Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Haslem cheers for son from afar
MIAMI — Should the television cameras catch Udonis Haslem briefly turning away from the game Friday night when the Miami Heat play the Cleveland Cavaliers, don’t take it as a sign of disrespect toward LeBron James. Only a sign of being a proud football father.
For weeks now, as Haslem’s son, Kedonis, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound lineman at St. Thomas Aquinas, has been rolling through the Class 7A state playoffs, dad has found himself busy with his professional responsibilities.
Two weeks ago, there was road game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Last week, a team dinner the night before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the end of a three-game trip. And now, Friday, as his son goes for a second consecutive state championship, a night of work at Quicken Loans Arena.
“It stinks,” Haslem said, about to again head out on the road, with a three-game trip opening Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena. “But this is an amazing job that I have, an amazing opportunity to provide my family, my friends, and not only my family, but the community and people in Miami. So it’s a sacrifice that I made.”
Football long has been a passion for the Heat captain, particularly his affinity for his hometown Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes, an allegiance that transcends even his connection with his alma mater, the University of Florida. Soon there will be another team to follow, with Kedonis having received interest from Florida International, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina and Temple, among other schools.
“A couple of games I was able to watch,” Haslem, 36, said. “I have Slingbox on my iPad. So I’m able to watch anything that’s being televised on my particular satellite at home, because me and my wife have our own satellites, because I don’t watch the stuff she watches.”
Then came this past Friday, when Haslem left his iPad behind and had to rely on family members for the updates. The result was a 48-6 state semifinal victory over Venice at Brian Piccolo Stadium, yet another home game Haslem could not attend.
“Every time I think it’s a big game,” Haslem said, “then end up winning by 50.”
And that hasn’t been far off. St. Thomas’ playoff victories have been by margins of 35-0, 37-0, 50-10 and then Friday’s result.
Father already owns three NBA championship rings. His son is now going for a second at 8 p.m. Friday in Orlando against Tampa Plant, 30 minutes after the Heat’s game begins in Cleveland.
“I’ll have a way to get the score,” Haslem said, with his game likely to end before his son’s.
It will make Friday about his basketball family — and family football.
“It gets a little difficult,” Haslem said of yet again going out on the road, amid this stretch of 10 of 13 away from AmericanAirlines Arena. “We talk about missing our kids and missing our families. But we signed up for this. And I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’ve had a great career, tremendous amount of success and I’m enjoying the mentoring process, as well.”
Phil follies
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra brushed aside a pregame question about New York Knicks President Phil Jackson questioning his ability to control James, especially during travel situations, during James’ four-season Heat tenure. Jackson had made his comment in an ESPN interview last month.
“I don’t even really remember that happening then,” Spoelstra said before Tuesday night’s game against the visiting Knicks, of what was a prearranged Heat decision to spend Thanksgiving at James’ Akron, Ohio, estate, not an edict issued by James. “Because we actually spent the night at LeBron’s house.”
Of Jackson, Spoelstra said: “I honestly just think he gets bored and likes to throw stuff out there and get everybody all fired up.”