BS of the Suns: Reverse Mailbag at the season’s midpoint

Back in the off-season I tried a gimmick I called the “reverse mailbag”. It worked then so I figure it will work now too. Welcome back to the BS of the Suns!

The concept is simple. I ask you, the reader, questions and give my short synopsis on them. You then share your answers in the comments below.

So let’s start this off, hopefully faster than the Suns start off games, with the first question.

What is your dream piece of Suns memorabilia?

As a lifelong Suns fan and former employee, I’ve accumulated my fair share of fun and obscure memorabilia. I used to think my collection was quite special. That was until I met a fellow fan this past weekend who shared his collect with me. I was blown away. From neon signs, to a game worn jersey, vintage posters and more. He had everything. The Charles Barkley pieces he had alone were enough to make me more jealous than Slater was of Preppy and Kelly Kaposwski.

It got me thinking, what is the one piece of Suns history that I’d love to own over anything else? For me the more obscure the better. Anyone can get a game worn jersey, an autograph or a poster. What I want is something more off the beaten path.

I already own a game worn Hamed Haddadi No. 98 jersey, the highest worn number in team history and one of the original sketches of the 1990s sunburst jerseys when they were still just a concept. Both definitely obscure, but I’d want to go even further. Three things come to mind.

First, I’d want a game worn Marko Milic jersey. Not because he was particularly great or heck, even good, but because he is the first basketball video I can remember ever going viral. Back when video on the web was the size of a postage stamp and trainer than an Atari game, footage of a random European player the Suns were signing surfaced. That video was of Milic dunking of a green Honda Del Sol.

Ever since the first time I watched that video, Milic has irrationally been one of my all-time favorite Suns despite a 2.5 point and .7 rebound a game career average.

Second would be the Western Conference Champions plaque that used to hang in the Ring of Honor before Al McCoy joined. I’ve always wondered what happened to that and could never get a straight answer about it.

Third, and probably most wanted on my list, would be the 1964 and a half Kennedy Half Dollar that was used in the coin flip for Lew Alcindor. Probably the most iconic non-basketball moment in franchise history and cast the mold and mindset of the franchise and it’s fans for the next 50+ years. I wouldn’t want it to display it or keep it held in some high esteem. I’d want it to simply to destroy it and potentially break any curse it represents.

Is Igor Kokoskov to blame for the team’s slow starts in games?

I’m a firm believer in coaching doesn’t have a massive impact in professional sports in most situations. Just ask Tyrone Lue who went from NBA Champion and four straight finals trips to the unemployment line in no time flat.

That said, I think Igor has to take at least some of the blame for his young team coming out the gates lately and looking completely unprepared and overmatched. Game plans and making sure that your guys are in the right mindset heading into a game is a major part of what little impact a coach can truly have. If you’re not making at least that impact, what are you doing?

Is Devin Booker an All-Star or not this season?

We’re all homers here but even none homers — at least all of them not named Nate Duncan — can acknowledge the amazing strides Booker has made in his game. When you look at his overall stats and how he’s in rare company, the fact that other players respect him, plus he’s the defending 3-point champ, I’m thinking he punches his first ticket to the all-star game

Who says no… to a three team deal where Devin Booker goes to New Orleans, Anthony Davis goes to Philly and Ben Simmons comes to Phoenix?

Yeah, it’s an awful trade that one of my friends proposed to me the other day. I thought about it for a few minutes and realized, he’s a great friend but I’m not sure if he’s a good basketball mind.