2008 Woodie Awards
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One extraordinary basketball fan
In my opinion
by Dan Jones | Freelance reporter |
Twelve miles from Union, Ore., up in the mountains above Catherine Creek and in cougar territory, one of the state's most dedicated NBA fans sits with her eyes glued to the television screen.
Hidden in a nook of Eastern Oregon is the log cabin home of a woman who watches the Playoffs religiously.
She can't stand when the Spurs' Manu Ginobili flops like he just got killed. She's pulling for two of her favorites - the Suns and Pistons - but prefers to follow three or four players on each team. She is infinitely curious about NBA players' tattoos and is intrigued by the strategy of the game and the men who play it.
Sixty-eight-year-old Judy Perkins' enthusiasm and knowledge can fill even the biggest NBA fan with basketball fervor.
The graduate of Union High School and Eastern Oregon State College could never get into football.
"You can't see their faces," she said.
And to a certain extent, she humors her husband Dale's sporting interests.
"We watched De La Hoya/Mayweather," she said.
But Perkins, who gets NBA League Pass, will take basketball any day of the week. The great-grandmother, whose cousin is former Beaver and NBA player Mel Counts and whose sister attended Oregon, especially can't get enough of the postseason. During the first round, Perkins flips channels from one battle to the next.
"You are lucky if you get to watch two ball games at once," she said.
One season, she nearly watched every playoff game. By the time the Finals were over, she thought she might be a little tired of basketball.
But then a new season came and she was ready for more.
Though all very successful people, her kids - Tracy, 50, Chris, 48, Greg, 47 and Lezlie, 45 - have failed to understand what's so great about a ball and a bunch of games. They roll their eyes when Perkins tries to explain her love of the game.
There may still be hope, though. She has three great-grandsons who have yet to be exposed to the NBA; unfortunately, she said, it seems her five grandchildren have not developed an interest in the league to match hers.
Hidden in a nook of Eastern Oregon is the log cabin home of a woman who watches the Playoffs religiously.
She can't stand when the Spurs' Manu Ginobili flops like he just got killed. She's pulling for two of her favorites - the Suns and Pistons - but prefers to follow three or four players on each team. She is infinitely curious about NBA players' tattoos and is intrigued by the strategy of the game and the men who play it.
Sixty-eight-year-old Judy Perkins' enthusiasm and knowledge can fill even the biggest NBA fan with basketball fervor.
The graduate of Union High School and Eastern Oregon State College could never get into football.
"You can't see their faces," she said.
And to a certain extent, she humors her husband Dale's sporting interests.
"We watched De La Hoya/Mayweather," she said.
But Perkins, who gets NBA League Pass, will take basketball any day of the week. The great-grandmother, whose cousin is former Beaver and NBA player Mel Counts and whose sister attended Oregon, especially can't get enough of the postseason. During the first round, Perkins flips channels from one battle to the next.
"You are lucky if you get to watch two ball games at once," she said.
One season, she nearly watched every playoff game. By the time the Finals were over, she thought she might be a little tired of basketball.
But then a new season came and she was ready for more.
Though all very successful people, her kids - Tracy, 50, Chris, 48, Greg, 47 and Lezlie, 45 - have failed to understand what's so great about a ball and a bunch of games. They roll their eyes when Perkins tries to explain her love of the game.
There may still be hope, though. She has three great-grandsons who have yet to be exposed to the NBA; unfortunately, she said, it seems her five grandchildren have not developed an interest in the league to match hers.
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