The Nelsons -- Donnie and Don, "The Other Dream Team"
How often do two of your favorite worlds collide before your eyes, with a positive result?
Ha! I was in a rock ‘n’ roll/basketball nirvana yesterday at The Dallas International Film Festival’s red carpet as Dallas Mavericks brain trust The Nelsons took center stage. What’s that got to do with rock ‘n’ roll? … Now, now … don’t get your tie-dyes all in an iWad … just hang on.
First off, Donnie Nelson was featured as the coach in a film, “The Other Dream Team,” directed by Marius Markevicius which highlights the miraculous bronze medal performance by Lithuania’s Olympic basketball team in the 1992 Barcelona Games. Lithuania defeated the powerhouse Russia, at a time when the tiny country had just won “free agency status” (independence) from the dreaded “bear.” Soviet troops didn’t leave Lithuania until 1993, controlling the country from 1944 until Luthuania declared itself a republic in 1991.
http://www.theotherdreamteam.com/
Here’s the rock part — lacking funding for things like jerseys, hotels, Gatorade, Dr. Dre headphones, and/or any other hoop dreams necessities, the Lithuanian Olympic bid was funded by Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead. How cool is that!?!
"The Other Dream Team" - Marius Markevicius, Jon Weinbach, Donnie, Don
There is even a very cool Grateful Dead/Lituanian t-shirt to commemorate the event — a t-shirt the team members wore on the Olympic winner’s stand as they accepted their medals. (Where can I get me one?)
Anywho, the PingTeam chatted up the basketballers on the red carpet, even pulling aside recent Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, Papa Don Nelson for a little one-on-one discourse about the game we love.
And as for Donny — he must have been in a t-shirt state of mind — telling great stories about meeting with The Grateful Dead … and he complimented The Ping for his t-shirt. “Nice t-shirt. Glad you wore your Lithuanian green.”
Well, he may know his film and basketball, but the green shirt clearly states “Aoterroa,” (the name for New Zealand in the Maorian tongue …) Ha … you should see what the New Zealanders have done to basketball in their Kiwi “net ball.” New Zealand Net Ball … I digress …
Oh well … No blood, no foul!
Know what I sayin?
And … more from the red carpet at DIFF:
"I Am Gabriel" - Gavin Casalegno, Elise Baughman, Morgan Taylor
Khadijah Karrien -- "Kissed By The Devil"
"Tchoupitoulas" -- Bill Ross, Turner Ross
"Bail Out" -- Dennis O'Neill, Vanessa Leinani
"Kissed" -- Karrien, Eric King, Sharise Chasi, Denise Lee, Gwendolynn Murphy
DIFF Staff, Zombie Enthusiast, Josh Skrobarczyk
"Dirty Energy" -- Bryan Hopkins, Lance Cheung
Anirban Roy - "Audacity"
"The Other Dream Team" gang
"Dragon Age: Dawn Of The Seeker" - April Bennett, Chris Moujaes
Ernest James -- "Jeff, Who Lives at Home"
Derek Rock -- "Paper Thin"
