Steve Nash faces athletic mortality in public

[mrquincy]

Interesting read. Here is an excerpt.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/basketball/Bruce+Arthur+Steve+Nash+faces+athletic+mortality/9615650/story.html


Aging, battered star open about reaching twilight of career in ESPN web series

By Bruce Arthur, Postmedia News March 13, 2014


Steve Nash of Victoria, B.C. is winding down his storied NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Injuries have limited him to just nine games this season, and theres a possibility the Lakers will buy out his contract. Nash is filming a series on ESPN called The Finish Line to chronicle his final days as a player.

On Steve Nashs 40th birthday he had trouble sleeping, because he always had more trouble sleeping after wins than losses. He played in Philadelphia Feb. 7, just his eighth game in this ruinous Lakers season, and it was glorious. The nerve pain he had felt for 16 months, since an innocuous collision with Portlands Damian Lillard, was gone. He produced 19 points, five assists, a victory. For the second time all season, one of historys great shooters made half his shots. He was so grateful.

Really, it felt right, it felt familiar, says Nash, over the phone from Los Angeles, on the day he was officially shut down for the season. Like, thats a night Ive had so many times.

And to have it be so fleeting, that combination of winning and just being able to move freely, it felt so familiar, but I was so thankful for it. Everything was in its right place, for a brief moment. You feel like, this is where I belong.

Two days later Nashs knee brushed up against the knee of Chicagos Kirk Hinrich on a drive he barely touched me, Nash says and the nerve pain shot back through his body and his exact thoughts were, oh no, what the f--k. The Victoria, B.C. native played 17 ineffective minutes against Utah one night later, and none since....


I'm not a big basketball fan, but this little guy had pretty big balls to be able to accomplish what he did.

 

[MrMonkey]

Yes MrQ, a great one indeed! Honestly everyone including himself knows he should retire, but why do that and not get his 9-10 million next year! I feel bad for him having trouble sleeping but I feel for Plommer's homeless guy more in what the future is in store for him!

 

[mrquincy]

Yes MrQ, a great one indeed! Honestly everyone including himself knows he should retire, but why do that and not get his 9-10 million next year! I feel bad for him having trouble sleeping but I feel for Plommer's homeless guy more in what the future is in store for him!

They are both Canadian and have free health care. I watched the homeless dude video and I can't help but think Toronto is a pretty decent place to be homeless when u compare it to someone who is homeless in Haiti.

 

[Mudcat]

I admire the guy. Excellent skills, unselfish, smart, non-prima-donna. Great NBA career, and he used to do yeoman's work for Team Canadas which I really appreciated. He was never going to get results like a Canada hockey team but he gave his heart and soul to it several times. Some criticize him that he has stopped doing that in recent years but I think I understand it and appreciate what he did in the big picture.

I feel sure he will have a very good post-playing career. No doubt about it whatsoever.

 

[betplom]

They are both Canadian and have free health care. I watched the homeless dude video and I can't help but think Toronto is a pretty decent place to be homeless when u compare it to someone who is homeless in Haiti.

Any major city in Ontario is not a bad place to be homeless. There are plenty of programs available to help. (Church run or provincial programs).

Those guys you see sleeping on the street are there only because they won't take advantage of the various programs in place to help them. There are plenty of available shelters and beds in Toronto and Ottawa. No one has to sleep on the street.

PS: I've walked by the spot where "Jeff" sleeps on the steam grate. It's on Richmond St. Seen many people sleeping there over the years.