s_knight8@hotmail.com

http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusspt/reuters11-26-170053.asp?spt=nba

NEW YORK, Nov. 26 — LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony can pick up
newspapers in the United States and find themselves described as the
new King and Prince of the NBA. Spare a thought, though, for Darko
Milicic, the royal intruder.

Less than six months ago, Milicic's 2.13-metre frame loomed
large over his ****age peers at the 2003 draft. While James and
Anthony were picked first and third, the Serbian split them both as
the second overall draft selection and the highest ever European
entrant.
The beaming smile he wore that night in New York and the sense
of anticipation he exuded have since disappeared.
For while James and Anthony are fast building their kingdoms in
Cleveland and Denver respectively, Milicic is a mere foot servant at
the Detroit Pistons.
''I know LeBron and Carmelo and they are great guys,'' Milicic
told Reuters. ''I'm happy for them but it's very hard for me at the
moment.''
Milicic admits he feels frustrated at his first experience of
life in the NBA but the words scarcely do justice to his unenviable
position.
James has been averaging 40.5 minutes per game and 17.4 points
per game with the Cavaliers. In the Denver Nuggets' victory over
Phoenix on Tuesday, Anthony had a typical 17 points. Both players are
heralded as the saviours of their franchises.
The Pistons, beaten Eastern conference finalists last season,
do not need a saviour. Under coach Larry Brown, Milicic earned just 17
minutes of action in seven games and was still waiting to sink his
first basket.
''I am looking forward to that moment,'' he said. ''I am
working hard, trying really hard to make an impact here.

''I am listening to all the advice I get...but sometimes I have
five different coaches telling me what to do so it's not easy.
''All I have (in my life) is practice, practice and then the
games. When I go home to my house I am alone, I have nothing to do.
''I miss my friends and family and everything about my home
country. I like America but it's very different. My family is visiting
for Christmas, so I'm looking forward to that.''
Milicic is just six months younger than James and 13 months
younger than Anthony but he is unfairly being forced to play the role
of put-upon little brother, patronised by those who like to call the
NBA a ''man's league.''
Still in the process of securing his driving licence, he has
recently been driven to work by Ben Wallace, the very Pistons forward
whose place in the starting five he covets.
He has had to listen to Anthony talk in the media of how he
felt snubbed when Detroit allegedly went back on their original word
to take him at number two in the draft.
Having himself been showered with praise as a great all-rounder
at the draft, Milicic is also now being told by all and sundry that he
is ''raw.'' Worse still, some of the barbed comments have come from
Brown, his own coach.
Brown has been quoted as saying that Milicic looks like a
''deer in headlights,'' and that with all the sceptical press, it is a
good job Milicic cannot read English.
Brown also said recently: ''Right now (Darko) thinks he's Toni
Kukoc but I want him to play like Bill Russell. But I don't think he
knows who Bill Russell is.''


RADIO RUMOURS
As if that was not enough, Detroit's talk radio stations have
been home to rumours that Milicic has fallen out with the Pistons'
staff. It is hardly surprising he is homesick for Novi Sad and a less
complicated life with Hemofarm, his former European club.
What Milicic needs to remember is that Brown was voted the best
NBA coach by a poll of team general managers in pre-season. The
veteran coach has rarely indulged heavily in rookies and has talked
glowingly about Milicic's ''potential.''
''I have to be patient,'' says Milicic, using his watchword
again and again.
By all accounts, Milicic is an ebullient character who has
found Brown's overbearing presence in practice tough to deal with.
But his English is improving, and in Sacramento Kings centre
Vlade Divac he has a fellow Serb and confidante who has been through
all this himself.
''He was my hero growing up and it was good to have dinner with
him recently,'' says Milicic of Divac, who arrived in the NBA with the
Los Angeles Lakers in 1989 as a 'raw' 21-year-old.
Milicic maintains his dream of winning championships is still
intact and that he has no regrets.
Shortly, with his driving licence approved, he will take
delivery of a new BMW car. It will, he says excitedly, give him
welcome independence, although what he really craves is to come of age
on court.

r@clienux. (clienux

humbubba@smart.net

Brown apparently doesn't know who Bill Russell is either. Does Darko have
the hops to look down into the rim? Is Darko the highest-paid player in
the game? Is Darko the team hippie?

Rick Hohensee
Precision Mojo Engineer

the blue

where in the world did is darko a hippie come from. DO you know who Bill
Russell is?

--
Must fight it must , i must fight my A.D.D , what was i talking about
oh never mind oooo what that over there

r@clienux. (clienux

humbubba@smart.net

He's the big black guy in the Nehru jacket that Auerbach says "What's the
matter, Darling, want to go to the library?" when he asks for a practice
off after about 4 rings. He's the guy that yells at refs when they screw
up a great game by calling a bad call on Jerry West, who is ON THE OTHER
TEAM. Et Cetera.

Rick Hohensee
Precision Mojo Engineer

the blue

still lost me on the hippie thing, bill russell was about as much a
hippie as auerbach.

--
Must fight it must , i must fight my A.D.D , what was i talking about
oh never mind oooo what that over there

r@clienux. (clienux

humbubba@smart.net

Brown apparently doesn't know who Bill Russell is either. Does Darko have
the hops to look down into the rim? Is Darko the highest-paid player in
the game? Is Darko the team hippie?

Rick Hohensee
Precision Mojo Engineer

the blue

where in the world did is darko a hippie come from. DO you know who Bill
Russell is?

--
Must fight it must , i must fight my A.D.D , what was i talking about
oh never mind oooo what that over there

r@clienux. (clienux

humbubba@smart.net

He's the big black guy in the Nehru jacket that Auerbach says "What's the
matter, Darling, want to go to the library?" when he asks for a practice
off after about 4 rings. He's the guy that yells at refs when they screw
up a great game by calling a bad call on Jerry West, who is ON THE OTHER
TEAM. Et Cetera.

Rick Hohensee
Precision Mojo Engineer

the blue

still lost me on the hippie thing, bill russell was about as much a
hippie as auerbach.

--
Must fight it must , i must fight my A.D.D , what was i talking about
oh never mind oooo what that over there

skippypb

On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 15:13:54 -0500, The Blue <mariober@monmouth.com>
enlightened us:

[crossposting removed]

I believe the original poster is confusing Bill Russell with Bill
Walton who was no doubt a peace & love, tie-dyed hippie.

Regards,

////
(o o)
-oOO--(_)--OOo-


Real Tombstone Epitaphs:

Harry Edsel Smith of Albany, New York:
Born 1903-Died 1942
Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the car was on the way down.
It was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Steve