Got a basketball Jones? You do now
Posted: Friday, March 21, 2008 6:47 PM
Filed Under:
March Madness
Apparently San Diego’s Rob Jones doesn’t mind talking about his grandfather, cult leader Jim Jones. That kind of confidence explains how Jones helped sink fourth-seeded Connecticut on Friday.
The 6-6 freshman scored 14 points, grabbed six boards and seemed unfazed by the Big East powerhouse during the Toreros’ 70-69 overtime win in the West Regional on Friday. And why wouldn’t he? He’s obviously a guy who can deal with adversity.
After all, when you can handle questions about one of history’s most infamous figures, you can handle anything a BCS team can throw at you.
Jones, the leader of the “Rainbow Family” and head of the Peoples Temple, allegedly convinced more than 900 people to commit suicide in 1978 in Guyana. His son, Jim Jones Jr., wasn’t there because his hoops team was playing in a tournament at the time.
As Rob Jones grew up, he wasn’t shielded from his family history, even visiting the South American site in 1998. He was in the third grade.
Ten years later, the Jones family name is on the national scene again, but this time it’s because of what saved Jones Jr. – hoops. You ask me, that’s the ultimate advertisement for the sport.
On the opposite spectrum of getting your name in the news for the right reasons, noted gate crasher “Jerry the Gate Crasher” Berliant was tagged by Denver police for trying to sneak into Thursday’s games at the Pepsi Center.
Berliant is a local legend in Chicago for his abilities to work his way into big-name events like the Oscars and World Series. Guess the Notre Dame draw (guessing a Chicago guy wouldn’t be going for Washington State, Winthrop or George Mason) was something he should’ve passed on.
