Sports Then and Now

Buffalo: Home of the Braves captures the interesting history of professional basketball in Buffalo.

Note: Randy Smith, perhaps the least known NBA superstar, died unexpectedly recently, at age 60.

I believe nothing happens by accident. There is synergy in our actions and events beyond our understanding occurring all the time.

I believe it is not by accident that Tim and Chris Wendel’s book, Buffalo, Home of The Braves was released less than a week before one of its prime subjects, Randy Smith, saddened us all by leaving this world in the prime of his post-NBA life.

The Wendel brothers’ book is a gold mine of interviews with players and Hall-of-Fame coach Dr. Jack Ramsay. One of the key themes of the work is the unlikely ascent of Smith from local Division II basketball star to world-class All-Star MVP.

The book describes Smith’s unassuming beginnings:

At first glance, it was easy to underestimate Smith. Despite his athletic ability, he was so soft-spoken that his manner often bordered upon the laconic. Even though he was considered the greatest athlete in Buffalo State history, the school wasn’t a stop with many scouts. In fact, Smith won national honors for his soccer ability rather than his basketball play..During his senior year at Buffalo State, Smith didn’t show as well as in his junior year. Most of his scores came on drives to the basket, which most scouts didn’t think would happen with any regularity in either professional league—the NBA or the rival ABA…most scouts felt Smith lacked a dependable jump shot.

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Jordan was not a gracious host during the 1988 All-Star Game

This morning I woke up at 7 am and, in my normal routine, I switched on NBA TV. The 1988 All-Star game was playing and hearing Dick Stockton doing the play by play in the background, I had to stop and watch.

As I watched, I realized this may have been the game that encompassed everything the 1980’s were. As the decade was winding down and the NBA greats of that era were moving passed their prime, this exhibition was extremely hard fought with a blend of fundamentals and gritty determination – qualities that are far lacking in today’s All-Star games.

These guys wanted to defeat their peers, they saw this game as less of an exhibition for fun and more of an artistic exhibit of talent in a 5 on 5 competition of who is the best conference – not player.

Until today, I never realized what a bridge year 1988 was. The natural evolution of the game was perfectly displayed in Chicago Stadium on that Sunday afternoon.

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Dick Bavetta, who will be 70-years-old this year, has been making questionable decisions for years.

The NBA has locked out its Officials for the first time since 1995. The league is expected to employ D-League and WNBA refs for the start of the season.

The NBA Official, a recent victim of great controversy and contempt, has been a position marred by game fixing and player favoring. It seems every spring we question the decisions made by the officials and close fan observation provided by detailed taping of each game has made the leagues referees more mortal and subject to blatant mistakes.

In a sport that moves as fast as men’s basketball, it’s easy to understand how referees can make mistakes and miss calls. Slow motion instant replay has made bad call and missed calls more obvious and more subject to public scrutiny.

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This is the time of the year when the sports world offers a venerable smorgasbord of opportunities for sports fans to feed their hunger for action.

Whether it is the NASCAR Chase, the playoff push in baseball or the heating up of action in college and professional football there is something for everyone. And, to add some dessert, the WNBA Playoffs are starting, the hockey exhibition season has just begun and in just a couple weeks NBA teams will be starting training camp.

The Chase for the Cup
Having grown up in Southside Virginia less than an hour from the track where Jeff and Ward Burton cut their teeth in South Boston, I have always enjoyed NASCAR.

In the days before every race was wire to wire on live TV, I remember listening to NASCAR on the radio and visioning in my mind the battles between Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker and the other great drivers of that era.

Even today, I still believe that NASCAR is more compelling to listen to than to watch as you lose the monotony of watching the drivers make continual left hand turns and instead are paying close attention so you are ready when the announcer suddenly blasts out “And we’ve got trouble in turn three.”

So, NASCAR is now starting its version of the playoffs, the 10-race “Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.”
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Michael Jordan was arguably the best basketball player ever. But he was more than just a basketball star, he became a global and corporate star.

There are few NBA stars that possess the ability to have there first names be recognizable above any other name in their sport.

Today’s game boasts interesting names such as Kobe and LeBron but before they were even old enough to lace up sneakers one man separated basketball from sports.

Michael was, and remains, the most recognizable name in not just sports but in popular entertainment. His air-ness may share his name with the King of Pop and their achievements may be similar on a global stage but Michael Jordan’s ability to combine his achievements as an athlete and his ability to bolster his public image with his successes in the business world undoubtidly separate him from the other Michael.

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