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I'm not comparing Pete to TD...I would rather watch Pete play than TD anyday. Still, it's a different era. I believe he revolutionized the game with this skills and talent.
I'm guessing we've all seen the youtube clip by now. They ought to incorporate that into the ASG festivities, along with 21, or a one-on-one tournament.
I'm not comparing Pete to TD...I would rather watch Pete play than TD anyday. Still, it's a different era. I believe he revolutionized the game with this skills and talent.
I agree. A lot of his moves live on today. Not that I mind seeing TD play, but basketball is a lot more fun to watch because of Pistol's influence.
But he was drafted by a playoff team in Atlanta. Pogo Joe Caldwell left for the ABA, and the Hawks were worse by 12 games with Maravich replacing him in the lineup.
That's also true. Of course, he wasn't a good fit there either. Those Hawks were a walk it up halfcourt team, and Pete liked to get out on the break and run. It didn't help matters than his endorsement deals alone were greater than the rest of players' salaries added up. Chemistry is an important part of it. But the pattern throughout his career was similar, as you noted. One thing I will say is that the Jazz seemed to be finally turning a corner when he blew out his knee.
Since Press Maravich was a defense minded coach, you could say that Pete wasn't a good fit at LSU, as well. But he was a meal ticket for his own family from birth.
There's not any doubt that he was a great player, and one of the best ball handlers ever. He ushered in the era of basketball promoting individuals over teams, and certainly was under pressure from everyone around him to be a showman rather than a teammate, and he provided for all those people until his heart gave out. It's a very tragic and sad story.
I've been reading the Kreigl book. Supposedly he was finally able to find some measure of peace and put his personal problems behind him after finding religion.
True...but I believe his first season with the Hawks there were some key players that had injuries...and hes a rookie for crying out loud. Still a rookie that shot around 20 per game. He was a definate showman and obsessed with b-ball. He would dribble everywhere he went and was on one of the first teams that played an all black highschool and hit the game winning half court shot, although after the time ran out...the crowd was chanting his name after the match...
I've actually had it reserved at the library for about a week. Looking forward to the read.
One of the most exciting highlights of Pete's career came during his time with the New Orleans Jazz. They were playing the New York Knicks, with their "defensive wizard" Walt Frazier. Pete popped out sixty-eight points that night against the Knicks. At one time during the game, Frazier turned to his teammate, "Earl the Pearl" Monroe, and suggested he defend Maravich. Monroe responded, "No. You're the defensive genius. You stick with him.""I'm just trying to push the game to its limits. We have so much to discover in basketball. Ten years from now, a lot of guys will be doing what I do...Every team will have a seven-foot guy on their roster. Basketball has to grow and change if we expect people to keep coming and paying good money.""I must admit I never really understood why people wanted autographs in the first place; I guess people looked to me as a hero. Webster defines a hero as a man noted for his special achievements. Hero is also defined as a long sandwhich. Since a lot of people called me a hot dog during my career, either definition may have been the reason people wanted my autograph."
(From Heir to a Dream)"'You're wasting your lives if you don't settle down and work, work, work,' I told them. 'You will never became a great basketball player if you fail to dedicate yourself one hundred percent to perfecting your game or if you fail to practice.'"
(From Heir to a Dream)He jammed me all right. I went for forty-five and fouled him out just after the half. Now that was just stupid of him, saying something like that. If I've got to stick the ball in my pants and jump through the hoop myself to win, I'll do it."
(After a game against Wyoming--their guard, Harry Hall, had claimed he was going to "jam the Pistol" and hold Maravich to just seven points. Ha ha, very funny.)There's an actor who turned down two million for three weeks' work. He wanted three million for two weeks. Yet I'm always being harped upon, because I'm there on the sports page every day.
"Man, the basketball player WORKS. The travel is really hard. We're extremely specialized, the most specialized people in the world probably. More so than a heart or brain surgeon. We SHOULD get paid.
"There's no difference in me playing ball and Lavar Burton playing Kunta Kinte in 'Roots.' It's all entertainment. You're trying to draw an audience. It's all one big conglomerate."
"The radio was playing and morning news was on. I was startled to hear that Pete Maravich, the basketball player, had collapsed on a basketball court in Pasadena, just fell over and never got up. I'd seen Maravich play in New Orleans once, when the Utah Jazz were the New Orleans Jazz. He was something to see--mop of brown hair, floppy socks--the holy terror of the basketball world--high flyin'--magician of the court. The night I saw him he dribbled the ball with his head, scored a behind the back, no look basket--dribbled the length of the court, threw the ball up off the glass and caught his own pass. He was fantastic. Scored something like thirty-eight points. He could have played blind. Pistol Pete hadn't played professionally for a while, and he was thought of as forgotten. I hadn't forgotten about him, though. Some people seem to fade away but then when they are truly gone, it's like they didn't fade away at all."
--Bob Dylan, in his book Chronicles Volume One
For all you "he sucks" proponents, put any of the other great shooting guards on Petes New Orleans and ATL teams. See how they do.
They won 12 more games with Joe Caldwell than they did with Pete Maravich. How's Jumpin' Joe stack up all time?For all you "he sucks" proponents, put any of the other great shooting guards on Petes New Orleans and ATL teams. See how they do.
The one and only factor was Jumpin Joe?
He was the only change from the top six guys, and it looks like all of them played a full season. Like the rest of the Pistol Pete apologists, I'm sure you have a litany of excuses ready.
GO:
Last edited by Obstructed_View; 08-15-2007 at 06:29 PM.
Didn't Pete's mother kill herself? I don't even want to imagine the kind of grief that must be.
^ yes, she did
Excuses....he is a legend....b-ball minds voted him in the top 50, hall of fame and numerous other legends tout his game as revolutionary....however arm chair pundits like "obstructed view" can't and refuse to see it....it's funny but you're user name is quite telling. I'd take NBA ballers and coaches opinions over anything you can spout.
I never said he wasn't a legend. I never said he wasn't top 50. I never said his game wasn't revolutionary. Too bad your reading comprehension is as poor as your basketball logic.
His. Teams. Never. Won.
In fact, they rarely seemed to be better by his presence. He may be the predecessor to much that the NBA has become, but not all of it is good.
Of course, you are a Kobe fan. Why wouldn't you defend a ball-hog scoring machine who can't make his team any better?
Kobe = 3 rings...surely a spurs fan can see his domination during their ring run. Also, reading comprehension is great, not once did I talk about the "making teammates better" BS.....a truly over the top statement in the last 10 years. That figure is so arbitrary it's not even funny.
Will Perdue = 4 rings...surely any idiot can coattail to a championship, just like Antoine Walker did.
So clever....coattail to a championship....too funny indeed. No response needed. You win at the internet buddy....hahahahaaha.
Multiple seasons with a 100 steals and 100 blocks acheived says that Gervin did play some defenseGervin didn't play much defense either.
Wake me when Kobe wins so much as a playoff series without Shaq, okay? A guy who scores one point in the second half of a game seven to get blown out by 30 doesn't deserve to be in the same sentence as Jordan, unless it's to say that he doesn't belong there.
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