As some of you may remember, Rik Smits failed to show up at Reggie Miller's retirement ceremony. This despite the fact that almost every other former Pacer was able to make it. I mean, even guys who were barely on the team long enough to break a sweat managed to show up. Reggie and Rik played together for 11 years, and Reggie always made a point of saying that Rik was one of his favorite teammates. It was a complete and utter traveshamockery.But I always liked Rik, so I tried to cut him some slack. I mean, he's a busy guy, what with riding his bicycle and participating in competitive motocross. And he lives all the way across the ocean in some foreign land full of godless, painted savages. Maybe he just couldn't make it, I figured. Yes, that was it. Sometimes we have to lie to ourselves to be happy.
Well, I'm not happy today, thanks to this article from the April 14 edition of the Indianapolis Star:
Former Indiana Pacers player Rik Smits will be part of a fundraiser on the Southside for high school anti-drug, tobacco and alcohol programs in Central Indiana. Docs vs. Jocks vs. Drugs will feature a game of basketball between the physicians of St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers and the faculty of Lutheran High School, according to a news release from St. Francis. The annual game, in its 20th year, has been to various south-central Indiana high schools, which keep proceeds raised from ticket sales to enhance local drug, alcohol and tobacco awareness programs.Okay...what the hell??! As far as I've been able to determine, Rik hasn't made it back to Indiana since he retired. He doesn't attend Pacers games, or do interviews, and he skipped the most important retirement ceremony in Pacers history. But he can come back to play in a high school charity game? I mean, it's commendable that he wants to keep kids off drugs and everything, but I don't see how he can fly all the way to Indiana to play a pickup game against a handful of doctors and school teachers after dissing Reggie. That's just wrong.
I'm a pretty soft-hearted guy, and I've forgiven Rik for a lot of things. Like the fact that he's 7'4", but he only averaged 6 rebounds a game for his career. Did I mention he's 7'4"? And then there's the 2000 NBA Finals. He averaged a measely 10 points and 4 rebounds a game. And in case you forgot, he's 7'4". A telephone pole could have contributed more than Rik did. And it's not like he was giving his all at the other end of the floor. Shaq averaged 38 points and 18 rebounds for the series, by far his best playoff performance. Anyway, I forgave all of that. But not this. No, never this.
Apparently, the charity game was played last weekend. I haven't been able to find any follow up articles or anything else about it. Does anyone know anything about this? Am I the only person outraged? Okay, yeah, I probably am...
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haha.. "Did I mention he's 7'4"?"