Moses Malone...was my main man as a kid.
I have to admit this post was inspired by WorldHoopsBlog. As I was giving his blog my daily look in, it got me thinking about my favourite NBA team.
As a youngster growing up in the metropolis of Toowoomba during the 70's and 80's basketball captured the imagination of a group of us future wannabe NBA players so debate would centre around why your favourite team was the best.
Most of the group, like anywhere in the world at that time, debated about the Celtics and the Lakers. Sure, both teams were great but that bandwagon was full and I was that kid that liked to be different.
My team was whoever Moses Malone played for. He is my all-time favourite NBA player (I wrote him a letter when I was 13 asking for a pair of his shoes.) and rather underrated, if you ask me. (I'll leave that for another day.)
Malone was the guy that got the 76ers over the hump in '83. Dr J needed the help of the MVP Malone to get his NBA championship ring.
As Malone moved from Washington to Atlanta to Milwaukee and then the Spurs my hat collection got rather large but I remained loyal to Moses and whatever team he was on at the time. Geez Milwaukee sucked then.Once Moses retired it was time for that relationship to end but start another fresh. At this time my own professional career was just beginning to take off and an article was written about me and the titles was "Separated at Birth". The picture had an umbilical cord running between Reggie Miller and me. Thanks Tim Morrissey.
I ran with it so the Indiana Pacers but more so Reggie Miller had gained a massive fan. I ran with it so much I changed my jersey number to 31.
Following Miller through those great playoff runs against the Knicks and the championship series against the Lakers gave me great inspiration come playoff time in my own career. For the story's purpose Brendon Joyce is my Spike Lee.
Since Reggie has given it away (He teased me last offseason.) I still watch just as much NBA as ever, just ask my wife, but I have not attached myself to anyone like I did with Moses and Reggie.
Is there any other fans out there that follow players more so then teams?
News of the Day- "But winning teams have a swagger about them. It's something we talked about last year but this year we want to try to improve on. And you don't just give yourself that label, you have to earn it and get the results to do it." New Zealand Breakers Paul Henare talking to Fairfax Media.
- "It was up in the air (returning to the Breakers). But we were talking about it constantly from the time I got injured. They wanted to make sure I was healthy and I told them in 12 months I was going to be here and here I am," Rick Rickert said with his trademark toothy grin. Courtesy of Sportal.- "Last year there were a lot of unknowns there, I do feel more confident and I've got more belief in some of these guys," Wollongong Coach Eric Cooks said. Courtesy of Sportal.
- Slingers CEO Bob Turner talks about Darwin joining them in Asia.- A very brief article and audio on Aussie rookie Adam Tanner making his debut for the New Zealand Breakers on Thursday.
- Hawks Matt Campbell to slow scoring machine Kirk Penney. Hope the groin holds up "Soupie".- Some Irishmen who are double sportsmen. Drinking is not one of the sports and Seamus McPeake is not one of the athletes.
- Adelaide 36ers feeling good heading into Friday's game against the Crocs.- Brian Goorjian already talking must win game.
- Size does not matter for Crocs.- Perth coach wants roster extended to 15.
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6 comments:
Gary payton - the glove!
dominated at oregon state
loved him in seattle
he teased with a trip to milwaukee and disappointed at the lakers
was clutch in miami
love GP. still have a massive GP poster hanging on the wall.
Rill's. Sick and tired of NBL coaches and CEO's throwing the line out there that there are 30 guys without a job/team from last season. What a load of crap. Every Singapore guys are still playing and getting paid. If they chose to leave that team becuase of the move out of the NBL, then that was up to them. For the Kings, the only guys from last season's teams without a job are Kendall (probably the most high profile on the list) and BJ Carter. From the Bullets the only guys without jobs are Mick Hill, Rhys Martin, Justin Brown. Bradshaw went to Europe. The rest are guys who couldnt get contracts Rigby and Mottram. So I have 7 reputable players who were in some way effected by the collapse of these teams "direectly". If you throw Dench, Campbell (Blaze), Hunt (Perth) who probably effected indirectly. Subtract retirements (Dmac, Copes, Castle, Stiff, Trahair, Shanahan, Pepper). How does that up to 30 guys without a job as being reported consistently around the country?? The Perth situation with Dowdell & Garlepp is just a selfish one. They opted to take on Knight knowing the points, in fact they got rid of Hunt to get the team they wanted in the first place! There are probably more players on the fringe of programs affected by the YAP rule, then those out of work by the demise of the bullets/kings. And lets face it, besides Kendall - who on that list is a front line NBL player of the future??
Back in my early days i was a huge Magic Johnson fan, and therefore Lakers.. I had all the gear from hat down to the Magic Johnson Converse weapons.
Then in about 89 i switched to Jordan and Nike, became a Jordan nut.
Spent way too much money on Air Jordans, but enough to have a solid rotation that hardly any are showing any signs of wear.
When MJ "retired" in 1993, i switched to LaPhonso Ellis, then a Nugget. Followed him in the boxscores in Pro Basketball Today each week and was gutted each knee injury he got.
Still was a Fonz fan (following him at T-wolves, Heat and Hawks) even when MJ came back.
The only NBA jerseys i own are Nuggets #20 (Ellis), Lakers #9 (Nick Van Exel), Celtics #5 (Bill Walton, yeah, its really old)
On the Jerseys topic, i'd bet im the only person in the world to have the collection of sacked Hawks Import Bigmen (Todd Mundt, James Peters and Angelo Reyes)
Ooh, and a Sav #12 Boomers Olympic singlet from Beijing and a Crocs #31 from last year :(
BTW - Rhys Martin is at Hawks this year, so he can be removed from those without a job.
I LOVED the Michigan Fab 5. I mean LOVED!!!
I wore number 4 or 5 throughout my bsketball days - still wear No5 - and even went to LA to watch Webber play against the Lakers when he was at Sacramento. I got pelted with cups, trash paper when I sat down at Staples with my Webber singlet on!
I always loved Jalen Rose too - My son is named Jalen after him and my daugter's middle name is Rose.
If anyone mentions THAT timeout - I will explode!
By the way - if anyone wants to sell me a pair of Nike Huarache's like the Fab5 wear - i'm willing to spend big $$$.
It started with Larry Bird then Dominique Wilkins, Tim Hardaway is probably my all time favourite (no gay bashing jokes necessary) and now its Steve Nash. And I was on that bandwagon EARLY ... since his Santa Clara days! (For the full story see the blog below)
Singlets wise I have Nique, Timmy (which I got him to sign), KG with the Wolves (one of my friends lost it), Steph with the Wolves, Reggie, my boy Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, a Georgetown Iverson and Nash from his Dallas days.
Dodge
http://shootingbasketballtips.blogspot.com/
Ex-Brisbane Bullets
I have a real softspot for Moses "Fo'-Fo'-Fo'" Malone. Between him, Mo Cheeks, and Dr. J, that team gave us our last championship. It's been a 27 year drought in all four major sports (baseball, basketball, hockey & football). So that team has a lot of fans. And Moses Malone has a lot of fans.
Excellent choice. If you make up here during the NBA season, we'll get you into a game.
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