Article about Moochie in SLAM: Ten years ago during a summer league game in Maryland, 18-year old Moochie Norris was pushing the rock upcourt and saw a 14-year old kid, about 3 inches shorter than him, cutting to the hoop and pointing for an alley. Moochie's pg instincts obliged. Alley-oop completed, Moochie asked the young leaper if his hops were real or just lucky. The confident shorty replied, "Just throw it up and I'll get it." Next time on offense, Moochie again saw the young'n cutting. Deciding to really test him, Moochie stopped at the foul line and bounced the rock high toward the rack. Shorty caught it. A decade later Moochie finds himself backing up that same young alley recipient, Steve Francis. How does it feel? "It's hard cause of my competitiveness," says Norris, the Rockets #2 point man. "But Steve grew up under me, so I don't mind playing with him. He's a real good finisher, so Rudy plays both of us in the game at the same time." But it's not as if the man born Martyn Norris (he got his nick from his grandfather's favorite song, "Minnie the Moocher") couldn't start for the Rockets-or a lot of other NBA squads. Last December, when Stevie Franchise sat out 2 games with a sprained ankle, Moochie not only got his first and second starts as a pro, but led his team in minutes played, scoring, and assists. "I feel like I could be a starter for any team," Norris professes with a starter's undeniable confidence. "I've got the ability to do that, and I've proved myself." You'll get yours Mooch. Everybody has to prove themselves-just ask Steve---BONSU THOMPSON ------------------ The best is yet to come. Go Rockets!
Well I pray every GM in the NBA disagrees with him, because I do NOT want to see Moochie go. ------------------
