This past Monday, I drove to Pepsi Center to record voice-over commercials and in-game promotions for the upcoming Denver Nuggets season. It’s something I always enjoy doing because it means NBA games are almost here!
In the process of knocking out the VO’s, I learned which initial match-ups the network will spotlight: the Chicago Bulls (Derrick Rose is back), New York Knicks (yes, Carmelo is still there), Los Angeles Clippers twice (CP3, Blake Griffin and Doc) and the Golden State Warriors (Iggy is now the enemy).
Afterward, I went down to the Nuggets practice court to see what, if anything, was cooking. A handful of players were already working out under the watchful eyes and big voice of strength and conditioning coach Steve Hess.
Jordan Hamilton noticed me first, giving me a fist salute when he finished running some sprints. Needless to say, I like Hamilton. He has a ton of talent and is as gracious as an NBA player can get.
After the sprints, Hess took the guys over to a 30-foot incline ramp, where the fellas ran up BACKWARDS and then down again in a continuous loop. This exercise is not for the weak of heart. Once they were finished, Randy Foye came over and introduced himself. I told him that it was great to have him on the team and I was looking forward to watching him play.
After the ramp, it was off to the weight room for a little fun in the dark!
As we go, I said hello to Quincy Miller. Quincy is a spiffy dresser, so I told him that
I was gearing up for a wardrobe run soon. He told me that jackets with patches on the elbows are really hip right now. I told him that my dad used to wear tweed coats like that and he laughed. Bottom line: if you watch Altitude Sports closely this season, you might see me in a hip, elbow-patched blazer, courtesy of Quincy Miller.
In the weight room, JaVale McGee greeted me by taking my iPhone and taking a picture of himself. My eyes tell me that McGee is in great shape – strong and very fit. Now that Kosta Koufos is gone to Memphis, JVM is now the Nuggets starting center and could be playing 35 minutes a night.
Meanwhile, Hess is putting the guys through the ringer – in a good way of course! I’ve never met anyone with his energy and drive. It’s why Steve is regarded as one of the very best strength and conditioning coaches in the NBA!
While the players are going from machine to machine, I finally got a chance to say hello to Anthony Randolph. Anthony is an intriguing talent – and a guy who is really benefiting from weight and strength training.
It was finally time for me to go and get my own workout! Needless to say, the ramp will not be part of the Marlowe workout.
The Nuggets season is just around the corner. The competition for starting spots and playing time will be fierce. Time in the gym might be the decider.
Game on!
Chris Marlowe is in his ninth year as the play-by-play voice for the Nuggets on Altitude. He is a longtime broadcaster who also served as the captain of the gold media-winning U.S. Olympic volleyball team in 1984.