Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Grantland: Ivan Johnson on Ivan Johnson

At Grantland, Rembert Browne shows off (with every good reason) a 2008 public radio interview with Ivan Johnson. An excerpt from the transcript:
Dick: You said that the reason your mother didn't come to your games was because of your attitude.

IVAN: Yeah, she didn't like me cursing a lot. And that's what I used to do on the court.

Dick: Who were you cursing?

IVAN: Just getting mad at myself. Getting mad at my players. Getting mad at the coach for taking me out. Referees. Everybody. People in the stands. [Ivan and Dick both laugh.]

Dick: Was there any one particular incident that you can think of, Ivan, you look back on it now and you think, Oh man, what was I doing?

IVAN: [Sighs] Let me see ... When I spit in the crowd. And I punched a hole through the wall in the gym. [Laughs.]

2 comments:

pablo debs said...

lmao awseome

Buddy Grizzard said...

"No longer is this a player who simply amuses me with his outward appearance and tunnel-vision approach to being a professional basketball player. There's no going back to that place anymore, after listening to this interview, because I'm now emotionally invested in his future and with him finding peace within himself."

As will be anyone who reads that interview.