Hells yeah!

Neal,

I was wondering if you would do me a favor:

I started watching the NBA again in 2001 and promptly became transfixed by Steve Nash. Having grown up in Atlanta, there was not a lot to cheer about as far as the Hawks were concerned. The Mavs were on TV all the time, so it was easy to become attached to Dallas.

When Nash went west, so did my allegiance, although I was a bit skeptical of the cast of characters in Phoenix. Obviously, I have been won over.

Here's what I need from you - Despite the fact that it is acceptable to cheer for teams from cities where you have never set foot, I still feel the need to be accepted as a fellow fan by someone with a connection to that city. Will you, as a representative of the city of Phoenix, formally welcome me to the fold of the Suns? Two of my three all time favorite players have been on their roster (Barkley being the other).

I eagerly await your response.

Jason Kranzusch

O great spirit of Cotton Fitzsimmons! Please welcome this lost soul into our fold. Though our lives have been nothing but an endless parade of false hopes and diminished expectations since the day The Hawk left college to join us, we must allow these bandwagon jumpers to enter our lives and our hearts. For the true spirit of basketball lives in the Valley Of The Sun this season, and all are invited to share in our championship glory. Unless we lose to the Spurs.

On the ruined careers of three dozen big men (Mark West excepted), welcome!

By the power vested in Ty Corbin, Larry Nance, Kyle Macy, Leonard "Truck" Robinson, Armon Gilliam, Tim Perry, Mike Bratz, Georgi Glouchkov, Jay Humphries, Rich Kelley, Oliver Miller, Ed Nealy, Wayman Tisdale and Wes Person, along with those Suns, Nick Vanos, Dennis Johnson, Johnny High, gone but not forgotten, welcome to the bandwagon.

Last night, while waiting for the Suns to come on and end the Evil Donkeys season, I was watching the Spurs with my son, who noticed the coyote mascot flailing his way through a trampoline dunk. My son, being the wise boy that he is, immediately cried foul, "That's silly, papa, coyotes can't dunk."

"That's right, buddy," I said. "What's up with that, do you think?"

"They need the Suns gorilla for that," was his reply.

As a lifelong Suns fan, I am pleased to welcome all ye seeking enlightenment to the bandwagon that is cursed to never have a dominant 7-footer since we lost the coin toss for Lew Alcindor (later Kareem), but has had several esteemed actors play the part of "Big Goofy White Guy". A proud lineage that goes all the way back to the Dick and Tom Van Arsdale twins and Alvin Adams, to the more recent ghosts of Tom Chambers, Kurt Rambis, Joe Klein, Danny Schayes, and most recently we proudly enshrined into the "Big Goofy White Guy" Hall of Fame, our dear Irishman Pat Burke. My proudest Suns moments were built behind the curtains upon the sweaty, easily sunburned backs of our BGWG's. I'm sure I'm forgetting other BGWG Hall of Fame inductees. Please help me remember!!!

Bayard Forrest, Dennis Awtrey, and, more recently, the literate Paul Shirley. Bo Outlaw, while not white, was also quite big and goofy.

No list of Suns BGWGs can be complete without the two-Jakes, of course! I'm not really sure I'd put TC in that list though.

And to our esteemed host: I've read and enjoyed your stuff on Slate, but I had no idea you were not only a Suns fan living in Laker-land, but that your hipster kid is reigning spectacular predator-curses down on the heads of the Suns mortal enemies. Tremendous!

In other news, the Red Wings won a stunner last night in OT against San Jose in San Jose, rallying from a 2 goal deficit and tying the game with 30 seconds left in regulation. It was probably among the 5 most exciting hockey games I've ever seen.

I paid for it today. Living on the East Coast demands some dedication to watch those games that start at 10:00 p.m. My daughter only got to see a smidgen of the game, which is criminal.

Go Wings! Go Pistons!

(Detroit born and raised.)

BGWG continued:

Luc Longley, Rich Kelley, Joel Kramer, Neal Walk, Tom Gugliotta and Tim Kempton

Neal, Matt and Eddie,

I breathe a sigh of relief as I feel the warmth of the Suns basking over me and the acceptance of people that I will never know in any meaningful way.

Ain't the interweb great?

JK

Neal, I'm glad to count you among the Suns fans. I'd rather have you courtside (virtually or otherwise) than Jack any day.

But I have to talk shop with you for a second: Has anyone ever told you that you seem like a character from a Douglass Coupland novel?

If only predators (or better yet, Predators, as in Aliens vs.) dropped from the sky and consumed the Lakers every night in some Promethean ritual.

Although Kobe would probably still drop at least 40 on them...

Hell, sometimes I FEEL like a character from a Douglas Coupland novel, though if you met me, I'd seem more like a character from the outtakes of a bad Woody Allen movie.

I jumped through a ring of fire this morning too!

I am interested in learning more about
Bayard Forrest. He is part of my family
genealogy and we are interested in learning more about his life to date. We
have checked on Caleb's (his nephew) information and find that he is a great
athlete, just has his uncle Bayard.

An e-mail address for Bayard...would
be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in learning more about
Bayard Forrest. He is part of my family
genealogy and we are interested in learning more about his life to date. We
have checked on Caleb's (his nephew) information and find that he is a great
athlete, just has his uncle Bayard.

An e-mail address for Bayard...would
be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in learning more about
Bayard Forrest. He is part of my family
genealogy and we are interested in learning more about his life to date. We have checked on Caleb's (his nephew) information and find that he is a great athlete, just as his uncle Bayard.
my e-mail address is harvey.lois@gmail.com

An e-mail address for Bayard...would
be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in learning more about
Bayard Forrest. He is part of my family
genealogy and we are interested in learning more about his life to date. We have checked on Caleb's (his nephew) information and find that he is a great athlete, just as his uncle Bayard.
my e-mail address is harvey.lois@gmail.com

An e-mail address for Bayard...would
be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in learning more about
Bayard Forrest. He is part of my family
genealogy and we are interested in learning more about his life to date. We have checked on Caleb's (his nephew) information and find that he is a great athlete, just as his uncle Bayard.
my e-mail address is harvey.lois@gmail.com

An e-mail address for Bayard...would
be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in learning more about
Bayard Forrest. He is part of my family
genealogy and we are interested in learning more about his life to date. We have checked on Caleb's (his nephew) information and find that he is a great athlete, just as his uncle Bayard.
my e-mail address is harvey.lois@gmail.com

An e-mail address for Bayard...would
be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in learning more about
Bayard Forrest. He is part of my family
genealogy and we are interested in learning more about his life to date. We have checked on Caleb's (his nephew) information and find that he is a great athlete, just as his uncle Bayard.
my e-mail address is harvey.lois@gmail.com

An e-mail address for Bayard...would
be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in learning more about
Bayard Forrest. He is part of my family
genealogy and we are interested in learning more about his life to date. We have checked on Caleb's (his nephew) information and find that he is a great athlete, just as his uncle Bayard.
my e-mail address is harvey.lois@gmail.com

An e-mail address for Bayard...would
be greatly appreciated.