Saw Otis with his kids at a park in the Austin area. Went up and talked to him, nice guy! If you didn't know it was him, you'd have thought he was just another big guy. When I shook his hand, mine looked like a litte 3 year hand being swallowed up by his. I just told him how much I enjoyed watching him in Houston, and then went back to the birthday party.
I loved OT. I was at the game when he came back to Houston for the first time as a Blazer. He got a LONG standing O. The ref was even nice enough to "stall" the inbound play by obsessively wiping the ball with a towel while we gave OT his due props. He said after the game that he didn't even expect anyone to acknowledge him, much less give him a standing O. He said he'd never forget it. As Jim Rome would say..."LOVE THAT GUY!!!"
I guess not to Memphis and Detroit. Memphis gave up the second pick in this years draft to Detroit for the rights to Otis Thorpe a couple years ago.
C'mon man, when he was in his prime. And see, Memphis up gave up the second pick in the draft for Otis Thorpe just to show how much they apperciated the Otis Thorpe of yesteryear.
OT was awesome....I remeber pick and roll between he and Dream..."Unbeatable" Those huge hands palming the ball on a fast break...the toughness...a serious force inside. He has a great Rocket legacy in my opinion
My best friend waited on OT at Outback Steakhouse. Aparently he's a good tipper. Is it just me or did he have the squeakiest voice ever from a man who plays power forward in the NBA?
I once work at Smoothie king Across from The Compaq and I waited on OT and a guy with a Detroit Pistons Shirt on. I asked him was up and also asked him can I put my hand up to his cause I always here Murphy talked about how huge his hands where. Then I asked him how was he doing and he told me he just got traded to Vancouver. I told him Man that's a Great City! I been there. Then he started asking me questions like Really How's the place? I started telling him and I was thinking Man You must play these guys at least twice a year you don't know? anyway... ohhh back like in 93 a year before they won it all. I called in to 740am asking if the rockets could trade OT for a lottery pick? Man did they laugh at my As*! I didn't really know what the draft about so I was like what about a pick in the later rounds like 6 or 7th? and They was like this is not the NFL! It's only 2 rounds and there is no way in hell someone would trade a Lottery Pick for OT!! Now I wish I knew who it was that laughed at me, I Hell I was only like 14 or 15, IM 26 now.. Man it's funny now!
I work at pappadeuxs in austin, tx and OT is a frequent visitor to the store. He really is a very nice guy.
