During the end of the game Tuesday in Chicago, as the Bulls were putting the finishing touches on their 14th win in their past 16 games, the sold-out crowd of 21,000 plus in Chicago started to cheer for little-used Brian Scalabrine.
Now this is nothing new as the folks in Boston, where Scalabrine played for five seasons, cheered for the redhead from USC regularly when the Celts had opponents down for the count. But as the rhythmic chant of Scal-a-brine clap, clap, clap-clap-clap, went through the United Centre, it brought to mind just how hard it is to be an NBA player who is not a star, yet stay in the league.
Sure “Scal” has turned into a bit of a cult figure and it’s all in good fun, but folks should remember that you don’t become an NBA veteran of nine years without being able to play a little bit. While he is made out to be some kind of YMCA beer-league-pick-up-playing-dude, he’s not, and it’s no accident that he had been around for this long. Scalabrine has had four trips to the Finals and owns one championship ring. He was a starter for the Nets at times in their back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003 and continues to find himself on good teams.
Why? Because from what I can see, he is a good teammate and has some talent.
What people don’t realize, and that goes for many of the ones cheering for him to do his impersonation of a human victory cigar at the end of game when he checks in, is that he works extremely hard. I was at the United Centre about two-and-a-half hours before the game and, just as he did in Boston, when he was rarely playing, he was on the floor working on his game. Much of it consisted of one-on-one with some of the younger players and it was very competitive and some of the young guys were picking up moves after Scalabrine schooled them.
Remember, there are only 450 NBA roster spots and you have a better chance of working at NASA than making the NBA.
I haven’t asked Scalabrine, so I don’t know if the almost mocking-type cheers bother him. My guess is they don’t because he’s seems to be such an easy-going guy and a great quote.
But when it’s all said and done, Scalabrine has one of those precious jobs.
For people that think it’s a joke, have some fun, but exercise some perspective because a roster spot, particularly some of the last ones on a team, are hard to get and maintain.
***
Well it hasn’t turned into Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittendon yet, and lets hope it doesn’t go that far, but how about the little dust up on the Memphis Grizzlies charter between Tony Allen and O.J. Mayo. Back in the day during the war years, I’m told that there were two things that soldiers were not allowed to discuss. The subjects were religion and politics because there could never be a consensus reached and it was extremely difficult to simply disagree in an agreeable way and why risk dividing people who desperately needed to work together literally in life and death situations.
So because of that, don’t even go there.
At times, I’m beginning to wonder about the merits of “friendly” card games as well. Reports say it was the same game that led to the issues in Washington between Arenas and Crittendon. And just think, these are just the ones we hear about, and it makes you wonder what is being covered up.
***
Now it’s not the same as the confrontation on the Memphis airplane but Ron Artest and Phil Jackson did get into it at practice on Monday. This is nothing new for Jackson as he feels, if you have read any of his books, practice is where a team, particularly players and coaches need to work things out and if voices get raised and feelings get hurt, then so be it.
Jackson and I totally agree here because people in our business make too much of these things. It’s the old sports psychology mantra of “forming, storming, norming and performing,” regarding team dynamics.
But it’s still interesting to know it actually does happen.
***
It will be interesting to see what moves the Dallas Mavericks make with Caron Butler possibly out for the season. There are only a select few names being tossed around as a possible replacement because the chemistry right now in “Big D” is pretty good.
***
Speaking of Mark Cuban and the Mavericks, one thing you can say about him is he’s never afraid to speak his mind. Cuban apparently didn’t appreciate Lakers Coach Phil Jackson’s comments on his team’s business after the extent of Butler’s injury became public.