Your Ghost Lingers...

When Steven "Stevie Franchise" Francis burst upon the scene in College Park, Maryland he was regailed for his haymaker punch athleticism (dunks, dunks, dunks, and then some) and the Court IQ of a playmaking point. He was a star for the Terrapins, while bringing some great Gary Williams moments for all those who are, admittedly creepily, in to that sort of thing. Another Maryland star who was rising high above the competition, and bringing great NBA visibility to the program; whose latter day saints of the early aughts include Lonny Baxter (seemed indestructible during the improbably title run in 2002, especially with running mate Steve Blake showing off his below average athleticism), Juan Dixon, Steve Blake, Drew Nichols, and Nick Kaner-Medley (name seems blander than a bag of frozen vegetables, and thus my ideal of the pursuit of "quiet consistency"; NKM would make for a great 9nth man in D'Antoni's rotation). So NBA here he comes, but what's this, some fledgling expansion franchise selects him with the 3rd overall pick, and quickly the million dollar smile turns to pout; him and his agent hold out and use their leverage to secure SF safe passage through the underground railroad of the NBA out of the Canadian boonies that aren't funny, even in Puerto Rico. He began a stint with the Houston Rockets that will soon not be forgotten; ushering in the early Yao years, pairing with Cuttino Mobley for one of the first great high-scoring high-yielding unorthodox wing-point combos. Then, like Autumn leaves, the death knell told for his time served in uniform moved him to a new life with his running mate in Orlando; more high scoring, high-yielding results continued as the Franchise was like Stefan Marbury with a good attitude. This explains his strange exit and entrance on to the New York Knicks, under Isiah Thomas' stewardship; where he was given a fat contract to rarely play with his supposed tortured soul mate Starbury, alas he never provided what he was signed for an dissapointment led to possible medical retirement. Then, "New Life" with his old squad the Rockets, 13th man status, with his still somewhat useable expiring contract, has finally done the almost unthinkable. Now this, is too good to be true, for all you Vancouver fans who told yourselves, "We will have our revenge, in this life, or the next..."