[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by PowderedH2O

Bill, ironic that you should post this today. I am a high school teacher. We just started the new semester less than a week ago, so I am just getting to know the students. In my 4th period class I ended up having a 15 minute discussion with two 16 year old boys that had completed their work. It was on basketball history. They knew all about Maravich, Wilt, Oscar, etc. I was very impressed. Now, do they know that next level of star? I have no idea. I have so many memories, like going to my first NBA game as a kid and watching Bob Love torch the New Orleans Jazz.

I went to Pete's camp as a kid and still have the camp photo with all of us signed by him. He would show us trick shots and it was insane. Just like Kobe's passing, I was just devastated when he died at 40 years old.

Color me pleasantly surprised about their knowledge. That's great to hear, and very encouraging.

I'm sitting here watching some Pistol Pete highlights on YouTube. He had remarkable court vision, didn't he? He just instinctively knew where everyone was, all the time. Some of his passes just made the guys on the other team look foolish, and these were the best in the world. It's as if the ball just did his bidding. Underhanded, full court pass? No problem. Behind the back pass....to himself, followed by a no look, between the legs pass? Pfft, you can't do that? And he had remarkable hang time. He could jump, and delay the ball release, so whoever was defending him had already committed. This one video I watched showed him at the All Star game making these crazy passes to Dr. J. My God, lol. I just wish his career hadn't been wasted on so many bad teams. He was traded to the Celtics for part of his final year. Of course, the year after he retires, Boston wins the NBA Championship.

My earliest NBA memories came at the old Mecca Arena in Milwaukee. The Bucks were real good, back then, but not Lew Alcindor and Oscar Robertson good. I was born about five months after the Bucks won the NBA Championship. I'm still waiting for our next one. I've never seen a parade down Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee. I hope the Bucks can do it this year.

I grew up watching Marques Johnson at first. He was a pretty good player, coming from John Wooden's UCLA dynasty. Then, it was Sidney Moncrief, Terry Cummings, Jack Sikma. Lots of talent on that team, and Don Nelson was our Head Coach. Between the 1979-'80 season, and the 1986-'87 season, the Bucks averaged 54 wins a season. It was our misfortune that the Bucks were in a stacked Eastern Conference. Back then, first it was Dr. J and the Sixers ending our seasons in the playoffs. Then, it was Larry Bird and the Celtics. And before long, "oh, look, here comes the Bulls with this kid from UNC named Jordan." It just never let up.