Perk, I hardly knew ya

I don’t think anyone was more surprised than me to learn that Kendrick Perkins had been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

I told my teenagers and they had a good laugh.

Here’s why:

I’m a Boston Celtics fan (yes, I admit it) and I’d nicknamed Perkins “Devil Man” because he always seemed to have a scowl on his face and because  of the way his thick eyebrows seemed to create a fuzzy uni-brow ala Groucho Marx when he frowned. He was perpetually in frown-mode.

I told my kids I’ll have to stop calling him “Devil Man” now that he’s on our team.

The nickname had nothing to do with his playing. As a Celtics fan, I was heartbroken when he got hurt and couldn’t play in Game 7 in the Celtics-L.A. Lakers battle for the NBA championship last year. Yep, he is a difference maker and I think if he had been healthy and in that last game, Kobe, Pau and the boys might not have pulled that one out.

Ok, enough about the past.

So I read with great interest Jenni Carlson’s story about Perkins being an altar boy at his church growing up. Perkins, I hardly knew ya! Guess the mean-mug look is the persona he puts on for the games. Hey, if it helps you win man, I say keep on doing it.  

Anyway, I’ve issued myself a cease and desist on the nickname on my man Perk. Now that he’s suiting up in  Thunder blue, he’s an angel in my book.