F
Fillmoe
Guest
Karl is hoping he's up to par Recovering from surgery, Nuggets coach takes big step with return to golf course
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News
August 24, 2005
DUBLIN, Ohio - George Karl is known for talking trash on the golf course. His attorney likens him to Gary Payton. But it figures to be a more low-key Karl who will take to the course today.
[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Advertisement[/font] GetAd('31', false, 'c1', 250, 250, 'NUGGETS_ARTICLE_DETAIL', '');
The Denver Nuggets' coach will play his first round of golf since undergoing surgery July 28 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Karl will be paired with LPGA player Beth Bauer and three other amateurs in a pro-am at the Wendy's Championship for Children at the Tartan Fields Golf Club in suburban Columbus.
"I don't know if I'm going to hit drivers," Karl said Tuesday. "I'll probably hit a lot of wedges. If I get tired, I may take a few holes off."
Karl could have waited before returning to the golf course, but he appreciates the charitable nature of the tournament, which benefits a cancer unit at Columbus Children's Hospital. And Karl said he has an ownership stake of 5 to 8 percent in Tartan Fields.
"George is a competitor," said Bret Adams, his Columbus-based attorney. "He couldn't turn down the opportunity to play with LPGA professionals on his home course . . . He usually talks a lot of trash (while golfing). George talks trash on the golf course the way (NBA guard) Gary Payton talks trash on the basketball court. But I think he'll be a little more restrained out there (today)."
Karl was diagnosed with prostate cancer in late April, but the Nuggets did not make his condition public until two days before he underwent surgery at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City. The procedure lasted five hours.
"I'm about 75 to 80 percent now," Karl said. "But I'm getting better. I hope to be about 100 percent by the start of September.
"It's scary when you undergo something like that. But I did a lot of research, so I knew what I was getting into. And then it becomes less scary."
Putting Karl even more at ease has been the outpouring of support he has received. About 2,000 get-well e-mails were sent by fans through the Nuggets' Web site and he said he has received more than 100 cards.
"There were a lot of nice words," Karl said. "It helps keep your spirits up."
Karl has received calls from a basketball Who's Who list. Among the well-wishers have been Charles Barkley, Larry Brown and Dean Smith.
Karl was discharged from the hospital July 31, then flew to Boise, Idaho, where he owns a home and where his son Coby Karl plays basketball for Boise State. He was there for a week before spending two weeks in Milwaukee, where Karl used to coach the Bucks and where he is trying to sell a home.
Karl said he will return to Denver next week and spend a couple of days in town. In the meantime, he has business to take care of on the golf course.
"George is a pretty good golfer," Adams said. "I've seen George play in single digits, although they're going to give him a higher handicap considering he's a month coming out of major surgery."
During his recovery process, Karl has kept in close touch with Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe. The only move the Nuggets have made since Karl's surgery was signing rookie free-agent center Luke Schenscher.
Karl isn't counting on the Nuggets making any big splashes during the remainder of the off-season. He said the focus is on re-signing some of the team's free agents, with shooting guard Greg Buckner likely first in line.
"I imagine that we'll stay with what we have," said Karl, whose Nuggets also are considering re-signing shooting guards DerMarr Johnson and Wesley Person. "I expect Buck to be back."
There's no doubt Karl is on his way back. And today he will make take another step.
ETC.: Agent Mark Bartelstein said the Nuggets have inquired about client Eddie House, a free-agent guard. "They're keeping the door open," said Bartelstein, who said the Nuggets also remain interested in free-agent clients Darius Songaila, a forward, and Mikki Moore, a center . . . Tony Dutt, agent for free-agent guard Nick Van Exel, plans soon to speak further with Vandeweghe about his client.
tomassonc@RockyMountainNews.com
source: http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/37112/20050824/nuggets_leave_eddie_house_door_open/
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News
August 24, 2005
DUBLIN, Ohio - George Karl is known for talking trash on the golf course. His attorney likens him to Gary Payton. But it figures to be a more low-key Karl who will take to the course today.
"I don't know if I'm going to hit drivers," Karl said Tuesday. "I'll probably hit a lot of wedges. If I get tired, I may take a few holes off."
Karl could have waited before returning to the golf course, but he appreciates the charitable nature of the tournament, which benefits a cancer unit at Columbus Children's Hospital. And Karl said he has an ownership stake of 5 to 8 percent in Tartan Fields.
"George is a competitor," said Bret Adams, his Columbus-based attorney. "He couldn't turn down the opportunity to play with LPGA professionals on his home course . . . He usually talks a lot of trash (while golfing). George talks trash on the golf course the way (NBA guard) Gary Payton talks trash on the basketball court. But I think he'll be a little more restrained out there (today)."
Karl was diagnosed with prostate cancer in late April, but the Nuggets did not make his condition public until two days before he underwent surgery at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City. The procedure lasted five hours.
"I'm about 75 to 80 percent now," Karl said. "But I'm getting better. I hope to be about 100 percent by the start of September.
"It's scary when you undergo something like that. But I did a lot of research, so I knew what I was getting into. And then it becomes less scary."
Putting Karl even more at ease has been the outpouring of support he has received. About 2,000 get-well e-mails were sent by fans through the Nuggets' Web site and he said he has received more than 100 cards.
"There were a lot of nice words," Karl said. "It helps keep your spirits up."
Karl has received calls from a basketball Who's Who list. Among the well-wishers have been Charles Barkley, Larry Brown and Dean Smith.
Karl was discharged from the hospital July 31, then flew to Boise, Idaho, where he owns a home and where his son Coby Karl plays basketball for Boise State. He was there for a week before spending two weeks in Milwaukee, where Karl used to coach the Bucks and where he is trying to sell a home.
Karl said he will return to Denver next week and spend a couple of days in town. In the meantime, he has business to take care of on the golf course.
"George is a pretty good golfer," Adams said. "I've seen George play in single digits, although they're going to give him a higher handicap considering he's a month coming out of major surgery."
During his recovery process, Karl has kept in close touch with Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe. The only move the Nuggets have made since Karl's surgery was signing rookie free-agent center Luke Schenscher.
Karl isn't counting on the Nuggets making any big splashes during the remainder of the off-season. He said the focus is on re-signing some of the team's free agents, with shooting guard Greg Buckner likely first in line.
"I imagine that we'll stay with what we have," said Karl, whose Nuggets also are considering re-signing shooting guards DerMarr Johnson and Wesley Person. "I expect Buck to be back."
There's no doubt Karl is on his way back. And today he will make take another step.
ETC.: Agent Mark Bartelstein said the Nuggets have inquired about client Eddie House, a free-agent guard. "They're keeping the door open," said Bartelstein, who said the Nuggets also remain interested in free-agent clients Darius Songaila, a forward, and Mikki Moore, a center . . . Tony Dutt, agent for free-agent guard Nick Van Exel, plans soon to speak further with Vandeweghe about his client.
tomassonc@RockyMountainNews.com
source: http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/37112/20050824/nuggets_leave_eddie_house_door_open/
![T[MaC]](/data/avatars/m/1/1105.jpg?1377970461){kind=avatar}
