A lot has been made of what Grant Hill might do when he eventually hangs up the sneakers and calls it a career. Basketball executive, company CEO and politician have all made it on the shortlist at one time or another, but music video star hasn’t ever been included. That is, until now.

While many could describe Hill’s basketball career as a mixture of R&B (rhythm and blues), it’s his wife of 15 years, songstress Tamia, who has made a career out of it. Their professional worlds collided for the first time earlier this year as Grant starred in the music video to the single “Beautiful Surprise” from the forthcoming album of the same name.

“After 15 years I get to work with my husband, so ahh…not a lot of acting there,” Tamia told SingersRoom.com about her video and real life love interest Hill.

There may not have been a lot of acting but there certainly were plenty of jokes. As the behind the scenes look from SingersRoom.com shows, Grant made sure to display his personality and keep the shoot light – much like he does in the Suns’ locker room.

But will Hill’s music video career be like many in college basketball, one and done? That’s yet to be seen. What we do know is it’s yet another element in his already impressive repertoire.

Those who have underestimated Steve Nash on the court have learned a valuable lesson over the years, and, as Forbes points out, he shouldn’t be taken too lightly off the court and in the boardroom, either.

First, in an online story published on Wednesday and in what will be another version for the June 4 edition of the magazine, Kurt Badenhausen – the publication’s deputy editor in charge of sports business – breaks down Nash’s success in the business world.

Now at 38 years old, and following 16 years in the NBA, Nash is in a position where he can be active in the investment world, but he is not straying too far from what he knows.

The article points out that Nash has “built a portfolio of nine investments that are mostly sports and health-centric.”

His love of soccer and his native Vancouver area led to perhaps his most high-profile role as part-owner of the MLS’ Vancouver Whitecaps. The team even has family ties for Nash, as his brother, Martin, played for the squad from 2004-2010.

Badenhausen lists some of Nash’s other involvements with a juice retailer called Liquid Nutrition, a supplement called OneBode and a “string of gyms that bear his name.”

It’s not like Nash has taken a lot of shortcuts either, as the two-time MVP also spent a three-month span as an unpaid intern for the advertising firm, Deutsch, in Manhattan, according to the article.

Rutt Wipe Introduces Blaze Orange Toilet Paper

Rutt Wipe Blaze Orange Toilet Paper Protects Your Assets

Farmington, MN – Rutt Wipe, Inc., is pleased to introduce its original blaze orange toilet paper. A must have for every hunter, the blaze orange TP, which is specifically designed to protect your assets, is a hunter-safe alternative product that eliminates the appearance of flashing your household white TP in the woods – a potentially dangerous activity, as that bright white can easily be mistaken for the same anatomical area of a whitetail deer.

“White TP poses a serious danger to hunters, especially deer hunters,” stated Brian Primus, President of Rutt Wipe, Inc. “Using blaze orange TP is consistent with the rest of hunting attire; orange jackets, vests, gloves, hats, and even slings are worn to assure that when another hunter sees something move through the brush, they do not see flashes of brown or white. A novel idea….and practical too!”

Rutt Wipe is a blaze orange biodegradable, non-toxic tissue paper that offers many uses beyond outdoor hygiene. This hunter-safe TP can also be used for trail marking ribbons, tracking deer, and even draping scent wicks over branches.

Rutt Wipe is a simple, but smart product. Anyone who hunts will find a great use for it. As the wrapper points out, “Don’t get shot with yer pants down.” For more information www.ruttwipe.com.

About Rutt Wipe:
Rutt Wipe is a blaze orange biodegradable, non-toxic tissue paper that has no harm to the environment. Each 2-ply roll has 250 sheets and weighs 3 1/2 oz. To learn more about Rutt Wipe, email them at info@ruttwipe.com or visit http://www.ruttwipe.com. You may reach Rutt Wipe via phone at (651) 303-9292.

Dan Majerle was no stranger to catching a bounce pass or two at US Airways Center back in the day or making the big play from “downtown.” He probably didn’t expect to have to do it again as a fan this past weekend though.

“Thunder”, we can call him that because we know him, became the center of attention in a different downtown venue Saturday night for showing off his catching abilities. During the bottom of the 3rd inning of the Diamondbacks-Giants game at Chase Field the former Suns guard, and current assistant coach, made a one-handed grab of a ball while grabbing something to eat.

While standing in the pool area near the right field wall, Majerle, while holding a plate of food, made the one-handed snag of a Gerado Parra ground-rule double that was smoked and found its way into the stands off of one bounce. Oh, and he did it without dropping anything off his plate.

Not to be outdone, later that evening Suns head coach Alvin Gentry tried to match the feat. He made an impressive grab of his own at the Arizona Rattlers game at US Airways Center just a few hours later.

While sitting behind the wall in the north endzone, Gentry caught an errant pass on the fly (you’ll have to take our word for it as no video is available, we saw it first hand).

We won’t say which one we thought made the better play, mostly because we don’t want to cause any friction, but we’ll say this, we never would have guessed some of the best hands on the team may be wearing suits on the bench.

BONUS: Here’s an animated gif of “Thunder” Dan’s impressive catch and his subsequent hamming it up for the camera.

Steve Nash knew he was going to the public’s focal point this season when it came to coverage of the Phoenix Suns during the 2011-12 season.

So game-in and game-out, the 16-year NBA veteran stood before the media to give his straight-forward, polite and informative take on the game as the leader of his team.

The Professional Basketball Writers Association acknowledged Nash’s effort in this regard on Monday by naming him its Magic Johnson Award winner. The honor is given to the player who best combines excellence on the court with public cooperation off of it.

“It’s a privilege and honor to be recognized by the pro basketball writers, whose passion and skillfulness present the frontline of how our game is understood and perceived by our fans,” Nash told the Arizona Republic’s Paul Coro. “Their role in our sport can’t be underestimated and it’s an honor to be recognized by them along with the past recipients.”

Nash beat out three other finalists for the award, including Minnesota’s Kevin Love, San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul. It is the first time Nash earned this particular accolade.

Last week, the Cards gave the 25-year-old defensive end a five-year contract worth $55 million, with $31 million guaranteed.

Calais Campbell joined Dan Bickley and Mike Jurecki on Xtra Sports 910 in Phoenix to talk about his brand-new contract, to give his thoughts on top pick Michael Floyd and to discuss his expectations for the 2012 season in Arizona.

On the negotiation process that led to him signing the long-term deal:

“It’s been a long process. And it was a hard-fought process but it was a great process. The Cardinals organization definitely did a great job and I’m just so happy to be a Cardinal for a long time to come.”

On the possibility that he could still sign another long-term deal before his career winds down:

“Yeah, man. That’s the goal. Hopefully I’m blessed enough to play for a long time. But I try to take it one day at a time and try to make sure this next year is gonna be the best year.”

On his pursuit of a secondary career in Hollywood:

“Me, I’m more on the producing side, but I wanna write stuff too so I’ve been writing a lot and just networking in Hollywood and stuff.”

On the team’s first-round pick, Michael Floyd:

“I’m a fan of Michael Floyd. I liked him a lot in college and I think he’s gonna be a great player. He’s one of those who’s just super-athletic, but he plays the game at such a high level. Like, he’s so physical, and for a receiver that’s rare to see — a guy catch the ball and every time he catches it he tries to get to the end zone. And that’s what we need.”

On his expectations for the defense in 2012:

“I think we can be great. Ray Horton has a great scheme, and he’s definitely a great coach, he’s a great motivator. And it’s crazy, but I think that we can be a top-five defense in every category. That’s our goal and that’s what we want to be. Towards the end of last year we started having that confidence that we could beat anybody — anybody we get on the field with we can beat them. And when you have that confidence and you go out there and you play 16 games, you’re gonna win a lot of games. So hopefully we can win a lot of games this year, win our division and go to the playoffs and try to create some havoc.”

Listen to Calais Campbell on Xtra Sports 910 here

June 2, 2012
 
Heritage Elementary
6805 N. 125th Ave
Glendale, AZ 85307
Crossroads: 125th Ave & Glendale
              
Time: 8am- 7pm

Entry Fee: $2.00 Adults
$1.00 Students
Children 5 and under are free
 
Team Fee: $125.00
Double Elimination
 
Come out and watch the highflying talent of Arizona’s Women’s Basketball. What makes this tourney so special…. it’s a mix of women ages 15 - up. We are looking for the best talent in the valley!
 
The tournament will consist of 8-16 teams. Each team is guaranteed two games! All games will be officiated by AIA referees. Awards will be given to all players and coaches for their participation. The deadline for registration is due May 30, 2012.
 
A championship trophy will be given to the 1st place team. In addition, 2nd - 4th place awards will be given to the respective teams. An MVP Award will be given to the best players of the tournament nominated and selected by the tourney coaches and sponsors.
 
For info or to register Contact Ali at 602.391.1291 or Tang at 602.794.5664

Here is the Press Release that caught my attention:

New Knife from Light My Fire Features an Integrated FireSteel®

About Industrial Revolution, Inc.
Dedicated to burning the candle at both ends to bring innovative ideas to the outdoor recreation market, Industrial Revolution, Inc. is the manufacturer of diverse products including UCO Candle Lanterns, Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker, and Pedco tripods and clamps. Rounding out their line of products is the Swedish brand, Light My Fire, offering clever tools that enable outdoor adventures. The company is based in Redmond, WA, and its products are widely used by outdoor enthusiasts the world over. For additional information, contact Industrial Revolution, Inc. at 888-297-6062 or visit www.industrialrev.com.

This knife is sturdy and well-made. It is not the sharpest knife I have ever reviewed, but definitely sharp enough. I have reviewed some knives for my cooking website that were stunningly sharp, so they have set a high bar for me. That being said, this is indeed sharp, and more than sufficient for any task I can imagine using it for. The blade is of a great shape and length for a general-purpose knife.The grip is comfortable and fits well in my hand. It has a slight texture that would make it slip resistant when wet. The fire starter stores neatly in the butt of the handle. This part also has a good grip and is easy to hold when striking with the back of the knife blade. A firm strike results in a great shower of sparks which will hopefully light even damp tinder. The knife is brightly colored which in this case, I think is a good thing. It won’t get lost when you set it down, and it is easily found in your pack. The knife is well-packaged. The sheath is a molded-plastic type material and appears very sturdy. It holds the knife securely and is equipped with a belt clip. The fire fire starter portion is also fitted with a lanyard which is a nice feature on the knife.

This knife is well-made and the fire-starter absolutely works. My pack always has inside at least three methods to start a fire; this knife is a great addition and is now a permanent addition to my load. Well-done by the folks at www.lightmyfireusa.com

There is no doubting how much the experience of playing for the Canadian national team in the 2000 Olympics meant to Steve Nash.

That is part of the reason why the point guard has agreed to an administrative role with the club, as general manager for Canada Basketball. His selection to the post was made official Tuesday at the Air Canada Centre.

Affectionately dubbed “Captain Canada,” Nash raised the level of notoriety for the game of basketball during his performance in the Sydney Olympics – where the Canadians nearly reached the medal round on the back of his performance.

“Obviously I love the program,” Nash told Marc Stein of ESPN.com. “It was a huge part of my development as a player. Going to the Olympics (in 2000) was the best experience of my career.

“So if I can help other Canadians experience that, it would be pretty amazing.”

The point guard last played with the club in 2004, where he again was individually successful and was named the MVP of the Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament. That time, however, the team did not qualify for the Olympics.

The tide may be changing for Canadian basketball, however, as the team is hopeful that the continued progress of first round NBA draft picks Tristan Thompson and Cory Jospeh result in more success on the international stage.

The ESPN.com report noted that Nash will have a “strong say” in the selection of the team’s next head coach.

There is also no doubting the popularity of the selection, as The Globe and Mail in Toronto referred to Nash as “a basketball icon in his native country” when his selection to the general manager position was announced.

When he helped the Canadians to their successful run in the 2000 Olympics, Nash averaged 13.7 points per game and 6.8 assists per game. His best games came against Australia and Serbia and Montenegro.

Against the Australians the guard went for 15 points and 15 assists in a 101-90 win, and in the latter game Nash had the most well-rounded performance of his Olympics with 26 points, eight assists and eight rebounds during another Canadian victory.

Keith Wilson

1. Tell me how you developed the product.

Rex: The complete story about how these products came to be is told in detail on our website under “about us”.

2. What has been the biggest unexpected challenge in bringing Final Step to market?

Dwight: The biggest challenge has been with marketing the new products.We have found that although we have a great cover scent that is unlike any other in the industry and one that we know our customers like that the larger manufactures in the industry do everything they can to block the entry into the market. This is accomplished in many ways and for this reason it makes entry into the field a challenge even with a great product.

3. What makes this different than other cover scents?

Dwight: Final Step Cover Scents are made from real plant material that is harvested by us and manufactured by us. We do everything ourselves and do not outsource or co manufacture anything. This is a patented process that cannot be duplicated in the industry. We have made a product that has incredible in field performance with long lasting residual cover scent capabilities. It is made in the USA and we are proud of this. This is not a scent elimination spray, this is a natural cover scent made from real plants.

4. Tell us about the future – think you’ll diversify into other products or stick with cover scents?

Dwight: We are a new company in the industry so our focus is in developing our business around what we do best, and that is making natural cover scents in Cedar, Sage, Juniper and Grease wood. We do have other products in our Research and development pipeline, but these will not compete with the natural cover scents. We want every retailer in the country to offer our products to their customers because we believe and our current customers beleive that these are the best cover scents on the market today. We want to help other hunters like ourselves who have full time jobs to be more successful while in the field on a limited time. We want to help change the way you hunt and maximize your success in the field.

Rex: We would eventually like to have a family of products that compliment our cover scents.

5. Clearly, all of you are hunters. What are your favorite critters and types of hunts?

Dwight: My favorite hunting is for Big Whitetail in the mid west, but I also enjoy the western hunts for Elk as well.
Rex: I am passionate about hunting the coues whitetail of the southwest, but eastern whitetails are a close second
Keith: I enjoy the treestand whitetail hunts in the midwest.

Dwight Howdeshell

6. What’s the dream hunt you haven’t been on yet?

Dwight: My dream hunt would be to go to Alaska and hunt Grizzly, Moose, and Big Horn Sheep.
Rex: My ultimate adventure would be a Bongo hunt in Cameroon or the Central African Republic.
Keith: My ultimate hunt would have to be a moose hunt in the Yukon and a red stag hunt.

7. Where would you like to see Final Step in five years?

Dwight: In five years I would like to see Final Step in every privately owned and major retailer and offering our products at an affordable price to hunters like us around the country. We priced our products to be affordable and we want to keep them this way for our customers. We will always be made in the USA and made by us and our employees.

8. For people hearing about Final Step for the first time, what do you want them to know about your company and products?

Dwight: See brochures and literature we sent you. You have to try the products for yourself to fully understand how effective they are and how well they work in the field. You will be amazed at the reaction you will see from animals in the field. Like the slogan say’s “Like you were never there”
Rex: Give thee scents an honest chance and you will be amazed!
Keith: I would just like to let all hunters that as long as there are hunters in this country,there will be final step to help them with there successful hunts and we will stand behind our product 100% .as hunters we know the satisfaction of a trophy hunt and we believe this product will allow everyone to experience the same,young or old man or woman ,this product was made with you in mind.

9. What has been the most exciting part of your journey so far?

Dwight: I have enjoyed developing and bringing a product to market that I know works and I believe in. It is about the new friends and fellow hunters you meet along the way of this journey that makes a difference.
Rex: Meeting so many wonderful folks with the same passion as us and developing a product that can literally change the way people hunt.
Keith: To me the most exciting part has been the gratification and blessings we have had from meeting so many awesome people from all over the states and countries. the friendships we have acquired by introducing Finalstep and hearing all the unbelievable experiences that have come about from using our products is why we are proud of Finalstep Cover Scents.

Rex Jensen

Although these scents will work across North America, you couldn’t ask for a more effective family of cover scents for hunting the West – cedar, juniper, sage, and greasewood. You can learn more here: Final Step Scents

As if my Twitter handle @orange_crusader wasn’t an indication of this enough, I am not only an admitted comic book geek, but one who embraces that geekness. To maintain some level of coolness over the years (and to avoid wedgies), I have also presented myself as a sports fan, thus requiring me to learn such complicated terms as “trifecta”, “clutch basket” and “flagrant foul.”

Since joining the Suns in 2005, I have tried my best to fuse comic books and sports as often as possible, regardless of how much of a reach it may appear I’m trying to make. Who could ever forget my beloved blog “Which Sun is Most Likely to Benefit From A Radioactive Spider Bite?” back in 2009?

With The Avengers now in theatres, the opportunity to turn my inner geek into Suns.com content presented itself through our Vice President of Suns Digital, Jeramie McPeek (@jmcpeek), when he asked if anybody would be interested in discussing which Suns players over the years best represented the Avengers. Pretending this was a chore of enormous inconvenience, I gave a rolling of my eyes and a half-hearted, “I guess I can do it.” I then almost let my geeky cat out of the bag when I asked, “We’re talking about the Avengers from the film, right? Not the original team of which Captain America was not a member and not the Ultimate Avengers team of which Ant-Man and Wasp are members.” After noticing the looks I was getting by the department, I shrugged my shoulders and just gave a nonchalant, “I can work on something like that.”

I compiled my roster, and after some debate with both McPeek and our Social Media Specialist, Greg Esposito (@espoaz), over who had made the final cut, I am ready to present to you the doppelgangers who compile “The Ultimate Avenging Suns.”

CAPTAIN AMERICA – It’s fitting that the NBA player to have worn the Suns uniform more times than anyone in team history would be the one to kick things off. With superhero-like monikers including “Double A” and “Oklahoma Kid”, Adams remains a legend in the state of Oklahoma to this day. With Oklahoma right there in the heartland of America and a state motto that translates to, “Labor conquers all things” you can’t find a Sun who better epitomizes Captain America than Adams.

Adams never took a day off, but thanks to his consistent work ethic, still managed to sustain a successful 13-year career. Even in his final season during the 1987-88 campaign, Adams suited up for all 82 ballgames, a testament to how much of an effort he gave all the way from his Rookie of the Year season in 1975-76 through that final regular season.

Like Adams, Captain America also knows how to put in a full day’s work, an attribute that was never on display more than during Marvel’s Civil War. The storyline saw Captain America lead a team of anti-registration superheroes against a government that had made it mandatory for “costumes” to register before fighting crime. Civil War helped revitalize Captain America, in large part because it proved there wasn’t a force on the planet that the character would back down from.

When you combine his work ethic with his attitude (there aren’t many more wholesome and genuinely good guys than Adams) a more fitting Captain America you could not find.

IRON MAN – This one can be summed up with a simple number -  1,192. That is the number of consecutive ballgames that forward A.C. Green suited up for over the course of his NBA career. He may not have always been suiting up in purple and orange, but regardless of the team name on the front of his jersey, it was the name on the back that symbolized the man’s iron will to keep moving forward through various nagging injuries.

If Suns fans can make a favorite out of somebody who played more than twice as long in Los Angeles with the Lakers than he did with Phoenix, it’s obvious that there’s something special about him. Fans in Phoenix probably best remember Green for the incident that took place against former Knicks forward J.R. Reid, who elbowed the Suns’ veteran forward during a ball game knocking out two teeth (teeth that Green calmly walked over and picked up off the hardwood like a man we might add). It looked as if the streak would come to an end following the injury, but thanks to a protective mask (honestly, it’s like this stuff writes itself), Green was in uniform for the team’s next game and managed to keep the streak intact.

Now, I realized that Tony Stark and A.C. Green are as different as night and day. But when Stark puts on that Iron Man suit, he is transformed into something greater than a cocky, millionaire playboy. Stark becomes conscious of the “we” that doesn’t exist in Stark Tower, and learns the benefits of turning away from a self-serving livelihood and working towards assisting a “greater good.” Over the years, he’s even learned how to be part of a team rather than trying to do everything on his own. Like Stark, Green also understood the benefits of being a team player, and finished his career with some champion experience to thank for it.

THOR – The God of Thunder meets “Thunder” Dan Majerle in a fairly simple fusion of Suns and Avengers. The Suns’ All-Star and current assistant coach may be remembered by some as a threat from downtown, but that’s not to say that the forward didn’t also have the ability to throw it down inside the paint. How else do you explain his 1989 playoff slam over the 7-7 Manute Bol? Regardless of whether or not it counted, you would be hard-pressed to find a dunk better described as “thunderous.”

The Avengers may have had reservations about teaming up with a relative of the antagonistic Loki, but they eventually saw the error of their ways and welcomed Thor aboard. Suns fans, too, were hesitant over Majerle joining their team back in 1988 and even booed the selection. But as legendary coach Cotton Fitzsimmons promised, “You’ll be sorry you ever booed this young man.” Fitzsimmons was right, and like the Avengers, Suns fans too eventually embraced the outcast as one of their own.

Through the decades, the Marvel Universe’s adaptation of the Norse God has been counted out many times (after all, it’s not easy keeping a guy hip when he speaks like a character out of Shakespearian literature). But through the creative genius’ at Marvel, they manage to not only keep Thor involved in major storylines, but have even made him the catalyst. Recent examples include popular storylines like Siege and Fear Itself.

Since his playing days, Majerle has remained a fixture in the Suns’ organization through various facets – first as a broadcaster and now as an assistant coach. He, like Thor, appears to have a firm understanding of how to remain part of a winning team. And like Thor, Majerle’s success can be credited to finding the balance between playing with discipline while knowing how to call upon a little reckless abandon when the time is right.

HULK – Sir Charles sounds like it would be a nickname reserved for a mild-mannered citizen, but that’s what helps make this merging so perfect. Like Bruce Banner, Sir Charles is a genius in many ways, and like the Hulk, former Suns forward Charles Barkley really liked to smash the opposition.

Barkley was loud and to the point during his time with the Suns (not to mention his time ever since), and never held punches metaphorically or literally. This is very similar to a Hulk character who is such a pain to the rest of the Marvel Universe that its head honchos once tricked him into being shipped off to another planet altogether. As you can imagine, this didn’t sit well with the green guy, and soon after his return to Earth in the World War Hulk storyline we received another reminder why nobody really likes this guy when he’s angry.

Suns opponents didn’t like to see Barkley angry either, as his first matchup against his former Sixers can attest. In a 125-115 victory against Philadelphia, the superstar pitched in a line of 36 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists (unfortunately, the Suns found out a few years later what it’s like to be on the other end of the spectrum of a “Barkley smash” performance when in his first game against Phoenix as a member of the Houston Rockets, Barkley pulled down an astonishing 33 rebounds).

“The Round Mound of Rebound” played with a bit of a chip on his shoulder – a large reason why he is arguably the most popular Sun of all time. He played by his rules and insisted on playing the game his way. Best of all, the MVP “hulked up” more than ever when the stakes were at their highest. Case in point, Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Barkley told the world he would score 40 points and grab 20 boards against Seattle and then announced his totals each time he ran by the Sonics’ bench on his way to a 44-point, 24-rebound night and the 1993 NBA Finals.

In a star-studded cast like the one seen in The Avengers, many wondered who it would be stealing the show. Surprisingly enough, it just might have been the Hulk, despite the fact that he can barely put together a complete sentence. If anybody in Suns history knows how to steal some spotlight, it’s definitely the Saturday-Night-Live -hosting, TNT-postgame-boasting, Charles Barkley.

HAWKEYE – With a name like Hawkeye, Suns Ring of Honor member Connie Hawkins would appear to be the route to go. But the Suns “Hawk” was smooth, too smooth to ever share any commonality with the rough and rugged Clint Barton.

McPeek recommended taking the “Greyhound” here (as in Walter Davis), and normally it’s tough to argue with the Suns’ VP of Digital (you know, because he’s also our boss and all). But while Davis is the franchise’s all-time scoring leader, that doesn’t constitute him being the ultimate marksman. Davis shot a very solid 51% from the field over the course of his career, but that percentage dipped dramatically from downtown. The Suns’ legend connected on 157 of his 577 overall shot attempts from 3-point land, giving him a career percentage of 27%. Not exactly a number you want to bank on from a guy holding a bow and arrow at 50-plus yards away.

It will pain Suns fans who probably perceive Hawkeye as a “bit player Avenger,” but you’ve got to fill this role on the team with Steve Nash. I mean, is there a Suns player you would trust more to connect from anywhere on the court than the “Canadian Kid?” Field goals, trifectas and free throws are all at Nash’s mercy, as he proved yet again this season by shooting 53% from the field, 39% from downtown and 89% from the charity stripe. The playmaker missed the completion of a fifth career 50-40-90 shooting season by just a hair, a feat that has only been accomplished a total of five times in league history by players other than Nash. He did manage to finish the season ranked seventh in field-goal percentage, and first among guards and forwards, and at 38 years young, fell just short of joining Chris Mullin and John Stockton as the only players in NBA history to shoot 54 percent or better from the field and 40 percent or better from 3-point range in a single season.

To Steve Nash, the basketball is his bow and arrow, the bottom of the net his target, and bringing the two together is an art form that he only appears to get better at with age.

BLACK WIDOW – One would think that the saucy mink known as Black Widow would be a personality Suns players would not want to be compared to, but in terms of on the court, is there a better Avenger for an NBA player to emulate? To anybody not familiar with the character, Black Widow is a former assassin turned spy who has pure ice water running through her veins. In other words, she’s the “guy” you want taking the shot late in the game with everything on the line.

It’s a characteristic exhibited by many of the aforementioned Suns in this blog. In fact, it’s difficult not to duplicate a player we’ve already mentioned here for this spot. Barkley knew how to close out a game better than almost any superstar while Nash has hit game-winning shots time and time again. Then you’ve got a player like Garfield Heard who – while not particularly known as a clutch player – hit one of the biggest clutch shots in NBA history.

This one ate at me so badly that I actually picked up the phone for a little consultation. And who better to give me advice than a man who is not only in the Suns Ring of Honor himself, but also a member of the very team I myself am assembling – Alvan Adams. You see, Adams not only played with the Suns from 1975 through 1988, but has remained involved in the team’s facility management ever since the opening of their current venue. It means that he not only played with everybody from Dick Van Arsdale to Kevin Johnson, but has been in the building to watch everybody from Barkley to Nash.

When posed the question, Adams first explained that he thought the best definition of “ice water in their veins” wasn’t so much “somebody who didn’t care” as I had explained it, but as somebody who was “less bothered under pressure.” And he said that the first person he thought of when matching a face to that definition was his former teammate, Walter Davis.

“Every play at the end of a ball game was designed for Walter,” Adams said. “It was just a matter of how many picks the rest of us were going to be setting for him.”

As Adams himself pointed out, this isn’t to say that Davis hit all of these shots or that he’s hit more of them than any other player in team history. But with Davis’ combination of shooting form, accuracy and the fact that he didn’t mind taking the last shot, the team’s all-time leading scorer does appear to be a great choice.

THE TEAM – Steve Nash, Walter Davis, Alvan Adams, Charles Barkley, Dan Majerle and A.C. Green. You could probably win a few games by assembling that starting five and sixth man. You could also “avenge” some disappointing postseason exits from year’s past. Maybe the question now is which Suns head coach would you throw an eye patch on and ask to lead them?

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said ‘the only way to have a friend is to be one.’ Suns owner Robert Sarver both had a friend in, and was a friend to, the late NFL linebacker Junior Seau who passed away Wednesday.

As a guest of Arizona Sports 620’s “Burns & Gambo” show, Sarver, who met Seau through a mutual friend in San Diego in 1996, shared his memories of his late companion Thursday.

“His personality was bigger than life,” he told the hosts. “Everything he did, he did with such energy and gusto. He was the kind of guy that, when he came into a room, he was buddies with everybody and he fit into everything no matter who he was with and where he was.”

Some of the activities Seau pursued with that vigor and enthusiasm Sarver described, the Suns’ owner also had an opportunity to witness first hand during his decade and a half of knowing the former NFL Star.

“We kind of had a group of five of us that played a lot of golf, a little bit of beach volleyball, a lot of poker, trips to Vegas and trips to L.A,” he shared with an obvious sadness in his voice. “We just kind of hung out a lot together.”

While Sarver wouldn’t speculate as to what led to his friend’s tragic and apparent suicide, he did share insight into Seau’s post playing career mindset.

“You just don’t know what goes on inside someone’s house and you don’t know what goes on in someone’s head sometimes,” he explained. “He just had a tough time to adjusting to life after playing football for sure.

“He really enjoyed the camaraderie and being part of a team. I know he really missed that when he stopped playing.”

It’s clear through Sarver’s memories and the stories that have emerged from other friends and family over the last few days, Seau, and the camaraderie he provided over the years, will be missed by many. Though it sounds like the Suns’ owner is great being a friend to and having a friend in, the southern California sports legend.

LISTEN:Robert Sarver Talks to Burns and Gambo

Being a professional sports team mascot is, well, monkey business. That’s what makes the Gorilla the perfect man, or is that primate, for the job.

Despite being born for his role in the NBA, one news outlet doesn’t think he’s the best mascot in the league, let alone in all of sports. That source is Forbes, which put out its “Most Popular Sports Mascots” list – as opposed to its “Most Popular Corporate Mascot” list? — on Monday.

The list ranks GO as the seventh-best mascot in sports behind some questionable characters.

While names like the San Diego Chicken, Mr. Met, Benny the Bull (no, not the Dora the Explorer character) and the Philly Phanatic all deserve to be ahead of the Gorilla on the list for blazing the trail in the world of professional tomfoolery, the others don’t.

For over 32 years Phoenix’s favorite primate has entertained the masses at both the Madhouse on McDowell and the US Airways Center with his high flying dunks and his hilarious hijinks. He’s been in one of the greatest video games of all-time – NBA Jam Tournament Edition – starred in numerous national commercials and has also been inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

Can No. 5 on the list boast of that? No, the Red Sox’ “Wally the Green Monster” isn’t even the most famous thing in the Fenway Park on a nightly basis with that moniker. That and he’s only been around for 15 years.

And how about the group at No. 6 on the list, the Milwaukee Brewers “Racing Sausages?” They’re technically not even mascots – that distinction goes to the mustachioed “Bernie the Brewer.” What they amount to is mutant deli counter leftovers that run around for 90 seconds. Honestly, have you ever seen sausages with legs, arms and facial hair? They aren’t exactly the long standing quality entertainment that the Gorilla has provided.

In all seriousness, though, we love all our fellow felt-based friends, but the Gorilla’s stellar reputation and impressive resume should put him higher on the list. Who’s better to professionally monkey around, than someone who is related to one?

Your Turn: Where would you rank the Gorilla among mascots and what do you like most about him?

1. Short stories, poetry, novels, non-fiction – you’ve done it all. What’s your favorite type of writing?
For the most part I like writing them all –they are all challenging and rewarding in different ways
As I get older I am doing more non fiction however.

2. In terms of personal satisfaction for your own work, where does “Lines on the Water” fall?
I like Lines on the Water. It is I think a fairly accurate portrayal of life on the Miramichi River, and the friends I write about in it are authentic and as gracious as most human beings. The fishing is good too.

3. Was it a book you wanted to write, or a book you needed to write?
It was a book I both wanted and needed to write–most of my friends were asking me when I was ever going to write about fishing–finally I decided to do so.

4. As you know, I haven’t been home in a long time – how are the Atlantic salmon doing? I know they were struggling when I left.
The salmon are doing fairly well on the river now. Of course it is a 4 year cycle from spawn to mature fish–the grilse run happens after 2 years of course–but over all I do think the fish are doing well, and the stock is healthy. Of course each year is different and there is no guarantees, but the Miramichi is still the greatest Atlantic Salmon river in the world.

5. For the most part, participation in hunting and fishing is declining across North America; do you think fishing books such as yours can serve as recruiting tools or merely a testament to the “way things used to be”? How important do you think it is to keep fishing (and hunting) alive?
Both–in some ways every book one writes is a testament or an avowal to the way things were–in a certain way that is the writer’s job–however these books are also filled with hard won information about what is true and noble in the experience, and that in itself says that such experiences are important.

6. Barely anybody here has ever heard of New Brunswick. How would you characterize New Brunswick (and New Brunswickers)?
Like anywhere else really. Its the province in Canada directly north of the State of Maine. I have travelled most of my life, and have come home again. New Brunswickers are as gracious and generous and thoughtful and as understanding of the world as people I have met in New York, London or Sydney Australia. In fact in the real measure of things there is little difference.

7. Is there a dream fishing trip you haven’t been on yet?
Bone fishing on the flats in Florida someday.

8. Are there more fishing books from you in the future?
No I believe I have done my fishing book. I have a companion hunting book out now, and that is it as far as those kinds of books go.

Thanks again to David. I’m going to pick up a copy of his hunting book to review next!

If you are interested in buying a copy, you can pick it up on Amazon here: Lines on the Water

Interested in learning more about New Brunswick? Check here: New Brunswick

Finally – are you a fisherman looking for a cause? Check out the Atlantic Salmon Federation: Atlantic Salmon

If you turn on the highlight tapes you will see a vicious, punishing linebacker and start to salivate over the kinds of enforcement skills that he can bring to a defense. However, those plays were few and far between this past season at Arizona State. In reality, Burfict played undisciplined, racked up numerous personal foul penalties, missed a ton of tackles, looked disinterested at times and turned out to be the most overrated and overhyped player in the conference. Those problems along with his awful performance at the scouting combine and the perception that he has a poor work ethic and doesn’t respond well to coaching has turned Burfict into the most polarizing player in this year’s NFL Draft.

Vontaze Burfict joined WNST in Baltimore with Glenn Clark to talk about how tough this pre-draft process has been for him, what he would like teams to know about him that they may not already, if the criticism that he has received bothers him, how frustrating last season was at Arizona State, how he responds to the criticism that he is not coachable, what he says to people that question his work ethic, if he has thought about what he will do if he goes undrafted.

How tough this pre-draft process has been for him:

“It’s been a hard preparation. I’ve just been working out, toning down my body, lifting weights, running miles every day, and just trying to keep up with conditioning so I can come into camp the best I can.”

What he would like teams to know about him that they may not already:

“Just hope that they know I’m a soft-spoken guy. The guy I am on the field, I’m not the same guy off the field. When I’m off the field, I’m more sitting down, more of a chill guy, don’t do too much partying, and when I’m on the field I’m just angrier, don’t like to lose, have a passion for the game and love to hit. Me and off the field are just two different things and people have it mixed up. They think I’m the same people off the field and it’s totally different.”

Whether the criticism he has gotten bothers him:

“No because I know who I am as a person and I know how my mom raised me. I just know whatever team picks me, they’ll get a great linebacker. Once they see me on the field and see me off the field they’ll be like ‘man the media had this guy totally wrong. He’s just such a great guy’ and stuff like that so there will be a lot of good words after this draft about me.”

How frustrating last season was at Arizona State:

“Yes sir. At the beginning of the season we went like 5-1 and then we ended up losing like five games straight. It was very frustrating for me because we had too many athletes on that team and for us to lose close games it was just very frustrating for me. Some of my immaturity kind of showed with getting personal fouls and stuff like that. I’ve learned from my past and I’m growing as a man, just looking past that, focusing on next year, and getting whatever team I play for to the Super Bowl.”

How he responds to people that say he doesn’t like to be coached:

“I think that’s totally wrong.  I love being coached because I’m not the greatest athlete but I loved being coached. You get better at every little thing that you do so by me being coached I love to listen to what a coach has to say because obviously they’ve been there and done that so I think I’m very coachable, especially coming out of Arizona State because I had Trent Bray as my coach and he knew a lot about the game. I learned a lot from him but I also think I can learn more from somebody else in the NFL that knows what an offense will run before they come out and do it. I think that’s something that I already have and becoming a professional at it I think that would be amazing.”

How he responds to people that believe his work ethic is poor:

“Actually I think I work very hard. Like I said I weighed like 257 last season and right now I’m about 245. My work ethic this offseason has been amazing. Every morning I wake up and run a mile, I’m eating right, doing two workouts per day, running half a mile before I go to sleep so I think my work ethic, a lot of people don’t know what my work ethic is, because they’re not with me 24/7 but a lot of my stuff is pretty much what I do and I know what I do by myself.”

Whether he is worried about going undrafted:

“Not really because I have been working so hard and God knows how hard I’ve been working. I’m truly blessed just to be in the position that I’m in right now. If I don’t get drafted then I will have to go back to school, but I love football so much that I won’t give up on football. But I will go back to school and finish up my schooling and stuff like that and probably go somewhere else like Arena football or something but hopefully I make it to the NFL sir.”

Listen to Vontaze Burfict on WNST in Baltimore here

If you turn on the highlight tapes you will see a vicious, punishing linebacker and start to salivate over the kinds of enforcement skills that he can bring to a defense. However, those plays were few and far between this past season at Arizona State. In reality, Burfict played undisciplined, racked up numerous personal foul penalties, missed a ton of tackles, looked disinterested at times and turned out to be the most overrated and overhyped player in the conference. Those problems along with his awful performance at the scouting combine and the perception that he has a poor work ethic and doesn’t respond well to coaching has turned Burfict into the most polarizing player in this year’s NFL Draft.

Vontaze Burfict joined WNST in Baltimore with Glenn Clark to talk about how tough this pre-draft process has been for him, what he would like teams to know about him that they may not already, if the criticism that he has received bothers him, how frustrating last season was at Arizona State, how he responds to the criticism that he is not coachable, what he says to people that question his work ethic, if he has thought about what he will do if he goes undrafted.

How tough this pre-draft process has been for him:

“It’s been a hard preparation. I’ve just been working out, toning down my body, lifting weights, running miles every day, and just trying to keep up with conditioning so I can come into camp the best I can.”

What he would like teams to know about him that they may not already:

“Just hope that they know I’m a soft-spoken guy. The guy I am on the field, I’m not the same guy off the field. When I’m off the field, I’m more sitting down, more of a chill guy, don’t do too much partying, and when I’m on the field I’m just angrier, don’t like to lose, have a passion for the game and love to hit. Me and off the field are just two different things and people have it mixed up. They think I’m the same people off the field and it’s totally different.”

Whether the criticism he has gotten bothers him:

“No because I know who I am as a person and I know how my mom raised me. I just know whatever team picks me, they’ll get a great linebacker. Once they see me on the field and see me off the field they’ll be like ‘man the media had this guy totally wrong. He’s just such a great guy’ and stuff like that so there will be a lot of good words after this draft about me.”

How frustrating last season was at Arizona State:

“Yes sir. At the beginning of the season we went like 5-1 and then we ended up losing like five games straight. It was very frustrating for me because we had too many athletes on that team and for us to lose close games it was just very frustrating for me. Some of my immaturity kind of showed with getting personal fouls and stuff like that. I’ve learned from my past and I’m growing as a man, just looking past that, focusing on next year, and getting whatever team I play for to the Super Bowl.”

How he responds to people that say he doesn’t like to be coached:

“I think that’s totally wrong.  I love being coached because I’m not the greatest athlete but I loved being coached. You get better at every little thing that you do so by me being coached I love to listen to what a coach has to say because obviously they’ve been there and done that so I think I’m very coachable, especially coming out of Arizona State because I had Trent Bray as my coach and he knew a lot about the game. I learned a lot from him but I also think I can learn more from somebody else in the NFL that knows what an offense will run before they come out and do it. I think that’s something that I already have and becoming a professional at it I think that would be amazing.”

How he responds to people that believe his work ethic is poor:

“Actually I think I work very hard. Like I said I weighed like 257 last season and right now I’m about 245. My work ethic this offseason has been amazing. Every morning I wake up and run a mile, I’m eating right, doing two workouts per day, running half a mile before I go to sleep so I think my work ethic, a lot of people don’t know what my work ethic is, because they’re not with me 24/7 but a lot of my stuff is pretty much what I do and I know what I do by myself.”

Whether he is worried about going undrafted:

“Not really because I have been working so hard and God knows how hard I’ve been working. I’m truly blessed just to be in the position that I’m in right now. If I don’t get drafted then I will have to go back to school, but I love football so much that I won’t give up on football. But I will go back to school and finish up my schooling and stuff like that and probably go somewhere else like Arena football or something but hopefully I make it to the NFL sir.”

Listen to Vontaze Burfict on WNST in Baltimore here

Dustin Watson doesn’t subscribe to the theory that talking about a streak will end it, at least not with the run he’s currently on.

Members of the Suns might feel otherwise once they hear the details of Watson’s impact on the outcome of their games – athletes are a superstitious bunch, you know – but the illustrator has full confidence in the ability his Free Throw covers have had recently.
The threat that a little superstition poses doesn’t affect his confidence in the least.

“I do not think talking about this will affect the streak at all,” he said. “I think it’s a solid streak.”

Now that his favorite team has won 11 in a row when his original artwork graces the cover of the team’s in-game program, Watson is hoping his work will propel the Suns to one more win – his latest Free Throw cover will be on display during Saturday’s game against Denver – and maybe even a playoff appearance.

The victories started piling up after his first cover, an Amar’e Stoudemire piece that was printed on March 2, 2007, for a Suns-Pacers matchup.

“I’ve been drawing and doodling my entire life,” Watson said. “I went into college for graphic design, and that’s when I did my first cover.
“It’s great because I can do something that that involves my love of sports, and that has driven most of my illustrations.”

Watson plays with coloring and uses some effects to a lot of illustrations, which usually focus in tight on a player’s face, and he has an uncanny attention to detail when he portrays a subject.

Just this season, he has provided a stoic Steve Nash and a smiling Grant Hill – well, at least half of Hill’s face – for the January 6 and February 19 editions of Free Throw respectively. Jared Dudley made an appearance on April 1, and a determined look on the guard’s face was enhanced by a grainy effect that Watson specifically had in mind for the way Dudley has been playing.

“It’s only fitting that an illustration of Dudley be a little gritty,” Watson said on his website.

In fact, his personal site (dustinpwatson.wordpress.com) features all of his illustrations, including recent ones he did on Suns rookie Markieff Morris and center Marcin Gortat.

Perhaps the most impressive collection that Watson has completed, however, is his “Face the NBA” project, in which he created an illustration of one player per day over the course of a month. The 30 images, one per NBA team, were also combined into a poster.

The passion he shows for the artwork is obvious; the success the Suns have on nights when Watson has the cover of Free Throw is just icing on the cake.

This season, Waston thought the winning streak was in trouble right out of the gate. The Portland Trail Blazers started off the 2011-12 campaign winners of five of their first six games, including wins over Western Conference frontrunners like Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Lakers.

But the illustrator struck again in convincing fashion, as the Suns trumped Portland, 102-77, on Jan. 6. The next biggest threat, the Lakers, fell victim to the streak, as well.

Perhaps Watson’s winning ways will serve the Suns well, as the team tries to build upon its remarkable second-half run toward the playoffs.
For Watson, the streak just serves as an interesting and fun feat intertwined with his two favorite hobbies: drawing and Phoenix Suns basketball.

Check out all the covers of Free Throw from this season here.

The legend goes that Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León traveled to Florida in search of the fountain of youth. There may be a reason he never found it.

It seems like he had the right idea to search in a place with great weather that what would one day become a retirement destination. He just had the wrong state.

That mythical rejuvenating fountain of water may be located somewhere in Arizona – more specifically the US Airways Center.

Just trying to keep up with all the games on NBA League Pass on a nightly basis – 66 games in 120 nights for most teams – could cause even the fittest fan a sprained thumb, a strained neck, or at the very least leave them gasping for air. Just imagine what it could do to someone actually playing in said games.

Despite one of the most compact schedules in league history, however, the Phoenix Suns have managed to avoid the injury bug at a historic pace according to Basketball Prospectus.

In analyzing why the Phoenix Suns have exceeded expectations by staying in the playoff race through the season’s final week, the training room is a good place to start. There’s likely to be plenty of room, because the Suns are enjoying one of the healthiest seasons in NBA history. Combined, the entire Phoenix roster has missed just 18 games to injury all year. That’s fewer than 55 different players in the league have missed all by themselves.

Aaron Nelson and the rest of the Suns training staff may not have actually discovered what the Spanish explorer spent so much time searching for – although they do have a cryo-chamber – but if the Suns remain healthy they might just become legendary around the NBA. Or at the very least go down in NBA history as the trainers who oversaw the healthiest team ever in the league.

Hitting the Links:

• We all know that Steve Nash is all about going green but according to the New York Times, he may be more efficient at driving than the hybrid cars he advocates for.
• The Polish Machine is looking for a tune up to put things in overdrive according to AzCentral.

The legend goes that Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León traveled to Florida in search of the fountain of youth. There may be a reason he never found it.

It seems like he had the right idea to search in a place with great weather that what would one day become a retirement destination. He just had the wrong state.

That mythical rejuvenating fountain of water may be located somewhere in Arizona – more specifically the US Airways Center.

Just trying to keep up with all the games on NBA League Pass on a nightly basis – 66 games in 120 nights for most teams – could cause even the fittest fan a sprained thumb, a strained neck, or at the very least leave them gasping for air. Just imagine what it could do to someone actually playing in said games.

Despite one of the most compact schedules in league history, however, the Phoenix Suns have managed to avoid the injury bug at a historic pace according to Basketball Prospectus.

In analyzing why the Phoenix Suns have exceeded expectations by staying in the playoff race through the season’s final week, the training room is a good place to start. There’s likely to be plenty of room, because the Suns are enjoying one of the healthiest seasons in NBA history. Combined, the entire Phoenix roster has missed just 18 games to injury all year. That’s fewer than 55 different players in the league have missed all by themselves.

Aaron Nelson and the rest of the Suns training staff may not have actually discovered what the Spanish explorer spent so much time searching for – although they do have a cryo-chamber – but if the Suns remain healthy they might just become legendary around the NBA. Or at the very least go down in NBA history as the trainers who oversaw the healthiest team ever in the league.

Hitting the Links:

• We all know that Steve Nash is all about going green but according to the New York Times, he may be more efficient at driving than the hybrid cars he advocates for.
• The Polish Machine is looking for a tune up to put things in overdrive according to AzCentral.