A young woman was sending shockwaves through the NBA arena with a daring fashion statement last night.
And no, the risqué wardrobe of the resident spandex-clad dancing troupe was not being ogled by the players, at least not any more than usual.
Rather, Anthony Parker, the Raptors forward, was remarking on the replica jersey being sported by a teammate's daughter.
Bailey Martin, Darrick's little girl, was sitting courtside wearing Jose Calderon's No. 8 overtop a frilly white blouse and blue jeans.
Upon questioning, Bailey did not appear particularly nostalgic about an era that had recently ended. Her dear old dad had been wearing Toronto's No. 2 until he was waived and reassigned to the coaching staff last week. But the world moves fast, apparently.
Said Bailey, 7, of her point guard of choice: "I've got Jose's bobblehead at home, too."
Said Parker to Martin, one father to another: "You've been replaced."
Martin smiled and laughed and shook his head. Bailey was scheduled to be heading home today to her regular life as a Grade 2 student in Winston-Salem, N.C., where she lives with her mother.
But for the past 10 days she'd been enjoying an extended March break in her dad's world, accompanying the Raptors on a couple of road trips and seeing Toronto. You could call it take-your-kid-to-work week. Martin called it "special."
The pro sports lifestyle can kill families, of course. And the NBA has had its share of deadbeat dad stories. But the not-so-often told stories don't make for stunning headlines: NBAer Enjoys Time with Daughter.
Bailey, for her part, has grown up around the alternate universe of pro sports, but she's not of the universe. It was only a few years ago, when Martin was a member of a Minnesota Timberwolves squad ensconced in the Western Conference final, that she'd get into the spirit of the post-season by falling stone asleep in the midst of the raucous Target Center.
So far, she's more inclined toward playing piano than point guard, even if she is the product of an athletically inclined gene pool
Her mother, Martin's ex-wife Marissa, is a former professional volleyball player. And though the marriage has ended, the parents, said Martin, carry on a good relationship.
"She's a wonderful woman and a wonderful mother," he said.
The highlights of Bailey's week will likely be the envy of her classmates tomorrow, when she's due back at school.
Perhaps she'll tell of the time she ate spaghetti at a fancy restaurant, Sotto Sotto, the celebrity friendly spot in Yorkville, or of her kibitzing with her favourite Raptor not named Daddy or Jose. Kris Humphries, the forward known to Bailey as Baby Huey, is said to relate well to school-age minds, even if teammates can twist that into a punchline.
Bailey Martin is, to describe her in a word, polite. Last night she offered some of her pre-game meal of chicken fingers dipped in ketchup to a bystanding reporter. And on the flight here Sunday night the story goes that she helped the flight attendants distribute the chocolate chip cookies around the team charter.
"A stewardess in training," somebody said.
But Martin, the protective father, piped up: "I don't know about that. There's a lot of things that go along with that job I'm not too crazy about."
The uniforms, for starters.
Martin fixed his eyes on his daughter's choice of jersey last night and laughed.
"If she could wear any other one, that was the one. Jose and I are very close," said Martin.
"She said, 'Daddy, can I wear Jose's jersey?' If it had been (Parker's) I would have said no."
Reply With Quote
