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Nice to see Bowen giving back to his community. That's all class.
Bowen Strolls Home
Lexis-Nexis; D. White, Fresno Bee
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Bruce Bowen took a cruise on San Antonio's famed Riverwalk, clutching an NBA championship trophy while surrounded by 350,000 adoring Spurs fans.
Two days later, he trudged up Inyo Street and along California Avenue in west Fresno, sweating under the noon sun and going unnoticed by all but a few passersby.
"This is my community, this is where I'm from," Bowen said Monday during a half-mile walk from the Frank H. Ball Playground to Edison High.
"People offer me rides, but I'd rather walk. This is how I got around for 15 years, this was my only mode of transportation. I get a chance to reminisce.
"This is what I come back for."
Four days after his Spurs won the NBA le, Bowen was in Fresno for his fourth annual basketball clinic. The weeklong event at three sites is sponsored by the Bruce Bowen Foundation and is free to all comers in the neighborhood in which he grew up.
An estimated 200 campers seemed to appreciate his presence Monday, especially with it coming so soon after Bowen helped San Antonio beat the defending-champion Detroit Pistons in a seven-game le series.
"He could've been with his team celebrating their championship [with] champagne and caviar," said Courtney People, 13.
"Instead," Ashley Hyman, 13, said, "he's here because he cares about us. That's cool." A cameo celebrity appearance, this wasn't.
There was no showing off his two championship rings or two straight NBA all-defensive team plaques. Bowen flashed no visible bling-bling, and had no Escalade-driving entourage awaiting him outside the sweaty and cramped gymnasiums.
Rather, the millionaire basketball star walked alone to and from age-group camps at Edison (his alma mater), Computech Middle School and the Frank H. Ball Playground.
At each site, he oversaw intensive passing, dribbling and defensive drills. Anyone who goofed off or didn't listen found themselves in the push-up position for 5 to 15 minutes, or sent home even.
All the while, a dour-faced Bowen barked instructions and pointed out mistakes during the fast-paced exercises.
"Pay attention."
"Help your teammate."
"Get off the wall."
"Hey, I said no talking over there."
"Discipline is important, that's life," Bowen said. "They easily could say, 'I don't need this' and walk off, but these kids are learning. There's such a lack of discipline these days. That's what they need, whether they're going to play in the NBA, be a doctor or a lawyer.
"Success isn't just about playing in the NBA some day."
Camp instructor Vince Bowen, Bruce's cousin, said those life lessons will have more impact in their community than instructions on ball denial:
"When Bruce comes in here and he's a 'celebrity' who's from here and made it, these kids tend to listen a little more to what he has to say. He pushes them to be their best
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Of all the Current Spurs is Bruce the most likely to be a Head Coach someday?
Nice to see Bowen giving back to his community. That's all class.
Bowens a hard ass :p
Nah thats good stuff.
"Pay attention."
"Help your teammate."
"Get off the wall."
"Hey, I said no talking over there."
For some reason, I can imagine Bruce saying the same things to Beno and Parker during practice............
BRUCE is the MAN
THIS is what makes me proud to be a SPURS fan
See? this is why I love the Spurs.
Bowen is fast becoming my #2 player. Mna this guy is the !
Not to mention all the nutrition talks he does with school kids here in San Antonio.
I'm loving him. He;s never said a thing that I couldn't agree with.
BTW- I think he has the best chance of being a coach. But not a NBA head coach. I see him in HS or College casue that would seem more liek what he'd like to do. Maybe as a defensive Asst. Coach in the developmental league.
He could be the next Coach Carter
People said Pop wasn't meant to coach when he took over, too.
Now he's only...what...one of the top 3 coaches in the league?
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