Sitting here watching the NBA finals.
Made me think of why I love basketball.
I am an LSU guy. Born in Baton Rouge when my father was there finishing his PhD. Went to grad school there myself years later. I recall camping out for a few days to see LSU play Duke in the early 90s. It was outside of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
I don't think most folks know anything about Pistol Pete.
A little about him below the fold.
He is still the all-time leading NCAA Division I scorer with 3,667 points and an average of 44.2 points per game. Keep in mind this was all done before the three-point line was introduced, and despite being unable to play varsity as a freshman under then NCAA rules.
Just listen to Isiah Thomas say he was the shit.
He was as people called him at the time "show time" before the Lakers were.
In the pros he was hobbled with knee problems. Even with that during his ten-year career in the NBA, Maravich played in 658 games, averaging 24.2 points and 5.4 assists per contest.
He had a problem with alocohol. Well known. He found "god" and was working with troubled youths when he dropped dead on a basketball court at 40.
He is why I love basketball .....