"The French Connection" are a couple cool dudes!

[TheBeagle]

I'm always hesitant to begin a new thread because I always assume what I have to say can be shoehorned into an already existing thread, not to mention I'm not a fan of starting a new thread for the sake of starting a new thread, but I had a unique (re: INCREDIBLE) experience at the GSW game last night:

I go up to my seats in 215 for about the first 5 minutes of the game, then Michael Thompson comes up and says I'm in the wrong seats. I follow him down the steps, down the escalator (all the while having no clue where we're going), down the steps at 101/102, all the way down to the floor, where I'm 7 feet from the Cats bench, then he takes me down the tunnel, shows me around and introduces me to a couple nice staff members whom he tells give them anything I want, have my tickets exchanged, and given a "Backcourt Club" pass, and back out to the court, where I'm given seats 2 rows behind the bench, where I'm told by MT, that he'll come get me after the game to go meet Lexy. One of the most surreal ten minute spans in my life (yes, it's a sheltered existence I lead, but still)! I mean, I'm sitting so close, I have to look BEHIND ME to say hey to Keetch...WTF!?!?!

Anyway, halftime comes, and fellow members Amp and Lewey come join me, so that we have 4 BCP members sitting within an 8-10 foot radius of our beloved Cats! And let me say, seeing Natasha do her thing a mere 10 feet from me was indescribable....lots of drooling, oogling and other things I can't get into; I don't know how it's possible, but the closer you get, the better she looks...good heavens her abs, her ass, her...well....

The game thread is used to discuss the game, so I won't go into anything here other than to say if it looked like the fouls called on anybody daring to look at Crawford were bogus...they were. The Cats still had countless chances to win, but that was, as the guy in front of me yelled, "horseshit."

After the game had run its course, and Keetch had left with 4 or so minutes left (BOOOOO), and Lewey and Amp had left, I sat around watching a couple hundred people go over to the GSW tunnel to wait on Morrow, I'm guessing, and see Ford and Hanners come out and schmooze with their people, and see them dismantle the court (very symbolic considering the outcome of the game).

Then MT takes me backcourt and has me wait and tells me he'll go get Lexy. As I go back there, Gerald's just finishing meeting and posing and signing for people, which was cool to see. Then May comes out and for some ungodly reason, some people actually gave a shit, and did their thing with him...I just looked in at the lounge and watched highlights of the UConn/Gonzaga game on one of the TVs. Next Matt came out and was very cool and did some signing and pics, and I shook his hand and told him I was glad to see he was getting into a little bit better rotation...very cordial dude. His wife and baby were there as well, and one fan was peering into the stroller and talking to baby Carroll...Matt and his wife were okay with it, but it just looked weird to me...I guess it helped the guy had a 5 year old kid with him, but it was awkward watching that scene.

In the meantime, a quite inebriated, though not unattractive femme came over to me and asked if she could touch my beard because it "looks so nice." The guy she was with was drunk out of his gourd as well, so he could care less, but I had to decline (god knows where her hands had been and were going to be!), though I tactfully responded, "Maybe next time."

Also, there's this cool staff member who tells me and the couple other people back there who's coming out and who has left, etc. The other people (3 other guys at this time) wanted Ammo and Mek; she said Ammo left very quickly, and that Mek works out for an hour after games, then showers, so it would be a while yet. While she's saying this, I look down the hall and see Boris coming, so I meet him and ask if he's signing and he says "Of course, of course," in the definitive French accent. I'd actually never heard him talk before, and was surprised at how thick of an accent he had, though there was definintely no trouble understanding what he was saying. I asked him how he was adjusting to life here and that I was glad to have him playing for us, and he says he has no problem playing here and that he's "having a good time," and he thanks me for being glad he's here.

What was funny was him looking through the media guide MT had given me for Lexy to sign, and him thumbing through it with a Sharpie in his other hand, and then he says, "I don't think I'll be in this one, but there must be somewhere for me to sign." I help him look for a blank page to no avail, and he finally closes it up and says, "This will be good enough, I think," and signs the cover. After another handshake and another thank you (from him, mind you) he walks down another hallway, comes back a couple minutes later, points over to me and says, "Thank you, man, thank you" and walks back through the double door entrance to the locker rooms.

It isn't 5 minutes til MT comes out with Big Lexy who's grinnig from ear to ear. For some reason, the other 2 or 3 guys there didn't say anthing to Boris or get his auto, but they were happy to see Lexy, which was cool. He stops to take a pic for one of them, and he makes his way over to me, and MT does the intros. We shake hands, he gives me a nice personalized auto, and we talk about how things are going for him, and I tell him how he needs to be getting a lot more PT, and I tell him, "Not to put any pressure on you, but I look forward to you becoming a star here in Charlotte," his grin got even bigger and said, "I don't know what we can do for me to get minutes. I don't know. I just do what coach asks me when I play." He thanks me and we give each other an arm clasp and a pat on the back (I'm 6'8", so it's no as awkward as it sounds), and he thanks me by name again. As he left, I saw DJ in the hallway, but I was suffering from fanboy overload, and didn't even think to stay and chat with him (if he was coming out)....

As I'm walking to the exits with MT, he tells me on the plane from Memphis to Charlotte, some of the players were recalling plays from the game with each other. They were going like, "Remember that play when you......and I did.....and then he did....." MT chalked this up to just some innocent fun and celebrating a special night, but that the letdown against GSW shows that the team still has more work to do in terms of its roster, mostly, bringing in more players like Raja and Boris and Juwan who know not to be content with a 2 game win streak, and know how to carry momentum and not give it a sudden death like against GSW. I was still on cloud nine from the Beagle Royal Treatment to ask about specifics, but there will be another shakeup or two this season.

In summation: TheBeagle can no longer be impartial when it comes to Boris and Lexy...they can do no wrong. From a firsthand account, they're kickass dudes!

And after all that action, once I got home I was:



With visions of Natasha dancing in my head!.!.!

[kickazzz2000]

That's awesome. Glad to see Boris is a nice dude and settling in well.

[Proudiddy]

That is an awesome story Beagle. I try not to get real into autgraph signings and stuff, but to meet athletes guys in the league who actually are that cool and genuine is great stuff!

BTW, my friend from work a couple years ago told me how before the Sting had folded, he and his wife had went up to the one of their games and sat courtside. He said these guys next to them were super nice the whole time, and he doesn't watch much basketball (he was hardcore into soccer only at the time)... So, they get to talking, just as anyone would, and to his surprise, he was sitting next to GDub, Brevin Knight, and I can't remember the other guy. But, they continued to talk with him throughout the game and signed all kinds of stuff for him without him even asking for it. He told all of us about it at work and it completely changed his view of the NBA and its players... He pretty much said he became a fan after that, it was a great story.

By the way Beagle, I heard of Michael Thompson on the Charlotte blogs and they're pretty hard on him over there... What does he do? And after your story, how can I get in touch with him? lol... No, seriously... lol

[coordinator0]

I've never heard Diaw talk either, I wonder if he's media shy? It's really good to hear that he's a good guy, I thought it was pretty cool that he thanked you like 3 times. I am very jealous of you lol.

[Muttley]

Beagle, that's awesome!

MT helped me out a bunch last night too. He's a real generous guy and hooked me up with a couple half-court lower bowl tickets for me and my Mom. It was awesome. I didn't see him at the game (I've only met him once and can't quite remember what he looks like), but it would have been cool to be able to thank him in person.

I know just what you mean about "fanboy overload." I probably would have been nervous meeting those guys, but it sounds like they're all pretty down to earth. I was able to sit right behind the bench (front row!) once last season with some tickets a friend of mine in Raleigh had. Just to be 5 feet from guys about whom I can say, "Hey! I yell at/for that guy on the TV all the time," was incredible.

It's great to hear that Boris and Lexy are enjoying their time in Charlotte. Glad you told Lexy that he could become a star here in Charlotte. I think his answer was great. His best chance at realizing his immense potential is to do everything that LB asks of him.

The moral of the story is that Michael Thompson deserves lots of props for taking care of the Bobcats fans the way that he does!

[ALuhrs704]

Back in the first year of the Cats at the old arena, i used to wait outside for auto's from the players ( i was only like 14 isnt as wierd) and i got to know Mek really well. He is was very cool, and always talked uconn ball with me after games. He gave me his shoes once, which was awsome and he wouldnt do it for the numerous others who asked. So it was a very cool experience, but steve nash was by far the nicest athlete ive ever encountered with. He went on the bus, got off and signed and talked to every single fan that was out there. Its just really cool when this kind of stuff happens, and its awsome that thompson hooked u up

[bing!]

Excellent story, you're the man Beagle, you're the man.

[Keetch]

Ha Beagle; before the game I was in my seat and saw MT at the tunnel entrance looking up to your section in the upper deck. I knew he was looking for you!

So when you showed up later I knew something wonderful must be up. I'm very happy for you!

And then Lewey and Amp showed up (nice to meet you Lewey!) and about then I started to get a little jealous I mean jesus I paid $$$$ for my seats and I can't even get into the Backcourt Club. I just get to sit and watch all those folks come and go. Well, actually I often have to get up for them to pass by me on their way there. OK MT you've done it now. This season ticket holder is moving UPSTAIRS ASAP.

And hey what's with the BOOOOO? I attended the game with my daughter who spent the whole time listening to her Ipod. LOL when I told you "I've had enough"; it wasn't the game I was talking about. By 2 minutes left I just couldn't take her sitting there bored anymore and offered to leave.

I did the honorable thing! lol Dude, I would NEVER leave a game early under any other circumstances...seriously.

[ziggy]

Sounds like you had a blast Beagle. Being that close to Natasha's undulating sweat glazed belly must have been mind boggling to say the least

I second your statement of Michael Thompson being a great guy... The Bobcats are lucky to have him as a part of their organization

[WarioVsMooChicken]

Wow, that sounds awesome.

*Jealous*