48 Minutes of Heart: Remembering John Strickland

written by Romy Aquino
 
When John Strickland first came to Halifax; as a basketball fan, you only saw a basketball journeyman in his mid-thirties who was a bit of a goofball on the court.  He'd have some funny antics on the court, putting up goggles when he made a nice assist and sometimes you'd see him look at his left hand, then his right hand and then back to his left hand if he made a nice layup.  No one in Halifax really knew who he was when he first joined the Rainmen, a lot of us Rainmen fans just saw a minor league basketball player who was past his prime.  We later discovered he was more than just that.

I didn't know John Strickland personally, I just knew him for the 48 minutes he was either on the court or on the bench for the Halifax Rainmen.  I'm a basketball fan, and the sport is my entertainment.  John Strickland entertained.  The more I got to watch him play with the Rainmen, the more I realized how much this dude put in work.  Sure he had his faults on the court: he was a bit slow, could barely make his free throws, talked a lot to the refs, talked a lot to the opposing coach and talked a lot to whomever he was guarding, but the guy grew on you.  He was a showman and the basketball court was his stage.  The guy rebounded, defended and was a leader on the floor for the Rainmen.  You would always see Strick supporting his teammates after every play, taking guys aside to give advice. You could tell that every player who stepped on the court with him, respected him.  The more you watched him play, the more you realized how much this guy loved playing the sport of basketball.

When I first looked at last season's Halifax Rainmen roster, I saw about 8-10 guys on the list whose hometown was somewhere in New York.  I was surprised.  How did all these New Yorkers end up playing for the Halifax Rainmen?  I did a few Q and A's with some of the Rainmen players, and came to find out that one of the main reasons a lot of these guys got these playing opportunities was through John Strickland.  This guy was someone that a lot of the young basketball players in New York looked up to and got advice from.  This was just another side of John Strickland that I had never known as a Rainmen fan.  On top of that, I also found out that this minor league veteran who I was watching on the basketball court was a streetball legend back in New York and was known as "The Franchise".  So for the two seasons that I saw him play in Halifax where he put a lot of smiles on people's faces, both young and old,  he was also doing the same thing in New York and around the world for many years before that.

(Strick with Heckler's Row)

It didn't take long for Strick to make an impression in Halifax.  He quickly went from this ol' vet on the Rainmen to someone who really made his presence felt here in the city.  So much so, that the crowd would chant "MVP, MVP, MVP" every time he set foot on the court.  The dude averaged 5.0 points per game for the Rainmen last season, I repeat..5.0 POINTS PER GAME.  It was crazy. The guy put his heart and soul on the floor and the Halifax fans appreciated that.  He entertained us and we enjoyed every minute.  Once the game was over, he didn't stop, he would go to the stands and talk to fans after the game,  he joked with the kids and continued to put smiles on people's faces. 

Now that he's passed, I realize that this guy who I watched at the Halifax Metro Centre has had a huge impact not only in Halifax but all over the basketball world.  Twitter is a crazy thing. I've seen tweets from former teammates Corey Underwood and Glen Dandridge, Halifax Rainmen Desmond Ferguson, the Boston Celtics' Nate Robinson, Fat Joe, SLAM Magazine, DJ Clue, and even Lebron James paying their respects to John Strickland.  He was a bigger dude than some Halifax hoops fans even knew about and he will be missed in this city.

If you've ever watched John Strickland on the basketball court, just think of how many times the guy put a smile on your face.

Rest in Peace, Strick.

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

Talkin' Hoops with Halifax Rainmen guard, Devon "Chuck" Norris

Devon Norris is your lone Haligonian on this year's Halifax Rainmen roster.  The 6'3" guard out of Upper Tantallon impressed the Rainmen staff at the Halifax open tryouts back in October, which ultimately led to a Rainmen contract offer.  Norris played basketball for Sir John A. MacDonald in his high school days and then continued his basketball career into university as a Dalhousie Tiger.  I had the opportunity to ask Devon about his Rainmen experience, his thoughts on his teammate, John Strickland, and if he had the chance to introduce the rest of the team to a tasty Halifax favourite.
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Romy (Haligonia.ca): First of all, congratulations on becoming a member of the Halifax Rainmen this season. Up until this point, what has your experience with the team been like?

Devon Norris: Thanks Romy. So far, this whole experience has been very enjoyable. I’m learning so much everyday at practice, and playing at this level of basketball has improved my game so much. There’s a lot of different skills I had to develop quickly in order survive on the court. There’s a great group of guys that make up this team, so on and off the court it’s been a lot of fun, and playing in my home town with the Rainmen has been awesome.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): It must be a great learning experience playing with a bunch of guys who have played hoops over the world. What advice and/or tips have you received from these guys?

Devon Norris: Yeah, most definitely. Everyone on the team has a different story and where they’ve played, and they all have great basketball experience. It’s fun talking to them and hearing their stories from where they’ve played, and some of the experiences they had. I’m always listening to what they have to say in practice too, and trying to learn everyday, and keep pushing myself.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Are there any rookie duties with the Rainmen? Do you have to grab the team's lunch or carry around a Dora the Explorer backpack with the teams' socks?

Devon Norris: Rookie duties? Haha... I’ve been lucky, there hasn’t been anything too crazy happen. They’ll crack jokes here and there, but mostly it’s carrying the basketballs, or the medical bag. Hopefully the vets won’t read this and get some ideas!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You've played with Sir John A., the Dal Tigers and now the Rainmen. What has been the most memorable moment from your basketball career?

Devon Norris: I have had many memorable moments that come to mind, and it’s hard to pick just one. I’ve met so many great people, and made my closest friends from playing basketball. Playing this game has opened many doors for myself, and I think the whole experience I’ve had has been memorable, and it keeps on getting better and better! After graduating from Dalhousie University I wasn’t sure I’d play any more competitive basketball. When I started thinking about playing again, I was determined to make this team. Being drafted by the Rainmen and getting through training camp and making this team has been memorable for me, as it’s been something I was focused on accomplishing throughout the summer leading up to training camp. (I'd like to win a championship this season with the Rainmen, which would be the most memorable!)

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Is John Strickland as comical in the locker room as he is on the court?

Devon Norris: John Strickland is a great guy. When the lights come on and the crowd is watching he likes to entertain. He’s a great motivator and leader in the locker room and on the bench, and really pushes everyone in practice, and keeps the competitiveness up. Aside from basketball, he is comical in the locker room, but we have a lot of jokers on the team, so there’s very few dull moments when we’re not playing basketball together.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): What have been your impressions on the growth of the sport of basketball not only in Halifax but in Canada as a whole? What do you think has sparked this growth?

Devon Norris: I think there’s been many reasons why basketball keeps on getting bigger and bigger in Canada. Some of the most evident reasons which sparked this growth is probably having a Canadian NBA team like the Raptors, and Canadian, Steve Nash having a very successful NBA career. Also, I believe having pro teams like the Halifax Rainmen, and the Quebec Kebs gives Canadian basketball fans a chance to check out a high level of competitive/exciting basketball as well.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Important Question: Have you introduced any of the Rainmen to donairs yet??

Devon Norris: Haha, I actually haven’t had the chance to introduce them to a donair yet. I don’t think I will until we have a day-off, as I don’t think it would be the best pre-game meal!
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A big thanks goes out to Devon for taking a moment to respond to our questions, you can check Devon at the Metro Centre for Halifax Rainmen home games.

Check out previous Rainmen-related Q and A's:

• Adris "2 Hard 2 Guard" DeLeon
• Halifax Rainmen DJ, RS Smooth

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