That’s Amare

I found myself in enemy territory last week. You see, I am a die hard Philadelphia fan, yet there I stood in Chelsea Pier’s Sports Center in New York City, awaiting the arrival of New York Knick’s star Amare Stoudamire. Amare was there to surprise Walt Arnett from Lexington, KY, the winner of Excedrin’s “What’s Your Headache” contest. This contest rewarded Arnett by helping to get his basketball charity, Greater Than You, off the ground.

I always said that you can tell a lot about a player by how he handles himself at an appearance. Some players throw on a white t-shirt, maybe some graphic jeans and a hat, all while coasting emotionless through the festivities…trust me I have seen it firsthand.

The good guys of professional sports however, seem genuinely excited to be there. They use their celebrity in a positive way in order to give back to the community which has been so good to them. Amare Stoudamire is one of the good guys.

Waiting behind the beach volleyball court, (Ironically enough the focus of my attention during the better part of the event due to the two blondes females diving in the sand) Amare stood waiting to surprise Arnett who was posing for pictures. As Stoudamire walked onto the court, catching a noticeably stunned and fairly tall Arnett off guard, (Arnett is 6’4”…I asked) Amare had a smile from ear to ear, and wore a custom suit tailored perfectly to his tall frame.

Being the same size as Stoudamire, I found the suit he was wearing all the more appealing. Mainly because the suits I’ve found in my size make me look either like Herman Munster, or comedian Steve Harvey. Neither are all that appealing. I immediately text my wife the following, “Event going well, Amare has the greatest suit I have ever seen on.” My wife responded with “Ask him where he bought it from!”

God bless my wife. She is under the impression that being tall puts you in some sort of large fraternity. Like I have free reign to walk up to any tall person and ask them personal questions. I believe it was during this thought process, while Amare and Arnett shot around, that a ball trickled my way. I picked it up, tossed it back to Amare and said, “Nice suit…Custom?” Amare gave a coy smile, as if to say, ‘Yes, and you can’t afford it.’

I half expected him to pull a G.O.B from Arrested Development and say, “The guy in the jeans is going to ask me where I bought my $18,000 suit…COME ON!!”

Suit envy aside, I was given the opportunity to speak with Amare about various topics, including who he owed a posterizing dunk to. Now why would I ask such a question when the rest were in the form of the lockout and the Knicks? Well mainly because I have been dunked on numerous times during my professional basketball career, and each time a little piece of me died.

That is why I when I am able to ask someone with the athletic capabilities of Amare Stoudamire a question about dunking on another human being, I can get some perspective from the other side of the argument.

In the clip below, Amare talks about the differences (or lack thereof) between playing in the East vs. the West, what can be learned in New York from Boston’s big three, how he’s been embraced by the Big Apple, and what were his fondest memories about the rivalries with the Spurs, Mavs and other Western Conference teams he battled with as a member of the Suns.

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