Lots of youngsters these days can't see beyond their own nose and don't care about the past.

 

While true, Bert said he asked 20/30 somethings and they didn't know. I'll be 30 in July and there's no excuse for someone my age not knowing who those guys are. That is, if they consider themselves to be true Cardinal fans.

Do you ever recall John Stockton finishing with his left? Guy played darned near 20 years and couldn't dribble with his left. Signature move if guys overplayed his right was two quick dribbles with the left then crossover.

 

Too young to recall. That's another case of did they not watch any film on these guys?

At 16 ppg and a 1:1 Assist to TO ratio, it looks like they did.

 

Not hardly, saw him play many, many times and he went left well enough to score in bunches. Fractured foot slowed him down. Scored over 20ppg before that got him.

Talking about Griffith, what were the names of his two top sidekicks at Male? I believe they were all in the 6'4" to 6'6" range.

While true, Bert said he asked 20/30 somethings and they didn't know. I'll be 30 in July and there's no excuse for someone my age not knowing who those guys are. That is, if they consider themselves to be true Cardinal fans.

I think you are more of an outlier, unfortunately. I've talked to UK fans in that age group that don't have any idea who Kenny Walker or Dan Issel are and in some cases don't have a clue who Mashburn is. Just a sign of the times. I think a TRUE Fan would know, I just think most these days are casual fans and not TRUE FANS.

At 16 ppg and a 1:1 Assist to TO ratio, it looks like they did.

21 points per game average until the injury that caused him to miss over a year, he was never the same player after that.

Not hardly, saw him play many, many times and he went left well enough to score in bunches. Fractured foot slowed him down. Scored over 20ppg before that got him.

 

Well, injuries suck. And to be injured through Karl Malone's rookie season was a huge setback in his career. Maybe if he were healthy throughout we'd be discussing the Jazz whenever the Bird/Magic era is brought up, but as it stands he's a step above J.R. Smith to me.

21 points per game average until the injury that caused him to miss over a year, he was never the same player after that.

 

Fine. In that case, Derrick Rose would have been the best point guard in the NBA if he hadn't gotten hurt.

Fine. In that case, Derrick Rose would have been the best point guard in the NBA if he hadn't gotten hurt.

That has nothing to do with what I'm saying.

Talking about Griffith, what were the names of his two top sidekicks at Male? I believe they were all in the 6'4" to 6'6" range.

Bobby Turner was one. Can't recall the other.

That has nothing to do with what I'm saying.

 

Ok, before the injury, Rose was more athletic than all but maybe two players in the league. You said Griffith was more athletic than most of the league today. That's the first parallel.

 

Rose averaged roughly 21ppg prior to the injury, (25 in his mvp season) as did Griffith. Parallel numero dos.

 

Both were prolific dunkers prior to injury. Side note, Westbrook needs to watch where and how he lands.

 

I don't see where I missed your point.

 

Going a step further, Malone was drafted while Griffith was injured, effectively making him a third option when he returned, and Jimmy Butler was drafted following Rose's first significant injury, meaning both had new roles following their injury and Rose has not responded the way fans hoped he would, much as I suspect was the case when Griffith was returning.

 

Am I still off base?

Ok, before the injury, Rose was more athletic than all but maybe two players in the league. You said Griffith was more athletic than most of the league today. That's the first parallel.

 

Rose averaged roughly 21ppg prior to the injury, (25 in his mvp season) as did Griffith. Parallel numero dos.

 

Both were prolific dunkers prior to injury. Side note, Westbrook needs to watch where and how he lands.

 

I don't see where I missed your point.

 

Going a step further, Malone was drafted while Griffith was injured, effectively making him a third option when he returned, and Jimmy Butler was drafted following Rose's first significant injury, meaning both had new roles following their injury and Rose has not responded the way fans hoped he would, much as I suspect was the case when Griffith was returning.

 

Am I still off base?

 

Your original assumption was that a decent defender would have made him a role player today...that is the point I disagree with.

 

I only pointed out his injury because he was vastly different before and after...just as Rose was. That doesn't mean that prior to injuries that both weren't really good players. That has nothing to do with you saying he'd be shut down by current players...which I still disagree with.

 

I'm guessing that you are of the opinion that none of the greats from the 80's could play today at the same level.

Bird?

Magic?

Isiah Thomas?

Moses Malone?

Barkley?

Your original assumption was that a decent defender would have made him a role player today...that is the point I disagree with.

 

I only pointed out his injury because he was vastly different before and after...just as Rose was. That doesn't mean that prior to injuries that both weren't really good players. That has nothing to do with you saying he'd be shut down by current players...which I still disagree with.

 

I'm guessing that you are of the opinion that none of the greats from the 80's could play today at the same level.

Bird?

Magic?

Isiah Thomas?

Moses Malone?

Barkley?

 

I see. Didn't mean to get off track. I simply gave my scouting report of one five minute video. If you could watch that and say making him beat you left isn't the way to try to stop him, we might as well end this portion of the discussion.

 

Of course those five could play today, but a lot of the things they did have since been replicated and expanded upon by the current generation. It's just the evolution of the game. Doesn't diminish their importance to it at all.

If Bill Russell was playing today instead of back in the day, nobody, and I mean nobody could contain him. That's my two pennies worth.

Considering scoring and fg% were both higher in 1980 than they are now I'll assume next you'll tell me the game was pure back then and it wasn't about the money.

 

And that has a lot to do with having real centers teams could dump the ball into and score in the paint (high fg% shots), and guards/forwards could knock down the mid range jumper.