Sunday Pro-Am

[bilsu]

Gardner got called for a foul after Butler ended up on the floor. he was too busy complaining to the ref about the call to worry about Butler. The guy above me thought Butler took a flop.

The best part of the first game for Gardner was when he decided to school the other teams center ( Wade?). He got the ball at least three times from five or more feet form the basket and just back the defender down to score. Of course the defender was winning the battle on the other end. Both were going at each other. Gardner is a bull, but his conditioning slows him down as he tires. Boy do I hope they get him whipped into shape. Off the court Gardner is very shy. It will take him a while to fit in with the other players, who for the most part are extremely outgoing. The first saturday I took my grandson, who will be two in September to the games. He ended up sitting next to Gardner on the bleachers. I had my camera and thought I should get a picture of them sitting together. I tapped Davante on the shoulder and asked if I could take a picture of the two sitting together. Gardner did not say anything but lean towards my grandson for the picture. Turned out to be a very nice picture. The size contrast between the two is amazing. Sunday I took the picture up to Gardner and asked him to sign it. Again without him saying anything he signed the picture and handed it back to me. He is a very quiet guy, which is okay. At that age I was very quiet too.

[mugrad99]

Attendance isn't required you know.

Sunday was triple absence day

[PBRme]

My son and I attended about 4 times, including Sunday.  What we noticed, more than the games, was the change in team dynamics.  Case in point, the first Sat. Reggie and Vander seemed to blend socially with the MU guys, but Devante Gardner seemed to be a little distant, and probably a little shy. Jamail and Jamil also flowed evenly between their team and the MU guys.  The "vets" appeared to be very patient with Devante and he appeared to gain confidence as the games move through the schedule.

Then Sunday came, and what a difference!  We were sitting right behind the South bench, and boy were they ALL having fun together as a Team.  There was a moment when Fulce asked Devante for a bite of his candy bar, and then he walked away to the end of the bench eating the whole thing.  DJO was sitting next to Devante and lead the team smack "snack attack", All having fun!  The guys were roaring and from the look on Devante's face, I think that he NOW felt a part of the team.  Later Jimmy took him, I think, for a quick weight room session.

Team building... an opportunity that MU players pulled together at the Pro-Am league!

I think maybe Fulce was "acting conditioning coach"

[GGGG]

Sunday was triple absence day

Does MU still have those?

[syscokid]

Those blue shoes.... I got my eastbay catalog yesterday, and they are in there under the jordan "jumpman" part of the catalog. adult sizes are $135, youth are $95. yikes! nice looking shoes. also sunday, i saw quite a few guys wearing MU shirts with the jumpman logo, and the "MU" moniker. I can't wait til that stuff hits the spirit shop!

[cheebs09]

Gardner got called for a foul after Butler ended up on the floor. he was too busy complaining to the ref about the call to worry about Butler. The guy above me thought Butler took a flop.

I didn't get a great look at it, but I thought it was a flop too. At worst, a collision of two guys going for the ball. Just don't want people thinking Gardener is playing dirty with teammates, although i doubt that's what previous posters were implying.