Basketball from a fan’s perspective

He is an owner now

The Illawarra Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League have a new owner.  Oh, if you thought we might be discussing LaMelo Ball that is not the case.  Several might remember in mid to late spring stories were circulating about the younger Ball purchasing the team he played on last winter.  The new owner is Bryan Colangelo former GM of the Sixers.  The Ball story indicated he was purchasing a majority ownership in the Hawks.  That is not the case for Colangelo, he will become a minority owner of the team.  

Rocky Mountain High 

At the time of the ABA-NBA merger in 1976 four ABA teams were admitted into the NBA, the Nets, Pacers, Spurs and Nuggets.  The Denver Larks was founded in 1967, it was supposed to begin play in Kansas City, but they located to Denver prior to the start of the season, in addition the team name was changed from Larks to Rockets. In 1974 another name change occurred as the team began play as the Nuggets.  Although they are yet to win an NBA Championship the Nuggets have experienced more success in the NBA than their ABA days. 

In the ABA they won a total of 3 division titles, in the NBA the total is 8.  Seven numbers hang in the rafters of the Pepsi Center number 2 Alex English, 12 ‘Fat’ Lever, 33 David Thompson, 40 Byron Beck, 44 Dan Issel 55 Dikembe Mutombo and 432 Doug Moe. 432 represent the number of wins the Nuggets won under Coach Doug Moe.  Ann Walton Kroenke is owner of the team one of three women owners in the NBA.  The others Gayle Benson New Orleans Pelicans and Jeanie Buss Los Angeles Lakers.  A franchise rich in ABA-NBA history, the Nuggets of Denver.  

“Fly the friendly skies”

This is more than the motto of United Airlines; it is the story of NBA and flying.  The story begins with rail travel, yes back in the day most teams traveled by train.  Most teams were located on the east coast and in the same time zone.  Much later as the NBA expanded it was necessary to travel from point A. to point B. much faster.  That requirement meant flying, unlike today it was commercial. 

Believe it or not teams flew on the flight of the shoe salesmen, auto dealer and others.  As the rosters expanded and staff increased it became more difficult to fly commercially.  At this point NBA teams began to charter flights, several teams the Pistons and Mavs purchased their own aircraft.  The Pistons are flying charter having gotten rid of their MD-83 meanwhile the Mavs continue to fly in their Boeing 757.

How do you feel?  
I read Bill Russell’s autobiography, a portion of it dealt with autographs.  Maybe as Bill has aged perhaps, he has mellowed once Russell was reluctant to sign his name.  He claimed while playing for the Celtics his dinner meal was interrupted one evening as person after person came to his table asking for his autograph.  I have been skeptical about asking for autographs since I read that.  Years ago, while on a stopover in Denver Carmelo Anthony then with the Nuggets boarded the same tram my wife and I were riding. 

I pointed out to my wife who he was, “Why don’t you get his autograph” she said.  My response, “No I’m not going to bother him.”  Another airport and another time, we are waiting in the DFW airport for our flight to Kansas City.  I noticed standing several feet from us was Danny Manning then an assistant coach at Kansas.  I hesitated and then walked up to the 6-foot 10-inch Manning and asked for his autograph. 

Manning smiled and signed it on a piece of paper I gave him.  This next account I do not remember the details except my past employer was serving as host for a Sprint Center NBA game.  Former NBA players Scott Wedman (KC Kings) and Clay Johnson (Lakers) both living in the metro were invited, I spent the entire evening talking to them about NBA basketball and made no attempt to seek an autograph from either one.  I am hesitant to ask for an autograph for the most part, what about you?