Three Beautiful Things 06-08-2025: Sloppy Joe Family Dinner, Zags at the NBA Finals, July Plans Up in the Air

1. Honestly, I enjoy every approach we all take to hosting family dinner. 

Debbie and I hosted tonight's dinner. Heading into the weekend, Debbie told me she had a plan and she'd take care of everything.

I knew this would be good.

And it was.

Debbie made a smashing Sloppy Joe mix along with a potato and bacon salad and a vinegar-based cole slaw. 

That meant tonight's approach was to turn back the clock, have a dinner we would have loved as kids, and it meant we kept this dinner simple. 

Christy made surprise pinwheels and initiated a relaxed contest to see if we all could guess what ingredients, all from her pantry and fridge, she wrapped inside of these terrific appetizers. 

Debbie's final contribution to dinner was awesome and another throwback to what we loved as kids: vanilla ice cream cones! 

2. With two recent Gonzaga grads playing as starters in the NBA finals on opposite teams, Paul raised the question as to whether any past Zag hoopsters had been on NBA championship teams. 

It was fun to guess and we were all wrong. 

Theo Lawson reported in the Spokesman last week that two players who were bench warmers were on championship teams and did not log any Finals minutes: Adam Morrison with the 2009 and 2010 Lakers and Austin Daye with the Spurs in 2014. No minutes, but they have rings. 

John Stockton, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelly Olynyk, playing for the Jazz (1997, 1998), Lakers (2008), and Heat (2020) all played in NBA Finals, but their teams lost the championship series. 

So, who will join Adam Morrison and Austin Daye?

The Pacers' Andrew Nembhard?

The Thunder's Chet Holmgren?

Right now, the series is tied at one game a piece. 

We'll see. 

3. After Zoe, Carol, Paul, and Christy went home this evening, Debbie and I started an earnest conversation about our plans for July. When will Debbie return from Virginia? When will I leave to travel to Eugene? What are the possibilities for a trip to Fairbanks, Alaska? 

It was a good conversation and, before long, we'll have things figured out.