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Post by SamH on May 4, 2022 14:47:40 GMT
This week's topic will suit the long time fans or those with some understanding of history. Which decade would you say British basketball was at it's strongest? 70s, 80s, 90s, 00's or 10s? Does British basketball have a 'golden era' you look back fondly on, or do you feel right now things are better than ever? It's just opinion remember, no right or wrong answers! (even though I always have to be right, apparently!  ) |
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Post by blueskies99 on May 4, 2022 15:42:46 GMT
From a purely selfish perspective I think the 10s would be the best decade.....great success for the Riders on the court, the establishment of our own arena and a foray into Europe.
As for British basketball I would say overall things are better than they have ever been.
Oh....and I started following the BBL in 1994.
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Post by isthaturinal on May 4, 2022 16:25:45 GMT
From a purely selfish perspective I think the 10s would be the best decade.....great success for the Riders on the court, the establishment of our own arena and a foray into Europe.
As for British basketball I would say overall things are better than they have ever been.
Oh....and I started following the BBL in 1994.
Totally agree with everything above, I remember the days when Riders were lucky to win a couple of games on the bounce. Oh….and I started following the BBL in 1984 |
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Post by dexter on May 4, 2022 18:53:28 GMT
It is my understanding that the 90s is seen as the golden era because that is when it looked like basketball could become a major sport. The opening credits of Grandstand even showed a clip of basketball. This is when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were the biggest brands. Basketball was cool.
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Post by SamH on May 4, 2022 19:01:50 GMT
Not to mention channel 4's NBA coverage - the number of people (including myself) that got into it through that...tickets to BBL games soon followed! Maybe it was the NBA's golden era, but was it for British basketball? Much like today, people liking and playing the sport is one thing, getting them to follow a British team and go to games regular, is quite another. Of course the BBL did enjoy the Sharks/Giants moment and the London rivalry in the 90s.
What about the quality of import and home grown players in the league - how does that compare today with previous decades?
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Post by SamH on May 4, 2022 19:05:29 GMT
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Post by irf on May 4, 2022 19:33:43 GMT
Not to mention channel 4's NBA coverage - the number of people (including myself) that got into it through that...tickets to BBL games soon followed! Maybe it was the NBA's golden era, but was it for British basketball? Much like today, people liking and playing the sport is one thing, getting them to follow a British team and go to games regular, is quite another. Of course the BBL did enjoy the Sharks/Giants moment and the London rivalry in the 90s. What about the quality of import and home grown players in the league - how does that compare today with previous decades? I remember when basketball started on channel 4 I was only a youngster then. Used to watch it a lot Then never really saw basketball again until Riders did a visit to my son's school and gave some tickets out in the 2010s My son was lucky enough that his school team qualified to play at the 02 before one of the BBL Cup Final Games Has to be 2010s for me as it's all I really know. Can't remember the team's or players from channel 4. The one thing I do remember is seeing one of the point guards on Multi Coloured Swap Shop or similar who looked tiny in the Channel 4 games but looked huge on Swap Shop! Ps did I remember correctly seeing Alton Byrd on Superstars? I know basketball was one of the disciplines on there at one stage as well? |
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Post by SamH on May 4, 2022 19:50:33 GMT
When you say you don't remember the teams or players from channel 4, that was NBA so surely you'd remember the Bulls and MJ dominating that era? The Shaq and Penny Magic? Grant Hill? That's what everyone at school was into, and to a lesser extent the Knicks and Rockets.
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Post by irf on May 4, 2022 20:17:49 GMT
When you say you don't remember the teams or players from channel 4, that was NBA so surely you'd remember the Bulls and MJ dominating that era? The Shaq and Penny Magic? Grant Hill? That's what everyone at school was into, and to a lesser extent the Knicks and Rockets. No. I remember watching British Basketball weekly Would have been the 80s? I'm sure it was British teams Thought it was Channel 4 but might have been a different channel It was live matches I'm sure? |
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Post by irf on May 4, 2022 20:20:07 GMT
Here we go:
1982
2 November – Channel 4 launches with a remit to cover sports which are not generally shown on ITV and the BBC.
7 November – Coverage of American football is shown for the first time, beginning the channel's long association with the sport.[1]
8 November – Channel 4 shows live sport for the first time when it broadcasts coverage of a match from Division One of the National Basketball League. It shows highlights of the first half of the game and live coverage of the second half [1]
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Post by blueskies99 on May 4, 2022 20:25:29 GMT
When you say you don't remember the teams or players from channel 4, that was NBA so surely you'd remember the Bulls and MJ dominating that era? The Shaq and Penny Magic? Grant Hill? That's what everyone at school was into, and to a lesser extent the Knicks and Rockets. No. I remember watching British Basketball weekly Would have been the 80s? I'm sure it was British teams Thought it was Channel 4 but might have been a different channel It was live matches I'm sure? You are correct…..1980s Ch4 is where I saw televised games…..yes it was live and the Riders (Planters?) we’re on….. |
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Post by irf on May 4, 2022 20:29:14 GMT
The point guard who went on Multi Coloured Swap Shop one Saturday morning was a white guy with a crew cut style haircut
He was a good player - think he was British?
Would recognise his photo if anyone else remembers this?
The league was promoted by "just juice"
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Post by SamH on May 4, 2022 22:52:43 GMT
Ah right yes I do recall people talking about British ball being on C4 in the 80s, that was before my time. It must have been fairly popular back then if C4 were showing it!
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Post by irf on May 5, 2022 0:56:10 GMT
Ah right yes I do recall people talking about British ball being on C4 in the 80s, that was before my time. It must have been fairly popular back then if C4 were showing it! I was 13 or 14 at the time Back then I would watch any sport going on TV And bear in mind we only had 4 channels then And we didn't get live football much like we do now So Monday night 8pm was prime time to get sports fans engaged. Like I say I remember really enjoying it (I found another link saying it was every Monday 8pm) It was on for an hour Highlights of first two quarters followed by final two quarters live Not a bad concept looking back |
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Post by LTfan on May 5, 2022 9:26:38 GMT
Here we go: 1982 2 November – Channel 4 launches with a remit to cover sports which are not generally shown on ITV and the BBC. 7 November – Coverage of American football is shown for the first time, beginning the channel's long association with the sport.[1] 8 November – Channel 4 shows live sport for the first time when it broadcasts coverage of a match from Division One of the National Basketball League. It shows highlights of the first half of the game and live coverage of the second half [1] I knew British basketball was on Channel 4 in the 1980s, but I didn't know British basketball was the first ever live sport to be broadcast on Channel 4. That's a great fact. |
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Post by LTfan on May 5, 2022 9:29:21 GMT
Not to mention channel 4's NBA coverage - the number of people (including myself) that got into it through that...tickets to BBL games soon followed! Maybe it was the NBA's golden era, but was it for British basketball? Same here... I used to watch the NBA on Channel 4 in the 1990s and that's what got me into British basketball. I'd say the 1990s looked like the golden era for British basketball, but knowing what we know now it was clearly all built on sand. |
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Post by dexter on May 5, 2022 11:13:36 GMT
Not to mention channel 4's NBA coverage - the number of people (including myself) that got into it through that...tickets to BBL games soon followed! Maybe it was the NBA's golden era, but was it for British basketball? Same here... I used to watch the NBA on Channel 4 in the 1990s and that's what got me into British basketball. I'd say the 1990s looked like the golden era for British basketball, but knowing what we know now it was clearly all built on sand. This is absolutely the right take. We can put those rose tinted specs away. |
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Post by hayesboy on May 6, 2022 12:52:46 GMT
"The point guard who went on Multi Coloured Swap Shop one Saturday morning was a white guy with a crew cut style haircut
He was a good player - think he was British?
Would recognise his photo if anyone else remembers this?
The league was promoted by "just juice"
That sounds like legendary sharp shooter Steve Bontrager. I believe he was American although he certainly played here for a while.
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Post by isthaturinal on May 6, 2022 13:01:48 GMT
"The point guard who went on Multi Coloured Swap Shop one Saturday morning was a white guy with a crew cut style haircut He was a good player - think he was British? Would recognise his photo if anyone else remembers this? The league was promoted by "just juice" That sounds like legendary sharp shooter Steve Bontrager. I believe he was American although he certainly played here for a while. Beat me to it, I was going to take a stab at Steve Bontrager, Now he was one hell of a player. |
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Post by ScottishBasketballFan on May 9, 2022 18:11:03 GMT
I've only been following BBL for over 10 years now so can't really say too much.
The league has had its ups & downs and the National Team seems to be an afterthought, I thought we could have built a legacy and GB could have gotten better, the Women were at one point better than the Men but I do feel they're more equal and seem to be an improvement.
Haven't had much to crow about in terms of success for the Rocks but when this move happens I hope they can see a big push to try and win silverware.
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