Just thought I would bring up a FANTASTIC show I've been watching on ESPN... "Basketball: A Love Story." Twenty hours and 62 short "episodes" covering all sorts of things... famous moments, famous players, skills of the game... anything you could think of.
I am thoroughly enjoying all of these little stories discussed in such focused ways... its like you get a huge history one little bit at a time, but it all comes together? I'm home without the fam for a few days, so I am binging like crazy... today I watched The First Lottery, which focuses on the invention of the lottery, the Knicks, and Pat Ewing... watched one about Walton and Portland winning the title, one about Pat Summitt, one on Lenny Wilkens, one about the idea of genius in sports, one about Georgetown, one about the NBA: It's Fantastic PR campaign and David Stern, and one about Pat Riley and the LA/Boston rivalry.
Yesterday I watched one on NC State vs UCLA, one on Bobby Knight, one on the INSANE deal that the Silna brothers worked with the NBA (basically they were ABA owners who allowed themselves to get bought out in exchange for 1/7th of the TV rights for the NBA, back when there WERE no TV rights... in perpetuity. INSANE. They made a lot of money
) one about the Warriors first title, one on the George Gervin/David Thompson chase for the NBA scoring title in 1978, and one on drugs in the league in the 70s and 80s, and how the NBA managed to pull themselves out of last place in the pros. F'ing fantastic.
Gotta admit, I did cheat and go ahead to watch the College Coaches one and the USA/Larry Brown/Coach K one ahead of time
The Munich/USA vs Russia one was tough.
Watching Rick Barry shoot free throws is nuts. And man, seeing so much of Walton... wow, what an insane talent.
And holy cow, the "Brotherly Love" one, about Jack Twyman and Maurice Stokes... that was heartbreaking, and also heartwarming. I didn't know that story. If you don't, check this link out. Insane. Stokes had a series of seizures that basically left him unable to do nearly anything, and his teammate, Jack Twyman, just dropped his entire life and became his steadfast friend and companion for life, simply out of a sense of decency. It's insane.
https://www.si.com/vault/1960/02/01/...-a-good-friend
Anyway... if you like basketball and you HAVEN'T watched this, you are SERIOUSLY missing out.
I am thoroughly enjoying all of these little stories discussed in such focused ways... its like you get a huge history one little bit at a time, but it all comes together? I'm home without the fam for a few days, so I am binging like crazy... today I watched The First Lottery, which focuses on the invention of the lottery, the Knicks, and Pat Ewing... watched one about Walton and Portland winning the title, one about Pat Summitt, one on Lenny Wilkens, one about the idea of genius in sports, one about Georgetown, one about the NBA: It's Fantastic PR campaign and David Stern, and one about Pat Riley and the LA/Boston rivalry.
Yesterday I watched one on NC State vs UCLA, one on Bobby Knight, one on the INSANE deal that the Silna brothers worked with the NBA (basically they were ABA owners who allowed themselves to get bought out in exchange for 1/7th of the TV rights for the NBA, back when there WERE no TV rights... in perpetuity. INSANE. They made a lot of money
Gotta admit, I did cheat and go ahead to watch the College Coaches one and the USA/Larry Brown/Coach K one ahead of time
The Munich/USA vs Russia one was tough.
Watching Rick Barry shoot free throws is nuts. And man, seeing so much of Walton... wow, what an insane talent.
And holy cow, the "Brotherly Love" one, about Jack Twyman and Maurice Stokes... that was heartbreaking, and also heartwarming. I didn't know that story. If you don't, check this link out. Insane. Stokes had a series of seizures that basically left him unable to do nearly anything, and his teammate, Jack Twyman, just dropped his entire life and became his steadfast friend and companion for life, simply out of a sense of decency. It's insane.
https://www.si.com/vault/1960/02/01/...-a-good-friend
Anyway... if you like basketball and you HAVEN'T watched this, you are SERIOUSLY missing out.
