Players show they can dish it out

Stefhon Hannah and Jason Horton complement each other on the basketball court. And, it appears, at the dessert table.

“You got to get some whip on your pie,” Horton told Cindy Wimmer of Ashland.

“If you don’t whip it, you can’t dip it,” Hannah said, evoking the late Johnnie Cochran.

Then, the two did a job that Wimmer probably could have done herself. On the count of three, Hannah and Horton both sprayed Reddi-whip on Wimmer’s slice of pumpkin pie. It appeared that Hannah’s spray was stronger, with Horton struggling to get much out of his can. Despite this mini mishap, Wimmer didn’t seem to mind how her food tasted.

“They both did a good job,” Wimmer said. “It looks like they’re really enjoying themselves. It’s good to see that.”

Jokingly, Hannah then pulled Horton aside to show him the intricacies of the spray-can. On the next spray, Horton matched Hannah.

Hannah and Horton, along with the rest of the Missouri men’s basketball team and over half of the Columbia College men’s basketball team, served free Thanksgiving meals at Lou’s Palace on Walnut Street. The event was hosted by First Ward Councilwoman Almeta Crayton and served food donated by members of the community. The luncheon was another chance for Missouri coach Mike Anderson to mingle with Tigers fans. But, more importantly for Anderson, an opportunity to give back to the community.

“This is what it’s all about,” Anderson said. “It’s a chance to give back and get ourselves involved in the community.”

The diners at Lou’s also got the chance to see Anderson and his players in a setting different than a basketball game. The majority of the players, with the ball-capped Hannah and Keon Lawrence as exceptions, wore hair-nets while they served meals.

Anderson, positioned at the end of the entree line and also wearing a hair-net, served corn bread.

“I’m the supply guy,” Anderson said. “This is all about teamwork.”

At the front of the line, Cougars guard Marcus Bradford was the event’s unofficial greeter, handing plastic plates to diners. Two of his teammates, Bryant Chambly and Sean Washington, served the turkey. Washington the light meat, Chambly the dark.

“I got it taken care of,” Chambly said. “It’s all under control.”

When their trays ran out of food, the players were able to refill. Stacks of food were placed on pool tables. Signs on the wall that read “No gambling in the pool room” were obscured by bags of dinner rolls. Missouri forward Glen Dandridge, who was in charge of the mashed potatoes, enjoyed the experience.

“It’s cool doing this,” Dandridge said. “It feels good knowing you are helping someone else out.”

Further back in the dimly lit seating area, the dessert table was getting a little less action. Hannah and Horton, joined by Keon Lawrence, Nick Berardini, Leo Lyons and Kalen Grimes, had time to joke around between serving guests. The group also danced to the music playing on the radio, with the most spirited moves coming to songs by The Temptations. At one point, either compelled by boredom or an urge to serve more pies and cakes, Hannah started shouting “Come get dessert! Dessert here!” One woman noticed Hannah’s efforts and told him to enter sales when his basketball career ends.

“We gotta advertise,” Hannah said. “We got some good stuff here.”

When they weren’t serving, Anderson and associate head coach Melvin Watkins found time to talk to Lou Nelson, the owner of the restaurant. It was doubtful they spent much of their time talking about basketball. Instead, the three shared many laughs. Nelson even talked on a cell phone, though he originally put it up to his ear upside-down, with Watkins instructing him to turn it around.

“For the people who can’t get a warm meal today, this means the world,” Nelson said. “It feels great to have them here.”

By the end of their time at Lou’s, the servers who were stationed in the pool hall looked to be tired. Most of the players wore Missouri sweatpants and hooded shirts, which caused them to perspire on an unseasonably warm Thanksgiving day. Combined with a 10 a.m. practice and a warm restaurant, the day had fatigued some of the players. Matt Lawrence, who had been serving in the pool hall, retired to a table near the desserts to “get off his feet”. His teammates were also there. Tired, but also joking around for everyone to see if they looked.

“This gives people a chance to see who the players really are,” Anderson said. “Seeing them here is refreshing.”