http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/nba...rn=nba%2C66589
By Rod Benson
Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008 12:31 pm EST
There were a couple of packages waiting for me today after practice. I was a little mystified as to where they came from, especially considering the fact that I hadn't bought or sent off for anything recently. Maybe someone had sent me a Valentine or something. It could have possibly been one of the five women who sent me Facebook and MySpace messages referring to the blog. Was that even possible?
As we finished up our last drill, I headed over to the boxes. One package said that it was from "Flex-Power." OK, that was an easy one. My homie, Rashean, sends me some of this miracle warm-up cream from time to time. Lucky for me I'm a fellow Cal guy or I might have to go to great lengths to get my hands on this stuff. I might lead a life of crime.
The second box was still a mystery. I saw who it was from. It clearly read "San Antonio Spurs" on the return label. Really? I picked it up and that bad boy was heavy. I could also clearly hear heavy things inside bumping up against one another. I didn't want to open it up in the gym because it seemed that whatever was inside the box was better contained in the box than in my hands for the time being.
When I got back to the apartment, I still had no clue as to what the Spurs could have possibly sent me. Besides the what, the more important question was the why. Why in the world would anyone send me a heavy box? Well, I could keep asking questions, or I could just open that bad boy up, so I did just that.
On the end that I first opened up was a pair of Spurs workout shorts and a shooting shirt. Once I got past those, there were something like 20 Gatorade Nutrition shakes. If I was confused before, I was now bewildered. I searched the rest of the box and there was nothing else. It had to be some sort of joke. Maybe Kevin Hart was getting back at me, that guy is good from what I've seen.
When I got up to put the shakes away, I stepped on a piece of paper. It must have fallen out of the box with the shakes. It was handwritten on a small piece of Spurs stationary. I picked it up and started reading:
"Rod,
Great blog. I am a fan.
We would like for you to come to our summer league and mini camp. You can have as many shakes as you want.
Have a good season. Keep playing the right way.
Dell Demps"
I sat back and looked at all the shakes. I kind of even ignored what may have been the only handwritten camp invite I'll ever get. I had 20 Gatorade shakes and a handwritten letter from an NBA Director of Player Personnel. Awesome.
I put two and two together and assumed that he must have read my Denver workout post about how there was a two-shake limit. Like a child at Christmas, he wowed me with promises of unlimited shakes and summer league dreams. If there ever was an advertisement for blog writing, this would be it, although I think that my numbers had a little to do with it.
If you're reading this, thanks, Dell. My teammates stole about five shakes already, but the rest have been phenomenal. Yeah, that's right, I drank them today. Something is seriously wrong with me. I can't control it. I can't explain it. I just love those things.
Anyways, on an unrelated note, Valentine's Day is tomorrow. If you've been keeping up with the movement, you've seen my other two videos on the front page of toomuchrodbenson.com. Well, I made a special edition video just for the day of love and I suggest that you go check it out and show it to the girl you desire this Valentine's Day. I'm off to the All-Star Game folks. Peace.
That's really funny.
It makes perfect sense for Dell to send him an invite. He's the D-League's leading rebounder and improved his offense to where he's averaging a double-double. If he doesn't get scooped up by another team (seems like he should get called up at least once after the trade deadline), I'd love to have him in summer league.
Demps is awesome.
Isn't giving gifts not associated with a contract a CBA violation?
Also, according to the Blog entry, Benson drank 15 Gatorade Shakes in 1 afternoon. We better not put him on an unlimited Gatorade Shake diet; he'll be f'ing round by the end of Summer League...
Have you seen Rod Benson? He could stand to put on the weight. Dude has the metabolism of a hummingbird.
As for the "gift" -- are you serious? Gatorade is a major sponsor of the D-League.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/bal...?urn=nba,90420
Too much Rod Benson: Impressing the son of a legend
By Rod Benson
I had been promised something and I intended to collect. I had a handwritten letter as my proof. I boarded my flight to San Antonio with my proof in hand. I was not going to be denied my Gatorade Nutrition Shakes. I was told I could have as many as I like. It had been weeks since I was in Seattle, where I last tasted the sweet nectar.
There were things I had to do first, though. Upon arrival, all the guys had a meeting with Dell Demps, director of player personnel/GM of the Austin Toros. It was nice to know that one of the guys running this thing was a guy who used to be in the same position as me. Dell was in the minor leagues for a while before getting his crack at the NBA. He now has a lot of respect amongst the minor league players because we all feel that he, and the San Antonio Spurs for that matter, wouldn't bring anybody into camp that they didn't think had a legitimate shot.
I think it is this level of respect that leads so many high level players to attend their camp. The compe ion was so ferocious out there. Maybe it's just something about that team or that staff or all those championship banners in the practice facility that leads everyone in there to play like there's no tomorrow. Spurs camp felt like I was a hungry dog, among many other hungry dogs, and someone threw one steak in the middle of us and said, much like the NBA commercials, "there can only be one."
It's funny though, because at this stage in our careers (despite the fact that we are relatively young), all us guys competing for spots have a lot of love for one another. These things become sort of a reunion for so many of us. And for those of us who have never met some of the other guys, a free agent mini-camp is a place where some of the future friendships are formed.
It doesn't hurt to have three music videos and a movement to break the ice. Quite a few of the guys already knew what was up with the movement. Darius Rice was mad that his cameo was cut out of the "Boom Got Them DOS." I had to explain to him that it ain't easy to get in there like swimwear.
On the second day, I happened to notice that Patrick Ewing jr was around for a workout. He was just chillin' in the hotel with Curtis Sumpter (Curtis mentioned that they could have used me at 'Nova. Shoot, we could have used him at Cal). I guess Pat noticed me too.
"Yo are you the dude on YouTube talkin bout 'boom got those'?" he asked me.
I've never had a reason to feel so hyped by recognition from a college guy, but this seemed different. This was Patrick Ewing now. Yea, Pat Ewing Junior, but still, Patrick Ewing! My mind clearly only recognizes Patrick Ewing as one person. If Jr. likes it, pops must love it!
The next day I was on the phone with my old teammate Richard Midgley. I told him that Patrick Ewing knew all about the movement. After about ten minutes of us talking about it, I informed him that it was P.E. Jr. Rich laughed at me.
On the second day of workouts I went into the weight room instead of the lounge where breakfast was waiting. I sat down on the bench press bench and popped open four Gatorade Nutrition shakes. I guzzled those things like a Hummer guzzles regular unleaded. Oh yea, and we're talkin' city driving baby, not highway. I took about ten of them with me when the workout was over. The only problem was that we went straight to the airport from the facility. I was able to drink five before going through security, but I refused to throw the rest away. I gave them to the TSA guy and told him that he was sitting on 50 ounces of liquid gold.
I only had to go to the bathroom 4 times on the way to Toronto, which was good considering how much I had just had to drink. It was time to start the Raptors camp.
So Benson is/has been at at least three mini-camps. Miami is the third.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
