For someone of my vintage, being in Milwaukee for an NBA game conjures up childhood memories of Lew Alcindor, later to become Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in his early days as an NBA player. It was nice to visit with Bucks broadcaster Jon McGloklin as he stood and chatted with Matt Devlin, Sherman Hamilton, Jim LaBumbard and I on the court some 30-35 minutes prior to tip.
"Johnny Mac" as he was dubbed in his day as one of the original Bucks was asked what it was like to broadcast a game with his number hanging in the rafters. A pleasure he said and then went on to recall what it was like during the title run in 1971. During that season Milwaukee became the fastest expansion team to win a title; grabbing the title in only its third season. I asked him about the 1974 squad that lost the NBA championship in seven games to Boston as Kareem made hook with time expiring in Game 6 in Boston to send it to the deciding game. Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook from the corner may have been a three-point goal in this day. I swear it was the longest hookshot I've seen, next to some goofy, Harlem Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon job in a game that didn't count. McGloklin said it was a broken play as nobody could understand what Larry Costello was drawing up on the board during the timeout. When the story session ended as pregame rehearsals were about to begin for the respective TV crews, McGloklin pointed over to the general manager of those great teams in Milwaukee, now Senior Basketball Advisor with the Raptors Wayne Embry, and said, there's the guy with all the stories, go ask him.
So I did. I took a seat beside Embry and he told me how the Bucks just ran out of gas in Game 7 as they were defeated by the Celtics. Embry then went on to talk about how he later had to trade Abdul-Jabbar and it wasn't easy.
"He wasn't comfortable here in Milwaukee," Embry remarked.
I can see why. You have a kid that has grown up in New York City, went to school in another big city attending UCLA in Los Angeles and in that time, 1971, when the US was cultural, civil-rights ticking time bomb, I understand how he would want a change. But how about the deal Embry pulled off. He told me it was tough but he ended up securing in return for Abdul-Jabbar four bodies, two draft picks and two players that turned into David Myers, Elmore Smith and two guys that have their numbers hanging in the rafters as well in Junior Bridgeman and Brian Winters. Oh by the way, it was Embry who drafted Alex English. So I would say "the wall" as Embry was known when he played had and probably still has a good eye for talent.
Charlie Villanueva loves to play against Toronto doesn't he? He had 25 points in the win over the Raptors, just two points off his season high. Don't believe it when athletes say they don't look forward to playing against their formers teams and it's just another game and blah, blah, blah. Under the guise of "many a truth hath been uttered in jest" I got a laugh out of Charlie V's comment in the locker room pre-game. The conversation went something like this: With a big smile on his face, he yells out when I walk into the Bucks locker room "Jonesy! We doin' the interview tonight?" My response was "No Charlie V, we'll wait until you come to T.O" and the kicker "Aiiight man, I got it circled on my calendar baby, see you on January 30th" I went to check the date when I left the locker room and you know what, he's right.
So a blown call is a big turning point in the game huh? What a surprise. But in fairness to the refs they admit it's not always easy. Every year during the pre-season they have the update for the media where they talk about rule changes and show us a video of what the changes and what the various points of emphasis happen to be for the season. During the question-and-answer period every year they say the next toughest call to the "bang-bang" of the block-charge is getting it right when the ball goes out of bounds. Guess Francisco Elson and the Bucks got a break last night.
Not a big crowd in Milwaukee for the Raptors. It was announced at 12,599. No chance! But even with the Bucks falling into a 13-point hole, there was no booing. But did the crowd ever get loud when Milwaukee made its comeback for the eventual win. And speaking of crowds, it sounds like Keyon Dooling is having an issue with the booing in New Jersey at home games.
