Stories from Frank and Nate

During yesterday's public memorial service for Maurice Lucas, there arose a few choice stories about the man.

When former NBA big man Frank Brickowski got to the podium, he talked of his rookie season with the Seattle Sonics. He mentioned a time when he was sitting down for dinner with the team - and the veteran Maurice sat next to him. Frank admitted being intimidated by Luke, but the thing that came next made it even more interesting. Maurice had brought a friend. On Frank's other side sat Magic Johnson...a guest of Maurice for the dinner. Maurice turned to Frank. "Do you talk, rook?" Frank froze. After a moment, he decided to feign deafness - and turned to Magic to make conversation. Before he could speak, Magic turned and said, "The man ASKED you if you talk." After the initial hazing, the two became close friends.

Later, when Maurice was sick in the hosptial, Frank would come to visit - more often than Maurice could bear. On one evening, Frank had showed up just to sit and read in the corner. Maurice wanted him to go, but Frank persisted - wanting to be near. He later fell asleep reading his book. In the morning, Frank awoke to the feeling of something on his face. He opened his eyes to find little balled up pieces of paper on him and around him on the floor. He had fallen asleep with his mouth open....and Maurice had decided to practice his shot, with little balls of Kleenex.

Finally, a remembrance from Nate McMillan...

When Nate was a rookie with the Sonics, he had a defining moment with Luke. One day, Nate was warming up for a practice. Across from him sat veteran center George Johnson, leaning on a soda vending machine. "Hey rook....why don't you get me a soda?" Johnson barked. Nate leaned forward. "You're sitting next to the pop machine. Why don't you get one?" Johnson frowned..."I said...why don't you get me a soda. Rook?" Again, Nate offered logic as a solution. Johnson stood up and walked over to McMillan, who was streching on floor. Just then, Maurice walked in carrying his game shoes. "What up, George? There a problem?" George told Maurice that the rookie wasn't following the protocol, which included a few sundry chores for the vets. Maurice dropped his shoes. "Don't mess with my rook, George. McMillan is mine."

Great memories...

Farewell Maurice Lucas

My son and I had the privilege of meeting Maurice at an in-store event in October 2007. When I walked in and saw him, I was taken aback. There were no lines to meet him. It was fairly quiet. He was just sitting at a table, talking up some of the event staff and a few employees. Walking up to him, I introduced myself and my son and we talked for a while.

I passed him a DVD copy of the 1978 Trailblazer documentary Fast Break - and asked him about it. He said he'd seen it when it was shown in Portland theaters back in 1978. I told him he should show the film to the team - so they could better understand the Trailblazers legacy. He took the DVD and said he'd watch it again during his next plane flight.

Luke was the first real basketball player my son had met. He posed with us for photos and signed autographs for Greer. It was wonderful to meet him and he was very kind to my son. When Greer heard about Luke's battle with cancer, he drew up a couple of get-well cards. He found the autographed team photo Maurice gave him and recreated the photo on the card. Hopefully, they reached him - and helped cheer him up for a moment.

After having seen Fast Break, and read Larry Colton's IDOL TIME and David Halberstam's THE BREAKS OF THE GAME, I have an even better respect for him. He was a great basketball player, and an even greater man.

Godspeed Maurice...we'll miss you.

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Resurfacing in Oly...

Why is it the only time I blog is when I'm visiting the inlaws? Must be the water.

So it's been a while. Almost four months since the last time I posted. Much water under the bridge...and many things much as they were before.

Still no gig at his point. I've had three interviews over the past four months and none of them panned out. Pity...I would have been a good fit at least a couple of them. I blame recent layoffs and an employers market. That perhaps....and my desire to shake things up by going a different path. But more on that later....

Greer is almost done with kindergarten. He's enjoyed his teacher and friends, and even got to see his mom perform opera in front of the whole school. He's also becoming a jock of sorts. He loves basketball and soccer, and thrives on competition - or at least the illusion. Reading is starting to take off - as is math. It's amazing and beautiful to watch...your child becoming their own person.

Been film programming like mad the last few weeks. Booked at least four documentaries into the Portland Underground fest in June. All worthy of wide distribution, but still gaining attention. "Fast Break", the 1977 Trailblazer documentary I've been promoting is coming back to the CST for my birthday on the 29th. I'm very excited to be building an event in late June for art car maven Harrod Blank - on the heels of his award-winning documentary "Automorphosis". Also looking forward to the Portland premiere (via PUFF) of "The Shark Is Still Working", the long-awaited JAWS documentary I helped work on recently. Sometime this year, my acting debut will surface with "This Is Now", a new film from David Waingarten. Distribution via the web. Very interested to see the final cut.

All in all...a bunch of stuff to stew on.

Greermonster is six!

I can scare believe it. Six years.....already.

Still remember standing there (barely) when he was born. Absolutely stunning and beautiful and terrifying and real. My son. Now he's big enough to knock me over.

Today I tried to do everything he liked.

Got him some new shoes - which he picked out. Skateboarding shoes with a little style. For his birthday lunch, he bravely tried some new food - some variations on sushi - including a tray of fried coconut shrimp and orange slices....birthday complements from the chef.

I got a wild hair and decided to stop by a sporting goods store in Northeast. Greer had been asking for real soccer ball, so that wish was fulfilled...along with a Pee-Wee football, just for fun.

No birthday exodus would be complete without a stop at the Avalon. "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" was playing, and I knew Mr. Greer would be up for another blitz against the evil Imperial Empire - via the Star Wars video game near by.

After we had blown away the last Death Star (and the lot of our nickels), we headed home to receive a gourmet dinner of Shrimp and Sausage Jambalya, courtesy of a good friend (Verna Dice). Before the feast, Greer opened a small cache of birthday presents - including his first remote control car. While we dined, the Trailblazers took it to the Sixers - while Greer bounded about the basement, rooting for the home squad.

Not bad for a birthday at home with the family...