August 2002 – Page 15 – Memphis Flyer

When Jerry West, Memphis Grizzlies’ president of basketball operations, selected Drew Gooden, the 6’11’’ forward out of the University of Kansas with the 4th pick in the 2002 NBA draft lottery, many Memphis basketball fans had questions and puzzled looks on their faces.

Why did the Grizzlies pick another forward? Don’t the Griz need a big man in the post? Who will the Grizzlies use to provide outside shooting, and three point shots?

Moreover, the questions were not directed toward Mr. West’s basketball expertise, because everyone knows West drafted Ervin “Magic” Johnson, traded for Kobe Bryant’s draft rights from the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets for Vlade Divac, and is also credited in his ability to sign high profile free agents like Shaquille O’Neal, who we all know left Orlando Magic and went out, er, West to help redefine the Los Angeles Lakers’ mystique.

“We feel we’ve added a player who is going to give us some things that maybe we haven’t had in terms of being a total player,” said West with the smile of a champion during a Grizzlies press conference. “He’s going to give us a wonderful athlete, and someone that we’ve highly coveted.” And only weeks after Grizzlies rookie camps, and days after NBA summer league games, Drew Gooden is proving to be the player Grizzlies management, coaches, and fans felt he can become.

“He can score points, he can put the ball on the floor, I think the fact that he played at a great program (Kansas) he knows the ball game,”said Sidney Lowe, Memphis Grizlies Head Coach while nodding his head with approval.

“He knows what it takes to win and he’s committed to that.”

When you look at Gooden’s statistics in summer league you see a very similar pattern in how he played in college. For example, in three seasons at Kansas Gooden averaged 15.6 ppg, 9.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals per contest.

During his summer league stint with the Grizzlies Gooden averaged 21.6 points, and 10.4 rebounds. per contest. These numbers were solid enough to land the former NCAA All-America notoriety in the form of being named to the 2002 All-Rocky Mountain Revue NBA Summer League Team.

Although Gooden is pleased with his new job and accoladess he maintains summer league is just a sample of what is waiting for him this up and coming season. “I know this is nothing yet. Come season I think it’s going to be a lot more traveling, a lot more games, and practices,” says Gooden. “I think it’s going to be even more intense than it is right now.”

Another aspect of the NBA summer camp and league experience Gooden is taking in is how some guys are fortunate enough to have contracts while others are playing with their fate bouncing with the basketball from the free throw line. Gooden compares NBA summer league with his days as a Jayhawk back at KU.

“It’s more of going over plays and just trying to build a chemistry to play together. A lot of these guys are trying out for the team, so a lot of these guys are hungry trying to make the team, “ says Gooden. “It’s a different atmosphere than being at Kansas.”

While let’s make a deal NBA style continues in the form of blockbuster trades, rebuilding, and working out young players around the league Grizzlies management continues to be impressed with the moves their making toward improving the team. And every time the name Gooden is articulated the Grizzlies know they drafted and signed a solid hoopster for years to come.

“He’s one of those guys that from the weak side he’s going to come and block shots,” says West. “He’ll be one of the fastest guys on this team, or the fastest guy on this team,” West continues. “We feel he gives us something maybe we didn’t have. Another really athletic person who is very talented.”

When the Grizzlies drafted and signed Gooden several questions –about there possibly being too many forwards came out of the mouths of many Mid-South sports fans. As for Gooden he’s convinced his game can only help a young Grizzlies basketball club improve on what is being overhauled by management.

“I feel I’m a guy who can contribute on the backboard and create some miss match problems at both forward positions spots, some with Pau [Gasol], Shane [Battier], and Stromile Swift,” says Gooden. “So as far as all of us being on the same court at the same time, that’s lethal.”

From The Evans-Novak Political Report, July 30: 2002

Tennessee Governor:

Term-limited Gov.Don

Sundquist (R) wraps up a rocky tenure in which he

fought his own party and has tried many times to

institute a statewide income tax.

Sundquist ‘s actions upset many Tennessee

Republicans and gave early momentum to conservative Rep. Van Hilleary (R)in

his quest to replace him. Hilleary is a popular lawmaker who came to

Congress with Republican Tennessee Reps. Ed Bryant and Zach Wamp, as well as

Sen. Bill Frist in the class of ‘94.

Hilleary ‘s chief challenger is Jim Henry (R),a former State House

Minority Leader and former state party Chairman. Henry has an ideological

base among the moderate Republicans cut from the Lamar Alexander and

Sundquist cloth, and a geographical base of central Tennessee. In fact, when

Alexander announced his preference for Henry last week, it was Hilleary who

went around touting the fact with a press release headlined “Sundquist Seeks

Third Term!”

Hilleary is confident enough in his lead that he refused to debate

Henry

Likely Hilleary

The income tax issue is also prevalent in the Democratic gubernatorial

primary. Nashville ‘s former Mayor Phil Bredensen (D)is unique among the

Democratic front-runners in that he has announced firm opposition to an

income tax. Knox County District Attorney Randy Nichols (D)and former Board

of Regents Chancellor Charles Smith (D)both express openness to the tax.

Bredensen is popular in Nashville, which is a major Democratic base, and

he ran a close race against Sundquist in 1994,giving him high name recogni-

tion

Likely Bredensen

Tennessee Senator

The battle between Rep.Bryant and former Gov.Alexander

has aroused resentment and anger in the Tennessee GOP, After the surprising

announcement by Sen. Fred Thompson (R)that he would retire, Bryant entered

as the underdog and the conservative alternative to Lamar.

But Lamar ‘s name recognition and general good standing with the state ‘s

voters made it tough for Bryant to control the entire conservative base.

Also, many party leaders back Alexander because they think he has a better

chance in November against Rep. Bob Clement (D).

Bryant has made an impressive comeback, and a recent poll he commis-

sioned showed him down 49 to 37 percent, much closer than earlier counts.

His fundraising has been impressive,and his backers in Tennessee and

Washington have been aggressive. Bryant, like Hilleary, happily publicized

Sundquist ‘s backing of Alexander.

Thompson ‘s late decision may have doomed Bryant, however. The four-month

primary did not provide Bryant a chance to develop a big enough name outside

of the district, while Lamar has universal name recognition in the state.

Bryant ‘s best hope is for a very low turnout, but early voting is high,

which favors Alexander. This race will be closer than earlier expected, but

Bryant needed a few more weeks to overcome Alexander and his towering fame.

Leaning Alexander

House of Representatives:Tennessee-4:

A recent poll showed both parties have primaries that are

well within the margin of error in this district left vacant by Hilleary ‘s

run for governor.

Tullahoma Alderman and former Hilleary aide Janice Bowling (R)is neck-

and-neck with former Safety Department Commissioner Mike Greene (R).Neither

has very high name recognition and most voters are undecided. This race,

more than most, will come down to who has the best primary day ground team.

Bowling has more grass-roots connections in the district and so has a very

slight edge.

Recent attacks by the laggard candidates on Greene for his Sundquist

connections also boost Bowling.

Leaning Bowling

Whichever Republican wins will face an uphill climb against the winner

of the Fran Marcum (D)v. Lincoln Davis (D)primary. Davis is a State

Senator, a former state Rep. and ran for the House in ‘84 and ‘94.This

gives him a small advantage over Marcum,a well-known businesswoman.

Marcum ‘s TV spots have been stronger than Davis,which will make the race

very tight.

Leaning Davis

House of Representatives: Tennessee-5:

Democrats are nearly certain to retain this seat, which

Clement has held for 16 years. Former Congressman Jim Cooper, Davidson coun-

ty Sheriff Gayle Ray and State House Assistant Majority Leader John Arriola

lead a 6-candidate Democratic primary field.

Ray has the backing of EMILY ‘s list and has actually called on the femi-

nist organization to “ease up “on their attacks on Cooper. Negative cam-

paigns do not draw out primary voters, and low interest in the up-ballot

Democratic primaries could keep turnout low in this district on a rare

Thursday primary.The low turnout will help Cooper,who has run an excellent

media campaign.

Leaning Cooper

House of Representatives: Tennessee-7:

State Sens.Marsha Blackburn (R)and Mark Norris (R)together

with GOP activist David Kustoff (R)lead the Republican pack for Ed Bryant ‘s

seat, which probably will stay in Republican hands.

While Norris has more cash, Blackburn is the only Nashville-area candi-

date and the only woman in the race –two big advantages in a seven-way

primary. The fiscally conservative Club for Growth is backing Blackburn, as

are some other D.C.-based groups.

Leaning Blackburn