I thought Oscar was given the Larry Bird treatment. I thought Bird was more protected than the American Eagle his last season in college. He was not called for fouls in the Missouri Valley.
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Agree about Larry getting a different set of rules for fouls. It use to drive me nutz. You would actually see Bird pull a player into him to get the foul… and he would get it!!!
Still I can’t fault the player for that and Bird was salty enough he realized it and took full advantage of it.
I was never a Bird fan because I loved Dr. J and Bird was in the way for Dr. J to get to the title game. As a much older person now, I look back on those old games and watch them and I can’t believe I did not like Bird. What he did was just amazing. He would just beat you in all areas and that’s not even bringing up how dang tough he was either. I am a huge Bird fan these days… just sad I didn’t appreciate him when I had the chance.
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I hated Bird and the Celtics, but only because I loved Magic and the Lakers.
Now, I really respect Bird, and I actually like him. He was amazing.
He made Magic and the Lakers better, and that rivalry, to me, was the best in the history of sports.
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For me, the 80s were the golden years of the NBA. Don’t get me wrong I think Jordan was/is the Goat, though just barely, Wilt was one of a kind and is right there too. Anyways I think Jordan would have been even better if he had had the kind of head to head star matchup like Magic v Bird. He just didn’t have that at the time he was there really.
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The NBA today is a dud compared to what it was in the 70’s and 80’s. Not worth my time.
‘In my days’ syndrome. NBA is great right now. I enjoy it more than college basketball.
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You maybe right. I am turning 60 this year (how the heck did that happen???) and I am finding I am turning more and more into a grumpy old man! That said I haven’t enjoyed the NBA in YEARS and YEARS.
One multi-millionaire treating another multi-millionaire like a golfing competitor. Laughing and having a few drinks after the day’s workout. Just keep the checks coming. Not quite as fruitless as their all-star games. Somewhere about the thirty-fourth thing on my list of an interesting way to spend my time. It does beat CNN or MSNBC. Somethings you outgrow. I am enjoying Walker Percy’s book, ‘The Message in the Bottle’, ‘Counterclockwise’ by Ellen J. Langer, and ‘Peaks and Valleys’ by Spencer Johnson, M.D. Most of my syndromes are consciously and carefully chosen. Some, however, are genetic and unfortunate maladies. Sometimes I spend an inordinate amount of time solving chess puzzles, but I love doing them. I also figure China already gets too much of my money on things I purchase from Amazon Prime. To each his own, for a while longer, I hope.
The only NBA activity I have is checking a few teams box scores to see how former Hogs are doing. I don’t watch it. Haven’t in 15+ years. We went to a few Magic games in Orlando when we moved to Florida in 2001, but that was more socializing with friends who had tickets than anything, although I did enjoy the talent display up close. The drama with trades and tirades is just too much for me.
My grandsons love the NBA and have a lot of knowledge about the players and league. Yesterday my 10 year old asked me if I had ever met an NBA player. I told him I met Isaiah Thomas years ago and he would not know him. He quickly replied he was a point guard for Detroit. I was floored. Good for them. I just can’t get interested.
I believe there could have been a Flagrant 1 called on Oscar for the hand to the face that preceded the elbow. That was definitely not a “Basketball Play”.
I hated Magic and the Lakers, but only because I loved Bird and the Celtics. 
Truth is, was a Celtic fan when B Russell was dueling Chamberlain.
Me too!
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