‘When You’re a Freak, Freaky Things Happen to You’

The headline to this post is one of the greatest lines ever uttered to me during an interview. You probably don't even have to guess from whom it came. I could go on a Shaqilicious rampage here, but I had my time and so did Shaquille O'Neal. Since he announced his retirement from pro ball, …

Continue reading ‘When You’re a Freak, Freaky Things Happen to You’

Vivian Frieson: Lightning in a Bottle

A couple years later, after I’d given up coaching to avoid conflicts for my Web site, now ESPN HoopGurlz, I’d tell anyone who’d listen that I used to coach a kid who was (indeed, is) as explosive and fluid an athlete as any I’d seen across the country. They’d roll their eyes or, like so many TV commentators, mispronounce her name as “Frier-son.” Today, April 8, 2010, I wondered if anyone remembered that. When the Tulsa Shock called Vivian’s name as the 31st pick in the WNBA Draft, I wondered if anyone recalled her as the kid the HoopGurlz guy used to brag about.