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Post by LTfan on Jan 19, 2022 10:57:14 GMT
Oh and as for post playing careers, I believe Randy Duck got himself a proper job as an accountant or something. Managing bills I presume.  |
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faz
Bench Warmer
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Post by faz on Jan 19, 2022 17:52:09 GMT
Tigers certainly got a few hammering at the start of the season but a couple of recruits made them more competitive. There’s been worse teams since! I saw Bigz and a very young Jack Hudson play against jets. Bigz was a nasty blue collar centre although slightly undersized. I also watched the d2 play off final. A very decent national league team we’re Liverpool at that point. I did what I had to to survive haha. I wasnt the most talented guy at all but I busted a gut and made sure whoever I was playing against would know theyve been in a battle. Tell you what though, there was some Monday mornings Id wake up feeling like Id been hit by a train. |
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faz
Bench Warmer
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Post by faz on Jan 19, 2022 17:55:02 GMT
Good call on Dave Aliu.
Didn’t Gumbs return to Cheshire the year they changed to Phoenix?
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Post by A tall man on Jan 19, 2022 21:36:32 GMT
We had Gumbs down in Plymouth for a season too I believe
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Post by bullets92 on Jan 20, 2022 20:54:18 GMT
Still that's pretty good if you hadn't been playing pro ball elsewhere and were able to just walk on to a BBL team and not just as a 2 minute a game end of bench guy. The standard is pretty high, I know relative to other pro leagues it isn't but relative to most amateur level players, even very good ones, its a million miles ahead of that. To get in with no other pro experience means you must have been/are very skilled! But I know what you mean about the financial side of it - I often wonder what BBL players do after their playing days are over, I know many go into coaching and what not, but guys who don't really have those skills - you think of someone like say, a Rico Alderson - I cant find anything about him online from the last 12 years or so, he'd be too old to be playing now but he didn't exactly come across as the sort of person that could go out and get a 'normal' job or even stay in basketball in a behind the scenes role. There are lots of others like that too - what do you think these guys end up doing long term? Just to come back to this - Its one of the things I really like seeing when guys move on/retire what they do next. Theres a guy I played with at Everton - Jerome Gumbs - has a very well established junior academy that uses his college at USF among others as its base and he uses it to shape kids lives the right way through the game which I think is fantastic. Trey Moore was out in China coaching at one stage and I think hes carried that on back in the states quite well too - does an awful lot of 1 v 1 individual stuff which quite frankly is ideal as hes one of the most talented Ive ever played with certainly. One thing I have learned though is never judge a guys personality solely on what hes like in a sporting context. Ive known the nicest guys in the world become animals on a basketball court, and conversely theres some who have a stellar reputation in the british game who I wouldnt pee on if they were on fire. Yorick Williams for example didnt have the best rep and definitely didnt help himself at times, but whenever I've spoken with him away from basketball hes a good guy to be around. Also on that point - Dave Aliu was a diamond of a guy. When I was in the BBL he'd call me before and after most of my games to give a helping hand and talk about how it'd gone. Maybe its because we're both scousers but he went the extra mile with a lot of people I know round here, genuinely good fella. I didnt know Rico save for what I saw and he was certainly a bit extrovert, but I reckon youd see a completely different guy away from basketball. Are you still in touch with any of your old teammates Bigz? Many people forget Trey Moore came to these shores to Birmingham the first time. Fresh off a Harlem Globetrotter background. Unbelievable player. Proper floor general. |
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Post by notoriousbigz on Jan 20, 2022 21:10:04 GMT
Just to come back to this - Its one of the things I really like seeing when guys move on/retire what they do next. Theres a guy I played with at Everton - Jerome Gumbs - has a very well established junior academy that uses his college at USF among others as its base and he uses it to shape kids lives the right way through the game which I think is fantastic. Trey Moore was out in China coaching at one stage and I think hes carried that on back in the states quite well too - does an awful lot of 1 v 1 individual stuff which quite frankly is ideal as hes one of the most talented Ive ever played with certainly. One thing I have learned though is never judge a guys personality solely on what hes like in a sporting context. Ive known the nicest guys in the world become animals on a basketball court, and conversely theres some who have a stellar reputation in the british game who I wouldnt pee on if they were on fire. Yorick Williams for example didnt have the best rep and definitely didnt help himself at times, but whenever I've spoken with him away from basketball hes a good guy to be around. Also on that point - Dave Aliu was a diamond of a guy. When I was in the BBL he'd call me before and after most of my games to give a helping hand and talk about how it'd gone. Maybe its because we're both scousers but he went the extra mile with a lot of people I know round here, genuinely good fella. I didnt know Rico save for what I saw and he was certainly a bit extrovert, but I reckon youd see a completely different guy away from basketball. Are you still in touch with any of your old teammates Bigz? Many people forget Trey Moore came to these shores to Birmingham the first time. Fresh off a Harlem Globetrotter background. Unbelievable player. Proper floor general. I remember him at Bullets! Was he not league MVP that year?!? If not he was close. The guy could do the lot. I was team mates with Jason Swaine (commentates for Giants now, very basketball knowledgeable guy) and he obviously played in the arena days of the BBL at its peak - he always said there wasnt many guys hed pay to go and watch in the BBL but Trey was definitely one of them. I always thought that was high praise. I have a lot of import guys on FB so I keep my eye in with what they're upto - and the English lads Im very much in touch with, Jack and Dave are obviously at Giants now but my ex Tiger teammates are doing various things - Gael Hulsen still plays in Europe and Martin Calvo was coaching at Canarias last time I checked in. |
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Post by almachizzit on Jan 20, 2022 21:57:54 GMT
In my first season watching the BBL Trey Moore get banned for six games or whatever it was for saying hello to the ref after Mersey beat them to win the league.
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Post by notoriousbigz on Jan 20, 2022 22:42:29 GMT
In my first season watching the BBL Trey Moore get banned for six games or whatever it was for saying hello to the ref after Mersey beat them to win the league. Yeah, Trey used a colloquial term that people of the opposing race aren’t allowed to use to potentially the most militant referee he could have found… Trey got frustrated a bit, and sometimes he acted out, but I can guarantee he was/is a good guy. |
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Post by almachizzit on Jan 21, 2022 11:50:00 GMT
In my first season watching the BBL Trey Moore get banned for six games or whatever it was for saying hello to the ref after Mersey beat them to win the league. Yeah, Trey used a colloquial term that people of the opposing race aren’t allowed to use to potentially the most militant referee he could have found… Trey got frustrated a bit, and sometimes he acted out, but I can guarantee he was/is a good guy. Pretty sure it was him that kept on giving the Rocks owner a bit of lip through the whole game. To be fair she gave it good too. Then, as per usual, when the Eagles won he went up to her and have her it tight. I love it when the players give it back, especially when the person on the receiving end can’t handle it. |
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Post by notoriousbigz on Jan 21, 2022 12:53:00 GMT
Yeah, Trey used a colloquial term that people of the opposing race aren’t allowed to use to potentially the most militant referee he could have found… Trey got frustrated a bit, and sometimes he acted out, but I can guarantee he was/is a good guy. Pretty sure it was him that kept on giving the Rocks owner a bit of lip through the whole game. To be fair she gave it good too. Then, as per usual, when the Eagles won he went up to her and have her it tight. I love it when the players give it back, especially when the person on the receiving end can’t handle it. He talked as well as he could play trust me haha!!!! |
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Post by ecrider on Jan 21, 2022 18:34:01 GMT
Another vote for Gene Waldron.
Was emotional when he got inducted to the riders hall of fame whenever that was.
Lonnie legette was playing for Leicester in the first game of basketball I ever saw. 40 years later still hooked.
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Post by bullets92 on Jan 21, 2022 19:20:28 GMT
remember him at Bullets! Was he not league MVP that year?!? If not he was close. The guy could do the lot Think he took it the next year with Chester. And maybe again with Eagles? We went like 2-30 so no chance 🤣 |
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Post by irf on Feb 18, 2022 10:51:35 GMT
Best and most important player for Riders whilst I've been watching was undoubtedly Drew Sullivan
Best opponent Charles Smith
Crandall may prove to be the most talented though
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Post by mac on Feb 18, 2022 19:49:02 GMT
All time favourite Eagle Charles Smith. Legendary career and once shot the lights out of Rider's in a cup final missing a contact lens. Best fadeaway jump shot not to mention his Trey. Best from another team, much tougher. Big Billy Singleton was class. Give him the ball anywhere near the hoop and it was two points. Really nice bloke off the court too. Oh, then there was John Thomas, Point Guard for Chester Jets. Won Player of the year in his rookie season and was one of the few who could match up with TJ Walker. Going even further back there was Pero Cameron, also for Jets. A Tall Black, he was another big unit with soft hands. Ok better stop...
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Post by stevetino on Feb 18, 2022 22:08:15 GMT
Trey Moore was impressive at eagles that’s for sure
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Post by any1butlester on Feb 19, 2022 13:41:17 GMT
Nate Reinking : wherever he played that jump shot was a thing of beauty
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Post by irf on Feb 20, 2022 15:10:26 GMT
All time favourite Eagle Charles Smith. Legendary career and once shot the lights out of Rider's in a cup final missing a contact lens. Best fadeaway jump shot not to mention his Trey. I remember him shooting the lights out against us in a cup final. It was like everything he touched turned to gold that day Near the end of his career as well Didn't know he did it missing a contact lens! |
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Post by stevetino on Feb 20, 2022 16:11:01 GMT
All time favourite Eagle Charles Smith. Legendary career and once shot the lights out of Rider's in a cup final missing a contact lens. Best fadeaway jump shot not to mention his Trey. I remember him shooting the lights out against us in a cup final. It was like everything he touched turned to gold that day Near the end of his career as well Didn't know he did it missing a contact lens! The bigger the game the better the performance from The Prince |
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