NBC’s Parks and Recreation is in its final season, and though Roy Hibbert won’t be making another appearance, the show still holds a special place in the hearts of many Indiana Pacers fans.
Hibbert sat down with Luke McCormick of Rolling Stone to look back at his fandom with Parks and Recreation and how he ended up on the show. Here’s a small bit of their Q&A.
"Were you a fan of Parks and Recreation before appearing on it?Well, I had always been a fan of The Office and thought the mockumentary style of the show was hilarious. So with Parks taking the same approach, it drew me in right away. The characters are just so funny and I’ve certainly been a fan of Amy Poehler since her days on Saturday Night Live.So how did your first cameo on the show happen?My agent, David Falk, always said to let him know if there’s anything I want to do outside of basketball, so he got the ball rolling. I remember I had heard Derrick Rose was supposed to be on The Good Wife – which I also love – but he missed his flight and he didn’t get to be on it. So, Parks is a set in a fictional town in Indiana and I just started thinking that could work. Plus, Detlef Schrempf had been on the show so I thought I might as well try and wet my beak too!"
Ah yes, the legacy of Detlef Schrempf still touches Indiana today. Roy’s time with Parks and Recreation hasn’t gone unnoticed in the NBA either. From time to time you’ll here other teams trot out the Parks and Recreation theme when Indiana’s lineup is announced on the road.
But right now the Pacers play on the court is no laughing matter. Well, maybe it is laughable, but Indiana needs to right the ship quickly so they don’t fall too far behind in the playoff race. With that in mind, we thought Ron Swanson of Parks and Recreation might be able to give the struggling Pacers some advice.
Is the team lacking motivation?
Is Indiana half-assing it? Are they too balanced?
But just remember…
We broke down a few weeks ago how Hibbert’s hook shot wasn’t falling. He’s improved drastically on his numbers since then and gotten back to his great defense and 11.3 points per a game average, but Indiana needs to remember to go back to the fundamentals when things get tough.
David West isn’t going to be called soft anytime soon, but perhaps he needs to sit down with the team and reassert his dominance as a team leader.
After reasserting dominance, the Pacers should then focus on making sure they put their opponents on notice… or maybe just attract weirdos.
Maybe the Pacers shouldn’t let a fictional character or bloggers give them advice.
Probably the right idea.
