Talkin' Hoops with Halifax Rainmen guard, Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson

When Desmond Ferguson dropped seven threes on the Vermont Frost Heaves in the Rainmen home opener, Rainmen fans understood why they call Desmond Ferguson - "Moneyball".   The dude has a knack for nailing down a three-ball from anywhere on the court....and when he gets hot, watch out.

The three-point specialist out of Lansing, Michigan is back with the Halifax Rainmen for another season to help Halifax's quest for a PBL Championship.  Ferguson is currently the leading scorer for the Halifax Rainmen at 19 points/game and is only one of two returning players to this season's Rainmen roster.  Aside from being a professional ball player, he also has a business on the side named "Moneyball Sportwear" that is the uniform provider to not only the Halifax Rainmen but also the Saint John Mill Rats.  I had the chance to talk with Desmond about this new PBL season, his best memories of John Strickland and his opinion on his favourite Steven Seagal movie of all-time.

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Romy (Haligonia.ca): You're back with the Rainmen for another season. How are you liking this year's team so far?


Desmond Ferguson: I really like our team this year. I think we have a good mix of veterans and young players, as well as some athletic guys that will help us towards our quest for a championship.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): A lot of the guys from last year's Rainmen roster have moved onto other playing opportunities with you and Crook as the only returnees. For the Rainmen fans who aren't familiar with some of the new guys on the team, who are the ones we should be most looking forward to watching this season?


Desmond Ferguson: All of them! Ha! Taliek Brown is a true pass first point guard and a proven winner, Tajuan Porter is fast and quick and he is also a good shooter, he changes the pace of the game. Tommy Mitchell is a guy that I previously played with in Manchester and he is a proven scorer with experience in this league. Mike Mercer is one of our rookies that brings great intensity on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, an athletic scorer that can defend. Marshall Brown is a strong, athletic wing player that will definitely help improve our team and help us be more versatile. Josh Dollard gives us a scoring presence at the power foward position that creates matchup problems for other teams. Kavon Jones is another one of our rookies that has a great upside and also creates mismatches when he is in at the 4 or 5 position....

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Rainmen fans were shocked to hear about the passing of streetball legend and Rainmen veteran, John Strickland over this past summer. Where were you when you heard the news?


Desmond Ferguson: I was sitting on my bed getting dressed so I could get ready to go work out when Andre called me with the devastating news about Strick. It's definitely still a hard pill to swallow.

Ferguson and Strick (just a few weeks before he passed away) at Jay-Z's 40/40
club, Ferguson said "they treated Strick like he was Jay-Z himself"

Romy (Haligonia.ca): What will you miss most about Strick?


Desmond Ferguson: What I will miss most about Strick was his passion for life and the game of basketball. You only have one opportunity in life to meet a person as unique and special as Strick. The way that he played the game and his undoubtedly love for basketball is what I will always remember him for.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Let's hear your best Strick story during your time with the Rainmen.


Desmond Ferguson: I have so many stories about Strick, but the one that best sums him up on the basketball court is the one I wrote in my blog the day I heard about his passing.....

http://moneyball.Myshopify.Com/blogs/news/2079802-moneyball-blog-rip-john-strickland

Romy (Haligonia.ca): How's the Moneyball Sportswear business? What's the latest with the company?


Desmond Ferguson: Moneyball Sportswear is doing good. It's keeping me busy. We are currently preparing for a busy 2011. We are looking to expand into a couple other sports outside of just basketball such as football and soccer. We have a lot of different events that we will be a part of this spring and summer, so we are getting ready for that. So, in a nutshell, we are just trying to stay busy and grow as a company.

Website - www.moneyballsportswear.com
Facebook - moneyball sportswear
Twitter - @iammoneyball

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Aside from running the Moneyball Sportswear company, what does the offseason for Desmond Ferguson consist of?


Desmond Ferguson: I travel a lot during the offseason, both for business and pleasure. In the month of June, I do a free basketball clinic for all the kids in my city (Lansing,MI) and I also run a pro-am basketball league with college and pro players from June to August, the Moneyball Pro-am. So, I manage to stay busy one way or another. It keeps me out of trouble. Ha!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): I read that Steven Seagal is from Lansing, Michigan. What's your favourite Steven Seagal movie of all-time?...I know you have one!


Desmond Ferguson: I would have to go with Under Siege.
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A huge thanks goes out to Desmond Ferguson for taking part in our Q and A, be sure to check him out at the Metro Centre on Tuesday night when the undefeated Halifax Rainmen take on the undefeated LFS Cavs!  Also, be sure to check out his Moneyball Sportswear website.  

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino