Amaechi's story of trust turns out well in Utah

MIZELL E-mail: Click here Archive

By HUBERT MIZELL

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 29, 2001

John Amaechi is one of the world's most caring, giving, admirable professional athletes. In an era overflowing with greed, runaway egos and odious arrogance, a mediocre 6-foot-10 basketball player from England chose to be more generous than he could afford.

Loyalty in high-dollar sporting havens is pretty much out of style, but Amaechi had old-fashioned faith in the Magic, the NBA franchise he played for the past two seasons.

Last summer, the champion Lakers came at Amaechi with a six-year, $17-million proposal, but he said no to becoming an associate of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, instead accepting a one-season extension from the cap-tapped Magic for $600,000. At 29, he felt sure Orlando would sweeten his salary and security for 2001-02.

In recent months, finances turned red for Amaechi. Not due to plunging for Ferraris, mansions or a jet plane, but because he has massive charitable undertakings, including underwriting a gym for needy kids in Britain. He was $500,000 in debt.

But as Magic cash flow improved, 38-year-old Patrick Ewing was hired and general manager John Gabriel retrieved old Orlando favorite Horace Grant who ironically had gone to the Lakers and earned a championship ring. Ewing came to O-town for the announcement and then went to Atlanta to admit in court that he accepted sexual favors at the infamous Gold Club.

Uh, dear John ... we can't afford you.

This is not a debate about basketball motives. Ewing and Grant are likely to deliver more for the Magic than Amaechi. Nah, this is about loyalty, which became so diluted that Orlando ownership/management ducked Amaechi as his fate became obvious.

This time, class wore sneakers.

Good news is, Saint John found financial deliverence, agreeing to a four-year, $10-million deal with the Jazz. Mortgage payments on his gym in England can be covered. Amaechi, when so many NBA chaps repeatedly opt to ignore parental obligations, adopted two homeless children.

I mean, let's talk champion.

UPPERCUTS: Yankees manager Joe Torre says of his comb-over hair style, "I call it the Watergate. I try to cover up everything I can." ... Cheers for the Trojans, for honoring the late John McKay at a Sept. 12 memorial service on the USC campus where the stogie-smoking quipper built a college football colossus with four national championship teams. ... Remembering his unprofessional NBC suck-ups to Michael Jordan, my TV remote always clicks to another channel the instant Ahmad Rashad appears. ... There's probably no better 2001 college football player in Florida, or hotter NFL prospect, than 6-foot-71/2, 340-pound Miami Hurricanes offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie. ... If somebody gave me a new major-league baseball franchise and I could base it anywhere, the choices would be (1) Northern Virginia/D.C., (2) Portland, Ore., (3) Las Vegas, (4) Indianapolis, (5) Columbus, Ohio, (6) Charlotte, N.C. and (7) Orlando. No, didn't forget New Orleans, just snubbed it. Portland? It's not loaded with population but has loads of money and a history of heavy support for just about anything major.

READER'S SHOUT: E-mail from Mick McClain of Clearwater admits, "I've had it with the Bucs off-season. Can't wait for training camp to get into overdrive. Now that we have a real quarterback in Brad Johnson, if our offensive line holds together this oughta be the long-awaited year when Tampa Bay's defense has a legitimate, equal partner. Let the Devil Rays learn a lesson, that a quality Tampa Bay sports product on the field, with a stadium roaring with excitement, can attract sellouts, even at extreme prices."

JABS: As we gawk at high-school kids jumping to the NBA, tennis one-ups hoops. Tournament promoter John Korff of the A&P Classic in Mahwah, N.J., had promised a $10-million guarantee for a daughter of Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi to play his event in 2017. Agassi announced last week the child is a boy. ... Now that British Open winner David Duval has shaken King Kong from his back, finally ruling one of golf's majors, an even bigger, nastier ape is certain to be stalking Phil Mickelson at next month's PGA Championship in Atlanta. Lefty has 19 wins on the PGA Tour, he's worth $20-million-plus and lavishly travels in his own Gulfstream megajet, which is sweet stuff. But none of it will endure history quite like a trophy from a major tournament. ... Speaking of tennis and Graf, as well as recent whatever happened? subject Gabby Sabatini, a German-owned perfumemaker bypassed homegrown Steffi to hire the retired lesser player from Argentina to do advertising. ... One of my favorite cable channels is Lifetime, but the network could be more open-minded toward us guys by altering its "Television for Women" motto.

Whatever happened to George Mira Jr. and Sr.?

- To reach Hubert Mizell, e-mail mmizell02@earthlink.net or mail to P.O. Box 726, Nellysford, VA 22958.

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