Spirit of the West:
Grizzly talks Blue streak and reporters say thanks
The Toronto Star, December 31, 1996
Ask a boring question, get a boring answer. In sports, it’s an axiom that often holds true.
With Blue Edwards, however, it’s a completely different story.
Edwards is never at a loss for words. Win or lose, good performance or bad, Blue can be found in the Grizzlies locker room talking to any and everyone on any given topic long after all the other players have gone home.
So, when this reporter approached the Bears to ask for their new year’s resolutions, he wasn’t surprised to hear vague generalities on family, God and black-eyed peas. Until he headed over to Edwards.
Edwards can turn the most mundane question into thoughtful discourse.
When asked if he was the type of fellow who makes resolutions, Blue responds, “I don’t lie to myself like that. How many people do you know who make a new year’s resolution and stick with it? I’m sure there are a few, but probably 85 per cent of the people don’t.
“I know people who say, ‘I’m not gonna do this, I’m not gonna do that.’ You can do that for a month or so, but then you’re right back to your old way. Probably every day I can say I want to change something. But new year’s, I’m not going to lie to myself.”
Okay, then. If he had the willpower to stick it through for a whole year, what would he change? Never at a loss for words, the most talkative man in the NBA mulls this over before coming up with his response: “I would probably talk more.”
Pardon? Let me predict that Edwards won’t attain his goal. How could he? 1997 isn’t a leap year.
“Aside from (the media), I really don’t talk that much,” he insists. “I may walk into a room and see people that I’ve known for a long time and I may not speak to them. I guess I’m so used to being isolated, people speaking to me first. I haven’t grown out of that.”
You could say he’s a lone wolf – a lone wolf who likes to talk.
“I’m a loner,” he says. “I like being by myself. Sometimes people can be a distraction. I grew up in a town of 200 people and I’m used to being by myself.
“I think a lot of people think that I’m aloof, conceited. That’s not me at all. It’s just that when I’m walking down the street, shopping, eating, getting ready for a game, that’s what I’m doing. If you want to say hi, fine. I’m gonna say hi and go back to what I’m doing.”
All this from one uninspired question. We in the media pray that Moody Blue keeps talking.
As for me, I resolve to ask more intelligent questions in the new year. After all, not every athlete is a Blue Edwards.