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flexxdzl
Joined: 05 Jan 2005
Posts: 5362
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 Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:29 pm Post subject: Smush's Q&A: |
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Media Day Interview: Smush Parker
It's safe to say no Laker experienced a more whirlwind '05-'06 than Smush Parker. The Artist Formerly Known As William Henry went from "training camp punchline with the funny name" to "surprise starter" to "crowd favorite" to "overmatched playoff point guard" to "game four hero" to "shell of himself after a complete physical and emotional postseason collapse."
That's a pretty bloated October-May, but in many ways, Smush finished the season exactly like he started: As a player with some promise and a lot to work on. And it's important that he's done just that, given the strong possibility he'll remain a starter, at least for a while. In talking with Smush (rocking the headband, as always), he seems to understand that the onus lies with him to take the next step. Here's what he had to say.
On what the team will do differently this season to make the extra step:
It's not so much we're gonna change what we did last year. Last year was a learning experience for us as a ball club. It was Phil Jackson's first year back. It was my first year (in the system). Kwame's first year. A lot of guys, (their) first year playing in the triangle offense. So it was a young ball club, new offense and we needed a season like that to build up to what's to come. This season is going to be a fun, exciting year for us. We expect great things. We're a more talented ball club, more experienced ball club than last year. We plan on having a good season this year.
On the difference between playing in Cleveland versus L.A., with all the "Showtime" lore and Hollywood types watching:
It's a big difference, being a Laker. It's funny, being in Hollywood, it's where all the actors and actresses make their movies, all the producers. I stepped back last season and I'm like, "I'm entertaining the entertainers. People that entertain the world, I'm entertaining them." They're here every night watching us play. It's a fun place to be in.
AK: Does that add more pressure? Make it more fun? Surreal?
SP: It just makes it surreal. It makes it that much more fun. Playing in Cleveland was a great experience for me, but nothing beats playing in L.A.
AK: You mentioned last season being a learning experience. How much did you personally take away from it, given that it was the most minutes you'd ever played, most amount of starts, most responsibility you'd ever had?
SP: You know, I can't put my finger on exactly what I learned. It's just experience, you know? It was my first year I actually got a chance to play. I played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2002-2003, but I didn't play that much. I didn't play in Detroit much. I didn't play in Phoenix much. Last year, I actually got a chance to get my feet wet a little bit. Get out there and play basketball in a backcourt with one of the best players in the NBA right now, Kobe Bryant. Lamar Odom was great. Kwame Brown. Chris Mihm. All those guys. I learned a lot. I can't just put my finger on it, like I said, but I've grown as a player. It's gonna be a fun season for me and the Lakers.
AK: What specifically did you work on during the offseason?
SP: As far as individually, my mid-range game. But what I really needed to work on was being a better floor general to my teammates. Being a better teammate. What's expected of me this season is getting us into the triangle offense better. Put pressure on the other team's point guards as far as defensively. I'm gonna play better defense this year. Put a lot more hustle and excitement and flair into this year.
AK: When you say, "be a better teammate," what do you specifically mean by that?
SP: You know, just being a better point guard. I'm a point guard on a team, I have to be the coach out there on the floor. And I just gotta lead my team the best way I know how to, to get the W.
AK: The playoffs obviously didn't end well, both for the team and yourself personally. After a little time and allowing the smoke to clear, what do you take away from that experience, in terms of what you bring to this season?
SP: Moments like last season, playoffs, just playing; That kind of experience, you can't teach. Those are life experiences that you just learn from and they're (stuck) there with you, no matter what. When those siutuations come up, those pressure situations come up, you (now) have a year's experience under your belt. Now you can deal with certain situations better.
AK: I take it from looking at you that it's gonna be another "headband" year?
SP: (smiles) Oh, yeah. Definitely a headband year and I'm gonna do less taking it off.
AK: (laughs) Really? Was it just too much "business" sometimes, taking it on and off?
SP: Actually, I will take it off if I feel the need to. But it won't be as dramatic as it was last year.
AK: A little more under the radar?
SP: Yeah. |
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nicehair911
Still Waiting For Ron
Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 10153
Location: Wit so much drama in da LBC it's kinda hard bein Snoop D-O double G
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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Midrange game?!?! Putting pressure on the other PG!??!!?
Was our offseason wishlist fulfilled 
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"Michael Jordan once said that there's a right way and wrong way to practice basketball. He said that it doesn't matter if you practice eight hours a day-if you're practicing the wrong way, all you're doing is getting really good at doing the wrong things"
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magicmoment
Sasha's Biggest Fan
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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gyea gyea..
smush is hereeee!! 
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Lord Johnny
Clublakers Rep: Puerto Rico
Joined: 12 Dec 2003
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:43 pm Post subject: Smush's Q&A: |
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| magicmoment wrote: |
gyea gyea..
smush is hereeee!! |
i knew u were gonna post here |
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magicmoment
Sasha's Biggest Fan
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Posts: 9058
Location: S0UTH BAY --
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: Smush's Q&A: |
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| Lord Johnny wrote: |
| magicmoment wrote: |
gyea gyea..
smush is hereeee!! |
i knew u were gonna post here |
 
_________________
"Fix your hair Sasha. Gotta look pretty now" - Stu Lantz
"Lakers play for Championships" ~Lamar Odom
"I just missed some bunnies." ~Kobe on Game1 [NBA Finals]
Estamos Aquí!
add my fansite:
http://www.myspace.com/sashavujacic18 |
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hype
Joined: 28 Nov 2004
Posts: 9206
Location: Tucson, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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do it smush 
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Perfecto
Joined: 11 Jul 2006
Posts: 5417
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: Smush's Q&A: |
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| magicmoment wrote: |
| Lord Johnny wrote: |
| magicmoment wrote: |
gyea gyea..
smush is hereeee!! |
i knew u were gonna post here |
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Kobe Bryant 8
CL's Voice of Reason
Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 13078
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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Talk is cheap.
I won't believe it until I see it. Regardless, it's nice to hear that he's trying.
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nicehair911
Still Waiting For Ron
Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 10153
Location: Wit so much drama in da LBC it's kinda hard bein Snoop D-O double G
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Kobe Bryant 8 wrote: |
Talk is cheap.
I won't believe it until I see it. Regardless, it's nice to hear that he's trying. |
I'm happier than ever that he knows his flaws and says he worked on it. I'm suprised he didn't just fool around doing streetball getting better "from outside".
It's as if he read clublakers. Magicmoment did you have something to do with this?
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-Adam Robinson on the SAT |
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Critter
ClubHawks.com Administrator
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Posts: 7590
Location: in royal room
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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I commented him on myspace and said he should work on his defense
prob not the reason though =/ |
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KB24@CL
Clublakers Moderator
Joined: 22 Jun 2004
Posts: 40774
Location: always in the near...
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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I´ve always loved Smush. His offense has always been great for us. I think mid-range game was the only thing he didn´t have and I hope he can now hit that 18 footer with a screen or something.
defensively he HAS to be better. otherwise he should be benched.
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Vasashi17
Clublakers Moderator
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
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Location: Reppin' the Golden (& Purple) State - From Da Bay to LA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 11:03 am Post subject: |
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InsideHoops.com also had a mini-interview with Smush. Here is what was said...
| Inside Hoops.com's Smush Interview wrote: |
Los Angeles Lakers point guard Smush Parker is back with the team for another season, though this year he'll face competition at the point guard spot from rookie Jordan Farmer. A few weeks ago InsideHoops.com caught up with Parker for a quick interview. Note that, once preseason and the regular season starts, InsideHoops.com interviews will go back to being full-length and detailed. Our summer stuff is very quick and light. And, here's Parker:
InsideHoops.com: How'd your summer go? What have you been up to?
Smush Parker: My summer has been way too long. I'm anxiously waiting to get right back into the season, since July. I've just been working out all summer, and I took some time off, of course. That's what summer is all about, taking some time off. But for the most part I've been working out.
InsideHoops.com: Travel anywhere cool?
Smush Parker: Yeah, I went to the Bahamas. And I went back to D.R. (Dominican Republic) for my birthday, so that was cool.
InsideHoops.com: Do you have a favorite overseas place to go?
Smush Parker: This was my first time going to the Bahamas. I've been to D.R. twice, like it a lot... My cousin married a girl from D.R.
InsideHoops.com: The Lakers this upcoming season, roster-wise things are pretty similar to last year.
Smush Parker: Yeah, pretty much. We added (Vladimir) Radmanovic, Shammond Williams, Jordan Farmar, the guy that they drafted. But we pretty much have the same core group of guys, and we look forward to growing on last season.
InsideHoops.com: Have you played with Jordan Farmar at all yet, anywhere?
Smush Parker: No.
InsideHoops.com: Did you watch the world championships at all?
Smush Parker: No, not at all. I know the USA lost to Greece. |
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ladam24
Joined: 17 Oct 2004
Posts: 11016
Location: Gold Coast, AUS
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| Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds good, i hope he's really improved.
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JSM
Clublakers Site Manager
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 70472
Location: Atlanta
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| Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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As I said with the Lakers practicing D, at least they (he) knows what needs to be worked on. Just translating that to on the court production is a whole other thing, hopefully we'll see improvements though.
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lakerzkb8
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 10883
Location: Canadaland
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| Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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i only believe kobe when he says stuff like wanting to be a better teammate or working hard over the summer. every1 else, as mentioned b4 are all talk. they never step up when we need them to ( game 7  ) . time will tell though...
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