Rick Barry's quote on Wilt Chamberlain

[La Frescobaldi]

Damn he made his freethrows

can you find anybody that says he missed em at the end of games really? Not if the win was on the line.
For example, in the 'Havlicek stole the ball' game, he scored the last 8 points including 2 clutch FTs.... Chamberlain 8, Celtics 0. Then Bill Russell choked.... then Hal Greer choked....
That said, Chamberlain was famous for dancing away to avoid fouls at the end of games, which got to be yet another rule change, have to foul the player with the ball at the end of games. The dude was as bad as Shaq at the charity stripe.

The interesting thing at the time though, was this. Rick Barry was in the ABA when he wrote that op quote. He regretted it bad when he thought he was going back to the NBA and would have to face the wrath. Everybody talked about that back in the day, how Rick Barry was talking garbage from a safe distance!!

Meanwhile Barry talks about it on another day:
http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article...er-2978203.php

[LAZERUSS]

Barry's initial quote was based solely on stupidity. Chamberlain had nuked his Warriors in Barry's LAST season in the NBA ('67.) He would then take FOUR more teams to the Finals, winning yet another one in '72, when Barry wrote his book. Barry came back in '73, and guess what? After his Warriors shocked Kareem's 60-22 and heavily-favored Bucks, in a series in which Kareem puked all over the floor...Chamberlain shelled Thurmond, completely shut down the entire Warrior offense, and led HIS 60-22 team to a 4-1 series blowout win. In game three, in OAKLAND, Chamberlain led LA to a 126-70 obliteration of Barry's Warriors.

Chamberlain was the game's greatest WINNER from '67 thru '72 BTW...in every facet of WINNING.

[LAZERUSS]

This...

"Nobody seems to appreciate what an incredible player Wilt was," Russell said at 1997 All-Star Game when the league named and honored its 50 greatest players. "He was the best player of all time because he dominated the floor like nobody else ever could. To be that big and that athletic was special."

Kareem on Wilt...

"Chamberlain played the game the same way Russell did, except he scored so much more. But his teams had to get more points from him. He'd score 45 points and his teams would still lose."[

More Kareem...

"Wilt had to fight people's dissatisfaction that his teams didn't win. There he was, this great dominating player, and his teams didn't win championships. Well, Wilt wasn't playing for the right team. As an individual, he was in a class by himself, but his teammates--they were OK, but not the supporting cast Russell had."[

And still more Kareem...

"You obviously never saw Wilt Chamberlain play who undoubtedly was the greatest scorer this game has ever known. When did MJ ever average 50.4 points per game plus 25.7 rebounds? (Wilt in the 1962 season when blocked shot statistics were not kept). We will never accurately know how many shots Wilt blocked. Oh, by the way in 1967 and 68, Wilt was a league leader in assists. Did MJ ever score 100 points in a game? How many times did MJ score more than 60 points in a game? MJ led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons for 10 years but he did this in an NBA that eventually expanded into 30 teams vs. when Wilt played and there were only 8 teams."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in an open letter to Scottie Pippen after Scottie Pippen referred to Michael Jordan and Lebron James as the greatest scorer and greatest player, respectively

Larry Bird...

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188550

When the topic of all-time greatest player was once raised, none other than the legendary Larry Bird didn't hesitate.


"Open up the record book and it will be obvious who the greatest is," he said.

[jongib369]

I'll take his honest opinion at the time Wilt was actually playing. Notice how he said "I'll say what most players feel". This is how most people thought of Wilt when he was actually playing at the time.

So you're going to take opinions that were formed with ESPN like logic more seriously?

[jongib369]

This...



Kareem on Wilt...



More Kareem...



And still more Kareem...




Larry Bird...

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188550

[Psileas]

So you're going to take opinions that were formed with ESPN like logic more seriously?

And obviously, Bigalow and the rest of the "trollpany" had formed their opinions way back as well, when Wilt was playing, so these opinions have to "count".

[pudman13]

I'm reading Barry's book now, and it's absolutely priceless. Talk about a candid guy who spares nobody's feelings! I'm not entirely sure what motivated the Wilt comments, but they sure sound like his honest feelings at the time. I'm not going to suggest that he was correct, just that it was clearly something he wrote from the heart, for whatever reason (and, yes, Barry does seem like a guy who would carry a grudge.)

A few other tidbits that I find fascinating:

He claims that Dick Van Arsdale was the best defensive forward when he was in the NBA. He also mentioned that while Van Arsdale was something of a bruiser, he didn't play as physical (or dirty) as Dave DeBusschere, Gus Johnson, Bill Bridges or Tom Hawkins.

His heaviest praises fall squarely on two players: Nate Thurmond and Jerry West.

My absolute favorite quote from the book, about Lew Alcindor: "Like Chamberlain, he seems to have mental problems, but he's capable."

The book includes small sections written by people close to Barry. The bit by his wife about what it was like when they were first dating is utterly hilarious, like every cliched 50s love story ever. Apparently if Rick hadn't fixed his teeth she never would have married him.

Oh, if only there was video footage of Barry and Thurmond's Warriors in 1966-1967. I'm sure that team was a wonder to behold. That team also had two of the most brutal players in NBA history, Al Attles and Tom Meschery (the latter of which could easily qualify for the all-ugly team thread that was going around earlier this week.)

[jayfan]

The interesting thing at the time though, was this. Rick Barry was in the ABA when he wrote that op quote. He regretted it bad when he thought he was going back to the NBA and would have to face the wrath. Everybody talked about that back in the day, how Rick Barry was talking garbage from a safe distance!!

This helps OP's position more than hurts it.

You feel free to speak your mind once you leave. You have to measure what you say once you come back.



.

[La Frescobaldi]

This helps OP's position more than hurts it.

You feel free to speak your mind once you leave. You have to measure what you say once you come back.



.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

Elucidate.

[pudman13]

Oh, and there's more! Barry says this, when discussing players who whine to the refs: "Did you ever see Wilt come away from a scramble shaking his hand? You'd think it was made of glass. He'll, he could squeeze a grapefruit into a cherry with one of those mitts of his, but let him get a tap on it and you'd think amputation was necessary. I think he cries, but his beard hides the tears." Wow.