I’ve got a few, mostly basketball related, in chronological order …
I started getting a media credential to the NBA draft back in 1987 when I was still in high school and started my school’s public access TV sports channel, WRMZ, and created a print ‘zine called “The MAAC Report” with a close friend. Mitch Buonaguro and Nick Macarchuk actually gave us interviews. Crazy times and the NBA gave credentials like candy on Halloween. So in June 1989, I was really excited because Uncle Cliffy was there to be drafted in the first round. Except he wasn’t. And he looked upset. I followed Cliff outside the Felt Forum with the professional members of The Horde and listened to Cliff talk about how he was going to prove the naysayers wrong. It wasn’t a personal interaction, but it was something I will never forget.
July 1993: I was in head-to-toe UConn gear sitting behind the Celtics bench for summer league at the Westchester County Center. Nadav gave me a thumbs up. After the game, I was able to use my 12 years of Jewish day school education and had a 10-minute conversation with him in hebrew. I probably couldn’t pull that off 30 years later. Breathed in some Red Auerbach cigar smoke that day as well.
I’ve run into Craig Austrie here in Stamford at the JCC and at Beldotti Bakery. True gentleman and an amazing representative of UConn basketball.
August 2014: a buddy of mine told me that Sheffer was making an unannounced appearance at my son’s former day camp in Greenwich. He knew that I had some interactions with Dom Amore previously and asked me to reach out to him. I tipped Dom off, he drove down to Greenwich and got an exclusive with Doron, and my son got a chance to play pickup with Doron. By that time, my Hebrew skills had degraded. So I had a nice conversation in English with the most modest athlete I have ever met.
I went in 2018 with my son to Ray’s book signing at RJ Julia in Middletown. Highlight of my Huskies fandom. 30-second conversation with Ray, but I had a great extended talk with his wife and with Rudy Johnson during the event.