Ask the expert
Question: I've missed seeing Big Mark [Eaton] lately. Is he all right? Is there any plan he might return to the Jazz in some capacity?
Bob Dean
Answer: I appreciate the question, Bob, because it gave me an excuse to call Mark and catch up on how he's doing.
Like you, I miss seeing him around. He is a classy guy -- always helpful to a reporter -- and he seems to have done a wonderful job with his life after basketball.
For some reason, he was dropped from the Jazz broadcast team a few years ago. He preferred not to discuss the situation, saying simply the Jazz "decided to go in a different direction" after "the hook-up deal with Channel 2."
Too bad.
I thought Mark did a terrific job as a TV analyst.
I asked Mark if he thought he might ever return to the team in some capacity, and he said, "It doesn't look like it at this point."
Beyond his business relationship with the Jazz, I asked Mark your first question: "Are you OK?"
He laughed and assured me that everything in his life is fine -- just extremely busy.
He is the father of two teenage sons. One works in a local golf shop and the other is a senior at Park City High School, where he just completed the football season.
Eaton's wife, Rebecca, is a talented singer/composer who is working on her first CD.
"She's doing very well with her music thing," Mark said. "She is way into the music scene."
On a professional level, Eaton says he has been busy building a motivational speaking career.
According to Eaton, the positive aspect to his leaving the Jazz was that it "motivated me to get my speaking business on line, and it's really coming along."
Eaton works with a coach four days a week to improve his presentation and marketing of the business.
Another major project for Mark involves writing a book "about mentors and mentoring" with Dr. Vicki Whiting, who is a professor at Westminster College.
"The premise," Eaton said, "is that nobody is successful by themselves."
While Dr. Whiting has been interviewing people who have been successful in business and academia, Eaton has interviewed "current and former NBA players, coaches and owners."
The list of those who have talked to Eaton in connection with the book is impressive and illustrates, I think, how highly Mark is respected by those in the NBA.
He has talked to John Stockton, Charles Barkley, John Wooden, Alonzo Mourning, Rick Barry, Derek Fisher and Scott Skiles, among others.
I asked Eaton about the movie that is being made about his life, which I wrote about in the Tribune last year, and he reports that the project is progressing.
"The script is complete," he said. "Right now, we're shopping for directors and looking for a larger production house to work on the film. The writers' strike has slowed things down a little but, but ..."
Eaton's most widely-known business enterprises are two Salt Lake area restaurants, Tuscany and Francks.
"They are still doing very well," he said. "I'm very proud of the people and the service we provide in both of them."
For recreation, Eaton rides his horse, Big Tim. He is also "getting ready for the coming ski season.
For more about Mark, his life and his business, check out his website at 7foot4.com.
-- Steve Luhm
Bob Dean
Answer: I appreciate the question, Bob, because it gave me an excuse to call Mark and catch up on how he's doing.
Like you, I miss seeing him around. He is a classy guy -- always helpful to a reporter -- and he seems to have done a wonderful job with his life after basketball.
For some reason, he was dropped from the Jazz broadcast team a few years ago. He preferred not to discuss the situation, saying simply the Jazz "decided to go in a different direction" after "the hook-up deal with Channel 2."
Too bad.
I thought Mark did a terrific job as a TV analyst.
I asked Mark if he thought he might ever return to the team in some capacity, and he said, "It doesn't look like it at this point."
Beyond his business relationship with the Jazz, I asked Mark your first question: "Are you OK?"
He laughed and assured me that everything in his life is fine -- just extremely busy.
He is the father of two teenage sons. One works in a local golf shop and the other is a senior at Park City High School, where he just completed the football season.
Eaton's wife, Rebecca, is a talented singer/composer who is working on her first CD.
"She's doing very well with her music thing," Mark said. "She is way into the music scene."
On a professional level, Eaton says he has been busy building a motivational speaking career.
According to Eaton, the positive aspect to his leaving the Jazz was that it "motivated me to get my speaking business on line, and it's really coming along."
Eaton works with a coach four days a week to improve his presentation and marketing of the business.
Another major project for Mark involves writing a book "about mentors and mentoring" with Dr. Vicki Whiting, who is a professor at Westminster College.
"The premise," Eaton said, "is that nobody is successful by themselves."
While Dr. Whiting has been interviewing people who have been successful in business and academia, Eaton has interviewed "current and former NBA players, coaches and owners."
The list of those who have talked to Eaton in connection with the book is impressive and illustrates, I think, how highly Mark is respected by those in the NBA.
He has talked to John Stockton, Charles Barkley, John Wooden, Alonzo Mourning, Rick Barry, Derek Fisher and Scott Skiles, among others.
I asked Eaton about the movie that is being made about his life, which I wrote about in the Tribune last year, and he reports that the project is progressing.
"The script is complete," he said. "Right now, we're shopping for directors and looking for a larger production house to work on the film. The writers' strike has slowed things down a little but, but ..."
Eaton's most widely-known business enterprises are two Salt Lake area restaurants, Tuscany and Francks.
"They are still doing very well," he said. "I'm very proud of the people and the service we provide in both of them."
For recreation, Eaton rides his horse, Big Tim. He is also "getting ready for the coming ski season.
For more about Mark, his life and his business, check out his website at 7foot4.com.
-- Steve Luhm
6:03 PM
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