[外電] Western Conference Insider: Howard headed in right direc

看板Mavericks (達拉斯小牛)作者popstarkirby (偶象明星卡比)時間17年前 (2008/11/13 09:24)推噓6(6推 0噓 9→)

留言15則, 10人參與討論串1/1

http://tinyurl.com/5647tx f it seems like Josh Howard's life since the end of last season was a series of fiascos, there was good reason. His losing streak of poor decisions reads like a how-to-screw-up-a-promising-career guide. There's one decision Howard doesn't regret. One he won't ever regret. The same guy many folks in Dallas wanted to run out of town and others around the country wanted run out of the league experienced a life-altering moment as the summer came to a close. He became a first-time papa. "It gave me new life," Howard said Tuesday before the Mavericks' loss to the Lakers. "It's somebody that's going to be looking at you. It's a good feeling. It's kind of hard to describe." This isn't about basketball. This is about a former All-Star small forward getting his priorities back in order and trying to repair a shattered image. Howard may act as if he doesn't care what people think, a carefree persona often mistaken for indifference, but he does internalize what happens around him and doesn't forget. Howard hadn't discussed the birth of his son publicly until now for his own reasons. For one, no one has asked. Mostly, though, the attention he's received lately has largely been unflattering. Not that Howard didn't deserve the scrutiny. He ended last season having to answer for marijuana use and an ill-timed birthday bash thrown during Dallas' first-round loss to New Orleans. The summer followed with a scrape with the law for drag-racing in North Carolina and a YouTube-inspired frenzy over some flippant national anthem remarks. Howard's behavior warranted a backlash. And he admits he was in a bad place. "Things were going in the wrong direction," he said. "It's so hard to point at people because at the end of the day it's going to come back on me. I'm the one that's going to have to deal with it, even though I know what happened. "At the end of the day it wasn't the Josh Howard that everybody knows. It's just tough to see how people judge you off some bad things with all the good I've done." Howard's heart has always been in the right place when it comes to giving back. His charity work back in his hometown of Winston-Salem, N.C. has touched the lives of countless kids from lesser means. The Wake Forest grad has been just as active around Dallas. But after everything that went down, he wasn't sure if Dallas would be his NBA home for his sixth season. Had the Mavs traded him, Howard wouldn't have been surprised. "It's crossed my mind every season," said Howard, currently out with an injured wrist. "You never know. It's a business. I'm fortunate enough to have a great owner in Cuban and he trusts in me. "He was the first person I called when all this stuff went down. I respect him and he respects me. That's the best part about all this." Howard's relationship with Mark Cuban has remained rock solid. New Mavs coach Rick Carlisle made it a point to reach out to Howard early, and the two have kept the lines of communication open. "I was just excited to come back to play, regardless of what happens off the court," said Howard, adding he's never lost his joy for basketball. Last season wasn't easy on Howard, even though he chooses not to discuss whatever problems he had with former coach Avery Johnson. He also dealt with the sudden death of his college coach Skip Prosser and a beloved family member. "I've always kept my personal life to myself," said Howard, who asked to keep many of the details of his new son private. "I've always let stuff build up until things pop." Or in this case explode. Howard is going to make mistakes again, just like the rest of us. It's now about how he deals with those mistakes. His attitude moving forward is emblazoned with a new tattoo running down his spine: "Let it roll." Considering his recent run, those words can be taken many ways. Howard chooses to focus on the positive. That's why the birth of his son proved so poignant. The pride in Howard's eyes goes beyond words, as Dad beamed when talking about spending all day with his son before the game. "It was a blessing," Howard said. He sure needed one ... or two. Howard has a second child on the way next month. Howard也滿喜歡生小孩的.... -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 220.131.225.226