Forget Foster the People, Jeff Foster was for the people, a Heartland hoopster with heart. Just as that band will soon fade into obscurity, so too will the Pacers player, so we'd like to acknowledge the post player who was never the face of a poster (if his face was even on a poster, it's because he was the goofy guy getting dunked on), after he announced his retirement on Wednesday due to persistent pain in his back. Jeff Foster wasn't like all the other kids with the pumped up kicks, he'd better run, better run - and run he did*. His game was based on grit and hustle, outworking opponents who took the Texas State product lightly. He was a minor contributor to the Indiana team that made the finals in his second season, but personally, his best campaign was 2004-05, when he averaged career highs in minutes played, points (7.1) and rebounds (9.1). He exits with a career field goal percentage of 49.7%, which isn't an indication that he was a great shooter, so much as he was smart and sparing in his shot selection. He wasn't on the floor for his offense; any baskets were bonuses. He was never the backbone, but he was an important vertebra. To put it in perspective: his stay in the state was one season shy of Peyton Manning's (and that's counting Manning's most recent lost year).
In most ways, Foster didn't stand out, which was actually part of his job description: to fit in with the moving pieces around him and fill in the gaps in whatever areas the team was deficient in. What is notable about him, especially in this era of free agency, is that he spent his entire 13-year tenure with one team, which is a rarity in modern day pro sports, far more so for role players, who often have to switch squads as often as Lady Gaga swaps wigs. Commitment takes two, so both franchise and fringe player valued each other. Still, a baker's dozen worth of years of fidelity? That's bananas, Foster.
*Not faster than a gun, though. Maybe a musket.
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