“It’s a business,” he shrugged at a 3 p.m. news conference in the Sonic office. “I’m ready to go.”
Tag Archives: 1970s NBA
The ‘New’ Elvin Hayes, 1973
He knew he had something to prove this season in Baltimore. Leading the Bullets to a championship would be the best way to silence his many critics. That’s why in 1972, the Big “E” stood for Effort.
Are NBA Games Losing Their Excitement? 1979
There has been a great deal of hype since the merger of the two leagues to the effect that things have never been better, either on or off the floor. “All the stars are under one roof,” they say. That’s true, but the question is: What game are they playing?
What’s Left for Lew Alcindor? 1972
What, then, will incite Alcindor and keep his interest? The same thing that incites all great athletes—a competitive challenge.
The NBA Before Load Management, 1973
More and more these days, Russell and other sportscasters appraise the product pointedly, with such asides as, “If there’s a loose ball around here today, you can be sure those guys won’t go get it.” Welcome as honest descriptions may be, they hardly compensate for a home fan’s boredom.
Dick Vitale: Pumping Up the Detroit Pistons, 1978
Vitale is a workaholic. His non-stop drive to succeed may stem from the fact that he never made it as a player himself. An infection at the beginning of his junior year in high school cost him the sight in his left eye, and he could never recapture the form that made him a 25-point-a-game scorer the year before.
Red Holzman: The Plainest Man in the World, 1970
And after, when Red had finished hurling wonderfully descriptive expletives at the officials, when he had talked to the reporters who cluster in ever-increasing numbers these days, he went to Russell’s near the Cadillac Hotel with a few friends. Russell’s is a late-night steak place.
Pat Williams: How to Succeed in Chicago Without Even Trying, 1972
Pat Williams is just about ready to put an end to all those wonderful little things that Leo Durocher and Red Auerbach have had us believing since childhood. And he’s going to do it without snarling, cursing, or being evil.
Nate Thurmond: Welcome to the Machine, 1975
Dick Motta pretends not to count the years he will have Thurmond. He thinks instead of the years he didn’t have Thurmond. “I’ll tell you personally how I feel about it,” said Motta. “I’ve been in this league seven years, and I deserved the right to coach Nate Thurmond.”
Pete Maravich: Shape of Things to Come, 1971
“You have to push yourself to play,” Maravich said. “Starting August 1, I ran three miles a day. When I got to camp, I was in the best shape of my life. Pros have to be in shape.”
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