[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
San Antonio Express: Notes From The Players Exhibition Game
NBA exhibition: charity, solidarity,
Mattress Mac
By Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
HOUSTON — Welcome to today's NBA, a
bizarre world where a man called
"Mattress Mac" commands more power
than Commisioner David Stern, Tim
Hardaway and Penny Hardaway dress
side by side, Kenny Smith coaches,
David Robinson sits in the stands,
and star players accept thousands of
dollars in appearance fees instead
of millions in salaries. All in the
name of charity.
Embroiled in a bitter labor dispute
that threatens to deep freeze the
season long into the winter, the
planet's greatest basketball league
was reduced to this Friday night:
"The Gallery Furniture Charity
Basketball Game." And, for NBA fans,
that might be as good as it gets for
a while.
A day [sports]
after Tim Hardaway (4) of the
leaving Miami Heat steals the
Las Vegas ball from Stephen
with the Marbury (left) during
unanimous Friday night's game.
support of Associated Press
about 240
players, Players Association chief
Billy Hunter called Stern to resume
negotiations Wednesday. But with
Stern expected to erase the
remainder of November's schedule
after meeting with the league's
owners Tuesday and Wednesday in New
York, Hunter has suggested the
players stage a high-end
barnstorming tour of the country
designed to raise money for its
minimum-wage members.
If Friday's showcase at Hofheinz
Pavilion was any indicator, expect a
series of defense-deficient, no-
look exhibitions that resemble MTV
"Rock-N-Jock" reruns instead of the
typical NBA preseason fare. With a
near-sellout crowd of about 8,000
fans primarily sitting and laughing,
a DJ spun records from press row,
the "Planet Funk" dance team
performed during timeouts and
Portland's Rasheed Wallace threw a
wrap-around pass to Seattle's Sam
Perkins who flipped it over-the-head
to Washington's Juwan Howard who
blew the jam.
All that was lacking was an
appearance from Master P. Scratch
that. He showed up to play midway
through the third quarter and
finished with 25 points in 18
minutes.
"He can play," Tim Hardaway said.
"No, I'm serious. He can play. He
can really play."
Jim McIngvale, better known as
"Mattress Mac," a community activist
and local businessman who amassed
his fortune in a furniture showroom
by waving fistfuls of cash at TV
cameras, bankrolled the game after
watching several lockout-weary NBA
stars work out at his Westside
Tennis Club the past few months. A
plane was chartered to fly players —
who received an appearance fee of
"couple thousand dollars" — from Las
Vegas, event organizers said. Ticket
proceeds were donated to the M.D.
Anderson Cancer Center.
In addition to raising money for a
good cause, the game allowed several
of the NBA's best players to perform
in front of an audience for the
first time since last season ended.
As Spurs point guard Avery Johnson
said, "I've been wanting to work on
my fake-behind-the- back shot, but
haven't been able to. I can use it
in charity games."
After hitting 3 of 4 three-pointers
and scoring 17 points, Johnson
quickly squashed rumors he was
trying to fill the Spurs' need for
an outside threat.
"I had to do something with five- oh
in the front row," said Johnson,
referring to Robinson, who wears No.
50, and was sitting courtside.
"Five-oh wouldn't let me live it
down if I embarrassed myself."
Johnson, who helped organize the
game, was the only Spur to play,
suiting up for the Gallery team
coached by University of Houston
coach Clyde Drexler. Joining Johnson
were Horry, the Hardaways,
Portland's Damon Stoudamire,
Boston's Antoine Walker, Phoenix's
Antonio McDyess and Mark Bryant,
Houston's Mario Elie, Toronto's
Kevin Willis and Los Angeles Clipper
Ike Austin.
Denver's Nick Van Exel, Atlanta's
Chuckie Brown, Minnesota's Stephon
Marbury, New Jersey's Sam Cassell,
Detroit's Jerry Stackhouse,
Philadelphia's Mark Davis, Dallas'
Michael Finley, Charlotte's Anthony
Mason and Orlando's Nick Anderson
joined Perkins, Wallace and Howard
on the Smith-coached Westside team.
"We didn't want to get anybody
hurt," said Johnson, failing to
explain the presence of Mason on the
Gallery roster. "So this is a guard
expo."
Put the emphasis on exposure. With
less than two minutes remaining,
Marbury stripped off his shirt and
ran around the court before throwing
it into the stands.
"This sent a message," Howard said.
"It shows that we're excited and we
want to play. We want to go back to
work. It was good to see the fans
have a good time."
Oh, for those still wondering, the
Gallery won, 170-168 on Austin's
three-pointer with less than three
seconds.
Saturday, Oct 24, 1998
© 1998 San Antonio Express-News