Cities and their Teams

Seattlesun · Post #21 » by **Seattlesun** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:06 am

good story impulse. i'd like to tell the story about how i played 9 holes at maryvale golf course with gar heard and rode out a monsoon lightning storm with him in his golf court but it pales in comparison

btw - i was in jr high and he had long since been retired.

bjebaz · Post #22 » by **bjebaz** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:45 am

Regarding the OP, there's so many reasons to like the Suns, especially if you grew up in Phx. First off, they were the only pro sports team in the Valley for so long, that pretty much everyone who watches sports likes the Suns. Having great point guards and fast breaking teams definitely is a factor; I shaped my own game after KJ's. Also, I've had a substansial amount of run-ins with players that occurred mostly because I grew up in Phx. Like I've heard stories from my great uncle about coaching the Van Arsdales in high school, talked to Westphal whenever his son played at Chapparal with my cousin, was coached by Chambers at a basketball camp (wow can he shoot), ran the clock at an AAU tournament where Chapman was coaching a team, talked to KJ in the parking lot of this high school basketball tournament, was picked up by one hand by Antonio Lang at a library (at the age of 6), talked to Voskuhl at a speaking event. That's probably less than half the run-ins I've had, which is probably 10% of the run-ins my dad had since he was friends with the Suns' ballboy decades ago.

Suffice it to say, it doesn't matter who the owners/GM's/current players are, the connection I have with former players/moments in Suns' history will always make me a fan of the team. It's more like being an alum of a college for me, if college lasted 18 years.

Seattlesun · Post #23 » by **Seattlesun** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:54 am

^^ Good stuff.

I once applied to become a ball boy and got far enough along in the process to get invited down to the Suns offices for an official interview. I thought I was in. But when the interviewer asked me if I had any other extracuricular activities going, I admitted to being on the ghetto football team at Desert Sands Jr High. THAT was my mistake, I should have said "No, I have nothing else going on at all and would devote every ounce of my being to my Suns ballboy dutiess"

ahh, the ignorance of youth...

impulsenine · Post #24 » by **impulsenine** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:47 am

They do seem to make an effort to be part of the community, especially through charity appearances.

When Shaq took that ride in the compact car, I knew he was a good fit personality-wise.

Biff · Post #25 » by **Biff** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:27 am

Good story! Can't say I agree with your assessment of an all guys school not being that bad. Damn that would have been terrible.

impulsenine · Post #26 » by **impulsenine** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:54 am

Biff wrote:Good story! Can't say I agree with your assessment of an all guys school not being that bad. Damn that would have been terrible.

No girls in class. Plenty, in short plaid skirts, after class. We also had their cheerleaders, had a few mixed classes, and in particular I enjoyed working with them (heh) in tech theater.

Not having to worry about embarrassing yourself in class in front of girls is friggin' great when you're 15.