OT: Top 5 NBA career backup centers last 20-30 years.

Yes, back when being a "power" forward really meant something.
T2oTp9L.gif

Yeah the NBA got totally out of hand back then. and worse by the late 80's with the Lambier Rodman Pistons who would try to decapitate anyone going into the lane. Superstars like magic, isaiah T., and Bird were pretty much off limits to attacks but most were fair game.

When Jordan became the one and only superstar and they wanted to clean things up the league did the job.

If you watch old NFL games even up to the times of Peyton and the Bears vs the Packers etc, up to 1990 that league had a lot of totally harsh crap going on and QBs kept going down. Mark Vlasic finally won a starting job with the chiefs and looked like a star in the making until a totally dirty low blow direct to his knee did him in, and I think that was in a pre-season game.
 
Slightly more off topic, Tom Chambers is the poster boy for why you should never meet your heroes. Ever.

I was born in Iowa but we moved to Arizona in the 80s for seven years. My dad somehow became friends with the sound guy at America West Arena and he got us in one day to walk around and check stuff out. There happened to be a bunch of players around which as a 10 year old was the coolest thing in the world until we ran into Tom Chambers. That guy was a total fucking dickhead. Complete asshole. I watched an interview with him a while back on YouTube and he's still exactly like I remember him.

Jeff Hornacek and Kevin Johnson---awesome dudes. Can't say enough how cool they were. Tom Chambers? Wouldn't walk across the street to piss on the guy if he was on fire and offering me $1,000.

The other time this happened was at MLB spring training. My old man used to take me down to Hohokam park every year and we'd check out the Angels who had just moved there from Florida. Cubs trained there too...Cactus League. One of my best memories as a kid. Got Jim Abbott's autograph, Wally Joyner, Lance Parrish, Gary Gaetti. Chili Davis gave me a broken bat...

So...after practice one weekend, Bert Blyleven comes walking through and just like in every spring training in history, kids come and mob him for autographs. He's stops and says, "Hang on guys, I'm gonna run in and shower quick and I'll stop back out in a bit," and then he goes in the clubhouse. So being the un-jaded little kid I was, and a big fan of Blyleven (my dad liked him from growing up a Twins fan), I stood there and decided to wait. There was no way I was gonna miss this chance. Not even 2 minutes goes by and he walks out the side door in sweats (there was a fence separating the parking lot), jogs to his car and bails. Now, I don't have a problem not signing autographs for kids. If you have shit to do you have shit to do...I get it. But don't tell a big ass group of little kids your going to "be right back" just to get them to leave you alone so you can leave. That's ultimate level douche.

I can't remember my elementary school teachers' names or what my bicycle was like at 10 years old, but I remember what a POS Blyleven was.

There was a slightly more happy ending to the story, though. After Douchleven left, Dave Winfield came through and said the exact same thing as Bert. I could tell my dad didn't want me to wait again and get crushed, but at that age kids believe everything you tell em. So I waited and about a half hour later Winfield came out in street clothes and signed every goddamn thing that every kid had and even talked to everybody. "How you doin, buddy? You play baseball? That's a nice glove..." Goofy shit like that but I (and I'm sure all the other kids) thought is was the coolest thing I'd ever done. This guy played baseball on TV, for god's sake. I've heard in years since that Winfield is an awesome guy still today and never heard a bad word spoken about him.

Bottom line, think about how you treat little kids; they'll remember it for life whether your famous or not. Oh, and F Tom Chambers and Bert Blyleven.
Maybe Bert intended to come back but had an emergency. Sounded like he was in a hurry.
 
Maybe Bert intended to come back but had an emergency. Sounded like he was in a hurry.
1) I like your optimism. It wasn't the feeling we got at all and I've heard from other's he's a dick, but you're a better guy than me for not making assumptions.

2) I hope you're honored that my 10,000th post on this board is replying to you. You're either more famous or more notorious now; that's up to you to decide.

Capture.jpg
 
Slightly more off topic, Tom Chambers is the poster boy for why you should never meet your heroes. Ever.

I was born in Iowa but we moved to Arizona in the 80s for seven years. My dad somehow became friends with the sound guy at America West Arena and he got us in one day to walk around and check stuff out. There happened to be a bunch of players around which as a 10 year old was the coolest thing in the world until we ran into Tom Chambers. That guy was a total fucking dickhead. Complete asshole. I watched an interview with him a while back on YouTube and he's still exactly like I remember him.

Jeff Hornacek and Kevin Johnson---awesome dudes. Can't say enough how cool they were. Tom Chambers? Wouldn't walk across the street to piss on the guy if he was on fire and offering me $1,000.

The other time this happened was at MLB spring training. My old man used to take me down to Hohokam park every year and we'd check out the Angels who had just moved there from Florida. Cubs trained there too...Cactus League. One of my best memories as a kid. Got Jim Abbott's autograph, Wally Joyner, Lance Parrish, Gary Gaetti. Chili Davis gave me a broken bat...

So...after practice one weekend, Bert Blyleven comes walking through and just like in every spring training in history, kids come and mob him for autographs. He's stops and says, "Hang on guys, I'm gonna run in and shower quick and I'll stop back out in a bit," and then he goes in the clubhouse. So being the un-jaded little kid I was, and a big fan of Blyleven (my dad liked him from growing up a Twins fan), I stood there and decided to wait. There was no way I was gonna miss this chance. Not even 2 minutes goes by and he walks out the side door in sweats (there was a fence separating the parking lot), jogs to his car and bails. Now, I don't have a problem not signing autographs for kids. If you have shit to do you have shit to do...I get it. But don't tell a big ass group of little kids your going to "be right back" just to get them to leave you alone so you can leave. That's ultimate level douche.

I can't remember my elementary school teachers' names or what my bicycle was like at 10 years old, but I remember what a POS Blyleven was.

There was a slightly more happy ending to the story, though. After Douchleven left, Dave Winfield came through and said the exact same thing as Bert. I could tell my dad didn't want me to wait again and get crushed, but at that age kids believe everything you tell em. So I waited and about a half hour later Winfield came out in street clothes and signed every goddamn thing that every kid had and even talked to everybody. "How you doin, buddy? You play baseball? That's a nice glove..." Goofy shit like that but I (and I'm sure all the other kids) thought is was the coolest thing I'd ever done. This guy played baseball on TV, for god's sake. I've heard in years since that Winfield is an awesome guy still today and never heard a bad word spoken about him.

Bottom line, think about how you treat little kids; they'll remember it for life whether your famous or not. Oh, and F Tom Chambers and Bert Blyleven.
Tom Chambers once declared himself the greatest basketball player in the world after winning the All Star Game MVP. He probably meant just for one day but he didn't cut himself any slack with his general attitude.

Blyleven was as big a douche to umpire's as he was to young fans, constantly complaining about being squeezed, giving up on his curve ball, bitching about run support, the defense behind him, the heat, the cold, anything and everything. He has taken his rants Into the broadcast booth long afger his playing days ended, where he goes on and on about the modern state of the game.

I'll have to take your word on Winfield. He always seemed awfully arrogant to me, but did help underprivileged kids in inner cities and not seek publicity for it. Most of all, he gave away a lot of equity with me with his role in the horrible brawl with Ohio State when he played basketball for Bill Mussleman at Minnseota. Decades later, I think it was most!y young kids being whipped into a frenzy by a ruthless head taskmaster and taking it too far.
 
1) I like your optimism. It wasn't the feeling we got at all and I've heard from other's he's a dick, but you're a better guy than me for not making assumptions.

2) I hope you're honored that my 10,000th post on this board is replying to you. You're either more famous or more notorious now; that's up to you to decide.

Capture.jpg
Dammit Fry! I missed by one or two posts!:)
 
Never had an exp
Slightly more off topic, Tom Chambers is the poster boy for why you should never meet your heroes. Ever.

I was born in Iowa but we moved to Arizona in the 80s for seven years. My dad somehow became friends with the sound guy at America West Arena and he got us in one day to walk around and check stuff out. There happened to be a bunch of players around which as a 10 year old was the coolest thing in the world until we ran into Tom Chambers. That guy was a total fucking dickhead. Complete asshole. I watched an interview with him a while back on YouTube and he's still exactly like I remember him.

Jeff Hornacek and Kevin Johnson---awesome dudes. Can't say enough how cool they were. Tom Chambers? Wouldn't walk across the street to piss on the guy if he was on fire and offering me $1,000.

The other time this happened was at MLB spring training. My old man used to take me down to Hohokam park every year and we'd check out the Angels who had just moved there from Florida. Cubs trained there too...Cactus League. One of my best memories as a kid. Got Jim Abbott's autograph, Wally Joyner, Lance Parrish, Gary Gaetti. Chili Davis gave me a broken bat...

So...after practice one weekend, Bert Blyleven comes walking through and just like in every spring training in history, kids come and mob him for autographs. He's stops and says, "Hang on guys, I'm gonna run in and shower quick and I'll stop back out in a bit," and then he goes in the clubhouse. So being the un-jaded little kid I was, and a big fan of Blyleven (my dad liked him from growing up a Twins fan), I stood there and decided to wait. There was no way I was gonna miss this chance. Not even 2 minutes goes by and he walks out the side door in sweats (there was a fence separating the parking lot), jogs to his car and bails. Now, I don't have a problem not signing autographs for kids. If you have shit to do you have shit to do...I get it. But don't tell a big ass group of little kids your going to "be right back" just to get them to leave you alone so you can leave. That's ultimate level douche.

I can't remember my elementary school teachers' names or what my bicycle was like at 10 years old, but I remember what a POS Blyleven was.

There was a slightly more happy ending to the story, though. After Douchleven left, Dave Winfield came through and said the exact same thing as Bert. I could tell my dad didn't want me to wait again and get crushed, but at that age kids believe everything you tell em. So I waited and about a half hour later Winfield came out in street clothes and signed every goddamn thing that every kid had and even talked to everybody. "How you doin, buddy? You play baseball? That's a nice glove..." Goofy shit like that but I (and I'm sure all the other kids) thought is was the coolest thing I'd ever done. This guy played baseball on TV, for god's sake. I've heard in years since that Winfield is an awesome guy still today and never heard a bad word spoken about him.

Bottom line, think about how you treat little kids; they'll remember it for life whether your famous or not. Oh, and F Tom Chambers and Bert Blyleven.


Never had an experience like that but I remember one quote about Michael Jordan when an interviewer asked him why he always wore a suit and he said something to the effect of "because there are new people that come to games everyday that have never seen me or met me and I want them to have that professional impression of me every time."

It is interesting the stuff people remember and you will always have 100% full memory of that bad experience.
 
Never had an exp



Never had an experience like that but I remember one quote about Michael Jordan when an interviewer asked him why he always wore a suit and he said something to the effect of "because there are new people that come to games everyday that have never seen me or met me and I want them to have that professional impression of me every time."

It is interesting the stuff people remember and you will always have 100% full memory of that bad experience.
I'm kind of a big deal. I shook hands with Bill Cosby once in Sioux Falls (pre GHB awareness days), and I brushed shoulders with Ozzy Osbourne in Ames before a concert when (I'm assuming) his entourage took a wrong turn through the tunnel/hallway we were standing in. It might have been Ellen Feller though, it was kinda dark.
 
Last edited:
Ohio State's Luke Witte was flagrantly fouled by Corky Taylor, got a knee in his nuts courtesy of Clyde Turner, then got his head kicked and stomped on by Ron Behagen.

He spent fifteen days in intensive care, more days than Rudy T did.
 
Ohio State's Luke Witte was flagrantly fouled by Corky Taylor, got a knee in his nuts courtesy of Clyde Turner, then got his head kicked and stomped on by Ron Behagen.

He spent fifteen days in intensive care, more days than Rudy T did.

Sports Illustrated article on the whole fiasco ... ugly. Can you imagine if this happened today with social media? This fight makes the Kansas State - Kansas fight from a couple of weeks ago seem tame.

Also included a snippet from the fight (not great quality).

https://www.si.com/vault/1972/02/07/565933/an-ugly-affair-in-minneapolis

 
Slightly more off topic, Tom Chambers is the poster boy for why you should never meet your heroes. Ever.

I was born in Iowa but we moved to Arizona in the 80s for seven years. My dad somehow became friends with the sound guy at America West Arena and he got us in one day to walk around and check stuff out. There happened to be a bunch of players around which as a 10 year old was the coolest thing in the world until we ran into Tom Chambers. That guy was a total fucking dickhead. Complete asshole. I watched an interview with him a while back on YouTube and he's still exactly like I remember him.

Jeff Hornacek and Kevin Johnson---awesome dudes. Can't say enough how cool they were. Tom Chambers? Wouldn't walk across the street to piss on the guy if he was on fire and offering me $1,000.

The other time this happened was at MLB spring training. My old man used to take me down to Hohokam park every year and we'd check out the Angels who had just moved there from Florida. Cubs trained there too...Cactus League. One of my best memories as a kid. Got Jim Abbott's autograph, Wally Joyner, Lance Parrish, Gary Gaetti. Chili Davis gave me a broken bat...

So...after practice one weekend, Bert Blyleven comes walking through and just like in every spring training in history, kids come and mob him for autographs. He's stops and says, "Hang on guys, I'm gonna run in and shower quick and I'll stop back out in a bit," and then he goes in the clubhouse. So being the un-jaded little kid I was, and a big fan of Blyleven (my dad liked him from growing up a Twins fan), I stood there and decided to wait. There was no way I was gonna miss this chance. Not even 2 minutes goes by and he walks out the side door in sweats (there was a fence separating the parking lot), jogs to his car and bails. Now, I don't have a problem not signing autographs for kids. If you have shit to do you have shit to do...I get it. But don't tell a big ass group of little kids your going to "be right back" just to get them to leave you alone so you can leave. That's ultimate level douche.

I can't remember my elementary school teachers' names or what my bicycle was like at 10 years old, but I remember what a POS Blyleven was.

There was a slightly more happy ending to the story, though. After Douchleven left, Dave Winfield came through and said the exact same thing as Bert. I could tell my dad didn't want me to wait again and get crushed, but at that age kids believe everything you tell em. So I waited and about a half hour later Winfield came out in street clothes and signed every goddamn thing that every kid had and even talked to everybody. "How you doin, buddy? You play baseball? That's a nice glove..." Goofy shit like that but I (and I'm sure all the other kids) thought is was the coolest thing I'd ever done. This guy played baseball on TV, for god's sake. I've heard in years since that Winfield is an awesome guy still today and never heard a bad word spoken about him.

Bottom line, think about how you treat little kids; they'll remember it for life whether your famous or not. Oh, and F Tom Chambers and Bert Blyleven.

That shit sticks with you.... It just does. People forget what others say but we remember how they make you feel. Granted a guy may have been great the 9 previous times he had interactions with fans but that doesn't matter. It's the one first impression they make with you that matters. Some in those positions get that more then others and some just don't give two shits either way.
 
I'm lucky. I've shook Mr. Davis, KFs, Kent MacCausland Les Jepsen, and my all time fav BJ Armstrongs hands. Had great experiences with them all. Mr. Davis, Kent and Les I saw at their basketball camp my Jr yr of HS. I've always heard the don't meet your heros line. But thankfully none of jilted me to that extent. I'm sure one wouldn't have to try too hard to have that happen more often then not though..
 
I'm lucky. I've shook Mr. Davis, KFs, Kent MacCausland Les Jepsen, and my all time fav BJ Armstrongs hands. Had great experiences with them all. Mr. Davis, Kent and Les I saw at their basketball camp my Jr yr of HS. I've always heard the don't meet your heros line. But thankfully none of jilted me to that extent. I'm sure one wouldn't have to try too hard to have that happen more often then not though..

Mr. Davis is a great guy. Met him when he coached one of the college all-star teams at the game they used to stage here in Orlando. Roy Marble turned out to be tournament MVP, but BJ Armstrong was sent home before the game with a broken hand. Both Mr. Davis and his wife were gracious and appreciative for our local Hawkeye club hosting them for drinks, food, and a Q & A session.

Had several occasions to meet Kirk Speraw when he was coach at UCF. Another great guy. Then met KF at Capital One Signing Lunch. Thankfully, I got to take my Dad (he died a little over a year later), who was extremely impressed with KF, who absolutely carried the day over LSU Coach Nick Saban. Saban tried to be "funny" several times. He just doesn't have that "funny" gene in him, I guess. Much to my chagrin, I also met Jim Harbaugh several times. He's just not a very nice guy. Not necessarily "mean", just very self-absorbed, and seems put out with having to be "nice" to people in pretty much any setting or scenario.
 
Mr. Davis is a great guy. Met him when he coached one of the college all-star teams at the game they used to stage here in Orlando. Roy Marble turned out to be tournament MVP, but BJ Armstrong was sent home before the game with a broken hand. Both Mr. Davis and his wife were gracious and appreciative for our local Hawkeye club hosting them for drinks, food, and a Q & A session.

Had several occasions to meet Kirk Speraw when he was coach at UCF. Another great guy. Then met KF at Capital One Signing Lunch. Thankfully, I got to take my Dad (he died a little over a year later), who was extremely impressed with KF, who absolutely carried the day over LSU Coach Nick Saban. Saban tried to be "funny" several times. He just doesn't have that "funny" gene in him, I guess. Much to my chagrin, I also met Jim Harbaugh several times. He's just not a very nice guy. Not necessarily "mean", just very self-absorbed, and seems put out with having to be "nice" to people in pretty much any setting or scenario.
I was a 16 yr old kid when I got to meet Mr. Davis. I was a geek of a fan boy and he was perfectly nice and friendly. My dad has a picture of us somewhere in his house.

Kent and Les Jepsen were camp counselers and I got to shoot with Kent a little bit. There was a speed shooting contest they had from the FT line where you had 30 seconds to make as many as you could didn't matter how many you missed. I don't remember how many I made but I won the 16 yr old age group. Pretty much the pinnacle of my 'career' haha.
 
I was a 16 yr old kid when I got to meet Mr. Davis. I was a geek of a fan boy and he was perfectly nice and friendly. My dad has a picture of us somewhere in his house.

Kent and Les Jepsen were camp counselers and I got to shoot with Kent a little bit. There was a speed shooting contest they had from the FT line where you had 30 seconds to make as many as you could didn't matter how many you missed. I don't remember how many I made but I won the 16 yr old age group. Pretty much the pinnacle of my 'career' haha.

That's awesome! Maybe Rob needs to feature you in one of his "WATN" articles!
 
Slightly more off topic, Tom Chambers is the poster boy for why you should never meet your heroes. Ever.

I was born in Iowa but we moved to Arizona in the 80s for seven years. My dad somehow became friends with the sound guy at America West Arena and he got us in one day to walk around and check stuff out. There happened to be a bunch of players around which as a 10 year old was the coolest thing in the world until we ran into Tom Chambers. That guy was a total fucking dickhead. Complete asshole. I watched an interview with him a while back on YouTube and he's still exactly like I remember him.

Jeff Hornacek and Kevin Johnson---awesome dudes. Can't say enough how cool they were. Tom Chambers? Wouldn't walk across the street to piss on the guy if he was on fire and offering me $1,000.

The other time this happened was at MLB spring training. My old man used to take me down to Hohokam park every year and we'd check out the Angels who had just moved there from Florida. Cubs trained there too...Cactus League. One of my best memories as a kid. Got Jim Abbott's autograph, Wally Joyner, Lance Parrish, Gary Gaetti. Chili Davis gave me a broken bat...

So...after practice one weekend, Bert Blyleven comes walking through and just like in every spring training in history, kids come and mob him for autographs. He's stops and says, "Hang on guys, I'm gonna run in and shower quick and I'll stop back out in a bit," and then he goes in the clubhouse. So being the un-jaded little kid I was, and a big fan of Blyleven (my dad liked him from growing up a Twins fan), I stood there and decided to wait. There was no way I was gonna miss this chance. Not even 2 minutes goes by and he walks out the side door in sweats (there was a fence separating the parking lot), jogs to his car and bails. Now, I don't have a problem not signing autographs for kids. If you have shit to do you have shit to do...I get it. But don't tell a big ass group of little kids your going to "be right back" just to get them to leave you alone so you can leave. That's ultimate level douche.

I can't remember my elementary school teachers' names or what my bicycle was like at 10 years old, but I remember what a POS Blyleven was.

There was a slightly more happy ending to the story, though. After Douchleven left, Dave Winfield came through and said the exact same thing as Bert. I could tell my dad didn't want me to wait again and get crushed, but at that age kids believe everything you tell em. So I waited and about a half hour later Winfield came out in street clothes and signed every goddamn thing that every kid had and even talked to everybody. "How you doin, buddy? You play baseball? That's a nice glove..." Goofy shit like that but I (and I'm sure all the other kids) thought is was the coolest thing I'd ever done. This guy played baseball on TV, for god's sake. I've heard in years since that Winfield is an awesome guy still today and never heard a bad word spoken about him.

Bottom line, think about how you treat little kids; they'll remember it for life whether your famous or not. Oh, and F Tom Chambers and Bert Blyleven.
I thought you were the complete ass$$$$! You bash disabled Iowa Hawks Fan. Maybe you worship Tom Chambers daily at your altar in your house.
giphy.gif
 
I thought you were the complete ass$$$$! You bash disabled Iowa Hawks Fan. Maybe you worship Tom Chambers daily at your altar in your house.
Fail. Your head injury is getting worse, your family should probably have your home health staff limit your internet access.

Seriously though, it's getting worse. Your posts are way more handicapped-sounding than they were a couple years ago. Like velcro shoes-level worse.

MRI maybe?
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top