# :07 Seconds or Less by Jack McCallum



## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

I thought I'd make a thread and post funny or interesting
things that I find in the book. So far the book is great.
But I'm only 3 chapters in.......=)

Here's two funny quotes I liked.




Jack McCallum said:


> I had a good enough relationship with a couple players,
> Nash and Raja Bell in particular, that I could give them a gentle amount of grief, and they could certainly give it back. On the day the team photo was taken, the coaches insisted that I get into one just for posterity's sake, and as I stood there, silently urging th photographer to hurry up and snap, Nash said, "OKay, becareful. The spy's in the picture." On the one occasion that I did pilfer a chicken
> finger from the postgame buffet, Nash caught me. "Jack, I hope you're paying for that," he said with a couple of other reporters around.





> One day Weber and Dan told me how much pleasure they get out of watching Alvin Gentry take his morning vitamins because it is so difficult for him. I wanted to see it, so we spent fifteen minutes surrptitously tailing Gentry around the training room as he juggled the pills in his hand and made the conversational rounds. Finally, he grimaced, put a pill on his tongue, took a long slug of water, and violently tilted his head back to get it down. We burst into laughter. "Let me guess," He said. "You *******es have been following me."



Those two quotes made me laugh pretty hard. lol

I'll continue to post more samples of the book.


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## 604flat_line (May 26, 2006)

Sweet, who is Jack McCallum exactly?


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## Hyperion (Dec 5, 2006)

604flat_line said:


> Sweet, who is Jack McCallum exactly?


He's a journalist who followed the Suns for the entire 05-06 season and wrote a book about it. He got to fly on the team plane, and stay with the players. He was like a member of the staff, but didn't do anything. The book he wrote was "7 Seconds or Less" which is based on the Suns' philosophy that it should only take seven seconds or less to take and make a shot from the opposing team's made hoop.


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

Seuss, how did you get the book? I want to buy it...but I get the feeling I won't find it in any regular book store.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Dang seems like an interesting book, how long is it?


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

KidCanada said:


> Seuss, how did you get the book? I want to buy it...but I get the feeling I won't find it in any regular book store.



I'm pretty confident you could find it at a Barnes&Noble.
Although I didn't try looking, I just ordered it on Amazon.com

The book is 320 pages long.

If you're a Suns fan and don't have the book - Shame on you.

It's a terrific read.


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

Here' some Alvin Gentry's stories (One of Suns Asst. Coach)



> Gentry tells a story from Miami, about a player named Ladell Eckles who stood up during a team meeting and wrote on the board: "No your roll."
> Glen Rice said "Sit down, dumb ***."





> Gentry tells a story of BJ Armstrong coming to Charlotte and being greeted by Anthony Mason, a noted thug on the court. Gentry really rolls on this one.
> "So, Anthony Mason tells BJ 'Yo man, we all get together and pray after the game.'
> "BJ says, 'Well, that's cool, but it's not my style. I got my own beliefs and stuff."
> "But, see, this isn't good enough for Mason. 'Nah, man , we do it after games. As a team.' And BJ still says 'Sorry, man.'
> ...



This book also exposes Marion's insecurity to a point I've never read or found out about. 
I knew Shawn felt underappreciated, 
but I didn't know he had such a big problem with it.

It also goes indepth about the refs during the Lakers series. 
I almost believe the refs tried screwing the Suns on purpose.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Yeah, I posted a few links, with key excerpts, and reviews about this a few weeks ago or something. . Some interesting stuff too






A review of the book by Henry Abbott with some more key excerpts from it. 

Seven Seconds or Less in about 20 Minutes

Same blog, but he got a chance to talk to McCallum recently, and he mentions how some players aren't pleased with the book.

Jack McCallum Talks Phoenix Suns


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

some funny, or interesting excerpts from that, for the lazy lol





> p35 one video for players another for coaches, Tim Thomas lousy defender, D'Antoni doesn't embarrass players
> 
> p38 D'Antoni plays video games in the players' lounge
> 
> ...


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

> "So now, Mason cuts him off. 'Well, **** you, mother****er, if you ain't going to pray with us.'


:rofl:


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

I finally got the book. Hell of a read.

Suns fans: buy this book! You're missing out if you havn't read it.


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## Hyperion (Dec 5, 2006)

The funny thing is that if you are a Suns junkie like I am, you already knew over half of the book! The only part that made me sad and laugh was the part about Burke hating the fact that the crowd was cheering for him when he nailed that three against the Lakers in game 7. He felt it was like the fans were cheering for the handicapped kid who scored a basket! Also, it paints an amazing picture of the professionalism that the coaches exhibit and the overwhelming nature of the job. You really get the understanding that coaches are like ducks on a pond, even though they seem to be calm and collected, their legs are moving at 100mph under the surface. The book also shows who is the leader of the team, Nash. Also, the book is VERY flattering to Marion. Oftentimes the coaches want Marion to do more, but then question if they are expecting too much. I just wish Marion can play as "The Matrix" more often.(he refers to himself as The Matrix when he all out dominates the game because the Matrix doesn't get tired)


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