Here we go again….another week accompanied by another death of an NBA Legend. A couple of weeks back I spoke glowingly of Daryl Dawkins and how indirectly he’d influenced my love for the game of basketball. In that post I also mentioned stories of one, Moses Malone.
Just as recent as last Friday’s Hall of Fame ceremony I saw Malone as I watched the festivities as I do every year. During the Red Carpet show I saw Malone towering over everyone while talking on his cell phone before he was seated. As vibrant and power as ever Malone was a towering figure on and off the court. The “Chairman of the Boards” left a lasting impact on the game, so much so that my favorite player of All-Time, Sir Charles Barkley stated the following about the passing of his mentor.
“The man I called ‘Dad’ passed today. Words can’t explain my sadness. I will never know why a Hall of Famer took a fat, lazy kid from Auburn and treated him like a son and got him in shape and made him a player.
Every time I saw him I called him ‘Dad.’ I hope he knew how much I appreciated and loved him.”
Unknown to me at the time of Malone’s passing was that a member of The Hardwood Nation knew him personally. Richard Anselmo knew Malone while the two were worked for the Houston Rockets, Malone of course as a player and Anselmo in sales. In only a way that could only be written from personal experience Anselmo penned a great piece. Below is an excerpt from said article:
The more I got to spend time around Moses the more his personality came out. He had a great sense of humor and never felt put out when asked anything. Whether I asked him about the game, rebounding technique or his opponents he was always accommodating. When I brought children around to meet him, Moses’ eyes lit up. He made time for everyone, especially children, and was a joy to be around. He made the kids feel good and made sure they walked away from any interaction with the feeling of a positive experience.
While I will remember Moses Malone the player, as he was special – Talented, relentless and always gave his all – every night, I will also remember and really miss Moses the person. The NBA lost one of its best family members. Rest in Peace, old friend. You will be missed by all.
Thank you Richard, your personal account is much appreciated.
Moses Malone was buried Saturday at the Lakewood Church in Houston. The irony and beauty of this is that the church was formally the Summit, the arena that the Houston Rockets called home during his tenure with the franchise. The Summit also housed the 1994 and 1995 Rockets’ teams that would win back to back NBA Championships.
Randomness
As one of the senior writers of The Hardwood Nation stated yesterday, the Atlanta Hawks will do anything to sell tickets.
Carmelo Anthony Falsehoods
There are times in sports coverage, news in general; when someone tries to create buzz; even when there’s an absence of substance. Is it the need to feel important? Or perhaps, could it be the need to jump on a scoop in a news medium where scoops no longer occur. Most times, it comes off as baseless, insincere, and dare I say, untrustworthy. What’s the relevance of a “scoop” that ends up being false, a buzz that has no sting?
This week a falsehood of such nature spread like wildfire throughout the NBA world, a small tidbit indicating that despite not being there yet, the New York Knicks were getting closer to trading franchise star Carmelo Anthony.
Indiana probably doesn’t want another “problem” personality, and the Pacers don’t have much beyond a lowball offer without attaching a first-rounder. Morris would open up the floor a bit in Washington. He’d eat into the Wizards’ Kevin Durant cap room, but they could move him in a pinch after the season. The Kings and Knicks should take a look, even though neither has movable assets that would interest Phoenix — unless the Knicks are ready to engage in Carmelo Anthony trade talks. (They’re not there, yet. But they’re getting closer.)
Many “competitors” ran with the story like wildfire again to be relevant, first, and to portray having an inside “scoop” when the reality is that the baseless claim, originally post by Zach Lowe of Grantland fame, bared no substance or depth, just a piece of information thrown on a wall to see what sticks. Below is a screen shot of the comment section of a post that was published by a competitor with the headline of Report: Knicks ‘Getting Closer’ to Carmelo Anthony Trade Talks but the article was far different which caused confusion among its fan base.
The fans of the NBA clearly deserve better and Joe Franco of The Hardwood Nation felt the same way. Mr. Franco crafted a beautiful post tackling the false report with ferocity. The post, Analyzing Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors, was the most popular on The Hardwood Nation this past week. Surprised? One shouldn’t be. As a fan of the Knicks, Mr. Franco was tired of the baseless rumors and even took time to answer a few questions about his Knicks fandom.
1. I know that the New York Knicks are your favorite team, can you tell me when you first fell in love with the franchise?
2. Your latest article was extremely popular on Hardwood, what made you call out Zach Lowe of Grantland fame?
I have nothing against Zach Lowe personally, but his report seemed outrageous. Sometimes, following the Knicks as much as I do, you get fed up with these reports.
What Phil Jackson has done thus far with the Knicks organization is acceptable. It kills me to say it, watching the team I love to watch win 17 games last year, but he is pointing the team in the right direction.
4. Who’s your favorite Knicks player and why?
Carmelo Anthony. He was born to play for the Knicks. He can score in so many different ways. My favorite part about his game is he always finds a way to put the ball in the basket. It could be the prettiest shot you’ve ever seen, or the ugliest shot. But he always finds a way.
The Hardwood Nation 