I'm not going to emphasize the sky-hook as much as work with the specific skills of the guys.

I feel that there has been progress made since I was a boy on matters of race, but we have a long way to go.

Practices were tough.

In a typical history book, black Americans are mentioned in the context of slavery or civil rights. There's so much more to the story.

All the courage and competitiveness of Jackie Robinson affects me to this day. If I patterned my life after anyone it was him, not because he was the first black baseball player in the majors but because he was a hero.

My English teacher, Dr. John Lindstrom, taught me an appreciation for the written word. Until his class, I'd dabbled in journalism and essay writing. But when he selected one of my essays as the best in the class, it gave me the confidence to see myself as a writer.

Fundamental preparation is always effective. Work on those parts of your game that are fundamentally weak.