<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Sports Illustrated writer Jack McCallum is back in the Valley for the first time since his book ?Seven Seconds or Less: My Season on the Bench with the Runnin? and Gunnin? Phoenix Suns? was released. McCallum spent last year as an honorary assistant coach and was given unprecedented access to practices and coaches meetings. The book is filled with insights, anecdotes and opinions, and while McCallum said he feels there are only ?20 mildly controversial pages? among the 312-page offering, naturally those passages draw the most attention. Among his observations: - Amar? Stoudemire was ?dogging it in rehab? last year following microfracture surgery. - Shawn Marion is jealous of Steve Nash?s two MVP awards, gives an inconsistent effort and was downcast after the dramatic Game 6 overtime win over the Lakers ? knowing after Tim Thomas? big shot, his contributions (including the offensive rebound that set up the shot) wouldn?t be recognized. - The coaches were worried James Jones wasn?t prepared for some games. McCallum understands the underlined areas. ?If I was writing about the book, that?s the stuff I?d ask about too,? McCallum said. ?As far as Amar?, I didn?t think it was anything that wasn?t factual. It?s good to see he?s reached the point now where it looks like he?s back. ?In the case of Shawn, what I saw or what was said about him isn?t anything he doesn?t bring up himself. I do feel bad about James Jones, because he wasn?t a major character and I didn?t get a chance to write about what a great kid I think he is.? The book is a great read for Suns and NBA fans, and great insight into life beyond the locker room door. McCallum is signing his book 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes and Noble in north Scottsdale (10500 N. 90th St.).</div> Source Before everyone falls for the bait, there is nothing wrong with being openly jealous about a situation. I have always felt Marion is the key to Phoenix's style of play. Just look at the teams trying to copy Phoenix and failing at it. These teams don't have the versatile, dynamic two-way player Shawn Marion has evolved into. Steve Nash is no slouch, but Marion does go under the spotlight when Phoenix is mentioned. I'm sure Marion appreciates his position on the team and knows the organization acknowledges his contributions. At the end of the day this is all that should matter.
