Re: Herren

["Michael J.King Sr." <kingpin@primenet.com>]

At 04:50 05-10-01, GuyClinch@AOL.com wrote:
>Hmm well I like Herren too.
>
>And to be frank I don't think its so bad to admit you identify with 
>someone on the team.
>Its perfectly normal and acceptable to like a guy from the area, who looks 
>more like you then your average NBA player.
>
>
>Chris Herren is only around six feet tall, and looks like a lot of folks 
>in the area.


I'm from New Bedford and Fall River and BMC Durfee High are natural rivals. 
Both towns are gritty places with a very hard working class
populace. When Chris was playing against us at Durfee he was slightly more 
popular in New Beige  than Osama bin Laden is to the world at the moment. 
Rivalry remember!  BUT when he graduated that all changed as now he was one 
of ours from the sometimes called "Armpit of Massachusetts" (Hint-Look at 
the map!!)We hoped and prayed for him when he signed to attend B.C., then 
when he left, then when he entered rehab, then when he got out, then when 
he again entered rehab, again when he got out, then when he went to Fresno 
State, then when he again entered rehab and was suspended from the team, 
again when he got out and was reinstated , then when he entered the draft 
and picked by the Nougats and we new there was a supreme being when he was 
traded to the Hometown team ( there were doubts about God because of 
Pitinos performance!!) The point I am belaboring is that while Herren is 
white that ain't why alot of us root for him. We are proud that someone 
from home is doing well without having to break their backs working at a 
textile mill, the docks or out at sea as a commercial fisherman. The latter 
two are/were my families bailiwick so to speak. I was shucking scallops 
every summer as soon as I was old enough to go to sea helping one Uncle or 
another save a share (salary)and so I would get use to the work ethic 
needed when I was running my own boat. When someone from our area gets out 
it gives folks the hope that they can also excel in their passion/job of 
choice. I used the military to "better" myself to learn a trade and go to 
college and get paid while doing it! My inspirations were guys like Tom 
Farias (Sox pitching farmhand), Manny Matos (Soccer at Ohio State and in 
the pros),  Tom Baroa (Hoops at Wisconsin) and Mark Bomback (pitched in the 
show! As Joe pointed out we also rooted for Stacom and Ernie D to be 
successful. I love my hometown and will talk it up without much prodding! 
but while growing up we had a wicked inferiority complex as N.B./F.R was 
castigated in the press and when you told folks where you were from and 
these folks kinda looked down their noses at you. Woo I can go on can't 
I!!! Sorry but the Celtics, my hometown and my family and heritage (What's 
that song Lee Greenwood sings...oh yeah " I'm proud to be a Portagi " 
Imagine that he is from New Bedford and is half Portuguese!!) are some of 
the focal points of my life. Anyway to sum it up, I hope with all my heart 
Chris takes this opportunity and runs with it and maybe some youngsters 
follow his example and go to college or whatever makes them happy. I did 
and it seems my son is well on his way to do the same. Good luck Chris.
Later.Mike
*G.B.A.*









Michael J.King Sr.
An Aristocracy of One