Repost from 6/16/2011
We have dropped a Brian “The Custodian” Cardinal Award winner every year and this post didn’t map over so when the 4th annual award drops you will understand where it comes from.
Welcome to the 1st Annual “Brian ‘The Custodian’ Cardinal Award.” This award will be given out every year from now on after the NBA finals. This award isn’t about stats, it’s about the intangibles: hustle, hard fouls, setting hard screens, taking charges, all while receiving minimum playing time.
What made me start this award was watching “The Custodian” throughout the NBA Finals. The man didn’t play any of Game 1, during Game 2 and 3 only played a total of 1 minute and 7 seconds. One of the last people NBA fans expected to see on the court was Brian Cardinal, nor did we care if he played or not, but once his minutes increased in Games 4, 5, and 6 to 7:24, 9:37 and 12:12 minutes respectively I noticed one thing; every team needs a player like this. If you need a hard foul Brian will provide, if you need a good screen Brian will provide, if you need to take a charge Brian will provide, if you need to stretch the floor with a three-point shot Brian will provide.
Since we named the award after Mr. Cardinal we all know he is recipient of this 2011 award. Congrats for winning this award which isn’t a pretty award, no finesse player will ever win. I would like to thank the Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle for making the mid-series adjustment and putting “The Custodian” into his finals rotation or this award wouldn’t have been possible.
If this award was created last decade it would be named after the hustle king Mark “Mad Dog” Madsen. He was an all-around team player and even had a crazy dance he would do after the Lakers won the championship at the parade. Will “The Custodian” repeat next year for his award? Or will it be somebody different?
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