Pau Gasol predicted Rudy's dunk contest failure

by Seth Pollack on Feb 15, 2009 2:09 PM MST in NBA All Star Game

Earlier in the day on Saturday, I asked Pau Gasol what he thought his Spanish teammate's chances were in the Dunk Contest. "Slim" was the response.

Little did I know at the time that Pau would play such an influential role in making his prediction a reality. As we all witnessed, Pau insisted, for reasons that make no sense at all, to throw a behind-the-back pass to the back of the backboard as part of Rudy's dunk attempt.

Those missed passes certainly were influential in reducing Rudy's score on what turned out to be a spectacular jam. If Pau had made the easy pass sooner, Rudy's score almost certainly would have been higher then it was.

Do you wonder why Pau did that? One thing that I noticed this weekend was the infatuation on the part of the Spanish media with Rudy. They completely ignored brother Marc Gasol at Friday's media availability and they were nowhere to be seen on Saturday either.

Yet, when Rudy was around, they flocked to him like the Chinese media did to Yao.

I asked Pau about this as well, and his answer while predictably tactful, perhaps was not fully truthful given what he did to Rudy's chances to even greater fame back home in Spain.

Pau Gasol audio

Blazer's Edge (as usual) has all the details and insightful insight

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Comments

Saboteador!

I like this angle. That dunk ended up being awesome, but Pau cost his amigo a few points by insisting on going behind-the-back after the first miss.

by Mike Lisboa on Feb 15, 2009 10:55 AM MST reply actions

amigo?

I wouldn’t call Gasol “mi amigo” after that! The Dunk was awesome…!

"Basketball doesn't build character. It reveals it"

by PanamaSun on Feb 15, 2009 11:21 AM MST reply actions

This

Is why I come to Bright Side Of The Sun.

Ridiculous? I think Not.
Upside? Plenty.
RidiculousUpside

by Scott Schroeder on Feb 15, 2009 11:23 AM MST reply actions

Jealousy

rears it’s ugly head. Either that, or Pau is the Spanish version of Miss Cleo.

by Diosnomeama on Feb 15, 2009 1:42 PM MST reply actions

Moral of the Day

Never Trust a Laker

The cake is a lie. Do not bake it.

by blzrfan on Feb 15, 2009 2:20 PM MST reply actions

Or a Spaniard?

by Mike Lisboa on Feb 15, 2009 2:50 PM MST up reply actions

They did screw the Natives

The cake is a lie. Do not bake it.

by blzrfan on Feb 15, 2009 2:52 PM MST up reply actions

The Inquisition

was all sunshine and lollipops as well.

by Diosnomeama on Feb 15, 2009 3:12 PM MST reply actions

Your expansion

to the west really was sunshine and lollipops. That´s why almost all native americans live in reserves now.
I dont think Pau did it on purpose, come on, they are close friends and that would have been very childish.

by Felx on Feb 16, 2009 10:37 AM MST reply actions

of course you are right - he didn't do it on purpose

this was meant to be a bit….tongue and cheek

Blogging Suns Basketball

by Seth Pollack on Feb 16, 2009 10:53 AM MST up reply actions

My expansion?

Yep I single handedly drove all Mexicans and Indians off their land like the ignorant, barbaric racist that I am. Go ahead and blame me for the Holocaust and American Idol while you’re at it. I didn’t call it “your” Inquisition or “his” did I? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go hang my Nazi flag outside my house, and get dressed in my finest robes for a fine evening of gay-bashing.

by Diosnomeama on Feb 16, 2009 11:46 AM MST reply actions