Football, baseball, hockey, boxing, golf, Olympics – if it was on television, I watched it and logged all the action so that highlights could be selected, found and edited for the local sports news broadcast.

However, my natural immersion in the NBA season has over the years nudged out interest in most other sports. Of all the sports I used to watch but no longer find or make the time to follow (other than the Cubs, who I do still try to follow, but watch very few actual games), I miss college basketball the most.

I used to run our tournament pool in the sports department. I had brackets of all manner of stages and predictions posted on my wall like a detective solving a crime. Okay, so I never came close to winning the thing, but it was a great time.

Every year I vow to actually know who’s in the polls, which teams are on the bubble and know at least enough to have no surprises when the seedings for the tournament are announced.

Every year I’m surprised when I read that this team or that team is playing for a conference championship. And this morning, I was positively confounded to discover that Drake would be playing Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference’s title game in St. Louis. While I’m not an alumnus of ISU, I did attend school there my freshman year.

Al McCoy, an alum of Drake himself, and I had talked earlier in the season, when his Bulldog’s lost to my brother’s Bradley Braves, the only other time I’d paid attention to college hoops this season. So, when I got to the arena this morning for the Suns-Spurs game, I sought out the Voice of the Suns to get his take on the game.

Ironically, I found him in the Al McCoy Media Center, eating lunch with fellow Suns’ broadcaster Gary Bender. When I told him I had a connection to his team’s opponent, he told me that Illinois State’s Jim Durham was doing the play-by-play on the Suns’ game for ESPN Radio and was in the building, as well.

Durham, who I listened to for years as the Bulls’ announcer with Johnny “Red” Kerr, approached as if on cue and asked if the game was on television. Indeed it was and I stood with McCoy and Durham and watched as Drake went on an early run to take a 14-9 lead.

The two broadcasting legends discussed making a whopping five dollar bet on the contest, but I’m not sure if the deal was ever finalized.

Bender was hedging bets on which one of them would mention the game on the air during their Suns’ game broadcast.

“I'm sure it will be mentioned if the right team wins,” Bender said.

“Yes, it will,” chimed in Durham. They all laughed, but McCoy had the last laugh, as Drake pounded Illinois State to advance to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1971.

But more importantly, I now know a team that has made it to March Madness. Bring on Selection Sunday, whenever that is.
]]>Mon, 10 Mar 08 19:04:00 UThttp://suns.marqui.com/blog/suns01_02190802.aspx

Former and current NBA stars (Bill Russell and Steve Nash pictured) came together in New Orleans to help in continuing hurricane recovery efforts. (NBAE Photos)

It was 1981, I was weeks away from high school graduation and 150 of my closest friends Amtraked it to the Big Easy for our yearly band tour. Given that most of us had recently reached the then-drinking age of 18 and the fact that we fancied ourselves as the artsy group of our class, it was quite literally the time of our lives.

We drank Hurricanes, walked Bourbon Street, hung out by the river's edge and even managed to perform a couple of concerts, most notably in historic Jackson Square.

When the footage of Katrina's devastating aftermath began to air two years ago, I joined all who had ever been to New Orleans in a personal feeling of loss. Only those who had the opportunity to enjoy the French Quarter and its eccentricities pre-Katrina could truly know what was lost when that massive storm blew ashore and changed the region forever.

So when I heard that the NBA's All-Star Weekend was heading to Louisiana I jumped at the chance to return to the source of such great adolescent memories. I knew it would not be the same. Natural disaster and human error had combined to make New Orleans a bleak skeleton of what it once was - a proud and unique destination, combining European style and class with Southern hospitality and good old American entrepreneur spirit.

Upon our arrival on Thursday, the airport shuttle to our hotel made a couple of stops to drop others off in the French Quarter and the memories from our trip over a quarter-century ago (yikes) came back clearer than ever.

I tried to set aside in my mind the pain that was still being felt throughout the city while the efforts being made to rebuild the ravaged communities and return the people to their homes continued.

As heart-wrenching as the images of the destruction were, they did not come close to what it felt like to see first-hand the destructive wake that still ripples throughout the area.

On our way to the league's NBA Cares event on Friday, we could see block after block of gutted out buildings and flattened slabs where vibrant, if not terribly wealthy, communities once hosted barbeques, family gatherings, all the good and bad that "normal" life has to offer.

As some of the world's most famous athletes painted, touched up and cleaned up houses in conjunction with "Rebuilding Together," an organization dedicated to the continual reconstruction efforts, getting out the message of despair that this community is still feeling seemed even more important than the handiwork Nash, Stoudemire and their buddies were applying to the buildings.

As I spoke to one of the organizers the anguish and anger was clear in her face and tone. As she explained the environmental, economic and political reasons that the very spot we were standing on was once submerged in several feet of water (I actually heard members of the media complain about the mud and paint they got on their jeans, but that is the subject for another time), it occurred to me that this was not just someone dealing with the aftermath of a natural disaster. This was a woman who felt let down by the very people who were supposed to be there to help the situation, not exacerbate it with poor planning and poorer execution. This was a woman who felt as if after gaining the world's sympathy over the tragic storm and its aftermath, New Orleans had become a forgotten city.

The shuttle driver who took us back to our hotel gave us a tour of the some of the neighborhoods. I could not hear most of what she was saying, but the visuals told the story anyway. More gutted houses and businesses, blocks of empty concrete slabs where homes and lives were washed away. Houses tipping at an angle, seemingly ready to topple over at the slightest breeze. Many of the buildings had markings from rescue workers, letting those who would follow know when they had passed through and what they found, if anything. I even saw some houses marked with "AZ," which we were told meant that a rescue team from our state had been there.

The prevailing aura of sadness was lifted a bit by the knowledge that the NBA and our Suns players and staff had put in the time to help with both the physical labor and awareness efforts. But as we drove through the streets of New Orleans, where only half its pre-Katrina population remains, the massive job that still awaits those that are left was apparent in the shambles that left behind.

(Steven J. Koek/Suns.com)

I could see in the faces of the hotel, restaurant and other local workers their appreciation for NBA's decision to hold its annual showcase of the best basketball players in the world in New Orleans. They are still a proud community trying desperately to regain the luster of one of the most unique destinations our country has to offer. While the financial windfall and national awareness that All-Star Weekend provided was just the boost that was needed, it hardly completes the job. The league’s proactive stay in the Big Easy should help readdress the needs of the community, and launch them back into the national consciousness to speed up the rebuilding and recreation of the city.

It was a massively humbling experience and one that dissuaded me from taking part in the traditional Bourbon Street celebration, even if I had the time or energy I had with my high school buddies so long ago.

Thankfully, I was in the minority viewpoint in that respect, as the city's visitors partied and pumped money into the local economy like it had not seen in quite some time.

I did walk the French Quarter and recalled some of the landmarks from my first trip. I waxed nostalgic at The Court of Two Sisters restaurant where we toasted to the friendships that remain to this day. I stood at the boardwalk where I sat with our group for hours and listened to water lap up against the shore while we talked about what lay ahead in our lives beyond high school.

I could not help wondering how different this trip would have been, both personally and professionally, without the underlying current of sadness that seemed to hover throughout the weekend.

There is some feeling of hope from those who have returned or never left. Hope that with time, effort and an increased global awareness of their continuing plight, they can rebuild their lives and community to some state of normalcy. Unfortunately for many, two years after Katrina hit their shores, hope is still all that remains.
]]>Tue, 19 Feb 08 20:41:00 UThttp://suns.marqui.com/blog/suns01_12260701.aspx

Raja Bell celebrates a Suns win against the Lakers in game 6 of the 2005-2006 playoffs. (NBAE Photos)

I walked through The Alamo while in San Antonio for last season’s Suns-Spurs playoff series and two years ago, I took the tour at the school book depository from where JFK was shot in Dallas over 40 years ago.

I stood outside the gates of the White House, at the base of the Washington Monument and at the feet of the Lincoln Memorial while covering the WNBA All-Star Game in Washington, D.C., and went to the top of the Space Needle (twice) in Seattle during the WNBA playoffs.

But last night, while in Los Angeles to cover the Suns’ holiday trip to California, I visited perhaps the most unique and significant non-arena location in recent team history.

After the contingent of players, personnel and their families arrived at the hotel, I met up with one of the Suns’ security guards who works the home games and occasionally travels with the team, who I will call Tony. Okay, that really is his name, but I cannot remember his last name, so I played the “who I will call Tony” card.

We went in search of a meal, not the easiest task so late in the evening on Christmas Eve. Tony suggested we try McCormick and Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, a place near the hotel that might be open. Then he revealed, quite matter-of-factly, that it also happened to be the bar where he was assigned to watch Raja Bell as he watched Game 6 of the 2006 playoff series against the Lakers after being suspended for “clothes-lining” Kobe Bryant in Game 5.

Tony recalled Raja being very quiet as the game began and nobody recognizing him through the first half. Then as the game got more intense and Raja became more vocal, someone finally did recognize him and the secret was out. Tony remembers the crowd being polite but loud as the game went back and forth, and said he is glad he will never know how the crowded bar would have reacted had the unthinkable happened and the Lakers had won.

While his recollections of the events of that night were pretty clear, his sense of direction was not and he immediately sensed we were not heading in the right direction. As we headed back to the lobby to ask for directions, I shared with him how the rest of that night panned out for both Raja and for me.

I wound up videotaping Raja’s reunion with his teammates at the airport after the Suns tied up the best-of-seven series and interviewing him on the plane about his experience at McCormick and Schmick’s. Then I captured the throng of about a dozen rabid Suns fans who waited at US Airways Center in Phoenix until 2 a.m. for the team’s return. “Raja’s back! Raja’s back,” they shouted as a smiling Bell walked to his car and then drove out of the arena.

I was just telling Tony the part about how I won a Rocky Mountain Emmy Award for that video as we were crossing the hotel driveway. We saw none other than Raja himself standing on the curb, who then chided me for still not having seen the statue before telling us how to get to the restaurant.

As it turned out, the restaurant had already officially closed, but a kindly host had the chef whip us up a couple of burgers to go. As we waited, we sat at the very bar where Tony and Raja watched Game 6 surrounded by Lakers fans.

Okay, so it might not be on par in significance with walking the grounds at the epicenter of the free world or that tall tower in Seattle, but for Suns fans and followers, it represents one of the finest locales in recent playoff history.

For me, it stands as a monument in memory of a night when I was able to match the team’s achievement and success by creating a video of archival significance and worthy of recognition by my peers.

And the burger was great, too.
]]>Wed, 26 Dec 07 21:45:00 UThttp://suns.marqui.com/blog/suns01_10100701.aspx

Koek flashes the Emmy hardware in front of the Suns.com Newsroom. (Josh Greene/Suns Photos)

While I personally received a statue, the bigger significance is that we at Suns.com can now add “Emmy Award-winning website” to our impressive portfolio of awards and recognitions as one of the top team sites in all of sports.

The video that won was the one I shot and edited of Raja Bell’s reunion with his teammates at LAX after the suspended Suns’ guard watched from a local bar as the Suns won Game 6 of their opening round series with the Lakers in the 2006 playoffs. Bell, suspended for “clothes-lining” Lakers star Kobe Bryant in Game 5 at US Airways Center, returned for the Game 7 series clincher and the Suns wound up advancing to the Western Conference Finals.

I was actually in Tucson producing the live webcast of the Suns’ public scrimmage at McKale Center when the awards show took place Saturday back in Phoenix. While there were no acceptance speeches for the winners, I had prepared one anyway, so here goes.

• First, I’d like to thank Kobe Bryant. Had Kobe not been the kind of player who would precipitate being thrown to the court by Raja Bell in the middle of a playoff game, I might never have received this award. Thanks, Kobe.

• I also have to thank Raja for not only being the kind of player that would actually throw down an opponent in the middle of a playoff game, but also for being the kind of player who would allow me to record the big reunion with his teammates, then grant me an interview on the charter flight back to Phoenix, and finally acknowledge the fans who waited hours at US Airways Center upon the team’s return late into the night. “Raja’s back!”

• I would be remiss not to include a bit of thanks to the NBA for suspending Bell for Game 6. I think they got this one right and remember at the time being relieved it was only for one game. More importantly, had the league not taken action, there would have been no reunion to film and no video to submit for nomination. There will be no thanks for this past playoff’s suspension decisions forthcoming.

• Thanks as well to Mike D'Antoni and the Suns for pulling off that huge win at the STAPLES Center. Not only did they provide us all with some of the most exciting playoff action this side of 1993, but had they not come away with a win in Game 6, the award-winning video sequence would have never been shot.

• Thank you to former Suns media relations manager Dustin “Meat” Krugel, who sat next to me on the bus ride from the arena to the airport and encouraged me to hustle off the bus and tape Raja meeting up with the guys. I believe his exact words to me were, “You gotta get that.” Thanks and good luck in Memphis, Meat.

• I’d like also to thank Suns’ VP, Interactive Services (and my boss) Jeramie McPeek for his constant encouragement and creative freedom to produce content on the fly, and often on my own. He also accepted the award for me on Saturday night, even though I technically beat him out of getting one himself. Thanks, Boss. Kudos also to the rest of the Suns.com staff: Josh Greene, who makes a cameo in the video interviewing Bell in Phoenix, Brad G. Faye, and our newest additions of Dan Banks, Dan Hilton and Stefan Swiat.

• Thanks in general go out to the Suns’ organization for seeing value in what we do on the website. Throughout the league, other teams’ web geeks (as Laurel D'Antoni is fond of calling us) are jealous of the access we are given and the contact we allowed with the players. Besides the occasional inappropriate word here and there (most often occurring during big celebrations) or particularly private player meetings, there is very little we are not allowed to shoot and post on Suns.com.

• Finally, thanks to Teresa, my girlfriend and biggest supporter over the last nine years. With or without this job, and the rewards and awards that come with it, being with her is the biggest award I could win. Thanks for being there, Babe.

 (Music fades in, mic cuts out…)

You and I were both wrong.

Penny Taylor and the Mercury host the Storm on Sunday evening for Game 2 of their opening round best-of-three playoff series. (WNBA Photos)

The Mercury play a different brand of basketball, there is no denying that. The game is not peppered with the kind of gravity-defying moves and raw power that the NBA supplies on a nightly basis. There is not the name or face recognition that comes with a saturation of marketing campaigns and high-profile media coverage.

But, there is excitement and there is great appeal. The Mercury had been shut out of postseason play for the past seven seasons. But they are now on the verge of advancing to the second round for the first time since the went to the WNBA Finals in 1998 after beating the Storm in Seattle 101-84 on Friday night to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three opening round series.

That alone should be enough for even the most casual Phoenix sports fan to take notice, but there is so much more about this team to rally around.

While killing time in the Seattle airport waiting for our return flight to Phoenix this morning, I was chatting with Mercury athletic trainer Tamara Poole, a veteran in the field of professional sports team training, who summed up the demeanor and attitude of the team in five words.

"It all starts with Coach."

Head Coach Paul Westhead and I have a couple of common denominators which connect us in odd ways. I was a teenager in Chicago at the time he was the Bulls’ head coach. His Reggie Theus-led teams in the early ‘80s made me an NBA fan for life and that was a few years before some guy named Jordan came along to bring the rest of the world on board (“If Michael came when I was there, I might still be there," Westhead quipped.)

Several years later, I was sitting baseline in the photographers’ row at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum when Cotton Fitzsimmons' Suns scored 107 points in the first half against Westhead’s Nuggets and finished with a record-tying 173 points.

In my experiences watching Westhead both as a fan and from the “inside,” he had come across as a stern, serious, if not downright surly, man. Be it age, experience or the grandkids (or maybe he was never really like that, he just seemed like that), Coach has a lighter aura around him these days.

He can still be stern and demanding with his players, but they respect and love him as a coach, and as a person. They want to play hard for him and give him their best.

I realize fans generally do not support a team because of its coach, but Westhead has set the table and served up a team that you can really get behind. The run-and-gun style he is famous for has worked wonders with the Mercury after many said the faster-paced game could not work in the WNBA. It is a style that has not only been successful, but it is, dare I say, very exciting to watch.

They run, they shoot and they rack up points like no team in the WNBA ever has, and they have fun while doing it. Their fast breaks look like choreographed Globetrotter routines at times and while their rebounding has been a sore spot, they are adept at cutting off the passing lanes and creating fast break opportunities in other ways.

Sound like another highly successful basketball team from the Valley?

It is often the case that when you begin to root for a particular team, they become less appealing when you get past the skills as players and start to get to know them as personalities.

This current Mercury team, also much like our current Suns team, is one where the appeal is only greater when you begin to get to know the players as people.

All-Star guard Diana Taurasi should be called “Perpetual Motion.” She is never still, whether it’s waiting on defense for her opponent’s offense to set up or sitting on the plane watching a movie with reserve guard Kelly Mazzante. She’s always moving, jumping, tapping her leg or biting on her iPod cord.

The three-time NCAA Champion with Connecticut is also an extremely hard worker and her desire to win is only slightly greater than her likeability factor. She always stops for autographs and looks into the eyes of the fans who want to meet her or take a photo.

She leaves you with the impression that she not only understands the importance of reaching out to her fans, but actually embraces it and enjoys the interaction.

All-Star forward Penny Taylor is a friendly and funny mate with an intoxicating Australian accent. Just don’t make her mad. Once on the court, Taylor is as physical a player as there is. She gets knocked around every game and does her fair share of bruising, as well, but always shrugs it off as part of the job, which for her it is. It is simply not a Mercury game until Taylor is on the bench at some point grimacing in pain.

The third in the trio of Mercury representatives in this year’s All-Star festivities is second-year guard Cappie Pondexter. The leading scorer in the team’s Game 1 win, Pondexter is as focused and determined a player as I’ve seen. Her drives to the hoop are lightning-quick and her pre- and post-game demeanor tell the story of someone driven to win a championship.

And while the three All-Stars garner the most attention and credit for the team’s success thus far, there is a general consensus among the organization that this team would be nowhere near what it is without playmaker Kelly Miller and center Tangela Smith, both of whom exude a quieter confidence about them than the more vocal leaders like Taurasi and Pondexter.

The fact of the matter is that this is an exciting and likable team with a legitimate chance at a WNBA.title, if not in the next couple of weeks, then in the next couple of years.

So here is my challenge to you, sports fans from the Valley and elsewhere. Give this team one chance. If you are around the downtown Phoenix area on Sunday afternoon, buy a ticket and see if they can get the two-game sweep of the Storm and move on. If you cannot make it to watch it live, tune in to ESPN2 and watch on TV. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.

If you give them that one legitimate look and it is still not the game for you, you’ve lost nothing but a couple of hours watching a basketball game. If it is for you, you can jump on board now and enjoy the rest of the ride.

]]>Sun, 26 Aug 07 03:07:00 UThttp://suns.marqui.com/blog/suns01_04240701.aspx

Raja Bell, Amaré Stoudemire and the Suns have already helped make the 2007 NBA Playoffs exciting. (NBAE Photos)

Before it gets really exciting? This postseason, only one game in, is already beyond "really exciting." For me it is anyway.

This team, this season, these playoffs, have the feel of something spectacular already. I think a win tonight would do more than put the Suns in the driver's seat of their opening round series with the Lakers.

With the Spurs and Mavs both losing their opening games, and the Suns' penchant in recent years for letting Game 2s slip away after Game 1 victories, going up 2-0 will show that this team has the focus and determination to go all the way.

This is not a "must win" scenario, of course. The Suns will dispose of the Lakers regardless of tonight's outcome. But it is a game that champions win.

I understand some fans' reluctance to jump fully on board after coming close so many times, but not yet achieving the NBA pinnacle in hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy. I grew up a Chicago Cubs fan so I know about getting close and winding up devasted by another year without a title.

But I also grew up a Bulls fan. I watched, sometimes up close and personal as a sports TV producer, when the Jordan era began ("Jordan Scores 40, Bulls Lose") and then when Chicago grew into a contender as Michael matured, honed his skills and bought into the team concept.

Those Bulls lost two straight Eastern Conference Finals to the Pistons before starting their first championship run. They learned how to win by losing.

This Suns team has also come close and seen what it takes to become a champion. They have learned those valuable lessons and have all the pieces in place to make it happen.

If you're not already beyond excitement, like the crazed sellout crowd at US Airways Center became on Sunday, you need to hurry up and get there. You won't be disappointed, no matter what happens.

But if all you're after is a title, hang on tight. In my opinion, if the Suns prevail tonight, and I predict they will, they will go on to win their first-ever NBA Championship.


]]>Tue, 24 Apr 07 21:26:00 UThttp://suns.marqui.com/blog/suns01_03160701.aspx

* * * * *

9:12 p.m. - Timeout, Pistons lead 103-81 with 2:07 to go.  All teams have these kind of games throughout the season and as far as one game in 82 goes, this is just one non-conferene loss.  I think we're used to this team being unbeatable, putting teams away and going on winning streaks.  That hasn't happened all that much of late, but this is no time to push the panic button.  This is still a supremely talented team with a legitimate shot at a title run. 

I guess the key is to keep me off the keyboard.  Suns fall 105-83 and I fall to 0-2.  The good news is that I'm staying off the computer for the Nuggets game tomorrow night.

* * * * *

9:10 p.m. - Okay, it does look bleak, no doubt.  But fans leaving en masse with three minutes to go in the game? That's more disturbing that than the Taco Gorilla.

 * * * * *

9:06 p.m. - Atypical bad shooting night for the Blur., who is now 2-10 from the field.  Timeout with 4:50 to go, 96-77 Pistons.  Could be heading for the worst loss for the Suns this season.  I blame myself.

* * * * *

9:05 p.m. - Nice move by Nash, but trading baskets won't do it. The Suns need stops.

* * * * *

9:02 p.m. - STAT jam to cut the lead to 12, but as EJ is probably saying right now, the Suns need a couple of stops.  That presumably does not include Delfino hitting a three to jump the lead back to 15.  Nor the trunover and lay in to stretch it to 17.  Not looking good, fans This might be my last live blog for a while.

* * * * *

9:00 p.m. - Nash and Marion return as all three All-Stars are back on the court.  LB shoots the technical free throw after Wallace gets called for mouthing off to one of the refs.

* * * * *

8:57 p.m. - I knew the first half was bad, but I just noticed it was the Suns' season low for offense with 43 points following a season-low second quarter with only 17 points scored.  Hopefully, I can stop with the negative stats and report on a typical Suns' run to close the gap.  Nash still on the bench as Wallace drains another three to give the Pistons a 15-point lead, 85-70 with 8:54 left in the game.

* * * * *

8:53 p.m. - Suns have just eight points off the bench as Barbosa is 2-8 from the field with just five points, and James Jones has missed all three of his shots and has gone scoreless.  Thomas has three points in just nine minutes.  By contrast, the Pistons have 33 points off the bench, although Flip Murray has played more than usual in Billups' absence.

* * * * *

8:48 p.m. - Stoudemire picks up his fourth foul as a disappointing third quarter winds down with the Suns trailing 75-64. One of the keys to Wednesday night's comeback was the insertion of Nash into the lineup to the start the fourth quarter.  He is currently chatting with his warmups still on with inactive forward (and Suns.com blogger) Sean Marks as the Adio Sol Patrol work their magic.

The Suns need to pull this one out, if only so I don't move to 0-2 on my blogging nights. 

* * * * *

8:43 p.m. - Not looking good for the home team as the Pistons now have their biggest lead at 82-72 with 1:45 to go in the third.  After Wednesday night, nobody's giving up yet.

* * * * * 

8:35 p.m. - Steve for three, 58-54, still need to pick things up defensively, which leads to the running game.

Block for Marion, who is now one block away from becoming the first player this season to reach 100 blocks and 100 steals.  The Matrix has been playing some stellar defense of late and should most definitely garner some Defensive Player of the Year votes come season's end.  I'm not sure how it happened, but Marion has been among the top vote getters for the award the past couple of seasons, but has not made first or second team All-Defense.  I don't like to hear him complaining about not getting respect or lobbying for himself for the award, but with that kind of anomoly, I can't hardly blame him.

* * * * *

8:31 p.m. - Nash with a patented drive and finger roll.  He does that so well.  If he has any opening at all, he is do deft at using his body to fend off defenders and flip it in, makes it look so easy.

* * * * *

8:30 p.m. - Billups injury is a strained left groin, questionable to return, he is on the bench.  Suns need to take advantage, which they do as Nash feeds Diaw for an easy lay in, 52-49 Detroit.

 * * * * *

8:26 p.m. - Second half underway.  No time for the cookie, with having to wait in line at the bathroom and running into former Mercury PR Director Tami Nealy.  But I grabbed my Diet Coke and I'm ready to get this game back to the Suns.

* * * * *

8:09 p.m. - Suns down 48-43 at the half.  I'm going down for my halftime cookie, hopefully the Suns will get their "real" runnning shoes on during the break.  Hope you've enjoyed the posts so far, more to come in the second half.

* * * * *

8:05 p.m. - Strong move to the hole by Stoudemire gets him to the line, where he drains his two free throws to give him 10 points on the game, 42-39 Suns.  Free throw shooting is just one of many areas Amare has improved on in his first few years in the league, a major key for his development and the success of this team in the postseason.

 * * * * *

8:03 p.m. - Time out, just under three minutes left in the half, Suns trail 41-37.  The Pistons play such good team defense, they seem to be slowing the Suns down closer to their speed.  The Suns must pick up the pace to extend their winning streak.

Trophy Guy makes his first appearance tonight.  I was skeptical of the Trophy Guy concept when I first heard about it, but the commercials are pretty darn good and the guy in the Trophy Guy costume is pretty funny and seems like a really nice guy.  You can watch all of the ads on our Multimedia page and the Trophy Guy has his own page on Suns.com, as well.

* * * * *

7:58 p.m. - Well that's one way to defend Nash.  Carlos Delfino grabbed Steve as he was dribbling across mid-court.  Billups heads to the bench with some sort of injury, perhaps a groin. That could be big for the Suns, as he is their playmaker and is always a tough match-up for Nash.  Replays show Billups pulled something making a Nash-like behind-the-back pass.

* * * * *

7:55 p.m. - They just showed the "Right Guard Extreme Fans of the Game" on the big screen and they are decked out in green face paint, kilts and Pat Burke jerseys in honor of St. Patty's Day and the Suns' Irish reserve.

* * * * *

7:52 p.m. - 'Sheed for three to give the Pistons their biggest lead, 38-31. STAT comes back with a strong move in the lane.  "Pound for pound the strongest man in the NBA," I guarantee Eddie is saying right now.  Time out, 38-33 Detroit with 5:50 to go in the half.

Dick Van Arsdale has left the press box.  As I said last time, he rarely sticks around too long, prefering to head home to watch on TV.  Still looking and doing great, though. 

* * * * *

7:47 p.m. - This game seems to be shifting more towards the Pistons' pace.  MV-Steve is back in there, though, so hopefully that will change.  Tied at 29, 8:43 to go in the half.

* * * * *

7:46 p.m. - I think the Suns caught a break on that out of bounds play, looked like Kurt touched it after 'Sheed did.  We'll take it.  Looked like Flip Saunders was going to flip out on the call reversal by refs.

Gorilla in a taco suit alert.  As posted last game, very disturbing.

* * * * *

7:40 p.m. - Kurt Thomas with a jumper on the elbow (no pun or pain intended).  Great to see that.  "Dirty" was money with those before the wing injury.  His ability to hit that mid-range shot does so much to open up the Suns' offense for everyone else, both for Amare inside and the perimeter shooters in the corners.

 * * * * *

7:36 p.m. - Wow, end of the first quarter already ("We are done with one," Tom would say.)   Suns up two, 26-24, seems to be about the pace the Suns want to play.  Pistons are a good help defense team and are doing a pretty decent job on the defensive end.  Clearly, the Suns want to keep pushing the ball up the court and wear this team down. 

* * * * *

Amy - Tempe
Barbosa is my favorite player -- It was so great to see all his fans show up yesterday. I hope he has more appearances so he and I can be friends! :) I don't know if you can keep track there, but the Celtics are within one point of the Mavericks in the 4th quarter. ...  

7:34 p.m. - I've got the Mavs game on another window, but it's tough to keep track, feel free to keep updating. 

* * * * *

7:32 p.m. - Antonio McDyess getting ready to check in for Detroit.  McDyess got a raw deal his first trip through town, although some of that was deserved based on his departure.  I was glad that he got a chance to come back for a time a couple of seasons ago.  One of the genuainely nice guys in the NBA.  Nice to see him come back from all his injury problems, seems to be a nice fit with the Pistons coming off the bench the past few seasons.

* * * * *

7:30 p.m. - Suns up five with just under three minutes to go in the first.  I would be able to write more if Leander would stop bothering me for the NCAA and Mavericks scores (Celtics up by two early in the fourth).  Tom has promised another blog, by the way, possibly tonight. 

* * * * *

7:28 p.m. - Diamondbacks hurler Randy Johnson is in his customary seat behind the North basket with his daughter, who looks just like him, poor thing.

LB for three!  Barbosa had an appearance at Paddock Pools in Avondale and was absolutey mobbed.  So great to see him getting some recognition as his game improves.  All the things people say about how nice a guy he is are not overstated.  You just have to root for the guy.

* * * * *

7:24 p.m. - 'Sheed with a three to pull the Pistons to within one, 14-13 at the first timeout with 5:39 to go in the first.  It is disappointing to me to see that STAT is in Wallace's range for technicals this season.  Most of Amare's T's have come on ticky-tack complaints to the officials.  I understand their desire to take control of the game and it can be ridiculous how much professional athletes complain about the officiating (deserved or not).  It appears Amare has taken the hint and has not had a technical since he was assessed two against the Bobcats.

* * * * *

7:17 p.m. - Good passing in infectous.  Marion's passing skills have improved dramatically since the arrival of super-disher Steve Nash.  Bell with a nice dish to Diaw underneath to give the Suns an early 8-4 lead. 

 * * * * *

7:15 p.m. - And away we go. Raja gets things going with a long two, great to see him get going early.  D'Antoni has said he might limit his minutes because of a couple of bum knees.  We'll see.  Coach has said always said Raja is the heart and soul of this team and we'll definitely need him come playoff time.  Bell with another jumper before I can submit this entry.  Nice start indeed.

* * * * *

7:08 p.m. - I am flanked once again by broadcaster Tom Leander and Suns.com columnist Joe Gilmartin.  Dick Van is making is usual first half appearance, as well.  Other than that, the press box is fairly barren, although FSN's Kevin McCabe and Jody Jackson have taken seats in the second row.

The Suns introduction video has played (if you have not seen it, go to the Multimedia page on Suns.com and watch it, it's well done) and Suns.com TV's Cedric Ceballos is introducing YOUR Phoenix Suns.  As many times as I've heard it, it still gets me going. 

Strap yourselves in, it should be a good one!

* * * * *

7:00 p.m. - I see that Illinois product Eddie Johnson is doing color commentary for FSN AZ's broadcast tonight.  I wish the Fightin' Illini had won because I know a lot of alumni from there, but to look on the bright side, at least EJ will talk more Suns basketball than Illinois basketball. 

On a serious note, Eddie told me earlier in the week that his mom is ill, so I wanted to wish her a speedy recovery.  I heard tonight that she is indeed feeling better, great to hear.

* * * * *

6:55 p.m. - Both teams have taken the court and with Thin Lizy declaring "The Boys Are Back in Town," we are rapidly approaching the start of the game.  The Suns will not be back in town for long, as they leave after the game for Denver to play the Nuggets tomorrow night.  This should be a much shorter trip than the one which had them stranded in Colorado earlier this season.  The Nuggs look about as different as the weather with the addition of Allen Iverson.  The Nuggets are currently in the seventh slot in the West, which means tomorrow's game could be a preview of the Suns' first round match up.      

* * * * *

Amy - Tempe
When you don't pay for cable, there has to be other ways of keeping track of the home games. ... so thanks for doing this ... Good luck keeping up with the speed of the Suns!

6:38 p.m. - Thanks, Amy.  I thought keeping stats for the broadcasters was a challenge in the speed of the game department, but that is nothing compared with this challenge.  I will do my best to keep up with the action. 

I am now safely in my press box seat overlooking the court.  The stands are slowing filling up with less than a half hour to tip.  I devoured another fine meal in the (soon to be named Al McCoy) media lounge.   Chicken jambalaya with rice and catfish, with some minestrone soup.  Good stuff and well worth the meager charge.  Most of the eyes in the lounge were glued to the U of A game.  I picked Purdue in our office pool.  The jokes about Lute Olson being in Hawaii or at a Suns' game soon were flying.  But, I'm trying to shake that off until after the game, plenty of time to check my brackets later.  It's almost Suns basketball time!

 * * * * *

6:34 p.m. – “Every trip in here is like a trip to basketball heaven.” That is how Associated Press sportswriter Bob Baum described Head Coach Mike D'Antoni’s pregame media session in his locker room office. Although Bob’s remark had a sarcastic tinge to it, he was not too far from the truth.

D'Antoni meets with the media an hour before each game and it is usually a most enjoyable session of basketball talk with one of the nicest guys and quickest wits in or out of sports. Tonight, most of the time was spent breaking down the details of the Suns’ dramatic double overtime win in Dallas on Wednesday night. Among the more interesting topics was the talk of Jason Terry’s three-pointer over Nash with 4.5 seconds to go that the second OT. The two-time MVP said that maybe he should have fouled Terry, but D'Antoni did not have a problem with the way he defended the shot. Even more than what was said, it was interesting to see D'Antoni talk so casually about such a huge moment in a huge game.

As far as the Pistons, D'Antoni, to no one’s surprise, is looking to speed the game up to offset Detroit’s half court game, much like the Suns did against Houston on Monday. Defensively, look for Boris Diaw to match up against Rasheed Wallace and Amaré Stoudemire to get the assignment on Chris Webber.  As usual, that can and should change as the game goes on.

* * * * *

3:40 p.m. - The last time I attempted this endeavor was last month when the Suns hosted the Bulls, the team I grew up watching. Tonight, the purple and orange gang looks to clinch their third straight Pacific Division title against the team I grew up with a severe distaste for.

Before the Bulls finally broke through and reached the NBA Finals in 1991, the “Bad Boys” in Detroit had Chicago’s number for several seasons. Not only did they end my team’s season on more than one occasion, but they did it in a thuggish manner. It was not surprising to me that when I had the opportunity to interview some of the major players on those teams as a production assistant for a local Chicago television station that their image translated from their on-court nastiness to a standoffish personal demeanor.

That I was conducting the interviews for a station in their rival’s town and that I went into those sessions with an established bias might have had something to do with it, but my recollections of those guys personally are every bit as negative as their images. The one guy I remember having enjoyed talking to was former guard and current Pistons General Manager Joe Dumars, who exuded class and stuck out as a result.

I relay all of this with the full knowledge that I was a fan who was expected to dislike the opponent before I even had designs on getting into the business, where there is supposed to be a journalistic impartiality.

The Bulls certainly exacted revenge for those postseason thumpings at the hands of Laimbeer, Thomas, Rodman and company. Chicago ousted Detroit in their first two runs to the championship after being eliminated by the Pistons in the three prior postseasons. But that has not dimmed my view of those Bad Boys teams for not only beating my team, but the manner in which they conducted themselves in doing so.

With all of that being said, I don’t hold the same contempt for teams that I once did. Sure, I still hate the Mets, and always will, for leap-frogging the Cubs in 1969 (I was 6 and it broke my heart) and even the mention of the aforementioned Pistons teams of the late 1980s, let alone seeing highlights or ESPN Classic games, brings a snarl to my lips.

But I don’t “hate” the Mavericks, for example. I respect an organization which can turn things around as they have in going from a half-empty arena to the madhouse that was the American Airlines Center on Wednesday in a relatively short time span. I like Dirk Nowitzki as a person and have enjoyed watching his game improve over the years. Even after last season’s defeat of the Suns in the Conference Finals, I hated that they beat my team, but I held none of the personal animosity I might have felt in years past.

Maybe I’m just old(er) now, but it doesn’t make sense to me to exert that kind of negative energy. Besides, now that I work for the Suns and, by extension, the NBA, it does not seem to be in my best occupational interests to do so. The Mets on the other hand…

Okay, tangent over. Time to focus on the game tonight, which sees the Suns going for their seventh straight win and 12 of their last 13. This will be the last Eastern Conference team Phoenix will see until Game 1 of the NBA Finals and win or lose tonight, the Suns will finish this season with their best-ever record against the opposing conference.

Amaré Stoudemire will be gunning for his personal-best 54th straight game in double-figure scoring and Shawn Marion enters the game two blocks shy of becoming the first NBA player this season to record at least 100 blocks (98) and 100 steals (127) for the fourth consecutive season.

Let the March Madness continue…

Nash, Diaw to Sit, Barbosa and Banks to Start

4:55 p.m. - I actually start this blog from the press room over an hour before tip off.  Mike D'Antoni has announced that neither Steve Nash nor Boris Diaw will be able to go tonight.  D'Antoni said Nash is feeling a bit better, but is still experiencing pain in his right shoulder and will be held out.  Diaw continues to deal with back spasms and will sit out the contest, as well.

Leandro Barbosa and Marcus Banks will get the starting nods to with Raja Bell, Shawn Marion and Amaré Stoudemire.  The Coach also said to expect James Jones and Pat Burke's roles to increase, as well as possibly the first meaningful minutes from former Bulls guard Jalen Rose. 

Should be another good test to see just how deep this team is.  Stay tuned...  Until then, I'm going to hit the media meal and get upstairs to my seat in the press box.

5:53 p.m. - Ahh, another fine meal from the press lounge.  A dinner salad, chicken and dumplings, roast beef and glazed carrots. 

I am now comfortably in my press box seat.  The National Anthem has been sung by two "nationally known" recording artists I've never heard of and the starting line up introductions are about to be made.  

The Van Arsdale brothers just arrived in the press box as the Suns starters are being announced.  It is so great to see Dick up and about.  There are no visible signs of the stroke he suffered over a year ago. 

The Matrix and STAT were just introduced as four- and two-time All-Stars, respectively.  Can't wait for Vegas, baby!  The Suns.com staff will be well-represented, so count on some great stuff to be posted throughout and after All-Star Weekend.

6:07 p.m. - And the game is under way.  For a guy born and raised in Chicago, and now working for the Suns, this is one of the two games during the season that seem strangest for me.  Just seeing the Bulls' red uniforms brings back childhood memories of my dad taking me to the old Chicago Stadium, where I later worked as a member of the local Chicago media before moving to Phoenix several years ago.

There is no doubt my loyalty is now completely with the Suns (being that I've been here almost 20 years and the Suns sign my checks), but the Bulls are still at the heart of my love for the game, and that was even years before some Jordan guy came along and won a few titles.

6:21 p.m. -  This will not be an easy task for the purple and orange gang tonight.  Replacing the two-time MVP is bad enough, but to have to deal with two starters out should wreak havoc with the flow of the game, one of the Suns' major strengths. And now the Suns have lost Amare Stoudemire with his second foul midway through the first quarter, replaced by fan favorite Pat Burke.

Burke has been cheered and vilified for his three-point shooting "antics" late in a couple of blow out wins early in the season.  Neither charactization seems too fair to me.  He was giving the fans what they wanted and even the Suns' bench seemed to get into it. 

However, the coaching staff and his teammates say he is consistently among the hardest working guys on the roster.  It is good to see Pat getting some relatively meaningful minutes early in games, despite the fact that injuries have been a major reason.  Either way, it should give him an opportunity to see what he can or cannot do.

6:25 p.m. - Pat, Pat, Pat... Just when I compliment him, he takes a wild three-pointer that nicked the side of the backboard.  Not only that, but the lefty shot it from the right corner and still hit the backboard, not sure you'll see that again any time soon.

6:28 p.m. - For those who have asked, the trim around the Suns' uniform are flags from Latin American countries in honor of Fiesta Night. 

6:33 p.m. - Jalen Rose enters the game for the first time.  Fans have wanted to see what Jalen can do, tonight should be a pretty good example.  Mike said before the game that he needed more of a presence at the point and would see what Jalen could give him.

6:34 p.m. - Man, this game moves fast when you're typing... 29-20 Bulls at the end of the first quarter.  Suns have a big challenge ahead of them the rest of the way. 

6:40 p.m. - James Jones open jumper from Marcus Banks followed by a Jalen Rose three, a Stoudemire spinning hoop and a Banks strong drive down the lane on the break to bring the Suns within 31-29.  Those are the kinds of plays that will give the Suns a chance tonight. 

6:45 p.m. - Pretty ally oop finish by Bulls rookie Tyrus Thomas.  Despite his immature comments about the prize money the other day, it will be interesting to see him in the slam dunk contest on All-Star Saturday Night in Vegas next week.  My pick is for Orlando's Dwight Howard to become the first big man to win it since... ever?

6:49 p.m. - Suns are down 45-35 just past the midway point in the second quarter.  It's amazing to me that the Suns have not lost a game by double digits yet this season. 

Hey Bodie, thanks for the kind words, although it was rainy and a chilly 61 today here in the Valley of the Sun.

Leandro Barbosa finished with 26 points before fouling out on Sunday night. (Barry Gossage/NBAE Photos)

6:55 p.m. - The Van Arsdale brothers have left the building.  Even before his stroke, Van would typically only stay for a half or so before heading home to watch the rest of the game and the post-game from the comforts of home.  That leaves me with veteran sportswriter and current Suns.com columnist Joe Gilmartin on my left, and Suns broadcaster and fellow Suns.com blogger Tom Leander on my right  

Tommy gets a bad rap from fans sometimes, but he's a great guy and growing talent who will be doing Suns broadcasts for years to come, so get used to it. 

6:57 p.m. - Good point, evetS, guess I don't necessarily think of Nance as a Big Man, per se, but I'll give it to you. 

7:00 p.m. - Speaking of big men, a viscous dunk by Amare. 

Suns still trail by 10, just under three minutes to go in the half.  The 50th straight Suns sellout at US Airways Center is pretty quiet at this point.  Doesn't look like too many empty seats, though.  A lot of Bulls jerseys in the crowd, but definitely the minority.  Nothing like a Bear-Cardinals game or Giants-Diamondbacks game.  It's hard to tell which is the home team at some of those.

7:05 p.m. - And speaking of the Diamondbacks, as if on cue Joe Gil just pointed out to me that new-old D-Backs pitcher Randy Johnson is back in his old seats behind the basket. 

7:08 p.m. - Luol Deng (officially drafted by the Suns for the Bulls) put back a lay up after an uncontested offensive rebound.  That's NOT the kind of play that will win this game for the Suns.

7:11 p.m. - Suns down 61-50 at the half.  Almost makes me glad I spent most of the first half watching my computer screen.  Here's to a better second half.  I'll be back after I run down for my halftime cookie.

7:27 p.m. - Went with popcorn instead.  A little stale, but it will do (this is from the media lounge, I'm sure the popcorn sold at the arena is fresh).  More than one reply tonight has asked about the unique uniforms the Suns are wearing tonight.  Here is the release that explains it all:

SUNS HOST DEX FIESTA NIGHT IN CELEBRATION OF HISPANIC HERITAGE
Fourteen lucky fans will win the Suns Latin Night Jerseys worn during the game

PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns will host DEX Fiesta Night Sunday, February 11 when they take on the Chicago Bulls at US Airways Center. Tip-off is set for 6 PM.

The evening will feature Hispanic-themed activities and entertainment throughout the game including Ballet Folklorico Alegria and national recording artist Nina Sky. Nina Sky, best known for their hit song “Move Ya Body,” will be on hand singing the national anthem as well as performing at halftime and a special post-game concert in the B Lounge.

In addition, the first 10,000 fans in attendance, over the age of 21, will receive an authentic Suns Soccer Ball, compliments of the Arizona Lottery. Suns players will also be sporting unique Suns Latin Night Jerseys during the game, with 14 lucky fans winning the jerseys off their backs at the conclusion of the game.

7:31 p.m. - The second half is underway.  "Beep, beep," LB for three to give him nine points on the night.  I, too, hope Steve used halftime to fire the team up.  Whatever Mike said the other night at halftime of the Hawks game didn't seem to work.

7:38 p.m. - Back to back three point plays for LB on a dandy dish by Raja Bell (I love that Roadrunner "Beep, beep" sound effect).  Suns within seven, 69-62.

7:40 p.m. -  The Suns Gorilla in a taco suit is disturbing. 

7:50 p.m. - Another three for LB, who now leads the Suns in scoring with 18.  Suns down 75-67 with 4:51 to go in the third.  Next possession, STAT takes it to the hole to bring the Suns within 75-69.  It's that kind of inside-outside combination that they will need the rest of the way. 

7:51 p.m. - As I'm posting the previous comment, Junior drains a Super Shot and the Suns are now within three.  The crowd erputs and would have even without the Gorilla's clapping hands on the screen.  Okay, I'm old school, but as a fan I don't like to be told when to cheer.  The lead was 11 and after an 8-0 push now it's three with 3:49 left in the third, the cheering will come.

7:57 p.m. - More offensive production might have been expected out of Shawn Marion tonight, but his hustle is never absent.  The Matrix just saved the possession three times to give Bell an opportunity to drain a three, pushing the Suns run to 11-0. 

8:00 p.m. - Junior's two free throws push the Suns to an 80-77 lead as the third quarter winds down, giving the Suns four scorers in double figures.

8:02 p.m. - STAT drains two more free throws to give the Suns their biggest lead of the night to seven, 83-77.  Banks replaces LB, who heads to the bench to rousing cheers.

8:04 p.m. - The Suns ouscore the Bulls 34-18 in the quarter to take an 84-79 lead after three.  Barbosa and Banks have combined for 28 pionts and nine assists so far.  Not good to have two of the Suns' starters out, but a great confidence booster for both, especially if the Suns are able to pull this one out.  LB's confidence was already sky-high, but any help Banks can lend as the second half of the season progresses will be a major plus. 

8:15 p.m. -  Bulls playing Suns basketball... All five Bulls touh it before Hinrich hits the three-pointer... Suns trail 90-89 with just under four minutes gone in the fourth.

8:20 p.m. - Time out, Suns, after Hinrich hits another three-pointer to give the Bulls a 97-92 lead with 6:29 to go... Suns Dancers ease the pain during the time out, but they can do only so much.

8:25 p.m. - Stoudemire picks up his fifth foul with under six minutes to go.  D'Antoni is leaving him in there for now, not sure he has much choice. 

LB is five points short of his career high of 30 points, but he now has five fouls.

8:28 p.m. - The last time the Bulls beat the Suns in Phoenix was 10 years ago, when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen each scored 37 points.  Hinrich and Deng currently have 29 and 26, respectively.  LB splits a pair fo free throws to give him 26 on the night.  Bulls lead 103-96 with 3:27 to go in the game.

8:30 p.m. - Crowd goes wild as the Gorilla and Sol Patrol throw free T-shirts to the crowd.  One lands in the press box.  KTAR's Craig Greilou valiantly tosses it to a kid in the back row. 

8:33 p.m. - Bell misses both free throws and the Suns employ a hack-a-Wallace tactic with a quick foul on the Bulls' big man.  Wallace makes both and the fans being to head for the exits.  Fans head for the exits?  Plenty of basketball to go, but okay.

8:40 p.m. - The Bulls lead has stretched to 13 with just over two minutes to go.  Not looking good at all for the home team.  As I said at the outset, this was a tough assignment with three key players out.  We come to expect so much from this Suns' team that I for one, fully expected the Suns to able to pull this one out.  Too much to expect, I suspect. 

8:46 p.m. - I could blame myself for mentioning that the Suns had yet to lose by double digits, but I don't believe in that sort of thing.  It was still a good experience for Banks, Barbosa, Jones and the like to get some extended minutes.  A disappointing loss in a disappointing stretch of the season, but every team has them, even the best of the best.  The biggest surprise is that it hadn't happened yet. 

It was also a good, if nerve-racking, experience to blog during a game.  I hope it was at least somewhat entertaining and made some sort of sense.  Thanks to those of you who replied during the game, even the ones I was unable to post due to bad language, incoherent or just downright mean comments. 

My record for blogging within the game is now 0-1, as the Suns fall 116-103.  I'll give a better effort next time, I promise.

While I still lost some money I really could not afford to lose, there were no objectionable odors, the food was free and delicious, and I was surrounded by some of the biggest names and most popular figures in Suns history. With my girlfriend of eight years, Teresa, I was honored to attend the private party celebrating Turf Paradise’s third annual running of the Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile.

We were among the first to arrive and got to spend some time with Cotton’s wife, JoAnn, who shared some great stories about Cotton’s passion for the horses and how the Cotton Mile came about.

• After Cotton’s death, JoAnn received correspondences from several organizations wanting to honor Cotton’s name, but the majority of them wished to use in conjunction with some fund-raising event, which JoAnn felt was not appropriate. Turf Paradise was the first to pitch an idea whose sole purpose was to celebrate his life without any other ties. The fact that among his greatest joys was horse racing in general and Turf Paradise in particular was just icing on the cake.

• Cotton would spread out all his racing forms and papers, and pore over all the statistics and notes like preparing to coach or broadcast a basketball game. He had a rainbow of colored markers which he used to code the various notes and trends for the upcoming races. The bag he toted back and forth to the track that kept all his notes and markers has remained unopened since his passing. JoAnn has gone to open it on a number of occasions but cannot quite get herself to do it.

• At his passing, the Turf Paradise staff that waited on him for years placed purple and orange flowers on “Cotton’s table” and allowed no one to sit there for several weeks.

• Saturdays were his favorite days to spend at Turf Paradise. He would hang out all day and bet on every race. He would call JoAnn and ask, “When do you want me home?” She would reply, “Don’t put that on me. You tell me when you'll be home.” He would then hem and haw, citing when the last race started and approximately what time he thought he would be leaving, but then would add, sweet as could be, “But I can come home now if you want.” Of course, he would always stay.

• This year, the Cotton Mile had a $75,000 purse, which Tom Leander explained to me did not go to the horse, but to the owner of the horse. (Thanks, Tom, I was really just asking if it had anything to do with the betting.) It was the highest purse of the day and meant that the race had reached a kind of status which brought in some of the best race horses around.

• After getting the rundown on how methodical he was about analyzing the races, the jockeys, the horses, the weather (“His father was a mudder! His ‘Mudder’ was a mudder!”), trying to take in every angle, I asked JoAnn if he was any good at picking the right horses. “No,” she replied very quickly with a sly grin as if that was among the most stupid questions ever asked.

We were seated in a private room overlooking the track and people started filing in as the races began. Suns legend and one-time Harlem Globetrotter Connie Hawkins’ arrival sparked me to include “sweetgeorgiabrown” in a box trifecta for the first race. While it might appear by the use of the phrase “box trifecta” (betting on the top three finishers, regardless of order) that I knew what I was doing, I had actually learned of the term just minutes before from JoAnn. Two of my three horses wound up in a heated battle for last place.

The only race I would up winning was the third, which I had placed a “show” bet (betting the horse will be a top three finisher) on a horse who won the race. I won a whopping 60 cents, which I paraded around the room after I cashed in.

The betting talk centered, of course, on what to bet for the Cotton Mile, the seventh race of the day. The No. 1 horse was named “Marbury” and I do not think anyone put any money on him (the large contract jokes aside). As I barely knew how to read the race book and no other names popped out at me (I, too, declined a tribute to Steph), I decided to switch my attention to the numbers. There were 12 horses in the race which meant that four numbers matched the uniforms of Ring of Honor members  (5, 6, 7 and 9) and No. 8 was Eddie Johnson’s, who looked to Cotton as a father figure. I flirted with a quinella, which is betting on the top four finishers, but settled on the box trifecta again when I discovered that the No. 5 horse was scratched (sorry Van). I went with the Walter Davis/Kevin Johnson/Dan Majerle ticket and another for Eddie Johnson to show.

Shortly after the sixth race, we were led down as a group to a box at the rail where we waited for the Cotton Mile to begin. I’ve sat in the photographer’s box down the third base line at Wrigley Field, I’ve watched basketball and football games from the baseline and sideline, respectively and I’ve watched playoff hockey from ice-level. But there is something unique about being close to those magnificent horses barreling down the grass track. The sights and sounds of that experience are like no other. 

Sweet D's No. 6 won the race, but none of my other picks came close.   In fact, no one in our group really seemed to be too excited about the outcome. Then a lone voice spoke up from up front. JoAnn held her winning ticket up in the air and said, “I won!” For the record, the winner was Night Chapter, ridden by Brice Blanc for trainer Bobby Frankel.

Our box was adjacent to the winners circle and we were led onto a platform there after the race where pictures were going to be taken. They then led in Night Chapter. What an incredible creature. From its shining coat and pulsating veins after his (her?) victorious run, he (she?) was spectacular to see up close.

By the time we got back upstairs, Dan Majerle’s kids were eating cake and my Suns.com colleague Josh “JAG” Greene was back at the betting booth.

On Friday night, I worked statistics for the Miami Spanish radio broadcast and the broadcaster remarked to me at one point (in English) how many former players are still with the Suns’ organization. A lot of sports clubs hire their former players and while it does appear the Suns do it more than most, I don’t know that for a fact. I do know that a lot of the visiting broadcast crews comment on the number of former players who are still around the team. Watching the way guys that I used to cover as players react to the death of Cotton, both right after the fact and in the ensuing years, it makes sense.

To see guys like Majerle, EJ and Chambers treat JoAnn with so much love and respect is a testament not only to her, but to Cotton, as well as the Suns’ organizational commitment to family over the years (there I go again). It is much too early to determine if that trend will continue in the post-Colangelo era. I suspect and hope it will.