For this next installment of the show we are pleased to have on a man who needs no introduction. You know him from his ballin' on SD's finest beaches. You've seen him drop science- Political Science to be exact- on the Cal hardwood. You've got all his YouTube videos in heavy rotation. You've read his blog on Yahoo! Sports. And he's the main reason you'll be watching the NBDL All-Star game. Ladies and gentlemen please put your hands together for... ROD BENSON!
If you GOT THEM DOS make the jump!
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Golden State of Mind: The Boom Tho Movement has its origins on Golden State of Mind dating back to this past summer. On your site Too Much Rod Benson you outlined some very clear actions and objectives for the movement. One of the aims you set forth was:
To get Stuart Scott and Chris Berman to add "Boom Tho" to their list of home run sayings, thus making it a household saying. I can see it now: "David Ortiz give the Fenway crowd a little boom tho in the bottom of the 4th. Manny Ramirez then said 'Boom Got Them DOS!' as they hit back to back homers." Something like that. they are the TV guys, they can figure it out.
"Boom Tho" and "Boom Got Them Dos!" would definitely make for a great home run sayings, but let's also add them to the hoops lexicon as well. Have you experienced any of your own "Boom Tho" or "Boom Got Them Dos!" moments this season with the Dakota Wizards? Have there been any such moments so far in this NBA season?
Rod Benson: Well, for starters, before every game I come out and do the official Boom Tho handshake with my teammate Will Frisby. Also, when I was Mic'd up for NBA TV, I was saying "Dos!" everytime I scored a bucket. "Dos" always works in basketball because you get two points. I mean, it wouldn't work for Reggie Miller, but Dwight Howard knows how to get his "Dos!" on.
Also, I should be done with my new music video by Valentines day, so Boom Tho is in the air all the time right now.
Golden State of Mind: You're currently leading the NBDL in rebounds with over 12 a game. When most people think of big time rebounders they think of players with massive builds (i.e . Dwight Howard, Shaquille O'Neal, etc) or wide bodies ( e.g. Charles Barkley aka the Round Mound of Rebound), but you have a a more slender, wiry strong build. What's your secret to cleaning the glass? Are there any tips you can share with people who don't have big, bulky frames on how they can become better rebounders?
Rod Benson: When I used to watch ESPN Classic, they profiled Bill Russell and they would always ask him what made him so good. He's not a big guy either so it interested me. He said that he could watch the ball in mid-air and know where it was going to come off the rim. Somewhere along the way I developed this kind of instinct. Beyond that it's really just a matter of effort. Bulky frames create space, I use athleticism to compensate for my lack of space-clearing ability.
Golden State of Mind: The mighty powers that be, aka David Stern, have granted you the option to choose to play for any team in the NBA. Which team would you love to play for and why? Does that team best match your style or are you willing to fit into a winning team? Is the quality of the location of the team important as well ( i.e. living in New York vs Minnesota)?
Rod Benson: I have always said that I would love to play for the Warriors. I love the fast pace and pick and roll. When I was out there for mini-camp, Don Nelson told me that they don't post up on the block, but on the elbow. For a guy like me that's perfect. They are in the Bay Area so I could go watch Cal football and basketball, and I could use the connections I already have to go party in S.F. Boom Boom.
Golden State of Mind: Besides you of course, who do you think deserves to be the next call-up from the NBDL? Is there any sleeper hits out there that say, a little ol' team like the Warriors should know about?
Rod Benson: I have a teammate named Carlos Powell who was in camp with the Warriors. The guy can do it all. Obviously he's not perfect because he's in the D-League, but he is one of the most talented scorers I've been around. He reminds me of Kelenna last year.
Golden State of Mind: As you say on your blog, "Everybody's got a story...mine just happens to be ridiculous." The Boom Tho videos along with your writing style and personality has really become one of the more popular and fun blogs on the web. How has blogging changed your life both positively and/or negatively? What kinds of changes have you experienced in how people view you because of the increased exposure? What do you think makes your blog successful?
Rod Benson: I can't say there has been much negativity regarding the blog. It's been real good to me. I was able to get a paid deal with Yahoo, a shoe deal with Pony, and a bunch of other offers and deals to do books and T.V. type things. It's all gravy considering I started writing to keep from dying of boredom.
I wouldn't necessarily say people view me differently. I would say that people know who I am now. Yes, I am having a successful basketball season, but it's still the D-League, nobody knows who is down here and what they are doing. Due to blogging, I might be the most popular D-Leaguer in history. That's not saying much, but I'll take it.
The main reason my blog is successful is because I don't limit myself. I have my own site which I maintain and it allows me to say whatever I feel. What that means is that some days I feel like writing about how much I used to like watching "Family Double Dare" (especially when they took the physical challenge), and other days I feel like writing about how my friend will only get with fat girls when he drinks. I can put it all out there freely. It keeps it real. Most athlete-bloggers feel constrained to treat their blog like they do any other media outlet. They keep it relative to what they think the reader should know. I just write about what is going on without regard for how it is perceived. I feel like there is so much out there about steroids, and gun charges, and dog fights, why can't I have control over my stories? Why can't a headline read: "Rod Benson dances with his pants down"? I think we could use a change of pace.
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The Warriors most glaring weakness right now is in the rebounding department. Rod's the current NBDL league leader in glasswork. I'm just saying...
BOOM GOT THEM THO!
All of us at GSoM wanted to thank Rod for coming on our show. Hopefully someday soon BOOM GOT THEM DUBS too.
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The Boom Tho Movement... The Boom Tho Movement... The Boom Tho Movement...