Well, at least he didn’t call him “Barney,” too.
When Jamie Feick first arrived via a 10-day contract with the Nets last month, Don Casey referred to him as “Fife.” As in, “We hope Jamie Fife will give us size up front …”
Feick just took it all in stride and responded.
“He came, so I thought that was his name,” shrugged Casey when reminded of the mispronunciation. “I didn’t know him well but that’s why you have player personnel people, [GM] John Nash-type people who keep cards on these guys.”
So Feick showed up with a blue-collar work ethic that reminded folks of Charles Oakley. As so did his numbers. When the Nets faced the Pacers at home last night, Feick, who has become the starting center by injury and circumstance, carried a 9.8 rebound average for 30.3 minutes per night into the game. Before taking eight rebounds at Charlotte Saturday, Feick had set a career-high in back-to-back games, getting 15 and then topping that with 17.
Some seemed surprised that Fife, er, Feick, has done so well. After all, he has the leaping ability of a rock and at 6-8, is big but hardly overpowering. Over and over, Feick says it is all about opportunity.
“I’m confident in my play. It’s not cocky. I know what I can do. I know I can work hard play physical and rebound,” said Feick who had a brief five-game run with Milwaukee this season before he was released and then settled in with the Nets. “I know my strengths. And I knew given the opportunity I’d be able to take advantage of those.”
And a guy who was sitting on a farm in Ohio in late March took advantage to its full measure, maybe too much so for the Nets’ benefit. Feick now seems to be headed for a nice payday next season. He has done so well with the Nets, he may have upped his value right out of their price range.
“It’s a comfortable spot,” he smiled. “I’m not worried about that. That’s up to my agent [Keith Glass] and Mr. Nash. I’m a Net and while I’m a Net I’m going to play hard.”
“Power forward is my natural position but I can play both. Rebounding is basically for me just wanting the ball and you have to go after the ball every time,” Feick, who led the Big Ten in rebounding as a senior, was a second-round pick of the Sixers in 1996 and who spent time in San Antonio and Charlotte.
“A lot of it is positioning, being in the right position, having an idea where the ball is going to come off the rim, where the shot is taken and stuff and then just beating the guy to the ball,” Feick explained.
And that’s what he has done every night. It’s how he has gone about making a name for himself in the league.