duncan228
10-25-2009, 12:23 AM
McDyess as Horry: Different ring tones (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/McDyess_as_Horry_Different_ring_tones.html)
Buck Harvey
They are about the same height. Both went to the University of Alabama. Both reside in the offseason in Houston.
But Robert Horry and Antonio McDyess are as different as their ring collections. One would give a hip to Steve Nash, and the other a hand to help him up.
Which is a reason they will never be the same. Even if McDyess wins here as Horry once did.
They appear to be alike. Horry grew up in Andalusia, Ala, and that’s not far from Quitman, Miss., where McDyess is from.
But Horry adds a technicality. He was born in Maryland, and he says that’s a substantial difference.
“There’s something about those guys from the south,” he said. “They can eat anything, and do anything, and their bodies are always ripped. And I’m mad I’m not like that.”
Horry joked as he often did in San Antonio. He was friendly and outgoing, with a confident, let-it-fly edge. That worked in his various NBA cities, while often irritating fans in other ones.
McDyess has some of Horry in him; the Spurs say he is as easygoing and as professional as Horry was. Still, McDyess is sweeter and more reserved, and a story from a Denver reporter sums that up.
Years ago, the reporter went to McDyess’ hotel room for an interview, and room service had just been delivered. McDyess moved his meal to the side, letting it get cold, because to do otherwise would be impolite.
That’s McNice. And that’s why people around the league were sick after he underwent two knee surgeries and faced a premature end to his career.
Horry, again, was the contrast. At the time, he was helping win three consecutive titles with the Lakers.
Horry is four years older than McDyess, and the two never played together at Alabama. Still, he was a mentor to him years ago, and he counseled McDyess after the surgeries, too.
“But he got so down,” Horry said, “he didn’t want to do anything.”
Not doing anything oddly helped, since McDyess needed time to heal. But to Horry, this goes back to his southern-guy theory. McDyess’ body was so freakish that it could overcome anything.
There’s a medical explanation, too. Doctors carved spongy bone from McDyess’ hip to stimulate healing in his knee. There are risks. But once in place and rehabbed, the patient is good to go.
McDyess was. He missed only nine games over a four-year stretch in Detroit.
He couldn’t jump as he once did, but the McNice profile was a plus. He worked, and he was solid, and he won over everyone in the process.
The 2005 Finals showcased it, and Horry saw this firsthand. He invited McDyess over to his San Antonio house early in the series, and McDyess had a few questions that night.
Such as: Tell me about all your Finals experiences.
Horry couldn’t tell McDyess the truth then — that the current Finals were a bad match for him. McDyess, Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace were stronger and more athletic than Horry.
Still, Horry had survived before with the same flaws. He was at his best when he tapped into his extraordinary instincts and longer shooting range.
That’s what happened in Game 5, when he further represented McDyess’ parallel universe. No one is more responsible for taking away McDyess’ best chance at a ring.
“What can I say?” Horry joked last week. “I’ve never liked the dude.”
Horry counseled McDyess on coming to San Antonio, too. He said he just might enjoy lining up next to Tim Duncan.
So it’s set up. McDyess is following his Crimson Tide brother, and, if he wins, he will be more like Horry. But never the same.
Buck Harvey
They are about the same height. Both went to the University of Alabama. Both reside in the offseason in Houston.
But Robert Horry and Antonio McDyess are as different as their ring collections. One would give a hip to Steve Nash, and the other a hand to help him up.
Which is a reason they will never be the same. Even if McDyess wins here as Horry once did.
They appear to be alike. Horry grew up in Andalusia, Ala, and that’s not far from Quitman, Miss., where McDyess is from.
But Horry adds a technicality. He was born in Maryland, and he says that’s a substantial difference.
“There’s something about those guys from the south,” he said. “They can eat anything, and do anything, and their bodies are always ripped. And I’m mad I’m not like that.”
Horry joked as he often did in San Antonio. He was friendly and outgoing, with a confident, let-it-fly edge. That worked in his various NBA cities, while often irritating fans in other ones.
McDyess has some of Horry in him; the Spurs say he is as easygoing and as professional as Horry was. Still, McDyess is sweeter and more reserved, and a story from a Denver reporter sums that up.
Years ago, the reporter went to McDyess’ hotel room for an interview, and room service had just been delivered. McDyess moved his meal to the side, letting it get cold, because to do otherwise would be impolite.
That’s McNice. And that’s why people around the league were sick after he underwent two knee surgeries and faced a premature end to his career.
Horry, again, was the contrast. At the time, he was helping win three consecutive titles with the Lakers.
Horry is four years older than McDyess, and the two never played together at Alabama. Still, he was a mentor to him years ago, and he counseled McDyess after the surgeries, too.
“But he got so down,” Horry said, “he didn’t want to do anything.”
Not doing anything oddly helped, since McDyess needed time to heal. But to Horry, this goes back to his southern-guy theory. McDyess’ body was so freakish that it could overcome anything.
There’s a medical explanation, too. Doctors carved spongy bone from McDyess’ hip to stimulate healing in his knee. There are risks. But once in place and rehabbed, the patient is good to go.
McDyess was. He missed only nine games over a four-year stretch in Detroit.
He couldn’t jump as he once did, but the McNice profile was a plus. He worked, and he was solid, and he won over everyone in the process.
The 2005 Finals showcased it, and Horry saw this firsthand. He invited McDyess over to his San Antonio house early in the series, and McDyess had a few questions that night.
Such as: Tell me about all your Finals experiences.
Horry couldn’t tell McDyess the truth then — that the current Finals were a bad match for him. McDyess, Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace were stronger and more athletic than Horry.
Still, Horry had survived before with the same flaws. He was at his best when he tapped into his extraordinary instincts and longer shooting range.
That’s what happened in Game 5, when he further represented McDyess’ parallel universe. No one is more responsible for taking away McDyess’ best chance at a ring.
“What can I say?” Horry joked last week. “I’ve never liked the dude.”
Horry counseled McDyess on coming to San Antonio, too. He said he just might enjoy lining up next to Tim Duncan.
So it’s set up. McDyess is following his Crimson Tide brother, and, if he wins, he will be more like Horry. But never the same.