Monday Bolts – 6.29.15
Berry Tramel: “Donovan’s public access has been minimal. A few interviews. A video encouraging the Florida softball team before it won the Women’s College World Series. That’s about it. The Thunder missed the playoffs this season; May and June is no time to be in the spotlight if you aren’t in the postseason. And Donovan was low-key Saturday, dressed casual and standing off to the side as the newest Thunder, sitting alongside Sam Presti, filled in our gaps of the Cam Payne campaign. Donovan was low-key but not off-putting. He’s personable and engaging. Seems to have constructed few walls. That’s encouraging. I hate it that it didn’t work out for Scotty Brooks and I hope the Foreman coaches an NBA title team some day. But I think we’re going to like Donovan. We the press and we the people.”
Anthony Slater on Cameron Payne: “But it didn’t take long to adapt. By Year 2, as Cameron exploded onto the national scene, Leshawn was a fixture in the Murray State crowd. Her enthusiastic personality had earned her a reserved seat in the student section, where she handed out pom-poms and wore her now legendary customized shirts, complete with pictures of her son and slogans like ‘Cam Nation.’ So don’t blame her for feeling a brief bout of sadness when Cam decided to turn pro a few months ago, forgoing his final two collegiate seasons to chase a lifelong dream.”
KD has no mercy in pop-a-shot.
Eric Freeman of BDL on Enes Kanter: “Kanter’s story is minor compared to serious questions over the future of Turkey, but they are not unrelated situations. At the very least, his fate serves as a reminder that national sports teams often (perhaps always) hold relevance beyond their performance in specific terms. On a basic level, these groups serve as representations of national character, almost as an idealization. For a relatively stable nation, it’s easy for the vast majority of the population to feel positive about that team. In many cases, though, those in power end up crafting an image that may leave large groups feeling unwanted.”
Wrote a thing about drafting Payne.
Russ and Perk’s Twitter exchange >>>
Russell Westbrook is “writing” a fashion diary for Vanity Fair: “The camo and argyle prints mixed together were a stand out combo,” Westbrook wrote of the Dior Homme show. “The collection was very refreshing. I also liked the zipper details on the suits. I love the progressive approach Kris took when designing various interpretations of the classic bomber jacket, using floral patterns on the sleeves and numerous fabrics.”
