Those who look down at the genre of smooth jazz often deride it as "happy jazz" as if to say that it doesn't challenge the listener.
You can be sure that Wayman Tisdale, who died today at the age of 44, didn't take such an appellation as an insult. Tisdale, an accomplished bassist, did everything happy, from playing smooth jazz to playing power forward at Oklahoma and in the NBA.
Tisdale, the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Sooner history and a three-time All-American, was a gifted offensive player, though he had the misfortune of playing professionally during the same era as Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, two more celebrated players at his position.
Still, in a 12-year NBA career, Tisdale averaged 15.3 points a game for his career that included stints in Indiana, Sacramento and Phoenix. He won a gold medal in 1984 as a member of the American Olympic team and selected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame last month.
Off the court, Tisdale released eight albums and hit No.1 on the contemporary jazz charts three years ago with his "Way Up!" After he was diagnosed with a cancerous cyst two years ago, Tisdale released "Rebound," to mark his battle with illness.
Tisdale was the definition of a happy warrior and his presence and genial nature will be supremely missed.
Quick rant: While it was completely consistent with his nature for Tisdale to give Blake Griffin permission to wear his previously retired No.23 jersey, someone at Oklahoma should have told Griffin the number was unavailable. Now that Tisdale is gone, that number should go back in the rafters in his honor never to be worn again.
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