OT: Calling All For Destination Phoenix 2009

[-SDU-]

hey dave, good to see you made it here man, welcome aboard!

If i remember correctly, Tastic is staying in the US (not flying home with us) so he may be there when you are

not sure if he will be in phoenix though

When we get back, if you need any advice for your trip, just ask

[TASTIC]

Correct sir. I'm going to stay another month and do a trek or tour or something, might catch the odd game here and there.

Then I'm off to Ottawa to see family, then work there for a year

might catch mkot in Canada...or is it China? I forget

[daveang]

hey dave, good to see you made it here man, welcome aboard!

If i remember correctly, Tastic is staying in the US (not flying home with us) so he may be there when you are

not sure if he will be in phoenix though

When we get back, if you need any advice for your trip, just ask

Sounds good SDU - Yeah I thought considering you signed up on our messageboards that I'd do the same here - there definately is a nice contingent of Suns fans here!! We need some of you to boost the Suns prescence on TheSportsStuff.com's message boards!

At this stage for myself, it's all about the money - weighing it up etc, and I most certainly will ask you if I need some advice for planning for a trip!

[Cash]

Before I weigh in on the weather issue, you should know where I'm coming from. I was born & raised in Rochester, NY, the 3rd snowiest city in the world (Buffalo is #1 and Syracuse is #2). I lived there until I was 24 and there's no real public transport, so I'm accustomed to driving in the snow. I actually drove from Cincinnati to Rochester in a blizzard, and from Potsdam, NY to Rochester right after an ice storm (both in my '91 Honda Civic - nice!), so I'm somewhat qualified on this subject. But I also have no perspective as to what driving in winter is like for warm-weather people.

Anyway, given the tight schedule you guys are on, my personal worry would be more about a flight getting canceled or delayed than driving. I have no idea how they do things in Canada, but in the Snow Belt (Buffalo/Rochester/Syracuse), it takes 2-3 feet of snow to close major roads. They do a very good job of salting the roads beforehand, and plowing them during and after snowfalls. In your case, you'll be driving along the NYS Thruway (I-90) the entire time, which is one of the best roads you could be on in terms of road conditions. It's one of the straightest highways in the country, it's very well maintained (YOUR TOLLS AT WORK!), there are tons of plows and salt trucks (and people to drive them, and money to hire those people) in the area, etc. Still, if there's bad weather, it'll definitely lengthen the drive significantly. And by "bad weather," I mean either a foot+ of snow falling during the drive, an ice storm/freezing rain, or 3+ feet of snow the day before the drive. Or something to that effect, anyway.

Once you get to Massachusetts, you'll find a lot fewer plows and salt trucks, but the risk of running into rough weather also becomes much lower. I think the risk in Toronto is fairly low as far as snow is concerned, but ice may be an issue.

All in all, you guys will decide how comfortable you are driving in potentially rough weather. If you're fairly experienced, I'd recommend driving. Obviously, there's still a risk (if the weather's really bad, there might be only 1 lane plowed, and if you get stuck behind someone who's too paranoid to go above 25mph, but not cautious enough to get off the roads until things die down, then you're screwed), but for me personally, I'd rather take my chances with the roads and the other drivers than take my chances with the airlines.

[BitonKOBE]

eat at ms white's golden rule cafe. used to be that a lot of suns players ate there (marion, barkley..) but im not sure anymore.

go to the heard museum. one of the best american indian museums in the country.

the phoenix zoo is the largest privately-funded zoo in the country. visit it and the botanical gardens if you get the chance and the weather is nice (which it probably will be).

go to old town scottsdale or mill ave in tempe if you want to bar hop w pretty girls at night. otherwise, great dive bars abound in phx. majerle's has good food. stoudemire's sucks imo.

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

Thanks for the insight guys, keep 'em coming.

Hey Cash, say you get stuck behind said car doing 25mph on one lane, don't they usually pull over and let you pass? If not I feel some high beam flashing is in order.

[Cash]

^^^^No, because they're too terrified to stop, in case they can't get going again. Some people are just crazy when there's snow on the ground. I've seen people (during snowstorms) driving in the middle of a two-lane highway. Their rationale (yes, I met one of these idiots once) being that they need as much space on either side to recover from a potential skid, so it's okay to just take up both lanes.

Crazy or terrified people like these aren't very common, but as you can probably tell, I find them very frustrating when I run into them.

[TASTIC]

So...who's up for the pickup game in Phoenix (you guys will have to find a gym/let us know a good spot where we won't have to throw down to get a court )

Will be sometime in between Jan 28 and Feb 3

TASTIC
SDU
NF33IH
nevetsov
Rodrizzle/KPCB

vs

?
?
?
?
?

Think I'm the shortest at 5'11...no ring-ins either!!

BRING IT

[nevetsov]

What position does Simmo play? And Drizzle for that matter?

[walkingart]

If I am still living in PHX, I am in for sure.

So, are you trying to scare us with the I am the shortest guy at 5'11" talk or what. I went and played last week for the first time in three years, a torn ACL and two torn rotator cuffs has kept me away from playing for far too long.

I am only 6'1" and my feet barely leave the ground, but last time I checked with NBA range it is a little easier to get your shot off. And have you ever played with the old dude, who has no mobility left, so he just beats the crap out of you the entire time you are within arms reach. Then again, the strongest part of my game is running my mouth.

[TASTIC]

We have the power of Australasian slang...we'll give you grief and you won't even know about it...muhahahaha

[-SDU-]

What position does Simmo play? And Drizzle for that matter?

rizzle thinks hes a PG but hes more of a SG. i would say he has similar game to a sprewell type

KPCB is a SG/SF and even a PF in the right situation but is a good shooter so better on the perimeter

perhaps a tim thomas style of game with more speed though?

[-SDU-]

If I am still living in PHX, I am in for sure.

So, are you trying to scare us with the I am the shortest guy at 5'11" talk or what. I went and played last week for the first time in three years, a torn ACL and two torn rotator cuffs has kept me away from playing for far too long.

I am only 6'1" and my feet barely leave the ground, but last time I checked with NBA range it is a little easier to get your shot off. And have you ever played with the old dude, who has no mobility left, so he just beats the crap out of you the entire time you are within arms reach. Then again, the strongest part of my game is running my mouth.

im about to have shoulder recon number 2

as for the part in bold, thats ME, except ive got longer arms than you so youll be in reach more often I lost all talent after my first shoulder surgery and ive been getting dirtier ever since haha

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

What position does Simmo play? And Drizzle for that matter?

Drizzle. It will be awesome if he makes it to AZ. What better way to play potentially my last game than with a few really good mates and you weirdo's. But let's hope it isn't.

I'm gonna buy some kicks while I'm over there so I will be looking to get some when in AZ. Hopefully what ever GH is wearing at the time.

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

Forgot to mention. My wife works with a chick that used to live in Boston and she pretty much reiterated what Cash said in regards to driving that first leg. She said that it would take very bad weather for us not being able to drive.

[walkingart]

[
im about to have shoulder recon number 2

as for the part in bold, thats ME, except ive got longer arms than you so youll be in reach more often I lost all talent after my first shoulder surgery and ive been getting dirtier ever since haha

Yeah, I am not reconstructing anything. My left one is completely gone, and my right one is only partially torn. Need to have them scoped sometime in the next few years just to get rid of the scar tissue. I can't bench press like I used to, but that is okay with me, I am not trying to set any records.

Its my knee that really put me into a downward spiral. I have torn it twice and don't have the patience to reconstruct it again. Besides, everyone I know that has had multiple ACL reconstructions still have a lot of problems with their knee.

I can hobble around old man style on the basketball court, as long as I can snowboard and surf.

I used to hate guys who compensated for their lack of athleticism by playing dirty, and now I am one of them.

[nevetsov]

What a pack of whingers, looks like i'm going to have to carry you guys on the court.. that's ok, i'm sure i'll be used to carrying you guys by then

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

Hey achilles, you ever heard of giving someone a false sense of security?

[TASTIC]

Someone bring a cricket bat

I wouldn't mind some baseball or soccer

[Rodrizzle]

Its sure going to be an interesting trip being with a whole bunch of Suns supporters. I wouldnt worry about the weather. Toronto gets crapped on big time snow wise here and everyone still drives. Out in the middle of nowhere it might be a little slow going if they havent ploughed the roads but thats what Homer simpson is for.

Call Mr Plow thats my name, that name again is Mr Plow