IthacaMatt
Old Timer / Unofficial Contributor for 25+ years
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
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I'm online at O'Hare for the security check and who should walk up right behind me but Andy Rautins!
I just turned and said, "Hi Andy", like I've known him all my life. His face lit up at the recognition and he was very friendly. What else are you going to do, waiting online for airport security ?
So we started out talking about his 2010 team, and he agreed that they would've won the title if Arinze didn't get hurt. We were talking about last year's team and comparing the two, and he felt like the 2010 team was better. I offered up that last year's team had nobody who could dependably shoot threes like him and Wes. He loves Wes, "that's my man - I can't wait to see what he can do in Phoenix. That system is just right for him, letting him get out and run the floor."
I suggested that we expected the same thing when Hak got traded there, and he said, "yeah, and he had Steve (Nash), too, running things." We just couldn't figure out why Hakim didn't flourish there, when he could have played a role like Sean Marion used to play for them.
I mentioned how I was a big fan of his Dad's, too, and he said "yeah, he had some game" and laughed. I think he gets that a lot from Syracuse fans of a certain age. He was really nice, asking what I do for a living, what brought me out to Chicago. He asked me whether I was still living in Syracuse (told him I had lived in NYC for 20 years and moved back a few years ago - after the title in 2003 ("perfect time!"), and it was too bad he didn't get more of a chance there). He really liked living in NYC (what young person - with some money - doesn't?).
I asked him where he was off to, and he said to Oklahoma City where he was trying to make the roster. He was concerned about the wildfires going on out there right now, and hoped it wasn't too bad. Of course I wished him good luck - "teams can always use a good shooter", he said. I said "yeah, somebody's gotta space the floor for Durant". We both laughed at that, because Kevin Durant can get his points against anyone - he doesn't need much help, and I mentioned that he was also such a good passer, and just wished him the best of luck. Really a very nice surprise experience.
I just turned and said, "Hi Andy", like I've known him all my life. His face lit up at the recognition and he was very friendly. What else are you going to do, waiting online for airport security ?
So we started out talking about his 2010 team, and he agreed that they would've won the title if Arinze didn't get hurt. We were talking about last year's team and comparing the two, and he felt like the 2010 team was better. I offered up that last year's team had nobody who could dependably shoot threes like him and Wes. He loves Wes, "that's my man - I can't wait to see what he can do in Phoenix. That system is just right for him, letting him get out and run the floor."
I suggested that we expected the same thing when Hak got traded there, and he said, "yeah, and he had Steve (Nash), too, running things." We just couldn't figure out why Hakim didn't flourish there, when he could have played a role like Sean Marion used to play for them.
I mentioned how I was a big fan of his Dad's, too, and he said "yeah, he had some game" and laughed. I think he gets that a lot from Syracuse fans of a certain age. He was really nice, asking what I do for a living, what brought me out to Chicago. He asked me whether I was still living in Syracuse (told him I had lived in NYC for 20 years and moved back a few years ago - after the title in 2003 ("perfect time!"), and it was too bad he didn't get more of a chance there). He really liked living in NYC (what young person - with some money - doesn't?).
I asked him where he was off to, and he said to Oklahoma City where he was trying to make the roster. He was concerned about the wildfires going on out there right now, and hoped it wasn't too bad. Of course I wished him good luck - "teams can always use a good shooter", he said. I said "yeah, somebody's gotta space the floor for Durant". We both laughed at that, because Kevin Durant can get his points against anyone - he doesn't need much help, and I mentioned that he was also such a good passer, and just wished him the best of luck. Really a very nice surprise experience.
