City basketball tradition...I'm trying to hold it down."

Photo: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images - NBA