Manute Bol, one of the NBA's tallest ever, is dead at Forty-Seven years old.
I am far from being a basketball fan, and will in fact, turn off the TV in preference to watching a game.
A combination of thug culture (as evidenced in the saggy 'gang-banger' shorts) and an excess of bling make me even less interested.
BUT, Manute Bol, despite a short career, impressed me as not only a physical giant, but a giant of the heart. His incessant work to help the people of his native Sudan elevate him above the average person just as his height elevated him above his fellow NBA players.
Very nice post, DWT. I'm saddened by Bol's passing; he was a good man.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the NBA: I'm with you. Once upon a time I was an avid Suns fan, but I haven't bothered to watch a pro game in many years. They're a bunch of spoiled brats, whiny and self-absorbed. Phooey.
I miss the tight little shorts most of all. Hee-hee! :D
¿Y cuál es el asunto con los Suns?
ReplyDeleteThe problem with especially the NBA is you get kids who are told that they are G*d's gift to earth and able to join the NBA right out of high school and start making millions of dollars while being surrounded by sycophants. The NFL, I believe, has some sort of college requirement -- something to buffer the players a little bit. Baseball, of course, has the farm system -- it is rare that someone starts out in the majors.
Very sad, I have never heard of him but he sounded like very good man. And way too young to die.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is for lady red: Hee-hee!
img:"http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/9/99/Rod_foster2.jpg"
LMAO! Is #10 a midget or is the other player 12 feet tall??? Nice shorts, though. :P
ReplyDeleteWhen Bol was with Golden State (incidentally, the only professional team in the U.S. that uses an area's nickname as it's geographic designation) he frequented the restaurant I worked at from time to time. We would move the neighboring table off to the wall so he could stretch his incredibly long legs out to their full length, while his trainer would try to convince him to eat three prime ribs instead of just one and a half.
ReplyDeleteHe seemed very much out of his element. I was not at all surprised to hear that he returned to Sudan when he left the NBA. From what I hear from current colleagues, he did some amazing work in his homeland.
Poor guy. I guess he knew he wouldn't live long given the height. Well, not many people can say they did as much as they could during their time, but I think Bol can say that.
He wasn't a midget lady red. Not unless 6'1" is considered midget in the NBA...???
ReplyDelete"Roderick Allen Foster (born October 10, 1960 in Birmingham, Alabama) is a retired American professional basketball player who played for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. The 6'1", 160 lbs. guard was drafted out of UCLA in 1983 in the second round of the NBA Draft (28th pick overall). His professional basketball career was cut short by an off-road auto accident when his Jeep rolled over and broke his left tibia. Rod Foster lead the nation in free throw percentage as a Junior at UCLA. He was involved with Athletes in Action and was an assistant coach for Wright State University in Ohio."
Wow Jourdan, thanks for sharing that story. I thought he had maybe contracted the kidney disease from Somalia. It never occured to me that his life expectancy would be affected by his height. But I guess that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteAnother link about Manute Bol
ReplyDeleteMy commnet posted elsewhere was as follows:
"I've never been much of a basket ball fan, spent my winters skiing or playing ice hockey. So, I know little of Manute Bol until now, which is almost unforgivable ignorance and obliviousness to important people in the world.
If you've not watch each of the 3 part video series, contained in the article posted, named "Basketball Warrior"...please just do it. Do it now. Everything about this extraordinary rather ordinary man humbles me beyond anything I can say."
Nothing else I can say.
Thank you for the post, Dances. I was once a pretty rabid NBA fan but now I'm like you and totally agree with what you wrote here:
ReplyDelete"I am far from being a basketball fan, and will in fact, turn off the TV in preference to watching a game.
A combination of thug culture (as evidenced in the saggy 'gang-banger' shorts) and an excess of bling make me even less interested."
That's very sad that he died young and I gather from the article that part of his downhill slide was from medication and treatment side-effects. That is just horrific, my heart goes out to his family. He finally can rest in peace. :-(
heh, lady red and her short-shorts...naughty naughty!
ReplyDeleteimg:"http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/floranista/churchlady-1.jpg"
Fay, I think that height does indicate midgethood in the NBA, lol! I remember back in the dark ages watching the Sonics live and Slick Watts definitely looked like a midget (he is also 6'1").
Thanks for the article and video link, Aridog. I'm going to post them on a sports blog I'm on, the "Warrior" video left a lump in my throat and I have a newfound respect for Chris Mullen.
ReplyDeleteJust a few weeks ago Manute was still expected to make a full recovery. I'm not clear if he ever even got to see his newborn daughter. What a sad story.
Florie....compare Manute's story, that of a distinctly tribal man growing in to a global man, with that of the Helen Thomas post. Manute, as I learn about him, was prescient about terrorism, as well as extremism per se, versus mere religious and ethnic differences. And few were listening.
ReplyDeleteThe difference is breathtaking. Like he said, he went to the pentagon and tried to warn our govt. about bin laden but was ignored - no, worse! - made to look foolish.
ReplyDeleteWhat a tragedy that he died so young. My heart goes out to his children who will probably not have strong memories of him as they are so young.