Damon was as an athlete until his body started giving out. He could jump but by his senior year at IU he could barely touch the rim. His knees were bad. Sad really. Saw a ton of his games.
Paging Coach Gee, for an opinion
- Thread starter kurt cloverdales
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Knew Woodson when he was in high school. Nice kid and an amazing athlete. Great in track. 4x state champion. Ran highs and lows. I remember one of the football coaches saying, "We'll never have another Rod Woodson". Then, a couple of years later, Von Dunbar showed up. Great years for Snider football. A lot of fun to watch.
The story also goes that Lee Corso was on his way to Ft. Wayne to sign Rod Woodson when he heard on his car radio that IU had fired him. So Woodson ended up at Purdue instead. Was there ever anything more defining of the luck of IU football ?
Another single class glory years name would be Pete Trgovich, East Chicago Washington
https://hoopshall.com/inductees/pete-trgovich-jr/
Seems a good time to remember:
Martinsville’s John Wooden, who played professionally before coaching UCLA,
Terre Haute’s Bobby (Slick) Leonard, fabled Pacers ABA Star and coach.
Milan’s Bobbie Plump, inspiration for ‘Hoosiers’
https://hoopshall.com/inductees/pete-trgovich-jr/
Seems a good time to remember:
Martinsville’s John Wooden, who played professionally before coaching UCLA,
Terre Haute’s Bobby (Slick) Leonard, fabled Pacers ABA Star and coach.
Milan’s Bobbie Plump, inspiration for ‘Hoosiers’
NLC was tough back in those days, seemed like somebody was always going to state
TomEric4756
"Another single class glory years name would be Pete Trgovich, East Chicago Washington"
As far as teams very hard to match 71 ECW with Bridgeman, Trgovich, Stoddard, etc. They were 29-0 and won games by an average of 30 pts. They played with other worldly energy (super speed) and three NCAA championships among them and Bridgeman had a final four and Stoddard had a world series pitching win. Bridgeman has a very successful business career post NBA. It was a very special collection of players.
"Another single class glory years name would be Pete Trgovich, East Chicago Washington"
As far as teams very hard to match 71 ECW with Bridgeman, Trgovich, Stoddard, etc. They were 29-0 and won games by an average of 30 pts. They played with other worldly energy (super speed) and three NCAA championships among them and Bridgeman had a final four and Stoddard had a world series pitching win. Bridgeman has a very successful business career post NBA. It was a very special collection of players.
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Curious about a few players you didn't list: did you see Clyde Lovellete? Have heard many say he was one of the 2-3 best they saw. Glenn Robinson, Larry Bird or Zach Randolph? The Van Arsdales? I'm assuming all those (save Lovelette, who may have been before your time possibly) would be in your group of 50, but I know they'd have been in a lot of people's top 5, and curious if you had thought about each of them, and maybe you just didn't actually "see" them and were discounting because of that.
I think Wilt was great at almost every field event at the time. I believe he was very good at: high and long jump, shot put, discus and maybe javelin if he ever threw it. Assuming not pole vault! Add 400 and 800 too, according to Wikipedia:
"As an avid track and field athlete, Chamberlain high jumped 6 feet, 6 inches, ran the 440 yards in 49.0 seconds and the 880 yards in 1:58.3, put the shot 53 feet, 4 inches, and long jumped 22 feet. According to Chamberlain, "basketball was king in Philadelphia", so he eventually turned to the sport."
I think he was also a world class volleyball player into his 50s, maybe the greatest athlete who ever lived. Jim Brown was also a star in different sports
Bo Jackson is still the greatest athlete I've ever seen.
probably splitting hairs between the likes of Wilt, Bo, Jim Brown, etc... Who was viewed as the best decathlete of all time? That would be a strong case too!
I can't put Catlin Jenner and Wilt in the same discussion, just can't do it
No, and I don't think Bruce/Caitlin was viewed as the best, just the most famous. There were the 2 guys (Dave ? and Dan O'Brien?), and I think they were viewed as the best at that time, but there was one more recently who I think was viewed by many as the best ever. There was also an older Brit (Daley Thompson?) who I think was the best up until then and considered better than Bruce/Caitlin.
Played - for a couple minutes - against the Vans. They were men among boys but Manual was loaded beyond them. Strictly o high school ply, I wouldn't show Robinson, Bird nor Randolph among top 5. I didn't see Lovellette play. It may be that Homer Stonebreaker from Wingate was the best of them all, but they won the state in 1912 and 1913 and I didn't have a ticket. The best team I ever saw was Indpls Washington in 1969. Attucks would be 2nd.
Jim Thorpe was the greatest athlete we ever heard of.
Wow, that's cool, where'd you play? I think the best (I'd guess) from my high school (Southport) was around the time of the Van Arsdales, did you play against Louie Dampier?
Surprisingly, he's the answer to a fairly arcane and surprising trivia question: Who's the all-time leading scorer in the history of the ABA (leading assist man also, and maybe steals if they tracked it!)?
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jim bradley E. chicago roosevelt. won the state title in 1970 the year after big mac and indy wash. another forgotten indiana high school superstar. those were the days.
The game has changed. I actually hate Curry for the change he has brought , maybe more Steve Kerr. Hate on a basketball court not people. Imagine Jay Edwards in NBA today? I don't know if Alford would have done much better and Jay had the Knee and other issues. Jay last yr vs Curry last yr in college? Tough call on that who to draft in my mind. Sure knowing now.
Broc Jerrell (Evansville Bosse '45), Mike Edwards (Greenfield '69), Kojak Fuller (Anderson ?).
Louie Dampier and Jim Holt were a lethal pair of guards at Southport. Then Jim was my pledge brother at Butler.
What's your complaint about the game today? I enjoy watching the NBA so much more with the precise passing, the excellent 3 pt shooting, across the board, not just from "shooters" and it opens driving lanes so guys who can get to the basket, can! I think the NBA game is better today than it's ever been. I have always loved a good big that can score, but I think it also opens it up if you have one of those guys (Embiid, Ayton, etc...) but if not, teams are proving you can get by with a smaller player who can defend the paint. It's the path I see for TJD to take to the NBA at this point.
The problems that plagued Jay Edwards then, would likely still plague him. If he had a quarter of the drive Steph has, he'd have had a 10 year NBA career barring injury. Just like MJ, Steph really worked on and built his game and his body. I'm not crazy about some of the endorsements, etc... that have come with his success, but I don't begrudge him that and respect the effort he's put in to get where he is.
PS, but as I point out below, the outrageous salaries might also help Jay, by allowing him to hire guys to help him where his personality, discipline and commitment were lacking: personal asst, manager, trainer, nutritionist, etc... I'd gladly spend a million on those types if it meant I could get a $8+mill a year contract for a few more years!
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well said, todays game has no place for Charles Oakley just beating the shit out of someone for 48 minutes
I was at this 1986 football game in WL, Rod Woodson's last college game, and it was a heartbreaker. He was on the field for 137 plays. From a 2016 article....
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Let’s recap the statistics from 30 years ago.
Ten tackles, including seven unassisted. One pass breakup. One forced fumble.
Offensively, 15 rushing attempts for 93 yards. Three receptions for 67 yards. Two kickoff returns totaling 46 yards. Three punt returns for 30 yards.
All of this from a cornerback, wide receiver, tailback and a star on special teams.
All of this from one player: Rod Woodson. Thirty years ago this week, Woodson hardly came off the field as Purdue beat Indiana 17-15 to retain the Old Oaken Bucket and sent coach Leon Burtnett out a winner.
“I’ve been in this sport a long time and that’s the greatest game I ever saw one individual play,” Burtnett said recently from Texas.
Honestly, I think what's driving the improved skills are the salaries. I think they're so flipping high, that it's allowing guys without the motivation to "fake it" because they can afford a team of trainers, therapists, nutritionists, etc... and they don't have to do it on their own as much. While I'd agree there's no place for an Oakley the way he played, if he could have slimmed down and been more mobile, he might have made one of the smaller 5s who protects the rim, rebounds, and screens. I think it's allowed so many more guys to find ways to contribute, because it's not just about having beef inside. Guys like Duncan Robinson, Desmond Bane, Tyler Herro, even Steph, etc... I'm not sure those guys get a look in the NBA of 10+ years ago.
would love to see Reggie in his prime playing today, those Knicks series were sanctioned fist fights back in the day
Reggie Miller would average 25 in his sleep in today's game with current spacing and emphasis on 3 point shooting.
Reggie might be one of the guys that would benefit the most, and might be an MVP level guy in todays game, with his size and shot. He'd also thrive because he was pretty good putting the ball on the floor to get by his guy and had some good floaters and mid range. I think you can almost hear it in his voice when he's broadcasting about the perimeter guys in the league today how much he'd enjoy playing the game today.
Obviously a homer, but I think he's one of the most underappreciated players of all-time. Even just one title would have elevated him into the upper-echelon.
The guards, Darnell Adell and Reuben Bailey, also played D1 hoops. Tim Stoddard went to NC state and pitched 10 years in the Majors. My first FF at Hinkle, I got to see that team, along with the Super Hicks of Floyd Central, Freshman Kent Benson and New Castle, and Elkhart Memorial. Great memory.
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I was in junior high when they won. Side note, Courtney Cox (RIP) was also on the girl's golf team that won the state championship as well earlier that school year. Excellent all around athlete and apparently successful business woman as well.
I believe so but my memory's fuzzy. She and another woman had a pretty successful run. Can't remember the other person's name. She might still be running it.
I'm partial, but honestly I've never seen a better game (in person) than the 1980 Girls state championship won by Southport over Columbus (East I think) and a buzzsaw named Maria Stack. If you watch the last 4 minutes of regulation I think you'll get a feel for what an incredible game it was. Women playing, but not the typical game as far as shooting percentage.
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I had to look it up. She was one of the sisters of Hare Chevrolet. Looks like they sold it shortly after her passing.
I liked her on friends, didn't know she was an athlete also
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