Post by kmatrixg on Feb 13, 2011 11:22:32 GMT -5
You all know him as "The player who told kids to do drugs" or "The guy whose hair always changes/never stays the same" or even "What drug is he on today?"
Well, around Toronto these days, and each of the other 3 teams he's played for in his illustrious 9 year career, Pollard is simply known as "A Man's Man" - the guy who gets stuff done when it needs to be done. The guy who doesn't complain, and grabs others by the balls while telling them to "man-up, pussy". While hardly any of his teammates have truly understood his demeanor, personality and motive, you'll be hard-pressed to find any of them who question his determination and focus.
Since beginning his career in Sacramento before quickly being traded to Atlanta, Pollard has been the definition of "True Grit", with averages of 13 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal in just over 700 career games. Not only has be proven himself to be a sturdy body in the low post, he is a natural born leader - winning a championship with the Atlanta Hawks just two years ago, and starting at PF for the Lakers when they won 56, 56 and 65 games in the three years he wore Purple and Yellow.
His experience and track record is what caught the attention of management up in Toronto. Sure enough, in his first season the Raptors defense is anchored, 2nd best in the SSBL, and the Raptors are locked into the 2nd seed in the East. Many times this season, Pollard proved why he is worth every penny of his 45 million dollar salary. He even recorded his first triple double with just a few weeks left in this season.
General Managers still vouch for Pollard, giving compliments and remarks such as "I loved that guy" and "He was incredibly important to our success." Add Toronto GM Mr. Stephens to the list of believers, as he has no plans of moving the 7 footer anytime soon. "Pollard is the lynch-pin holding this defense together right now. Without him, we'd start to thin out, falling apart slowly before a huge implosion. As long as the man can play ball, he's going to be our starter. It'd be an honor for him to retire in a Toronto jersey, an absolute honor."
His presence is felt all around the practice facility, locker room and team bus on roadtrips. He's frequently seen giving tips to younger players during off time. One player that has seem to have landed under the wing of Pollard is rookie forward Shawne Williams, who credits Scot with his improvement on the defensive end. "I really learned a lot from [Scot] over the course of this season. He knows the game, he knows how to deal with situations, he's a great basketball mind. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him coaching one day." praised Williams. "I mean, the guy's a gym rat - he got me into taking care of my body, staying in shape and building muscle. I plan on adding 20 pounds of muscle over the summer to help with my rebounding - that's what we're going to work on next. Before you all know it, I'll be grabbin' boards just like 'Wild-Man' here."
This kind of guidance is something Mr. Stephens views as "essential" for any team to progress and build upon an image and a particular style of play. Passing down the information and teaching the skills seems to be what Pollard is becoming most concerned about and he's building his reputation as the guy to talk to in the locker room.
