"Throwback" Q&A with NBA star Chris Paul

Note: This was my first interview with NBA star Chris Paul. We've done numerous interviews and other things since then. But I thought I would post a real "throwback" interview after talking about it with a publisher recently. This is from Paul's senior year of high school. This was before the 2005-06 NBA Rookie of the Year and MVP runner-up honors. Take a look.

(From 2003) This was a copy of the first actual Q&A I did with NBA star Chris Paul. I caught up with CP3 moments after he put on another impressive show in an 84-47 victory over a NC high school rival, South Rowan  (Jan. 2003).

Anthony: What's going on Chris?

Chris: I'm all right. I'm just chillin'.

Anthony: Man, it looked like you simply exploded on those boys tonight. You must have been feeling it.

Chris: Well, South Rowan has always been a team in our conference that has played us real dirty by applying a lot of hard fouls. So, I was real pumped for this game.

Anthony: Speaking of hard fouls. I saw that guy come up under you before you "yoked" (dunked) on him. It looked as if you got a little mad and had a choice of words for him. What were you two jawing about?

Chris: I ain't say nothing. (Laughs.) It's just all in the game. I just want to win.

Anthony: What exactly did he do?

Chris: When I went up for the dunk he came up under and acted like he didn't do anything. I don't remember what I said. I don't even remember what he said. They were talking so much tonight.

Anthony: Man, it doesn't look like you even get tired out there. What kind of fuel are you running on?

Chris: You know what? I just wanna win so bad that I don't really get tired. That's just the emotions of basketball. This is what I do.

Anthony: Now, you scored 61 points on a team earlier this season. Is that the most you've ever scored in a single game.

Chris: Yeah. That was the most.

Anthony: What motivated you to score so many points?

Chris: My grandfather was murdered on Nov. 15. I signed to play with Wake on the 14th. My grandfather was my bestfriend and he was 61. After his funeral I felt like I was going to score those points for him. I had no idea I was actually going to score that many points though. Someone said something to me about it before the game. I just got on the court and started to do some things and then I felt like I could do it.

Check out CP while he was at Wake Forest.

Anthony: Wow. That was truly amazing. Let me ask you this, Chris. You're one of the premier players in high school basketball. What made you commit to Wake (Forest) so early?

Chris: I had offers from every team in the ACC and other teams that I liked. But, I knew where I wanted to play. I figured I wouldn't waste any other colleges time by recruiting me.

Anthony: You have a catalog of sick moves on the court. It looks like you've been watching a few "And 1 Mixtapes."

Chris: Yeah, I watch them. But, some of that stuff I wouldn't try in a game. I have full-court basketball court at my house and me and brother used to always play one on one everyday. I got most of those moves from him. He and my dad are definitely the reason I'm the player I am today. My dad used to make me and my brother put our right arms behind our backs so we would have to use our left hand to shoot.

Anthony: Let me ask you this: What are your interest outside of basketball? What are you going to pursue in college?

Chris: I'm going to Wake and I'm not really sure what I'm going to major in. I was thinking about computer science or something like that.

Anthony: Answer this for me. Which is better — a thunderous dunk or an embarrassing block?

Chris: Dunk. A "facial."

Anthony: What? But, you just started dunking this year.

Chris: True. I don't know. I guess I will say a good pass is the best feeling. (Both laugh.)

Anthony: Did you ever think about playing another sport? Or has basketball always been your main concentration?

Chris: I was the back-up quarterback for varsity my sophomore year. Everyone thought I was gonna drop basketball to play football.

Anthony: Really?

Chris: Yeah. I played football for 10 years.

Anthony: So what made you decide to play hoops?

Chris: (pause.). It was more fun to me. I started to think about which one I would rather do in college. So, I chose basketball.

Anthony: Let's switch this interview up a little bit. (Pause.) Did you have a favorite cartoon when you were growing up?

Chris: Woody Wood Pecker.

Anthony: (Both laugh.) Is there an athlete in which you've looked up to your entire life?

Chris: Oh yeah. Definitely, Michael Jordan. I used to watch him and see all the amazing things he's done throughout his career. So, I would say him.

Anthony: I'm sure that you have a lot more people claiming to be your friend now that you're getting all this media attention and praise. How rough is it having all kinds of strangers acting as if they know you?

Chris Paul is one of the top point guards in the NBA.

Chris: It's rough, but I know who the people are that were with me from the beginning. Family comes first for me.

Anthony: Let's jump into something I like to call "free association." I say one word and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind.

Chris: All right.

Anthony: Josh Howard.

Chris: Incredible defense.

Anthony: R.J. Reynolds Demons.

Chris: (Pause.) Rivalry.

Anthony: Favorite class.

Chris: Math.

Anthony: Dream date.

Chris: Halle Berry. (Both laugh.)

Anthony: Kobe Bryant.

Chris: One of my favorites.

Anthony: One final question. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?

Chris: 10 years from now, HOPEFULLY I'LL BE IN THE NBA. (That seemed to work out nicely)

Anthony: Good luck with that, Chris.

Chris: Thanks a lot man.

Just ramblin'

I haven't written a blog of any kind in quite a while. So I thought I would write one tonight since I had quite a few things on my mind. Might as well share some of it through my blog, right?

I'm not that happy with quite a few things in my life. I may walk around, flashing a smile or even moving with a sense of stability and confidence. But I'm really quite down, sometimes angry, sad, lonely and confused-- to name a few.

Just like a lot of you, I'm dealing with family issues that aren't quite joyful right now. I wish I could see my father more too. I'm angry that I haven't made more time for my dad. I mean, he, my younger brother and other immediate family I don't need to name are really all I have now. I've honestly been a lot different since I lost my mother back in 2010. Seems like last week. I'm not nearly as up beat. I don't do a lot of the things I used to do. I don't have a lot of the same motivations.

I'm not even doing the same career. I was once a great (so I've been told) sports writer/ editor. Now I do media relations at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as well as help people realize they should live healthier lives by exercising, eating right and signing memberships at a health club in Charlotte.

I also freelance during football season. That gives me a slight writing/ reporting fix. I honestly miss being a full-time sports writer. But I also honestly want to be happy doing something completely different. Hope I'm not boring you yet.

I always tell my girlfriend, Ashley, about how frustrated I am about how my life is right now. It's not bad now, but it's NOT nearly as good as I imagined it would be at this point. Part of that is because of the loss I've dealt with, the unfortunate path of my younger brother, unexpected career alterations and a collection of other bad decisions I've made throughout the last three or four years -- both personal and professional.

NOW, the focus has to be on making the next phase good... instead of dwelling on what could've, should've or might've been. Ya know?

Where do I even start? When should I start? Right now. Today.

Got to make more time for family. Have to focus on the NEXT PHASE, and have to start appreciating today. I always tell friends not to wait until the JUDGE THROWS THE BOOK AT YOU BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO READ. What I mean by that is make changes for the best today. Don't wait on unfortunate incidents to make you do what we all know should be getting done today.

Let's "READ," so to speak.

Heart attack tackles former Raider McGlockton

My heart goes out to the family of former L.A. Raider and four-time pro bowl defensive end Chester McGlockton.

I read a news release that said McGlockton had passed early Wednesday morning. The 42-year-old Whiteville, NC native was a defensive assistant at Stanford the last two years.

He was a high school All-American before starring at Clemson for three seasons. He was selected 16th overall in the 1992 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Raiders and would go on to play 12 seasons in the league, making four Pro Bowls and finishing his career with 48.5 sacks.

He retired in 2003 after stints with the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets. In 2010, McGlockton completed his undergraduate degree at Tennessee-Martin. Later that year, he took a coaching job at Stanford.

"The thoughts and prayers of the Raider Nation are with the McGlockton family during this difficult time,'' Raiders CEO Amy Trask said in a statement.

McGlockton is survived by his wife, Zina, and two children.

NFL player gains twenty-plus eating sandwiches

I read an interesting story on Yahoo sports today (Oct. 26). It was a little write up about Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham. It talked about how he gained twenty pounds in two months.

I know you're probably thinking, "How did this guy gain so much weight in such a short period of time?" He apparently gained 2.5 pounds a week eating Philly cheesesteaks last year. The 2010 first-round draft pick tore his ACL last December and spent two months on crutches. His weight jumped from 270 to 290 during his recovery.

"You know what got me real big? The Philly cheesesteaks," Graham told PHILLY.COM. "Jim's. That's all I eat."

Ole buddy said he would eat a whole cheesesteak every time he went down the street to Jim's, the famed sandwich spot, which is mere blocks from where he lives. With no cardio and 1,000 to 1,200 calories a pop, it's easy to see how Graham packed on the pounds. That and admittedly eating two or three plates of food when he wasn't dining on the Philly classic.

Big Brandon is back down to around his fighting weight now. He changed his eating habits when he got off the crutches and has been more focused on his diet and exercise this year. He's still on the Eagles' Physically Unable to Perform list and will be until the team is sure he's all the way back, but he went through his first practice earlier this week.

That's good to know. But I still shake my head when I think about the weight gained simply from eating cheesesteaks. That's wild.

Life is truly a journey

I sat back and started thinking while I looked at some of my old friends and/ or old classmates (via facebook) earlier today.

It's amazing how much some of us have changed through the years. I know I have my share of alterations as well. But I would like to think that my changes fit me today. I am not simply talking about physical changes.

The bests football players I grew up around didn't make it to the league. A number of them didn't even make it out of college. One of those guys stick out in my mind more than the rest. I am not going to say his name. But he was the best running back I knew when I was younger. He and I used to always talk about how our lives were going to be different after we both made it to the NFL. Needless to say, neither one of us made it that far. His fall from glory is more of a surprise than my mine, though. Also, the best basketball player I grew up around ended up going to prison and gaining a lot of weight. He's living a normal, decent life now from what I can tell. But he's not in the NBA or balling like I imagined he would be when I was coming up.

Some of the prettiest girls don't quite look like they used to back in the day, to say the least. One of the smartest guys I knew turned out to be lose his way somewhere between high school graduation and his 22nd birthday. Today he's in a mental house. One reality that hurts me the most is to think about my little brother, who's everything to me. He's even made mistakes that have altered his life in ways I never could imagine. I never thought in a million years my younger brother would be in trouble with the law, be in prison or have a tough life.

It kind of makes me wish I could get in a time machine, go back to childhood and warn all of these people of the pitfalls they will face later. Give them advice on what to do to make it. Tell them all to stay focused and remain hungry for success.

There's so many examples that come to mind while I write this blog. Seriously. But there's no need to note everyone, or dwell on misfortunes. It's kind of one of those issues you wish you could bottle and deliver to younger people that may be dealing with things. You want to just show them the paths of some of the people from your life, and let them know that everything that glitters ain't gold, there's no guarantees or sure things. It also would help some of them realize that all things come to an end, no matter how great they may seem.

Everyone must make the proper audibles in life when things seem to be going the other way. Never give up or think things will change just because. DO SOMETHING. And, keep GOD first.

I want ALL of the love

I've been thinking. LOL.

Let me stop right there by adding that it's not my first time thinking. I actually think about a number of things all of the time. I'm talking about my love life in this particular blog. A friend of mine was asking me why I'm not married or something.

I immediately replied by saying that I haven't found or been in a relationship with a female that I would consider being with forever. The last time I met someone I felt so strongly about was probably college. So, my dude was like, "So, you're sayin' none of the ADULT women you've met through the years have made you consider marriage?" Of course some of them have. But when it was all said and done I realized that I didn't want them as much as I thought I did from the start.

My last two serious relationships ended due to me not completely being down with the fact that they had two YOUNG kids. I honestly don't think that's a problem. It's the fact that I don't have ANY kids and would be pushed into a large family from day one. I've tried it twice, and I noticed different situations causing me to back off during both relationships.

One situation is was the lack of discipline being administered by the mother. I didn't agree with a number of things and ways she handled her kids. But they were her kids, and I didn't feel comfortable giving my advice, especially when the times I've attempted to put my two cents in were shut down or simply ignored. That's the short version. But I didn't see a future in a relationship where I was having to hold my tongue or shake my head over the way she chose to raise her kids. So, I let her DO IT BY HERSELF.

Another situation cleared things up for me a bit more. In my second failed attempt at seriously dating someone with kids I saw that I would never be the MOST IMPORTANT person in HER LIFE. Her kids would always be number one. I understand that. But that doesn't take away from most people's desire to be the most important person to their significant other at ONE time or another. My time didn't seem like it would come until we ALL got older, and I am not trying to wait on that.

And... I would never be the father to anyone else's kids. Not for real, and definitely not to the kids involed. I wouldn't even get a chance to be the most important person to THEM. I'd either simply be their mom's boyfriend or the man that is taken the spot of their dad.

To make a long story short, I want to be the most important person in your life. I want to be the one you love the most. I want to be the one you think about more than anything. I want to be the one you want to share your life with and grow together.

I won't stop until we're TOGETHER.

The LOSS that always STINGS

I was coming in from out of town during the first weekend of July when I a Three Doors Down song broke me down. The name of the song was, "Here Without You." I am sure it was written after losing a companion, girlfriend or something like that. But all I could think of was Lorretta Hill (my mother).

"...Everything I know and everywhere I go. It gets hard, but it won't take away my love.... I'm here without you baby but you're still on my lonely mind. I think about you baby. And I dream about you all the time. I'm here without you baby. But you're still with me in my dreams. And, tonight it's only YOU and ME."

Those were two of the many lines of the song that broke me down. I've had my moments where it's been harder to deal with the loss of my mother, who left us on May 7, 2010. But my birthday was tough. I tried to cloud my sadness with activities, people and so on. But at the end of the day... or weekend, I still didn't get that call from that sweet lady... saying, "I Just Called To Wish You a Happy Birthday. I love you. What do you want for your birthday?"

That was my mother, always giving and thinking of others... even during her last days. I've tried to be stoic and continue to move forward. And, I am doing pretty good if you ask me. But underneath it all. I still hurt. I am still in pain. And, tears are streaming down my face as I type these words before you.

Just keeping it real for my blog. I haven't written anying on here in a minute, and I definitely felt the need to release. I hope you don't mind.

Seriously, when I lost my mother I felt like I lost my guide. What I mean by that is, coming up I didn't do things like try hard in school, sports and others necesarily for myself. I did it to please my mother. There was nothing like bringing home a good report card, or awards for achievement to show off to my mother, so she could then brag about me to family members from out of town and friends. Hell, when I won my first of many regional journalism awards (about seven years ago) my mother was the FIRST person I notified.

She thought I was ready to take on the world and become the world's greatest journalist. And even though I've always been a print and moderate sports talk radio guy, my mother would always ask me when I was going to be on TV.

(Smiling as I type) Those were days. I know she's still looking down and smiling at some of the good things I may be doing. I hope she's turning her head during some of the not-so-good moments in my life. Ultimately, I hope I'm still making her proud.

I love you, mom.