SEPTEMBER 2004
AS FAR AS I KNOW, KENNY ANDERSON IS THE NICEST GUY IN THE WORLD.
HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG AND YET THE GODS SEEM TO HAVE CONSPIRED AGAINST THIS FINE PERSON.
FATE PUT KENNY ON THE SAME PLANE AS I - NOW, HIS LIFE FROM AGE 16 TO 17 IS BEING CHRONICLED ON THIS WEBSITE - NOT IN A BAD WAY - NOT IN A NEGATIVE WAY, BUT STILL, WHEN WE CROSSED PATHS AT AN AIRPORT, TWO DAYS AGO; HE DID NOT IMAGINE THAT TALES OF HIS YOUTHFUL EXPLOITS WOULD FILL THIS REMOTE CORNER OF THE INTERNET.
KENNY, ALL I CAN SAY IS, NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED - AND OUR LITTLE VIGNETTES ARE ONLY A REFLECTION OF OUR ADMIRATION FOR YOU AS BOTH AN ATHLETE AND A PERSON OF GREAT WORTH. **********************************************************
KENNY ANDERSON NBA STAR AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, NYC BISHOP MOLLOY H.S. STAR, WAS ON MY LOS ANGELES BOUND FLIGHT THIS WEEK. AS I RECALL, HE WAS IN ECONOMY COACH AND I WAS IN FIRST CLASS, BUT MAYBE I HAVE THAT BACKWARDS; ANYWAY, I GAVE HIM A NOTE ABOUT HIS BEING IN MY LOGIC CLASS AT NIKE CAMP, AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, BACK IN THE DAY.
I RECALLED MY CLOSING TALK TO THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY, IN THE AUDITORIUM, WHERE I MENTIONED HIM, BOBBBY HURLEY AND LUTHER WRIGHT AND SAID, DON'T LET THE ADULTS AND MEDIA KEEP YOU FROM ENJOYING YOUR TEENAGE YEARS - PLAY AND HAVE FUN - DON'T LET THE FOLKS MAKE IT A JOB, WHILE YOU ARE STILL YOUNG KIDS IN SCHOOL.
*****************************
TIME FLIES -NOW HE IS A RESPECTED SENIOR PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE - BACK THEN, HE WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
***********
KENNY WAS IN GREAT SHAPE AND HAS A DIAMOND EARRING THAT IS WORTH ABOUT AS MUCH AS MY TOTAL PENSION INCOME, IF I LIVE TO COLLECT IT FOR ABOUT 200 YEARS.
****************************
AS WE WERE PREPARING TO FIND GROUND TRANSPORTATION, KENNY CAME OVER TO ME AT THE BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA AND SHOOK MY HAND.
************************************
ARNOLD A. HOOK - WHO HAS A FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC WROTE -->>
Gaff: I am sure there are many players in the NBA that you've touched with your wisdom; but I am equally sure, Kenny will remember this particular moment at the airport, you both shared. No doubt, he probably mentioned bumping into you and your comments to some of his friends and former teamates. You have touched many.
*****************
AAH - WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST ACCEPT MY FIRST STORY AND LET IT GO AT THAT --NOW I HAVE TO GIVE THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE AIRPORT. ACTUALLY, KENNY WALKED OVER AND SAID, "HEY, OLD TIMER, I CAN SEE YOU ARE DOWN ON YOUR LUCK. HERE IS FIVE DOLLARS - GO BUY YOURSELF A 40 OUNCE MALT LIQUOR AND STOP BOTHERING PEOPLE HERE AT THE BAGGAGE CLAIM."
HIS FRIEND ASKED WHO I WAS AND KENNY SAID, "SOME OLD CRACKHEAD, TRYING TO STEAL BAGS OFF THE CAROUSEL, I GUESS."
I WAS GOING TO SLAP HIM, BUT I WAS HAPPY TO GET THE FIVE DOLLARS AND THEY DID SELL 40 OUNCE BOTTLES IN THE TERMINAL, SO I LET IT GO -- NOW, IF IT HAD BEEN MUGGSY OR SPUD WEBB, I WOULD HAVE JUMPED ALL OVER HIM, BUT KENNY IS BIG AND CUT AND I AM A LITTLE OUT OF SHAPE, BY THREE OR FOUR POUNDS, FROM MY GLORY DAYS ( 1963 - 1964 ).
ACTUALLY, KENNY WILL NEVER KNOW THIS, BUT I HAVE FOUND A WHOLE NEW CALLING. YOU CAN MAKE GOOD MONEY BOTHERING FOLKS AT THE AIRPORT - I GOT $47 YESTERDAY AND THEN I TOOK A LIQUID LUNCH BREAK AND FORGOT WHY I WAS AT THE AIRPORT IN THE FIRST PLACE. I PLAN TO GO BACK AND MAKE SOME MORE MONEY, IF THOSE SAME COPS ARE NOT ON DUTY.
NOW, NONE OF THIS HAD TO COME OUT IF YOU WOULD HAVE JUST TAKEN MY FIRST ACCOUNT AND NOT RAISED OTHER ISSUES. THE FIRST VERSION WAS SO MUCH BETTER FOR MY IMAGE.
************************************
RANDY JAMES WRITES HIS OWN KENNY SAGA -->> Bishop Molloy High is only a few miles from Francis Lewis High. Still, I was surprised to see Kenny walking the halls of Francis Lewis. during one of my hall patrols as dean.
I assumed that he was visiting one of my players, but on his 3rd visit in 8 days, I asked him what caused him to visit Lewis.
It turned out that he was romantically involved with one of the prettiest girls at Francis Lewis, SERENA BERRY BANKS ( AS WE WILL CALL HER ) and whenever he didn't have practice or too much homework, he came up to see her.
In Kenny's junior year in H.S., I had the good fortune to be co-head coach of the Queens Wheelchair Classic All-Star Team. Nowadays, they raise money for wheelchair patients by having pros play at Madison Square Garden. Years ago, they took the top private and public school players in the New York Metropolitan area and had them play round robin games (Bklyn- Bronx-Queens-Manhattan) at a local College to raise funds.
Even though the game was primarily for seniors, Kenny's game and reputation was such, that he was allowed to play for the Queens team as a junior.
Queens reached the championship game against the Bronx, which was led by senior Malik Sealy. The game was played at Columbia University.
Anyway, we are down by 5 points with 20 seconds to go. Kenny scores on a lay-up and then turns to go up court. The Bronx has the ball to inbound under our basket. As the Bronx player in bounds the ball, Kenny doubles back, steals the pass and scores. Now we are down by 1. The Bronx calls time out. When they return (4 seconds left), they put one kid in each corner. As the inbounder turns Kenny fakes towards one corner, taking a 1/2 step in that direction. The inbounder turns and throws the ball in the other direction, WHERE KENNY STEALS IT AGAIN AND SHOOTS IN THE SAME MOTION.
He scored six points in 20 seconds, with no help from anyone, and we win the championship by 1 point.
I told SERENA BERRY BANKS, that I had never seen anything like it in my (then) 18 years in basketball.I told her that Kenny was Crazy about her and that she should hold on to him BECAUSE ONE DAY HE WOULD BE A MILLIONAIRE!!!!
Her Reply --> "Mr. James, I really like Kenny a lot and he treats me real nice and he is a gentleman, but he is always playing basketball and hardly has time to take me out. Even in the summer, he goes to these sports camps! Other guys ask me out to the movies and to parties, while Kenny is always playing ball."
Despite my constant comments to her, she eventually drifted apart from Kenny.
He was heart broken.
However, I was right about the economics, he did become a millionaire.
And SERENA BERRY BANKS ... ..She married a nice fellow and hopefully, she is happy.
I ran into Kenny a few years ago at the Garden when he was playing for the Celtics and he smiled and said that, even after being married twice, SERENA BERRY BANKS remained a fond part of his teenage years.
C'est la vie!
AS FAR AS I KNOW, KENNY ANDERSON IS THE NICEST GUY IN THE WORLD.
HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG AND YET THE GODS SEEM TO HAVE CONSPIRED AGAINST THIS FINE PERSON.
FATE PUT KENNY ON THE SAME PLANE AS I - NOW, HIS LIFE FROM AGE 16 TO 17 IS BEING CHRONICLED ON THIS WEBSITE - NOT IN A BAD WAY - NOT IN A NEGATIVE WAY, BUT STILL, WHEN WE CROSSED PATHS AT AN AIRPORT, TWO DAYS AGO; HE DID NOT IMAGINE THAT TALES OF HIS YOUTHFUL EXPLOITS WOULD FILL THIS REMOTE CORNER OF THE INTERNET.
KENNY, ALL I CAN SAY IS, NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED - AND OUR LITTLE VIGNETTES ARE ONLY A REFLECTION OF OUR ADMIRATION FOR YOU AS BOTH AN ATHLETE AND A PERSON OF GREAT WORTH. **********************************************************
KENNY ANDERSON NBA STAR AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, NYC BISHOP MOLLOY H.S. STAR, WAS ON MY LOS ANGELES BOUND FLIGHT THIS WEEK. AS I RECALL, HE WAS IN ECONOMY COACH AND I WAS IN FIRST CLASS, BUT MAYBE I HAVE THAT BACKWARDS; ANYWAY, I GAVE HIM A NOTE ABOUT HIS BEING IN MY LOGIC CLASS AT NIKE CAMP, AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, BACK IN THE DAY.
I RECALLED MY CLOSING TALK TO THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY, IN THE AUDITORIUM, WHERE I MENTIONED HIM, BOBBBY HURLEY AND LUTHER WRIGHT AND SAID, DON'T LET THE ADULTS AND MEDIA KEEP YOU FROM ENJOYING YOUR TEENAGE YEARS - PLAY AND HAVE FUN - DON'T LET THE FOLKS MAKE IT A JOB, WHILE YOU ARE STILL YOUNG KIDS IN SCHOOL.
*****************************
TIME FLIES -NOW HE IS A RESPECTED SENIOR PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE - BACK THEN, HE WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
***********
KENNY WAS IN GREAT SHAPE AND HAS A DIAMOND EARRING THAT IS WORTH ABOUT AS MUCH AS MY TOTAL PENSION INCOME, IF I LIVE TO COLLECT IT FOR ABOUT 200 YEARS.
****************************
AS WE WERE PREPARING TO FIND GROUND TRANSPORTATION, KENNY CAME OVER TO ME AT THE BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA AND SHOOK MY HAND.
************************************
ARNOLD A. HOOK - WHO HAS A FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC WROTE -->>
Gaff: I am sure there are many players in the NBA that you've touched with your wisdom; but I am equally sure, Kenny will remember this particular moment at the airport, you both shared. No doubt, he probably mentioned bumping into you and your comments to some of his friends and former teamates. You have touched many.
*****************
AAH - WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST ACCEPT MY FIRST STORY AND LET IT GO AT THAT --NOW I HAVE TO GIVE THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE AIRPORT. ACTUALLY, KENNY WALKED OVER AND SAID, "HEY, OLD TIMER, I CAN SEE YOU ARE DOWN ON YOUR LUCK. HERE IS FIVE DOLLARS - GO BUY YOURSELF A 40 OUNCE MALT LIQUOR AND STOP BOTHERING PEOPLE HERE AT THE BAGGAGE CLAIM."
HIS FRIEND ASKED WHO I WAS AND KENNY SAID, "SOME OLD CRACKHEAD, TRYING TO STEAL BAGS OFF THE CAROUSEL, I GUESS."
I WAS GOING TO SLAP HIM, BUT I WAS HAPPY TO GET THE FIVE DOLLARS AND THEY DID SELL 40 OUNCE BOTTLES IN THE TERMINAL, SO I LET IT GO -- NOW, IF IT HAD BEEN MUGGSY OR SPUD WEBB, I WOULD HAVE JUMPED ALL OVER HIM, BUT KENNY IS BIG AND CUT AND I AM A LITTLE OUT OF SHAPE, BY THREE OR FOUR POUNDS, FROM MY GLORY DAYS ( 1963 - 1964 ).
ACTUALLY, KENNY WILL NEVER KNOW THIS, BUT I HAVE FOUND A WHOLE NEW CALLING. YOU CAN MAKE GOOD MONEY BOTHERING FOLKS AT THE AIRPORT - I GOT $47 YESTERDAY AND THEN I TOOK A LIQUID LUNCH BREAK AND FORGOT WHY I WAS AT THE AIRPORT IN THE FIRST PLACE. I PLAN TO GO BACK AND MAKE SOME MORE MONEY, IF THOSE SAME COPS ARE NOT ON DUTY.
NOW, NONE OF THIS HAD TO COME OUT IF YOU WOULD HAVE JUST TAKEN MY FIRST ACCOUNT AND NOT RAISED OTHER ISSUES. THE FIRST VERSION WAS SO MUCH BETTER FOR MY IMAGE.
************************************
RANDY JAMES WRITES HIS OWN KENNY SAGA -->> Bishop Molloy High is only a few miles from Francis Lewis High. Still, I was surprised to see Kenny walking the halls of Francis Lewis. during one of my hall patrols as dean.
I assumed that he was visiting one of my players, but on his 3rd visit in 8 days, I asked him what caused him to visit Lewis.
It turned out that he was romantically involved with one of the prettiest girls at Francis Lewis, SERENA BERRY BANKS ( AS WE WILL CALL HER ) and whenever he didn't have practice or too much homework, he came up to see her.
In Kenny's junior year in H.S., I had the good fortune to be co-head coach of the Queens Wheelchair Classic All-Star Team. Nowadays, they raise money for wheelchair patients by having pros play at Madison Square Garden. Years ago, they took the top private and public school players in the New York Metropolitan area and had them play round robin games (Bklyn- Bronx-Queens-Manhattan) at a local College to raise funds.
Even though the game was primarily for seniors, Kenny's game and reputation was such, that he was allowed to play for the Queens team as a junior.
Queens reached the championship game against the Bronx, which was led by senior Malik Sealy. The game was played at Columbia University.
Anyway, we are down by 5 points with 20 seconds to go. Kenny scores on a lay-up and then turns to go up court. The Bronx has the ball to inbound under our basket. As the Bronx player in bounds the ball, Kenny doubles back, steals the pass and scores. Now we are down by 1. The Bronx calls time out. When they return (4 seconds left), they put one kid in each corner. As the inbounder turns Kenny fakes towards one corner, taking a 1/2 step in that direction. The inbounder turns and throws the ball in the other direction, WHERE KENNY STEALS IT AGAIN AND SHOOTS IN THE SAME MOTION.
He scored six points in 20 seconds, with no help from anyone, and we win the championship by 1 point.
I told SERENA BERRY BANKS, that I had never seen anything like it in my (then) 18 years in basketball.I told her that Kenny was Crazy about her and that she should hold on to him BECAUSE ONE DAY HE WOULD BE A MILLIONAIRE!!!!
Her Reply --> "Mr. James, I really like Kenny a lot and he treats me real nice and he is a gentleman, but he is always playing basketball and hardly has time to take me out. Even in the summer, he goes to these sports camps! Other guys ask me out to the movies and to parties, while Kenny is always playing ball."
Despite my constant comments to her, she eventually drifted apart from Kenny.
He was heart broken.
However, I was right about the economics, he did become a millionaire.
And SERENA BERRY BANKS ... ..She married a nice fellow and hopefully, she is happy.
I ran into Kenny a few years ago at the Garden when he was playing for the Celtics and he smiled and said that, even after being married twice, SERENA BERRY BANKS remained a fond part of his teenage years.
C'est la vie!
No comments:
Post a Comment