ESPN Classic
In case you missed it this weekend ESPN Classic pretty much showed nothing but NBA games from between 1986 and 1993. It was great mostly because this is the era of the NBA I grew up with. I did boycott the showing of the 1989 Bulls vs. Cavs Game 5, but other than that Classic was my flip back channel most of the weekend.
Michael Jordan was so incredible in those years. When he came back as the fade away jump shooter he became in 1995, he just wasn’t the same. He was just so explosive it was ridiculous. They just showed some great games. My favorite was the April 1993 match up between the Bulls and a young Hornets team. Jordan scored the last 18 points for the Bulls, but a pre back problems Larry Johnson carried the Hornets down the stretch and they won 104-103.
Speaking of the Hornets, how did they ever agree to deal Alonzo Mourning to Miami? Especially after it was clear that Larry Johnson wasn’t the same player he was his first two seasons. That deal marked the exact moment that Charlotte lost all chances of contending for a championship.
There were also some Celtics games from the early ‘90s. I know that Bill Simmons has said it a million times, but has there been an organization hit harder by player deaths than the Celtics? Bird had passed the torch to Reggie Lewis when he retired. Lewis carries them into the playoffs in 1992-93, then that offseason he dies. The Celtics are left with Dee Brown, that’s about it. In those two years they lost Parrish, McHale, Bird, and Reggie Lewis. Three HOFers and a guy that was coming off back-to-back 21ppg seasons. Add that in with Len Bias dying in 1986 and its disaster. If Bias lives I don’t know if the Pistons ever get by the Celtics. And even after the Big 3 move on, Bias and Lewis still keep the Celtics in the playoffs for at least another five-plus years.
Drazen Petrovic dying in 1993 pretty much ended New Jersey’s chance at becoming a contender in those years. They did make the playoffs in 1993-94, but slipped drastically after that. To me he was the first great Euro to play in the NBA. He still maybe the best European player ever to play in the NBA.
The Braves named Roger McDowell their new pitching coach over the weekend. I was more than a little excited about this because McDowell went to Bowling Green. I consider him the greatest BG baseball player ever. Even ahead of Orel Hershiser.
I watched Identity on FX the other night. I liked it, even on edited cable. It really had me guessing. That could either be a sign of a good movie or that I’m just really dumb.
While watching the 1991 Celtics-Pacers Game 5, I learned an interesting fact. I always assumed that Chuck Person was called the “Rifleman” because he would shoot from anywhere on the court. Well apparently this was only part of it. Chuck Person’s mom was a big Chuck Conners fan, the actual “Rifleman.” So his middle name is Conners, Chuck Conners Person. Awesome.
Michael Jordan was so incredible in those years. When he came back as the fade away jump shooter he became in 1995, he just wasn’t the same. He was just so explosive it was ridiculous. They just showed some great games. My favorite was the April 1993 match up between the Bulls and a young Hornets team. Jordan scored the last 18 points for the Bulls, but a pre back problems Larry Johnson carried the Hornets down the stretch and they won 104-103.
Speaking of the Hornets, how did they ever agree to deal Alonzo Mourning to Miami? Especially after it was clear that Larry Johnson wasn’t the same player he was his first two seasons. That deal marked the exact moment that Charlotte lost all chances of contending for a championship.
There were also some Celtics games from the early ‘90s. I know that Bill Simmons has said it a million times, but has there been an organization hit harder by player deaths than the Celtics? Bird had passed the torch to Reggie Lewis when he retired. Lewis carries them into the playoffs in 1992-93, then that offseason he dies. The Celtics are left with Dee Brown, that’s about it. In those two years they lost Parrish, McHale, Bird, and Reggie Lewis. Three HOFers and a guy that was coming off back-to-back 21ppg seasons. Add that in with Len Bias dying in 1986 and its disaster. If Bias lives I don’t know if the Pistons ever get by the Celtics. And even after the Big 3 move on, Bias and Lewis still keep the Celtics in the playoffs for at least another five-plus years.
Drazen Petrovic dying in 1993 pretty much ended New Jersey’s chance at becoming a contender in those years. They did make the playoffs in 1993-94, but slipped drastically after that. To me he was the first great Euro to play in the NBA. He still maybe the best European player ever to play in the NBA.
The Braves named Roger McDowell their new pitching coach over the weekend. I was more than a little excited about this because McDowell went to Bowling Green. I consider him the greatest BG baseball player ever. Even ahead of Orel Hershiser.
I watched Identity on FX the other night. I liked it, even on edited cable. It really had me guessing. That could either be a sign of a good movie or that I’m just really dumb.
While watching the 1991 Celtics-Pacers Game 5, I learned an interesting fact. I always assumed that Chuck Person was called the “Rifleman” because he would shoot from anywhere on the court. Well apparently this was only part of it. Chuck Person’s mom was a big Chuck Conners fan, the actual “Rifleman.” So his middle name is Conners, Chuck Conners Person. Awesome.
posted by CFunk28 at 2:02 PM
2 Comments:
I can't believe you never heard that about Chuck Person before. They used to bring it up at least once a game whenever he and the Pacers played on NBC back int he day. You're not eve half as cool as me.
Which game did they show with Chuck? Was it the one where he and Bird were trading ridiculously long threes for the better part of the game. Eventually, Bird hurts his back and goes back to the lockeroom, only to return later in the second half to inspire the crowd and his teammates while still managing to hit a couple of unbelievably clutch shots AND get injured while diving for a loose ball?
If you couldn't tell, I love that game.
It was that game. They were both unconcious and just talking shit the entire time. And Person missed a free throw with like 8 seconds left that would have made it a one point game. So the Celts hit both free throws to make it a 4 point game and person pulls up from just over half court and drains a triple at the buzzer to make it a one point final. And of course let's Bird hear all about it.
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