Golden Break: All I Need to Know I Learned from the Warriors' Media Guide

The Warriors were kind enough to send me a crisp new 2007-08 media guide.  Don't let anyone tell you that the book is just shameless self-promotion for the franchise or a dry compendium of facts and figures.  There's gold buried deep in these pages.  Since the team hasn't provide much on the court to get excited about in the season's first week. (Remember when Hudson missed the same shot four times in a row? FAN-tastic!) I've pulled together my favorite useless and/or intriguing Warriors facts.   Impress your friends with answers to trivia questions that will never be asked.

Matt Barnes led the nation with 28 touchdowns during his senior year at Del Campo High in Sacramento.

Austin Croshere's favorite author is Ernest Hemingway.  There are parts of a Farewell to Arms that remind me of the Warriors guarding Boozer in the paint.  

If Stephane Lasme wasn't playing basketball, he'd like to be a dentist.  

Chris Cohan grew up in Salinas and Los Gatos.  He became a Warriors fan when they moved to the west coast in 1962.  

Baron Davis is credited with making the longest shot in NBA history: an 89-footer against the Bucks with 0.7 seconds remaining in the third quarter.  

The Warriors were 19-3 in 2006-07 when they held opponents under 100 points.  

Kelenna Azubuike was the first "Gatorade Call-up" of 2006-07 season.  Yes, the NBA has a sponsor for plucking guys from the D-League.  No, I don't know if they've landed a company to sponsor guys who get sent down.  (Do I smell a GSoM promotion opportunity?)

Kosta Perovic's first car was a 1989 Mitsubishi Montero.  

The "midnight blue" on the Warriors' jerseys "represents the purity, loyalty and success of ancient and mythological Warriors."  Something to remember when you pick out a shirt tomorrow morning.  

Brandan Wright recorded the highest shooting percentage for a freshman (.646) in the history of the ACC.  And that's not a shabby history.  

This season, the Warriors have an Assistant GM - Pete D'Alessandro (putting his JD to good use) - but no General Manager.  

Andris Biedrins is the second Latvian player in NBA history.  Give it up for Gundars Vetra (Minnesota, 92-93), Latvian trailblazer.

Don Nelson is second on the list of coaches with 50 win seasons with 13.  Only Pat Riley has more (17).  

Monta Ellis averaged 38.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 4.5 steals as a high school senior.  He also dropped 72 points on poor Greenwood High.  

Patrick O'Bryant majored in Foods and Nutrition at Bradley.  

Stephen Silas became an assistant coach with the Hornets when he was 27.  

On November 2, 1991, the Warriors scored 88 points in one half against the Sacramento Kings.  Rumor has it Nelson was disappointed that the team didn't run more.  

Marco Belinelli's trip to the 07 NBA Draft was his first visit to the United States.

Stephen Jackson has played for teams in three foreign countries: Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Indiana.  

Mickael Pietrus now owns a share of his original French team Pau Orthez.  I'm shocked they didn't offer him more than the Warriors' qualifying offer this off-season.  

Matt Steinmetz "is on a constant search for the Bay Area's best pickup basketball games."  

Al Harrington sang a duet with Rosie O'Donnell, "Anything You Can Do," when he appeared on her show as part of the McDonald's All-American team.  Please let this be on YouTube - and why hasn't it been on the Arena scoreboard?

The longest losing streak in franchise history is 17 (12/20/64-1/26/65).  0-3?  I'm not worried yet.