Yet antoher Big Baby article (Chicago Tribune)

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by jrich71291, Mar 23, 2006.

  1. jrich71291

    jrich71291 Say What?

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    Nice one. I never knew that Davis had named some of his shots.


    http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/cs-0603230191mar23,1,2440962.story?coll=cs-college-print&ctrack=1&cset=true

    LSU's Big Baby quickly becoming The Man
    Davis dislikes comparisons to Shaq, but it's hard not to see the many similarities

    By Lew Freedman
    Tribune staff reporter

    March 23, 2006


    ATLANTA -- Big Baby. What a cute nickname for a 6-foot-9-inch, 315-pound man. He probably was charming mamas into cooing to him when he was in his limo-sized cradle.

    Actually, Glen Davis earned his moniker a little later playing peewee football when he cried too often on the field. Now he's grown so large that it would be a monumental risk to address him with anything but affection when using the name.



    Big Baby OK; Baby Shaq no way. The Louisiana State University center has a smooth-shaven skull and a smooth delivery. He squints with likely the only mean bone in his extra large body when he is inevitably measured against Shaquille O'Neal, another one-time colossal LSU basketball star.

    But pictures, TV footage and up-close-and-personal meetings don't lie. Facially (even though Davis says he is better looking) and physically, he could be Shaq's little brother. What also oozes through, however, is a delightful, exuberant pleasure at being on a big stage. Davis' game may not be ready for NBA prime time quite yet, but he can talk as good a game as either Shaq or Charles Barkley.

    Alert Comedy Central: Big Baby's on the prowl. He is light on his feet and loose with his sentences. He is the Southeastern Conference player of the year and with 18.6 points and 10 rebounds per game for the 25-8 Tigers looms as the chief threat to No. 1 seed Duke (32-3) advancing beyond the Sweet 16 on Thursday in the Atlanta regional.

    "I am blessed," Davis said Wednesday.

    "Thank God our team is winning. Just trying to seize the opportunity, man. You only get one chance, and you never know if you'll see this podium again. So I'm glad to be around y'all. Y'all guys are the fuel to my fire."

    Davis took ballet to impress a girl. He channeled James Brown in a talent show. He was moved when aiding Hurricane Katrina refugees in Baton Rouge in September. Now a sophomore, he trimmed down from variously reported freshman weights of 345, 358 or 363 by forsaking his beloved Chips Ahoy cookies in favor of lumpy organic oatmeal. Last year he averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds and became motivated to achieve greatness. Menu sacrifices were made.

    "Basically, it's hard to create a good habit of eating right because all your life you were able to eat chips when you wanted to," he said. "But my determination to be the best player I can be has grown tremendously. I am giving up any kind of food you want. I don't want to eat nothing."

    Big Baby wears No. 0 on his uniform jersey. That's when he's not attired in a shirt that reads, "I am not Shaq." Like Darryl Dawkins, Davis has named some of his shots, the snazziest being the Wilt Chamber-neasy and Spinderella.

    Davis grew up in Baton Rouge, about five miles from the LSU campus, one of five Tigers players from the capital city who have known one another for years. Not only is Davis their go-to guy on the court, he's the guy they look to for entertainment behind the scenes.

    "He's kept our locker room light," LSU coach John Brady said. "He's probably the key to the personality of the team."

    The match-up of Big Baby, who Brady said features a style mixing power and finesse with shooting range to 17 feet, and Blue Devils center Shelden Williams, a 6-9, 250-pound All-American, may be critical to the result.

    "He's an incredible player," said Williams, who averages 18.7 points and 10.6 rebounds. "Somebody that size who moves as well as he does, it's just amazing to watch."

    Davis hopes the Georgia Dome crowd and America's viewing audience agree.

    "A guy like me who is kind of low on the radar is licking his chops right now," Davis said. "This is an opportunity to show the world that you can play, that you can compete with the best."

    Big Baby is starting to sound all grown up.

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