One of the important things about FanHouse is that we try and speak with passion. And as much as I usually like to write about Stephon Marbury's useless existence as a basketball player, or who got popped for a DUI this week, I've got a soft spot for Alonzo Mourning. Please forgive the momentary positivity. Rest assured, Brett will be on later to poke the Celtics fans with a stick and Ziller will have some sort of post validating an algebraic formula that proves Ricky Davis is actually good or something. Alonzo Mourning is why I got into basketball.
And it wasn't just because he could swat a ball into the ninth row, spin a young center in circles, and didn't back down from anyone. Though that didn't hurt.
The passion he brought to the game was just so much fun to watch. The fierceness he played with, the absolutely terrifying approach to defense, footwork and shot-blocking; I was completely hooked after watching him play just once. I followed him at Georgetown, in Charlotte, and Miami. I was as disappointed as anyone through the ugly divorces in New Jersey and Toronto, where fans still hold a deep grudge against him. I was crushed when his kidney condition was revealed, and I was moved when he returned from it. And though I'd long moved on from adolescent hero-worship, I was genuinely thrilled to my core when he held the trophy.
But now I've come to understand, as Mourning's career comes to a close, that's there's so much more to admire him for than numbers on the page or highlights on YouTube.
We have a more complicated relationship with athletes than we've ever had. Kids still worship athletes, still mimic them and look up to their attitudes and behaviors. At the same time, we have Deadspin and public contract disputes and Scott Boras and a general negative attitude towards the failures of athletes as people. And the morality of that is not what I want to talk about. But we seem to arbitrarily praise and condemn players for their behaviors. How much is enough? Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have both had charities dissolve, proving it's a tricky endeavor to manage. Dikembe Mutumbo has been praised by the President of the United States for his efforts. Steve Nash has more kid friends than Elmo. But with a lot of players, you have to wonder if they're just going through the motions.
That has never been a question with Alonzo Mourning. Mourning has made a name for himself as one of the leading charity philanthropists in the NBA over the last decade. His foundation is one of the most active organizations among charities of professional athletes. He donated a year's worth of salary to charity organizations. He delivers meals. He mentors kids. Pretty much, if it's good for the world, Zo's taken a crack at it.
This isn't to make him a saint. As beat reporters come out of the woodwork to discuss his flaws. and reflect on his growth, it's clear that Zo always had a way of keeping himself in the spotlight. He was a personality, and it's pretty obvious he loved the attention.
But I have to tell you, when I talked to him in July, I was struck by the passion in his voice. It's entirely possible that it was a front, that he was reading off cue cards while he and Dwyane Wade played video games at some posh Gatorade promo joint in Miami. But listening to the way he talked about it, reflecting back on the journey that brought him to the realization of how important it was to give back, it would be pretty hard for someone who wasn't completely smitten with fan-love for the man to be convinced he had genuine intentions. And unlike a lot of players who talk the talk, Mourning has backed it up, with years of service to try and make the world a better place. To provide hope. To actually help people.
And I think that had a lot to do with his decision. Mourning, far more than most NBA players, has come face to face with what's most important in life, and realized that for him, maybe it wasn't about basketball. He has a passion for making a difference in people's lives.
At the end of the day, that is what Mourning will look back on with pride. More than the defense, the blocks, the dunks, or the game winners. And I'm pretty sure he's completely happy with that.
Good luck, Alonzo. Thanks for the passion you showed on the court. Thank you even more for the passion you continue to show off of it.
