Thursday, August 24th, 2006 at 8:31 am  |  16 responses

SLAM #33

Hell Freezes Over

Originally published in SLAM 33

The 6th Man: Hell freezes over, indeed.

There was a time when the thought of Reggie Miller on SLAM’s cover would make my skin crawl like one of Greg Minor’s illegitimate kids across a linoleum floor. That time, you should know, extended up until about three weeks and four days ago, when I was forced to confront my demons and admit that it was the Knick-killer’s time to shine.

During the weeks we were negotiating to shoot him, I was having horrific nightmares of what the cover could turn out to look like. The bald head. The smirk. Those skinny legs. That ugly uniform. Maybe a “choke” sign. Ugh. In my dreams, I would be at the photo shoot, and Reggie would be wearing a beret and laughing at me. (Sometimes I’d try to imagine that Sprewell was with me. And Reggie wasn’t laughing anymore.)

The thing I couldn’t escape, however, is that this cover is the absolute right thing to do. The Indiana Pacers, in our collective opinion, are on the fast track to NBA titledom. And after Reggie’s heroic performance in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, he turns out to be the next best story now that the first best story has retired to the links. As much as I hate to admit it—and believe me, my hatred of Reggie Miller is/was no act—Reggie Miller’s the greatest money player left in basketball.

I repeat: The greatest money player left in basketball.

Please, for godsakes, someone wake me up.

Peace,

Tony Gervino

P.S. This photo is my pathetic attempt to feel better about the cover. Sorry.
P.P.S. Good-bye, M. Thanks to the nth power for all you’ve done for hoops.

Issue 33 Reggie Miller

Issue 33 Jordan

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  • Matthew Posted: Aug.24 at 9:04 am
    Tony G’s favorite cover of all time!!!!!!!!!

  • Vish from India Posted: Aug.24 at 10:00 am
    i think most of the slam readers hate reggie…

  • Marcel Mutoni Posted: Aug.24 at 10:43 am
    i’ve always liked reggie, especially when he was killing the knicks.

  • Sam Rubenstein Posted: Aug.24 at 10:46 am
    I HATE Reggie. Alan Houston torched him in the game that sent the Knicks to the 99 Finals. Reggie missed a wide open three against the Lakers in that one classic finals game they played. It would have either tied or won it. He also missed three game tying threes on one possession against the Knicks in the playoffs one year. Those are my three favorite Reggie Miller moments.

  • simon Posted: Aug.24 at 11:06 am
    I hate him but damn he was good!

  • Joe Posted: Aug.24 at 12:00 pm
    Mr. Burns played for the Pacers?

  • Hype Posted: Aug.24 at 12:50 pm
    Joe.. genius.. I still love how he blatently pushed MJ to get open for that shot to win.. He’s a killer for sure and he’ll go down as one of the greats in the pantheon of great black athletes that sound white as well (ahem Tiger.. Timmy..)

  • Chris O'Leary Posted: Aug.25 at 1:05 am
    Didn’t want to pass up this chance to openly bash Reggie Miller. Reg, you might be one of the most clutch players to ever step on a court (the most clutch to never win a ring, anyway), but don’t forget the refs that helped get you whenever they could. They turned a blind eye to you throwing Greg Anthony to the ground in order to hit one of those three treys in the final 8.9 or whatever it was in the Garden, they let you push MJ to get the ball in game four (I think?) of the 98 Eastern Conference Finals and then they gave you that three that left your hands late, via that ugly-ass release of yours, against the Nets in the playoffs in 2002. All big shots, all shouldn’t have happened. I don’t miss you at all, Reggie. Now stop broadcasting.

  • Pat Craig Posted: Aug.29 at 1:01 pm
    Reggie is the greatest 2 guard ever to play the game. The greatest clutch player ever to put on sneakers. Nobody could stop him. Reggie Miller will always be missed in the Leage. Oh yeah, and haters, hate this: When Reggie was born the doctor never believed that he would ever be able to walk, and he still burnt some of YOUR favourite teams many times over. And all those people that try and list off all the shots that he missed, could only list off like five so don’t even bother.

  • Steve Posted: Aug.30 at 12:29 am
    damn straight, reggie was the greatest 2 guard of all time. Even though he did’nt get a ring he had more memorable moments then alot of nba champions will and have ever had. Reggie Miller is the greatest shooter of all time. o yea and saying the refs let him do this and that is bull MJ got away with that push in the NBA finals when refs should be at the top of their game and now with lebron kobe and melo those doods are always travelling so can’t say he got away with alot those cats get away with a ish load!

  • bdictjames Posted: Oct.11 at 1:34 pm
    He was truly great

  • Tetet Posted: Nov.15 at 1:10 pm
    Reg, if you didn’t step on a court, we wouldn’t have seen a SIX point play, a player pushing Mike AND draining the dagger and leading an eight seed against the best team in the East. And I dont even have to mention Spike and the Knicks.

  • Pookie Posted: May.27 at 6:32 pm
    hey i have a question there was a photo scoop had next to his opening article on Reggie Can you find out the name of that photo?? he’s posing with his legs crossed and rocking a GUMBI to the right with 3 lines on the other side. i want to use as wall paper!! haha thanks if anyone can help

  • John Rhodes Posted: Aug.26 at 5:29 pm
    Good cover but the man shows no love to SLAM, although MJ has had enough covers would really like to see the split cover. Love the copvers archive saving the covers to my PC and using it as my slideshow wallpaper

  • Sam Z Posted: Dec.2 at 7:54 am
    @ sam rubenstein he also hit more game winning shots than anyone in the history of the league except maybe mj so u can get off this discussion if u dont like that give the man his due respect

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