Mark Madsen, one of the most hustle-y Laker players of the 2000-02 three-peat era under the dynamic — and volatile — duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, is still involved in basketball these days.
He’s no longer scrambling for loose balls or trying to scrap his way towards rebounds, but the dude is now an assistant coach for Stanford University’s basketball program, one that is pretty mediocre and could use a bright mind.
Good for him. We’re glad. Mark Madsen scrapped his way into the hearts of many Lakers fans, and really did play a solid role in helping bring the Purple and Gold back to prominence after a very awful decade by Lakers standards.
Of course, we have a bone to pick with old Mad-Dawg.
He still thinks he’s a legit dancer, in reference to a neat little dance number stunt he pulled during one of the Lakers’ championship parades earlier on in the decade. From Yahoo! Sports:
"I never imagined it would be a big deal because to me the dance move was spectacular. It’s what I would do if I was at a dance club. I don’t go to a ton of dance clubs, but if I did, I would do similar moves. To me, the moves are perfect."
Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA. HOLD. THE HELL UP.
Please, watch first:
Aw, for chrissakes, Mark. You can’t be serious. You committed so many crimes that day, it’s not even funny. First of all, you had to be the only person who thought he was still living in 1987 with those above-the-waist, light-blue jeans and your championship t-shirt tucked in underneath your well-fastened belt, and you sure as hell were the only dude rocking those on stage. Second … are you friggin’ kidding me? You stand by that tribunal mating call as a “dance move”?
That’s pretty inexcusable. If Mark Madsen had said he was the reason behind those three championships, he’d be a lot closer to the truth. Hell, he could’ve said he was the greatest Laker to ever put on a jersey and he still would’ve been closer to the truth than saying his “dance moves were perfect.”
This is egregious. We’re glad for you and all, Mark, but don’t ever justify a dance like that. It’s been 10 gosh damned years, man, live and let live!