TigerBlue32 Wrote:I said a while back to look for this and I was right. Not shocked though but very happy.   I am a big time Penny fan, back in his prime as a Tiger. He was a big part of the NBA at one time and had the chance of being the closest to MJ before the injuries piled up on him.

Here's something to think of. Even though Penny's career looks to be soon over, maybe before this year is out, he still carries a popular reputation with young kids today.

Here's a list of some of the big named NBAer's who have publically claimed Penny as their influence:

Tracy McGrady
Kobe Bryant
Lebron James
Amare Stoudamire
Dajuan Wagner

Not a bad list! :wave:

Add Gilbert Arenas to that list. I went to see Gilbert play in high school. I introduced myself to his dad and when I told his dad I was from Memphis and a Tiger fan, he told me....."Gilbert wanted to go to Memphis because Penny was his favorite player."

BinghamptonNed Wrote:Penny is making 16.5 million this year and it is the last year of his 6 year 86 million dollar deal

I have no idea what his future holds, but he will ONLY be able to make about 5.2 million maximum this coming year if he plays in the NBA :eek:

... he may feel that he does not need any more money and move on.

I can only imagine!!!!!

brooksvb Wrote:Actually Lil Penny played at Georgia Tech alongside Randolph Childress. He mainly rode the pine but did light up Athletes in Action for 22 points and 12 assists one game.

His career ended when he blew out his knee falling off a barstool at Krispy Kreme.


Source:

Lil Penny is now dead. Sad but true.

<a href='http://fuzzandzapper.com/pennynews.html' target='_blank'>ARTICLE</a>

Quote:Lil Penny Hits (Crack) Rock Bottom
November 30, 2005&nbsp; &nbsp;

St. Louis, MO – Li'l Penny Hardaway, who rose to fame in the early 1990’s as the diminutive television alter ego of then-Orlando Magic star Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway, was found dead Tuesday in the decrepit bathroom of a notorious East St. Louis crack house.
Officials refuse to speculate cause of death, but sources say that the half-naked puppet was found in a bathroom stall, badly beaten and missing one of his arms. Li’l Penny burst onto the national scene in the 1990’s with a series of Nike commercials created by the Portland-based Wieden & Kennedy advertising agency, coining such catchphrases as "Hey Tyra, you left your toothbrush at my house," "Could ya do that for a brotha?" and "You can't guard me! The Secret Service couldn't guard me!" But as Big Penny Hardaway’s national spotlight began to fade after a trade from Orlando to the Phoenix Suns and a series of debilitating injuries, Li’l Penny’s life also began to unravel, and his off-camera troubles over the past decade were well documented. In 1996 he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, and possession of a loaded weapon and a small amount of cocaine. In 1997 he was booked on assault charges stemming from an altercation with the Energizer Bunny at a Manhattan nightclub. And in 2000 he was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, and assault with a deadly weapon after attacking talk show host Larry King, when King, during a segment titled Advertising Icons: Where Are They Now?, asked Li’l Penny whether former girlfriend Tyra Banks left him due to his out-of-control drug use.
After beating King nearly unconscious with his own desktop microphone the outraged Penny was finally subdued. He was later sentenced to 11 months in an upstate New York prison.
It was in prison, insiders say, that Li’l Penny’s drug addiction took a turn for the worse and he began a pattern of abuse and violent behavior that would haunt him up until his death. "He called me almost every day to send him money, saying it was for his mother’s kidney operation," said Big Penny (Hardaway). "But when I went to visit him, he was a mess – tracks up and down his arms, bruises. He was down to about 12 pounds. I knew he just wanted money for drugs. I told him no, and he went berserk, throwing his little plastic body against the glass, smashing the phone, just crazy. I never saw him alive again." Wall added: "He went into prison a puppet and came out a monster." Upon hearing of Li’l Penny’s violent death, Big Penny Hardaway refused to comment on his friend’s personal problems, but did confirm that he and Minnesota Timberwolves’ forward Kevin Garnett, who appeared in several of the Li’l Penny commercials, had been planning an intervention.
He also asked that people remember the "good Li’l Penny." "Little dude had some problems, just like all of us," Hardaway said. "He got too rich, too famous, too soon, and couldn’t handle it. Listened to the wrong people. But I just know that he’s clean and sober in Heaven right now, saying ‘Hey God, is this couch real leather? ‘cause it’s sticking to my leg!"

Quote:In 1997 he was booked on assault charges stemming from an altercation with the Energizer Bunny at a Manhattan nightclub.

I've read this before but the visual of this line is just great. :rofl:

I love Penny, but I wonder about his ability to put in the needed hours to be a college asst., recruiting, camp, individual work-outs, supporting a head coach in hard times, he'd be a great ambassador for the school, just not sure as an asst.

Easterwood Wrote:I love Penny, but I wonder about his ability to put in the needed hours to be a college asst., recruiting, camp, individual work-outs, supporting a head coach in hard times, he'd be a great ambassador for the school, just not sure as an asst.

Without knowing him at all I'd have to agree. Lots of hours recruiting and looking at film. You don't have the luxury of many days or hours off. It's a tough grind.

Easterwood Wrote:I love Penny, but I wonder about his ability to put in the needed hours to be a college asst., recruiting, camp, individual work-outs, supporting a head coach in hard times, he'd be a great ambassador for the school, just not sure as an asst.

Clyde Drexler?



The NBA is a luxury lifestyle, as nice as our players/coaches have it the NBA is miles nicer.

Easterwood Wrote:I love Penny, but I wonder about his ability to put in the needed hours to be a college asst., recruiting, camp, individual work-outs, supporting a head coach in hard times, he'd be a great ambassador for the school, just not sure as an asst.

Keith,
I agree. I think Cal really wants a former Tiger on the staff. He thinks this is a priority.

Since the Andre Turner deal got off track, I think Penny is the most logical prospect.

It is possible that he wouldn't need to work that hard to recruit. There are very few players who wouldn't take a phone call, home visit or campus visit from Penny.

Penny could be tha best set-up man for the best closer in college basketball.

My concern is the dedication. However, the other benefits outweigh all the negatives.

Can you think of someone else to fit the bill??

Easterwood Wrote:I love Penny, but I wonder about his ability to put in the needed hours to be a college asst., recruiting, camp, individual work-outs, supporting a head coach in hard times, he'd be a great ambassador for the school, just not sure as an asst.

Maybe its just my wishful thinking, and I would prefer andre Turner but, I think Penny could be ( if he is willing to work at it) a valuable asset to our coaching staff, particularily on the recruiting trails. As Tiger-tug said, the best set up man for the best closer in college basketball. Personally, if I could pick us one, I would like to see Dave Loos here as asst, that man can flat out coach. ( I know... it's not going to happen)

You got to get the phone number first, sit in hot gyms, stay in less than first class hotels, kiss alot of behind, evaluate players over and over and over again, understand NCAA rules and regulations as it pertains to recruiting and eligibility issues, Barbee and Kellogg have incredible work ethics, you couldn't work for Cal without one. Penny has 10 mill in the bank, he has no coaching experience, same with Andre.
To me Tony Madlock makes sense, but that's just my opinion, keep in mind Cal likes his asst's to already be one of his guys.

although not knowing anything about his capabilities as a coach, I would agree with the Madlock lean. He's not one of Cal's players though, not part of his "family" which would certainly be a negative for Cal to consider him.

But he's a great example of a marginal player when he got to college but was a great college PG by his senior year.

Tony has gotten to know Cal and the Memphis staff very well, they think alot of him and how professionally he carries himself. Will Cal hire outside of the "family"?

Why not Milt? He's paid his dues and I definitely consider him a Tiger now. I love Penny and all that he has done for the program, but I just have a hard time seeing him being an effective assistant coming right out of the NBA. Then again, maybe he is a great option.

All I know for sure is that Kellogg and Barbee have been awesome and I will hate to lose either.

One thing is for sure, whoever it is, you would like for them to have an X's and O's type mind. You would like for them to help Cal where he's weakest.

Easterwood Wrote:You got to get the phone number first, sit in hot gyms, stay in less than first class hotels, kiss alot of behind, evaluate players over and over and over again, understand NCAA rules and regulations as it pertains to recruiting and eligibility issues, Barbee and Kellogg have incredible work ethics, you couldn't work for Cal without one. Penny has 10 mill in the bank, he has no coaching experience, same with Andre.
To me Tony Madlock makes sense, but that's just my opinion, keep in mind Cal likes his asst's to already be one of his guys.

I think Tony Madlock would be great. I remember you saying on the radio back when Jonny Jones was interim coach that if he got the job he was planning on adding Madlock to the staff. I thought it was a great idea then and I think it would be a great idea now.

I like T Mad. Good friend with the family. His basketball IQ is exceptional.

My only concern is his recruiting ability. He has the work ethic. I don't see any outstanding players on his resume'.
However, that could be because he is at Arkansas State.