Ok, I’ve got to stop putting time tables on these things, I always seem to get distracted. In any case, here isthe interview--the second time he called in. Excuse any typos etc, and if there are any questions about something feel free to ask and I’ll try to answer them.
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Mike: I thought you were mad at me, you hung up on me?
Kenny: Oh, ok and I just heard you guys say I’m running from it, huh?
Mike: No….
[Some inaudible things in the back ground from KT]
Grant: What did he say?
Mike: I heard you guys say I’m running from it
[Mike and Grant laugh---(more like try to nervously laugh it off if you ask me)]
Kenny: Ok, I’m listening, I’m here.
Mike: Alright, what were we going to ask him now?
Grant: I just lost my train of thought; I don’t know what the hell I was going to ask you
[Mike laughing in the back ground]
Kenny: You guys are funny, man [(to me it sounds sarcastic)]
Mike: Kenny, I’m just—I totally understand it. I totally do and that’s why I’m not glad the way the opportunity came down but I’m glad you got this opportunity to get back in that group. I think you deserve that and for this reason, I know it hasn’t been east for you, I know this isn’t how you’re made up and this is what I appreciate, some guys will be phony about it and act like little cheerleaders and its all good and their teammates
Kenny: That’s not me
Mike: And that’s not you. And their teammates know
Kenny: it’s not me
Mike: And their teammates know its not you. So, when I said you looked distant and maybe that’s not the right word, but you are just trying to be business like about it aren’t you?
Kenny: yeah. I mean….[he pauses and then lets out a “Ugh”], last year when I was playing, me Brian and Corliss, when we all got traded here we came in and everybody played good. And we were winning and the record was different. So, what does this whole situation with me starting and now—I just don’t get it. How, I don’t understand I look distant from my teammates and I hang out with my teammates. They don’t have anything to do with it.
Mike: I don’t mean distant from your teammates, I just mean your kind of—your not being a cheerleader about it and I think that would be phony, And so--
Kenny: ok, am I supposed to …
Mike: Maybe distant is not the right word
Kenny: …or what?
Mike: what’s that?
Kenny: Am I supposed to have pom-poms or something….and, what am I supposed to do?
Mike: No because that’s phony
Kenny: Ok, um? Cheerleader how, what am I supposed to do?
Mike: I don’t think—
Kenny: I mean you tell me
Mike: I don’t think you are supposed to be that way
Kenny: You say that I am distant, what am I supposed to do then?
[Pause]
Kenny: I’m asking you the question
Mike: I know you are
Kenny: I mean can you answer? You said it.
Mike: My perception—here’s my perception, that there are times when out there you just don’t seem to be working with in it the way you did last year.
Kenny: why is that?
Mike: There doesn’t seem to be the flow. Its not effort, it just doesn’t seem that the flow is there the way it was last year.
Kenny: Ok, how many min. was I getting last year opposed to this year? What am I averaging now?
Mike: Twice as many.
Kenny: Ok then. And what? …I mean I’m asking you the questions, since you trying to analyze the thing, I mean you tell me
Grant: Since we are being interviewed today can we get your weekly fee for coming on this show
[ Grant and Mike laugh]
Kenny: I’m not doing it anymore
Grant: What’s that?
Kenny: I’m not doing it anymore
Kenny: I’m honestly asking you—I mean I really want an answer
[Another pause]
Mike: That has been I’ve looked at it. Grant put it one way I put it another way. And I don’t mean it distant from your teammates and I don’t think you’ve acted as though you’re better than they are, I just think you’ve kind of put yourself in a spot where you are just going to do your job, do your business and not act—and you cant—and you’re caught in spot where you can’t act like you are happy with the situation, because you’re not.
Kenny: That’s why I go to work right?
Mike: Yes
Kenny: Do my business, to do my job, right?
Grant: we’re not ripping you—
Kenny: What else am I supposed to do?
Grant: Can I say something Kenny? We’re not sitting—I don’t know what anybody said that called you—we’re not bashing you. I made the comment that you as a starter now—this is exactly how I phrased it—I said the one thing that was puzzling to me this year has been you offensive struggle. My comment was this: I said now with Kenny in the starting line up, if he can get his offensive going the way he did last year I think this team can really build some consistency and really start playing well. And that’s all I said and I really believe that. I don’t know the reasons for anyone’s productions being down, I mean there are a lot of players--Brad Miller’s production is down, Mike Bibby’s productions it down, Peja Stojakovic’s production is down, hey you know what I don’t know the answers for that. All I do know is what these guys and you are capable of doing. I don’t know why it hasn’t happened but I know what you guys are capable of doing. That’s all I said.
Kenny: Well this is a new team; we had a different team last year. We’re still trying to figure things out. But the thing about me is that I’m going to come in there and I’m going to play hard. People can think what they want to think of me, everyone has their own opinion. But I’m going to work and I’m going to do my job. So, I was just curious, somebody called me so I was calling you guys.
Mike: I don’t think anyone dislikes you, whatsoever--
Grant: Nah—
Kenny: There are a lot of people who dislike me.
Grant: There is nobody in this room and I’m speaking because we’re on the air and we’ve got thousand of people listening, I can tell you I like the hell out of you and I know Mike speaks highly of you. Hey, we’re doing a radio show and this thing is getting blown out of proportion. We’re not ripping you, we’re not sitting here saying you don’t care; we’re not sitting here and all of that. All—I just made a simple comment that if you can start playing offensively like you have, that this team can start to take off. Mike made the comment that he thought that you looked distant. Perception is not always reality. A lot people think I’m unhappy all the time because I don’t smile. Hey you know what that’s not the truth—
Mike: You are
[Mike and Grant laugh]
Grant: but that’s the perception that people get. I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, you know.
Kenny: Ok, that’s why I called. And I asked Mike to answer the question, so…didn’t get a legitimate answer but it is what is, huh?
Mike: I don’t know how to convey it any better, Kenny. Maybe I’m having a problem trying to convey it because on the one hand I understand it and on the other one I don’t know how to ---its not like you are acting put off or you don’t like guys…
Kenny: You said it earlier, so just---just say it. I look like I’m distant or
Mike: yea
Kenny: Those are the words you used, so it’s obviously what you meant.
Mike: yea.
Kenny: There’s no way to sugarcoat it.
Mike: No, not sugarcoating it. Not everybody understands it, not everyone is an athlete that understands what you are going through. Not everybody---most people think it’s a very cut and dry, he thinks he’s too good and I don’t think that’s the case at all. I just think—
Kenny: You don’t think I’m too good?
Mike: I believe you think you’re too good.
Kenny: Oh, ok, ok. I misunderstood that.
Mike: I don’t believe you think you’re too good at all. I just think---
Kenny: If I thought then I still wouldn’t go out there play hard and accept the role.
Mike: Right
Kenny: it is what it is right now.
Mike: I think
Kenny: I have no choice
Mike: I think being a starter agrees with you a hell of a lot more than being a guy on the bench and I don’t think you’ve been phony. I don’t think you’ve tried to convey that you’re ok with it and I don’t think you’ve done it to the detriment of the team
Kenny: I mean I’ve been starter for the last 6 years
Mike: Right
Kenny: And it was something that—I mean it wasn’t cool with me, of course.
Mike and Grant: yea
Kenny: I mean that’s what I’m accustomed to. In my career I’ve put up decent amount of #’s and I’ve had good games and I’ve had bad games. Now I’ve got a new role and like you said Grant I got 2-3 weeks, I guess to prove myself again. And then, who knows what’s going to happen.
Grant: Now I do remember what I was going to ask you when we got disconnected, I was going to say, hey you are one of 12 guys, or one of 13 guys, and even you have to acknowledge—and I know you do—but I’m going to ask you since that there’s you know no secrets here, SAR has played very well for the team this year. It’s not like—you can’t sit there and say you think you’re a lot better than him and I know you don’t think that. Here’s a guy that’s played very well for the team, don’t you agree?
Kenny: Yea, he’s played good. Last year I played good too.
Grant: No question
Kenny: And? … [A pause]. And I hope he gets better too, so hopefully I’ll see him tomorrow
Grant: Listen, we do appreciate you calling in. That’s it sincerity there. I’m glad you called in
Kenny: Yea, yea, yea Grant.
Grant: Hey, Kenny.
[Mike laughing in the background]
Grant: Kenny, you got a smile on your face now?
Kenny: yeah, I’m grinning a little bit.
[Mike and Grant laugh (or try to laugh it off)]
Grant: Just grinning a little bit…
Mike: You just like breaking our eggs, don’t you?
Kenny: Come on man. Have I ever called or said anything bad…
Grant and Mike: No
Kenny: Have I ever been negative
Mike: No
Grant: You know what I’m happy about—
Mike: Kenny, and that’s why there’s no body that doesn’t like you. At Arco, around the building, everybody likes you.
Grant: That is the truth
Mike: And that it the total truth. And I’m one of the few people that understand how you feel. When I said you are being distant, it’s not in a judgmental way. Its just being on the bench is not your thing and my God everyone knows there is no sin in that.
Kenny: Who would want to be on the bench?
Mike: A loser
Kenny: Huh—thank you.
Grant: I’m just glad you’ll at least get to play you 30 -35 or whatever min against Philadelphia, so that will be fun to watch next week.
[Kenny laughs]
Mike: You don’t agree with Rick’s decision and you’re buying your time until you can bat you self back into the lineup. That’s what’s going on here.
[Kenny laughs]
Mike: Right? If you do agree with Rick, you don’t think you are a starter and I know you think you are.
Kenny: I plead the 5th on that.
[They laugh]
-----end of interview-----
Note that later, not to long ago today on their show, Grant and Mike said that Kenny has a very "dry" sense of humor/or personality (don't quote me on that) and they don't know when he is joking around or when he is serious. But then Grant said that he was serious in his interview.
