As swarms of fans leaned over the railing, attempting to get the perfect selfie, Karl Malone was calm.
He was dressed in black, understating his still-powerful frame. His long, muscular arms reached out to sign autographs on jerseys, and his wide hands clasped around smaller ones which were shaking with awe.
Amidst the furor of people trying to reach him, one boy asked “Karl” for an autograph. Malone paused.
The joke was well taken, but a subtle point was made: When Karl Malone is in the house, his name still carries weight and deserves respect.