Another helping from "Special K"

Keeping in pace with my Alexi Lalas story and blog (see below, "Talking futbol with Alexi Lalas), I’d be remiss to leave out some extra tidbits from my interview with Gregory Kelser that didn’t make it into the story about his expanding basketball camp.

Kelser, the former Michigan State basketball star and current Pistons TV broadcaster, was also very kind to not only have a lengthy chat with me, but especially to do so in person.

So here’s a few extra items from the local hoops legend from our sit-down interview a few weeks ago.

First and foremost, Kelser described why he enjoys putting on youth basketball camps so much, to the point that he’s expanding them from West Bloomfield to Grosse Pointe.

“It’s great. It’s gratifying to see youngsters come in, … see them improving,” Kelser said. “That’s the thing we hope for — that they’ll be better on Friday at the end of camp than they were on Monday. Hopefully, they will have learned something that they can take and continue to develop, as far as basketball is concerned.

“But we also hope we change some attitudes and some mindsets, too,” he continued. “We’ve planted some seeds that will cause them to maybe want to do things differently, to help their own personal growth, on the court and off the court — educationally. It’s always a little bit melancholy when it’s time to let them go.

“One of the biggest thrills I get is when I have youngsters, later on — now adults — tell me that they attended my basketball camps,” Kelser said. “And it’s always interesting to have them come up to me and say: ‘I remember this, you said that, and it had impact. I just want to thank you.’ I get that a lot.”

Now on to the fun extras. I spoke with Kelser during the NBA Conference finals. Back then, he had these thoughts on the eventual champion L.A. Lakers and the runner-up Boston Celtics.

“I’m surprised to see Boston play as well as they played, after an inconsistent regular season,” he said. “It’s a testament to the championship spirit of veteran ball players.
The Lakers look as good as they have ever looked, looking to be a factor in the championship quest.”

The where-will-LeBron James-go? saga was just as big then as it is now, while I’m writing this, so I asked Kelser his thoughts on where the superstar will end up.

“I’ve always felt that he would stay in Cleveland, but now when you hear all this talk that he’s interested in Miami, Chicago — New York, of course — I’m not so sure where he’s going to end up.

“It’s not about money with him, because he’s going to make his greatest fortune off the floor anyway. So he can be anywhere and do well financially. I think for him, it’s just a matter of where he feels his best chance to win a championship might be.

“If he wants to be compared to the greatest of all time, those players got to their initial teams, stayed there and made them champions. Bill Russell with his 11 championships in one city, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson with his five in one city, Jordan with his six in one city. Kobe now with the Lakers (up to five after the recent finals win over Boston), Tim Duncan … all these guys stayed and got it done there.

“One thing, if LeBron were to go and hook up with Dwayne Wade in Miami, than it’s not so much his team and his championship. He had to leave to try and find it, as opposed to making it happen where he was drafted. That’s the only difference that I would see.

“I envision him winning championships before his career is over, it’s just a matter of where I guess.”

Onto the current state of the Pistons, largely in flux with the upcoming NBA Draft (June 24) and impending free agency period (begins July 1).

“I have a lot of faith in Joe Dumars, because he’s done this before. This team is in similar position as the 2000-01 team that it won 32 games and looked to be nowhere close to the playoffs. Then they hired Rick Carlisle, win 50 games and get to the second round of the playoffs. Next year, they win 50 more and get to the conference finals, and then the championship after that.

“So that was a quick turnaround. I’m envisioning that they can possibly have another one. I think the key thing will be the two or three players that Joe is able to add. That was the recipe back then. So you had the pieces in place, you just had to augment the roster with some veterans and some youth, and they did that. And they’ll try and do the same thing this time, through the draft with the youth, free agency with the experience and trades as well.

“So I’m looking for them to be back in the playoff picture. I don’t see this as being a lengthy project.”

Finally, I asked Kelser about how proud he was of his Spartans men’s basketball team’s recent run of success and what his plans were had they made it to the final this past season. Mind you, this took place before Tom Izzo’s courting by the Cavaliers.

“I’m so thrilled to see them getting there; Tom Izzo is a genius. Even with the odds they faced, playing without Kalin Lucas, some of the other guys injured, they got there. It’s very exciting, heartbreaking at the end. I was in Atlanta when the Spartans lost to Butler doing a Pistons game. I had a little monitor to the side. It took all of my professionalism to get through my game — all that I could muster to maintain my upbeat demeanor to finish my game after watching the Spartans lose. I would have been in Indianapolis had it not been for my Pistons responsibility.”

Talking futbol with Alexi Lalas

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking with former American soccer star and current ESPN analyst Alexi Lalas.

I say “privilege,” because growing up as a soccer player and fan in the area myself, it was pretty cool to talk with the Birmingham native and Cranbrook graduate.

But the experience was made all the more memorable thanks to Lalas talking to me at length about a wide range of soccer topics — something, unfortunately, uncommon these days when dealing with any level of celebrity.

We spoke so much that some of his comments didn’t even make it to the published story, so I’ve included them here, along with some additional stuff from a conversation I had with Lalas’ high school coach at Cranbrook — Charles T. Shaw.

With the FIFA 2010 World Cup well under way, and Lalas earning his pay with ESPN in South Africa, I thought this nugget was appropriate.

I asked him about attempting to appear unbiased as an analyst when talking about the U.S. squad.

He responded that he had “no problem saying ‘we.’”

“I think it’s important for people to know — especially given my background — it is my team, but I have to be objective. When they play well, I point it out. When they don’t, I can criticize.”

Speaking of criticism for the U.S. team, Lalas promised there would be plenty if it doesn’t advance past the group stage, thanks to the team’s recent international success.

“What’s happened on and off the field as far as progress, it’s created higher expectations — that’s a good thing,” he said. “If the U.S. doesn’t advance, it’ll be viewed as not only disappointing, but a failure. But again, that’s a good thing.”

Lalas is also not afraid to stand up for his old school and neighborhood, as well.

While he doesn’t have a lot of family in the area anymore, he gets back to Cranbrook and metro Detroit when he can, and is thankful for his time growing up here.

“I spent some incredible years there,” Lalas said about the area and school. “Even though soccer took me far and wide, the fact is that is where I started playing soccer and learned to play soccer. It’s also where I got an education, which I feel has served me so well as I’ve gone on in life. I can’t say enough about how important it was the time I spent in Cranbrook and the area.”

He was also quick to stand up for the state and city of Detroit.

“I know it’s going through some trying times; I’m always the first to stick up for Michigan and Detroit and the people. Those are the people I grew up with. If any area can rejuvenate itself and get back to where it once was, it’s Michigan, especially the Detroit area.”


On to some quick Q&A with coach Shaw from Cranbrook.

Q: Did you ever have an inkling that Lalas would go on to have the type of success he’s enjoyed on and off the field professionally?

A: Alexi’s evolution is not really surprising, given the abundance of talents he has. As a high school student, he was already the leader of a very successful band, a writer of poetry and a commanding speaker. He has a razor sharp wit, but also an incredible sensitivity.

Q: Did his personality at Cranbrook ever resemble that of a future TV personality?

A: Alexi loved our talent shows and any opportunity to speak publicly.

Q: We know he also excelled in hockey and has pursued other interests, such as music. What kind of work ethic did he display at Cranbrook to lead him to be so versatile and talented?

A: Alexi was always extremely busy, just not always busy with conventional school successes. His real passion was putting everything together — guitar, soccer, song writing. He often spent evenings on the soccer field playing, singing and composing.

Q: As a soccer coach in the 1980’s, did you ever expect soccer to grow in the United States as it has over the past couple decades?

A: I am not surprised at the proliferation of the fan base. TV has to find it a friendlier sport.

Q: Lastly, do you have any funny or interesting stories about Alexi from his playing days at Cranbrook?

A: Perhaps the most colorful side to Alexi was his car, which basically served as a soccer locker room, a bedroom, kitchen and music studio.

Lalas did, after all, say something to me about growing up dreaming about being Bon Jovi rather than a soccer star. I’m glad, and I’m sure I’m not alone, that he chose the beautiful game. We’ll try and get a hold of him again to ask him about his car, his stance as a music lover about the humming Vuvuzela horns of South Africa and, of course, the World Cup.

So check back later, and until then, enjoy the rest of the tournament.