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Show /port/ B6 MONDAY* NOVEMBER 14*2005 JustChatt'n with fllorgcin Ycince Men's basketball player Pierre Thomas joined me amidst bouncing balls along press row in the McKay Center MV: Ever since you arrived as a freshman, you've basically started every game. Is that what attracted you to UVSC, the playing time? Wolverine Wisdom PT: Actually, when I first came here, there [were] a lot of people that had already been here, so I had to work to get that starting spot. Really, as a freshman, I was just coming here as a JUCO for one year and then leave, but I got so attached to my teammates like Ronnie and John (Bell), that's why I decided to stay. So, is it just me or do you look different than you did last year? —Cassie,Orem PT: Actually, I did it in the summertime. And I kept playing on it, so I re-injured it and wouldn't let it heal. And then I was cool for the first week of June, and then I got hurt again. I wasn't supposed to play Monday, but Coach [Hunsaker], being the person he is, he threw me in there. MV: (laugh) PT: So I played a good ten minutes of the game. MV: Yeah, it was pretty noticeable. Yeah, I'm sport *n a look just for you Cassie. I've highlighted my fur, and bushy seems to be the style right now so that's what I did. I've gone bushier. MV: It's no secret you're really tight with Ronnie Price. You guys came in together and lived together. What's it's like now that he's moved on and you're left to shoulder a lot of the leadership burden? PT: It's like my third year being a team captain; but leadership-wise, like what Ronnie was, it's different, cause I mean we do everything together. And since he's not here now, it's kind of hard. We [were] able to talk and communicate with each other, to get through certain moments. But now, it's hard. But I've made new friends, like, with David and Slash. I'm gonna make a trip to the bookstore soon to buy a UVSC sweatshirt. I've narrowed my color choices down to green, gold or pink. Any suggestions? —Sam, Spanish Fork For you Sam, I'm narrowing your choices down to two: green or gold. You can figure it out from there. PT: I didn't even know I was gonna play . . . and then he threw me in there and I wasn't really prepared for it. But it's getting better now. MV: Are you going to be ready for Colgate? PT: Yeah, I don't have a choice (chuckle). MV: What's spinning in the I-Pod? PT: Actually, I don't have an I-Pod. B u t . . . my CD case? MV: Give me some insight into what it was like as a player and teammate to watch Ronnie's magical run last year? Are you a Coke or a Pepsi rodent? —Parley, Salt Lake City Neither. I actually prefer RC. but I have yet to find it anywhere on-campus. Why must this country be a two-party system? Don't people understand that some of us like alternative options? Oh well, I'll live. MV: Yeah. PT: I got Twista, Kanye West, a lot of rap and R&B. PT: Every year he got better. Coming from freshman year, all Ronnie would do is shoot, shoot, shoot. His defense was all right, so I really got the chance to see him develop. He always had the game; he just had the will and the work. It was something. MV: Really, you kind of take me for a Neil Young or Bob Dylan kind of guy. PT: (laugh) Well, no. Is that what you listen to? MV: No. Rant continued MV: I'll never forget calling the N. Colorado game and just getting chills up my spine when he kissed thefloorand said goodbye. So impromptu. From RANT-B5 ity to rise above it all and make a name for himself, including bringing home the crown of hockey back in '93, is absolutely mind boggling to consider. Currently away from any organization, he's been employed for the last few years as a hockey analyst for the French RDS network, where again reading apparently isn't necessary. Coming out now after getting away with such a thing for so long would probably seem like a stupid move to some, but for Demers it was a crucial release of some unhealthy air. Now in normal stride, Demers knows it's okay to just ask someone else to read the restaurant menu, or the warning sign, or maybe even the Canadian's media guide. Incidentally, the WNBA's Sheryl Swoopes just came out with a similar confession recently, but I'm not near ready to even touch on the topic of homosexuality right now. Demers said, "I have no problem saying what I wanted to say. I've been carrying this all of rny life. I succeeded, and I'm telling people you're capable of doing something in your life even if you have some big handicaps." I didn't believe it before, but I guess I have no choice but to believe it now. Which reminds me, like Demers and Swoops I also have a confession to make: I'm addicted to Red Bull. Man, that feels good. PT: Actually, I ain't gonna lie, I wanted to cry. It was his last single game, home game, and I'm like "Man, I'm not gonna be able to play with him no more cause me and Ronnie, we like best friends now." To go through so much and then for him to leave, it really hit me at that time. MV: Seriously, I wanted to cry too. You don't know how much I respect you now for admitting that. PT: I looked at him and he looked at me and he seen my eyes getting kind of watery, so he said like, "Man, P, you almost made me cry before the game started." I was like, " Man, I felt it." MV: So have you become a Kings fan this year? PT: Yeah, I have. Actually, I got in trouble two weeks ago because I missed weights in the morning. But the reason Courtesy photo/ UVSC Athletics was, Coach got on my case cause I was watching Ronnie's game, so he says I can't watch Ronnie's games no more. So whenever I sneak around and try and watch a game, everyone be like, "you not supposed to be here watching this game." MV: Say Mike Bibby goes out tomorrow with a season-ending injury, what happens to Sacramento? PT: I got too much confidence in Ronnie. I know that once he gets in there and gets comfortable, it's over. I've talked to him a lot and he gonna compete. He's got defense and offense. It's gonna take time but he's gonna play. MV: Coming from the Chicago area, are you a Cubs or a White Sox fan? PT: Actually, I'm not a baseball fan at all, but I jumped on the bandwagon. I became a White Sox fan, but I'm only like a couple blocks away from the stadium. MV: How's the ankle doing right now? PT: It's better, but it's weak. MV: How'd you injure it? MV: You've played like three or four positions since you've put on green and gold, including point guard. Where do you feel most comfortable? PT: Every year it's different. My sophomore year when I played point guard, I hated it. I didn't want to play point guard at all, but as the year went on, it grew on me. Last year, Coach wanted to move Ronnie to the point because everybody knew he can score, they wanted to know if he could become a passer. I kind of didn't like that at the time, but I wanted to do what's best for the team so I moved to the three. This - •• year I like being on the wing. I like running. Light afire in her. MV: What do you think about the girls around here? PT: The girls? I like 'em, I love 'em. I love the girls. MV: You have any quality stories of Coach Hunsaker yelling at you? PT: Where do I get started with that. Honestly, I think the reason he yells at me is because it gets me to play hard, 'cause he knows that I hate for him to yell at me. And sometimes I got a little habit of talking back, but he likes when I do that because it's like he wants me to fight him, and then he gets me mad, and then I get upset, and then I play real hard. He does that at least twice a day. You gotta love him. 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