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Hit up TarheelDaily, or scroll on down to the article. After you check it out, email me if you want to discuss my opinions. I also appear on WXYC FM 89.3 Chapel Hill for Sunday Night SportsRap, Sundays 9-10PM, and for SoulGrooves on Tuesdays 6-8AM. Enjoy the article.....BD |
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Tarheel Daily Article by Bret Dougherty Live @ Big Nate's BBQ, San Francisco, CA Bret Dougherty was Way out West, and he checked in with UNC Basketball recruit, Quentin Thomas, and NBA Hall of Famer/NBA Top 50 legend, "Big Nate" Thurmond. Bret sent this article in from Thurmond's San Francisco smokehouse. Check it out, and "Play to Win". March 15, 2004
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In between gnawing the bones from my rib dinner and dipping my slices of wheat bread to soak up the sauce, I soaked in a few insights at NBA Hall of Famer and All-Time Top 50 player Nate Thurmond’s spot on Folsom St. in San Francisco.....Nate is behind the counter completing one of his weekly taste checks on the sauce, but before sharing some of his thoughts, I’ll share some info from the East Bay in Oakland. Hands in the Wounds- The senior year for Carolina recruit Quentin Thomas came to an end Tuesday night in the Northern California Division Finals. The 6’4” Oakland Tech guard had an impressive outing against an oversized opponent. But despite his 19 point performance, Tech could not overcome a frontcourt that included 6’10” Cal recruit Devon Hardin. Critics of the Carolina-bound Thomas may be unimpressed with his stats over the past three games. They point to Thomas’ 6 Points, 9 Assists, 8 Rebounds and 6 steals in the Oakland Athletic League final against arch-rival McClymonds High School, and shout “What’s so impressive about that?” However, those critics, who are looking just at his stats, are way off target in evaluating what type of player Thomas is. The true answer lies in the outcomes of his final Oakland Athletic League games. Oakland Tech had to have back-to-back victories against OAL rival McClymonds High School, --led by 6’4” UCONN signee Antonio Kellogg -- to not only win the OAL title, but also to advance to the state’s Division finals. With the pressure on Thomas and his Oakland Tech team of a season-ending loss resting upon the outcome of both games, Thomas led the team to victory by controlling the tempo and by directing the action on the floor in each game. His semi-final performance of 29 Points, 5 Assists, and 8 Rebounds helped Oakland Tech advance to the city final. However, it was his performance in the OAL final that left the most lasting impression on the locals -- who have very high expectations from their OAL stars and legends such as Bill Russell, Gary Payton, “Hook” Mitchell, Antonio Davis, and Leon Powe. Despite his modest total of six points, Thomas unveiled a disciplined game and clearly outclassed Kellogg on the floor. While Kellogg displayed a wild game of crashing drives to the basket, and woofing at Thomas in the open court, Thomas calmly brought the ball up with ease under intense trapping pressure. Throughout the game, Thomas found the open man, and he showed a passion for dishing the ball, hitting teammates who were cutting to the basket. His ability to blend in with the rest of his teammates showed an inherent unselfishness that will allow Thomas to become an integral part of the Carolina system. Thomas’ AAU coach, Derrick Smith of the Oakland Rebels, explains. “Q should be a little more selfish with the ball, but he’s such a team player. The great thing about him is that you don’t see wild launches or crazy gunning from him. He’s very disciplined with his play. That’s why I think Coach Williams likes him so much because Q is disciplined with a lot of athleticism. You don’t see that mix in a lot of players out of this league.” Thomas’ ability to handle the ball and to penetrate the lane with his long arms, wiry build, and gliding stride gives a glimpse of difficult match-ups for over-sized guards at the next level. Most importantly, Thomas is a different kind of player because he is not concerned with stats, as he stated from his East Oakland home. “I could care less if I don’t score,” he says. “I just want a win.” That kind of attitude could help Thomas find some time next year, even among the wealth of guards in the Carolina system. Most importantly, Coach Williams may not only have found a “sleeper” with Quentin Thomas, but he may have found a “winner”.
Extra Sauce – “Damn Nate, this is a good sauce!” Big Nate’s response to this statement is simply, “The key to ribs is a good sauce”. An efficient statement from ‘Big Nate’ Thurmond, who mastered the art of rebounding while with the San Francisco/Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers. The 6’11” former Warrior legend, who holds the record for most rebounds in a game with 42 and for most boards in a quarter with 18, has built a very solid business in his post-NBA career with Big Nate’s BBQ on Folsom St. in San Francisco. Nate roamed the paint with solid, consistent play throughout his Hall of Fame career from 1963-1977. His battles against court legends such as Jabbar, Chamberlain, and Russell on the West Coast made him a basketball legend around the Bay Area. Now, he has become a legend in San Francisco for his rib sauce and restaurant business. “A good friend of mine gave me advice. He said ‘Don’t ever go into business, where your assets spoil.’….but I love this business because of the people that I get to meet….I always thought that despite the diversity of San Francisco, there was a need for a black restaurant that had solid BBQ, and I seized the opportunity. It’s given me a lot of enjoyment. I’ve been doing this for 15 years now.” The inspiration for Nate’s ribs comes from his family’s recipe. “My Mom and Grandma are from Georgia and Alabama. Their recipe is more tomato-based. If you go to Chicago, you may have more of a vinegar based sauce, but with our ribs we like a smoky taste to our ribs. So, we go with a tomato-based sauce with thickness. “Everyone has their different tastes. Some like the bottled KC Masterpiece, which is not a good sauce at all. When you buy that, you’re buying the advertising. Some like the Asian sauce with the sweet taste of soy and vinegar, but I think we serve a different taste with the tang of our sauce.” In the seating area, you cannot help but look at the dozens of pictures hanging upon the wall. A black and white photo shows Wilt Chamberlain walking down the street in a white button down sweater, followed by Nate and Wayne Hightower in dark suits with dark porkpie hats to match. The three big men in their suits look like they could fit on stage with Miles Davis’s Quintet at the time. “That one was taken on Haight St. in 1963. We were the biggest front line in NBA history at the time…6’11”, 7’1”, and 6’9”….We look pretty smooth there....Wilt was a big influence on me at that time. That year, I will never forget that he picked me up in a purple Bentley with a record player attached to the dashboard that played 45s. We drove that thing down to the Monterrey Jazz Festival, and we had a really good time.” Yet, Nate is careful not to mis-represent his feelings for Wilt. “You can’t be friends with guys you compete against…..When Wilt left the Warriors, I learned to be all business,” he says. “I can’t understand how these guys joke around on the court with each other. I always felt that the other guy was out to take my dinner money.” However, Nate’s admiration for the centers of today is obvious. “I really like the centers that are coming out now,” he says. “They’re talented, quick, and agile. Most importantly, they have good footwork and lateral movement. That’s why I like Duncan and KG (Kevin Garnett). They have the athleticism.” When I look at a center, I immediately ask, ‘can he run?’ You can’t coach a stiff. I want a guy that can run, not a galoof. Most guys today can run.” Nate also realizes that his position would be totally different to play now, compared with three decades ago. “I look at Shaq and Yao, and there’s no way I could have handled them. I would have liked to have guarded David Robinson, Hakeem, and Duncan. I would have been challenged by them, and I think I would have done well because I had good enough footwork to step out of the paint to guard someone.” Today, Nate shows up five days a week to run his family business, and above his desk hangs a sign with a quote from Bill Russell. “The Game is On Our Schedule. We have to play the game. So why not win.” When I ask, if he holds that statement true to his business, Nate smiles and states, simply, “Hey baby, I play to win”. More Sauce, BD
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