Member Interviews: Big Slam
Sorry for the delay. busy time. anyway lets get to it.
Ladies and Gentleman....Big Slam!
Bobcats Planet name: Big Slam
Real name (first only): Joel
Age: 33
Current City: Ottawa, Canada
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Occupation: Account Manager for a printing firm
1) How did you choose your screen name?
Slam is a nickname my mates gave me and have called me by for years and years. I’m 6’7” and “back in the day” used to be able to get up a bit. I pulled a ring or two down during different games and busted a backboard once so guys started calling me Slam. Blew both my ankles out years and years ago so the nickname isn’t as fitting any more because I can’t get up like I could back then!!
2) Could you tell us a little about where you grew up and about your family?
Grew up in Australia, youngest of three kids (two older sisters). Moved to Ottawa 3 years ago just before my 30th birthday. I’m married now and have two daughters (one who is 1 ½ and the other who is 8 weeks old)
3) Did you play in any sports or where you involved with any High School clubs and such?
I’ve always played a lot of sports. Australian Rules Football, Basketball, Tennis, Squash, Golf, I swam competitively and I in-line skated (free style) for fun. I represented my town in sports, my state in sports and my high school in sports.
4) What is your fondest memory of your teenage years?
Playing Sonic the Hedgehog with my buddies until the sun came up on Sega Mega Drive.
5) What was your first job?
I think a paper round every night after school was my first actual paying job.
6) What lead to your dedicated following of the Bobcat's?
I’ve always followed the NBA but never a team. I grew up in the “Jordan” era, had all his shoes, all his t-shirts and all his posters on my bedroom wall. When I heard about the expansion team I saw it as a great opportunity to put my full support behind one team rather than just a player and be there from the ground up as the team was being built. Threw thick and thin. It helped that one of my best friends from Australia married a chick from NC and 5 of us flew from Australia to the wedding in the USA in 2003. Spent a lot of time around the NC area and fell in love with the place. That, and my mates wife went to UNC so by supporting the team, in a way I was supporting her!
7) Could you tell us one of your favorite memories of the Bobcat's?
There has been a lot! The first win in franchise history against Orlando and Jason Hart handing Top Bob the game winning ball. The triple OT win over the Lakers. Crash going off against the Knicks for 42. Felts taking the game over against the Cavs. EO50’s 10 blocks (and almost triple double – Darn you Hammer!) against the Knicks. Ammo going crazy stupid against the Wolves. The block Crash made on Etan Thomas when he plucked the ball from the sky. Trading for Swish. Seriously, I love the team way too much for there to be just one!
8 ) How did you find the Bobcats Planet and what keeps you active on the site?
I honestly don’t know how I found BCP. There isn’t a lot of basketball news up at this end of the world outside of the Raps and no one at work talks NBA so I have to resort to the internet to get my fix on. I don’t know if someone mentioned BCP back in the BCF days and that’s how I found it, but I’m glad I did. I’m even more glad that Ziggy updated the place because I think it was painful to post here before the upgrade. It was hard on the eyes and now it’s slick as hell. The thing that keeps me active is my love for the team and because I am a Bobcats junkie.
9) What other sports teams do you follow?
[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']Essendon Bombers (Aussie Rules Football: http://www.essendonfc.com.au/main.asp). Ottawa Senators (NHL: http://senators.nhl.com/index.html). Australian Cricket Team (Cricket!!: http://www.cricket.com.au/).
10) When you’re not on Bobcats Planet what could you likely be found doing with your spare time?
Playing with my kids, playing Aussie Rules Football, playing PS2 (NBA ,NHL and WWE), surfing RGM or the Observer…………….or any other place I can find Bobcats info!
11) If you could have one moment being part of the Bobcats organization, what would it be?
Easy. I’d be the owner. I’d call all the shots and make all of the decisions.
12) How many trips have you made to the Time Warner Cable Arena?
None – but hopefully that will change in the next year or two. I want to get down for a game.
13) What is your worst fear?
Failure.
14) What type of hobbies do you enjoy?
Playing sport and PS2.
15) What’s your favorite food?
Sushi (or all Japanese for that matter)
16) Where are some of the places you’ve been, and where are some of your favorites.
Indonesia (Bali and Lombok), spent 3 months driving and camping around Australia before coming to Canada (had to see my own back yard before I left it), Seen a bit of Canada – but only this side (Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Montreal etc). Been to Central Michigan, NYC, Boston, Philly, Syracuse, Atlanta, New Orleans, Arizona, Vegas, LA – blah, blah, blah. I was in New Orleans in 2003 before Katrina hit and I have to say that of all the places I have been, that was my favorite. I LOVE the music, I LOVE the atmosphere, I LOVE the food, I LOVE everything about the place. It was my sort of town (I can drink long and hard and am partial to seeing the sun come up after/during a big night on the booze so NO really was my type of town!).
17) What is one thing you've always wanted to do, but haven't done yet in your lifetime?
A standing back flip and land on my feet.
18 )If you could live anywhere where would it be?
Either Ottawa or Melbourne – where my family and friends are.
19) Name your favorite 3 Bobcats all time and explain the reason for one of them.
(In no particular order):
Hammer – I love that he doesn’t p*ss and moan, he’s a hard worker, blue collar and works as hard as he does.
Crash – Balls and all
EO50 – He started with the Bobcats when I did!!
(apologies to Swish – who would be in the top 3 if he had been here from the start)
20) Up to this date, what is one of your favorite Bobcats Planet memories?
I really enjoy the draft thread and talking about the college players with the gang. I found that “Bug Boy” poster who would come by and smash the Bobcats while talking the Hornets up pretty funny.
21) Anything else you'd like to add?
I think this is a great initiative by BCP to get to know each other. Kudos for coming up with it.
Who would you like to nominate to be interviewed next?
dav7z
