Basketball
from a fan’s perspective
I was
surprised
Originally research
led me to a page detailing the St. Louis Bombers a history previously unknown
to me and perhaps many others. Prior to reading the article like many of you I
believed the Hawks (now in Atlanta) were the only NBA team the city ever had. I
am unsure if the next portion of information was mentioned at the time the account
was published.
The Bombers were a Basketball Association
of America franchise that came into existence the same season as the Knicks and
Celtics. The BAA founded in 1946 was a 16-team league that would later merge
with the National Basketball League. This reconstructed league (BAA and NBL) was
re-born as the National Basketball Association in 1949.
The Bombers roster might be unfamiliar except
for two names. Ed Maccauley nicknamed “Easy Ed” would later play for the
Celtics and end his career as a member of the St. Louis Hawks. The other name
is Johnny Orr former long-time coach at Iowa State University. The Bombers played
in the NBA until 1950 when they went out of business, there is no indication
why the St. Louis franchise folded.
Phil Jackson
Perhaps somewhat lost in all the hype regarding Last Dance is
the coach. We might debate PJ on his X’s and O’s, but the guy could certainly
coach. He’s not been given his just due in several instances. Folks have
claimed, “You got Jordan, Pippen, Shaq and Kobe who couldn’t win with that
talent?” It is my contention PJ suffers
the same fate as the late John Wooden UCLA’s legendary coach. It’s always been
my belief talent alone cannot produce a winner and we can look at both
franchises.
Most of the Bulls talent was in place at the time PJ became
head coach. We could make the same statement about the Lakers, Shaq and Kobe
were there ahead of PJ. MJ said at one point he intended to play for PJ only
although he finished his NBA career with the Wizards and another coach. Talent
alone will not win if you do not have the right stuff. Another example, the
Pistons won two championships with the late Chuck Daly at the helm.
Daly’s long-time assistant Dick Versace was hired by the
Pacers, within two years he was fired. Someone wrote, “I don’t know how he
could sit next to Daly so long and know so little about basketball.” The statement is somewhat misleading because
Versace was a successful head coach at the collegiate level for several years
prior. The point, he lacked the communicative and cajoling skills to win at the NBA level. Whatever PJ had cannot be bottled, to date I’ve
never read a single player complain about him even the mercurial Dennis Rodman.
“The Bulls are calling Michael
Jordan's bluff, hiring the coach he said he ...
"To (play for
him) is like starting all over again and that's what I don't want to do. ... who
derisively called him "Pink," as in the rock group Pink Floyd.” * Floyd went on the radio in Baton Rouge’s ESPN
outlet after the Sunday premier of Last Dance to inform us his side of the
history.
Read the account for
yourself and draw your own conclusions. One tidbit Floyd communicated he met
with Jerry Krause before he took over the Bulls. For still unknown reasons
Krause was serious in his desire to replace Phil Jackson. Krause died in March 2017,
so we have no ability to hear his side of this volatile issue. Although owner
Jerry Reinsdorf had the last word was Krause responsible for the demolition of
the Bulls.
*tampabay.com
9/13/2005
A mountain too steep
to climb
7 or 8 years ago it could have been slightly longer I had a
conversation. I was aware the youngster played basketball; he was going into
his sophomore year of high school. I asked him if he intended to play in
college and where he wanted to play. With no hesitation whatsoever he quickly
said “Kentucky.” I responded, okay
certainly having no desire to inform him I did not believe that was possible. This
youngster did manage to play at the collegiate level, he secured a scholarship to
an NAIA school.
Nothing in the world wrong with that but I believe sometimes
our aspirations don’t always match our ability. Three players from the 2019-20
Mizzou team intend to test the waters regarding the NBA draft. I ain’t no scout
or evaluator of talent but I can say they need to forget it. None of the trio in
my eye has demonstrated they are NBA ready. There are occasions players slipped
in under the radar and this might be the case although I seriously doubt it. The
NBA contains the best 400 basketball players in the world, nothing wrong with your
thinking it’s a matter of proving it. Earning a spot on an NBA team might be a
mountain too steep to climb.
