Karl Malone

He was seldom the most talented player, but always went back to his strong work-ethic to make up the difference. The best known story involving Cupid is the tale of Cupid and Psyche. This became the hallmark of Karl's career. He is often depicted as carrying two sets of arrows: one set gold-headed, which inspire love, and the other lead-headed, which inspire hatred. He was uneligible to play his first year because of low grades and he worked hard to raise his average to qualify. In later literature, Cupid is frequently invoked as fickle, playful, and perverse. Karl played for three years at Louisiana Tech University. In epic poetry, he is less often invoked, but he does appear in Virgil's Aeneid changed into the shape of Ascanius inspiring Dido's love.

. Cupid figures prominently in ariel poetry, lyrics, and, of course, Elegiac love and metamorphic poetry. He is also considered to be one of the best players ever to have never won a NBA championship ring. He is also shown wearing a helmet and carrying a buckler (perhaps in reference to Virgil's Omnia vincit amor or as political satire on wars for love or love as war). Malone was famous for his extremely well-defined physique, which rivalled bodybuilders. He is often depicted with his mother (in graphic arts, this is nearly always Venus), playing a horn. He then played one season for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2003-04 season before retiring from the game. On gems and other surviving pieces, he is usually shown amusing himself with childhood play, sometimes driving a hoop, throwing darts, catching a butterfly, or flirting with a nymph.

Malone spent his first 18 seasons (1985 - 2003) as the star player for the Utah Jazz. The traditional Christian depiction of a cherub is based on him. He was nicknamed in college as the Mailman for his consistency ("a Mailman always delivers"), and as Hot Karl for his numerous playoff performances, and was arguably the greatest power forward ever in the NBA. In painting and sculpture, Cupid is portrayed as a nude winged boy armed with a bow and a quiver of arrows. Karl Malone (born July 24, 1963 in Bernice, Louisiana) is a former professional basketball player. Some of the cults of Cupid suggested that Cupid (as son of Night and Hell, perhaps) mated with Chaos to produce men and gods alike, so the gods were the offspring of love. He teamed with Diamond Dallas Page and lost to Dennis Rodman & Hulk Hogan of the nWo. Additionally, his power was supposed even greater than his mother's, since he had dominion over the dead in Hades, Olympus.

Malone wrestled a match for World Championship Wrestling on July 12, 1998 at Bash at the Beach. Cupid's cult was closely associated with Venus', and he was worshipped as seriously as she. He also used to enjoy riding his Harley prior to games. The other is a son of Nyx and Erebus, and he is known for riotous debauchery. He has become known for his unusual hobby of trucking in the offseason. He is a lively youth who delights in pranks and spreading love. He has considered running for governor of Arkansas on the Republican Party ticket. One is the son of Jupiter (Zeus) and Venus.

Malone enjoys outdoors fishing and hunting and is also a staunch supporter of the National Rifle Association. Throughout ancient mythological writing, there appear to be either two Cupids or two sides to the figure of Cupid. His appearance and accent were frequently parodied by comedian Jimmy Kimmel (who impersonated Malone) on Comedy Central's The Man Show in the late 90s. Plato mentions two of these, and Hesiod's Theogony, the most ancient Greek theoography, says that Cupid was created coevally with Chaos and the earth. Malone played a minor acting role in the 1994 bomb Rockwell: A Legend of the Wild West about Orrin Porter Rockwell. Cicero provides three different lineages: son of Mercury (Hermes) and Diana (Artemis), son of Mercury and Venus (Aphrodite), and son of Mars (Ares in Greek mythology) and Venus. He has also made workout tapes. There are differing stories about his parentage.

He has a rigorous work-out routine in the offseason which includes running up and down mountains. . Malone is a workout freak who was perhaps the first NBA player to have a body chiseled like that of a bodybuilder. He is also called Amor, Latin for love. Karl was very critical of the NBA's decision to allow Magic Johnson to play despite having tested positive for HIV. He is equated with the Greek God Eros and one of his Latin names is Eros. Karl later professed that he thought all those people were out to celebrate his birthday. In Roman mythology, Cupid is the god of erotic love.

The Jazz placed Karl in one of the vehicles in the Parade and the people cheered him as he passed by. July 24th is Pioneer Day in Utah, but it also happens to be Karl's birthday. Karl arrived in Salt Lake City to join the Jazz on July 24th 1985. The first time Karl Malone got to Utah (in a highschool game) he thought it was a European country.

Malone's daughter, Cheryl Ford, plays for the Detroit Shock in the WNBA, and was a key component of their WNBA Championship team in 2003. Bryant had come out with very critical words towards Malone alleging he made suggestive comments to Bryant's wife. Has a feud with Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant which is rumored to have led to Malone's rejection of the Lakers after the 2004 finals and decision to retire. Karl's 1985 draft day suit as well as that of Charles Barkley are continuously mocked on sports TV shows until today for their dreadful colors and designs.

Some critics of Miller suggest that it was compensation for not being paid as much as other NBA superstars during their prime. The owner of the Jazz, Larry Miller, partnered with them to start this dealership. In Salt Lake City the Stockton-to-Malone phrase is commemorated by a car dealership with the name Stockton to Malone Honda. Malone was ranked #13 on Slam Magazine's Top 75 NBA Players of all time in 2003.

Voted to three NBA All-Defensive teams and one second team. MVP of the All-Star game in 1989 and co-MVP in 1993 with Stockton. Voted an All-Star 14 times. Voted to 11 All-NBA first teams, two second teams and one third team.

Voted in 1996 to the NBA's 50 Greatest Players list. Malone received the NBA Most Valuable Player Award twice while playing for the Jazz, in 1997 and 1999 seasons. Between them, they hold almost every major statistical record for the Utah Jazz franchise. Both hold many records of longevity, having faced very few long term injuries in their careers and having played for 19 seasons each.

They are two-time Olympic Gold medalists, having won one in 1992 and another 1996 in Atlanta. Olympic basketball team that was the first to feature professional NBA players. Both he and Stockton were selected to be a part of the Dream Team, the legendary 1992 U.S. Stockton holds the NBA record for most career assists and steals, while Malone holds the records for most free throws attempted and made, as well as being second all-time on the NBA career scoring list, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Stockton and Malone shattered many NBA records while playing together. He wore number 11 for the Los Angeles Lakers (number 32 was retired honoring Magic Johnson) and also for the Dream Team (the players wore 4 to 15 to adhere to FIBA rules). Karl Malone wore number 32 for the Utah Jazz. Although several NBA teams sought his services for the 2004-2005 season, Malone decided to retire as a player on February 13, 2005.

His bid failed as the Lakers were defeated by the Detroit Pistons in 2004. Karl stayed for one more season, joining the Los Angeles Lakers to try and win a championship, the only major achievement that had eluded him in his career. Eventually, Stockton would retire at the end of the 2003 season. In 1999 (the year after Jordan's retirement), the Jazz were the favorites to win, but instead started a gradual decline that was a reflection of the aging of their two superstar players.

They finally got there in 1997 and 1998 but were defeated both times by the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. By the mid-90's the Utah Jazz had risen to power as one of the top five teams in the league and had started to knock on the doors of the NBA Finals. Some of those who suffered collisions with Karl include Isiah Thomas, David Robinson, Shawn Bradley and Steve Nash. Compounded with his great strength, this led to accusations of dirty play or attempts to intentionally harm other players.

He was also a physical defender and rebounder. As a result, he would lead the NBA in free throws made seven separate season (an NBA record). He liked to draw contact and put other players in foul trouble. Karl was a very physical player.

Playing Jerry Sloan's scrappy and tough style and perfecting the pick and roll to a maximum degree of efficiency, the Jazz became a staple to make it to the playoffs and to have a winning record in the regular season. For many years, he and Stockton played together on the Jazz, forming one of the most productive guard-forward combinations in NBA history. It was also at the end of that season that the Jazz as a team rose to national prominence after an amazing playoffs series against the Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers. The three would be inseparable for 16 seasons.

That season was also the first for head coach Jerry Sloan. By 1987 Karl was the foundation of the offense and Stockton was the floor general and both had all-star seasons. At the same time, reserve point guard, John Stockton, was winning the trust of the coaching staff. He also added a long range jump shot which made him virtually unguardable.

Karl's work ethic features prominently in his formative years in the NBA where he raised his free throw shooting percentage from below 50% to 75% in a few years. So, they traded star forward, Adrian Dantley, to the Detroit Pistons and decided to build around him. After his rookie season, the Jazz saw in him the potential to be the corner-stone of their offense. Karl Malone was chosen by the Jazz in 1985 out of Louisiana Tech with the 13th overall pick in the draft.