What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
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What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
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What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
We've got three more days until the next Bucks game, so I figured I'd toss this out there as a fun topic to get a sense of the people who post here.
My earliest memory of the NBA is around the 1995-96 season. I have very vague recollections of anything prior to that. I didn't grow up in a family that watched a lot of sports, basketball included. But I had a few relatives and classmates who pulled me into watching sports, and basketball was one of the first.
The Bucks sucked back then - even as the Vin Baker/Glenn Robinson duo was fun to watch at times. The bulk of my basketball watching was the weekly NBA on NBC games. MJ and the 72-10 Bulls. Penny and Shaq. Stockton and Malone. Kemp and the Glove. Hakeem. DRob. Ewing. Barkley. Every week featured a game that was worth looking forward to.
Then, you had the 72-10 Bulls and the Sonics going at it in the NBA finals. I rooted for the Sonics (I loved Gary Payton back then), but it seemed like a futile exercise against those Bulls.
That offseason, you had Space Jam come out, and I was hooked on the NBA going forward.
What are your earliest memories?
My earliest memory of the NBA is around the 1995-96 season. I have very vague recollections of anything prior to that. I didn't grow up in a family that watched a lot of sports, basketball included. But I had a few relatives and classmates who pulled me into watching sports, and basketball was one of the first.
The Bucks sucked back then - even as the Vin Baker/Glenn Robinson duo was fun to watch at times. The bulk of my basketball watching was the weekly NBA on NBC games. MJ and the 72-10 Bulls. Penny and Shaq. Stockton and Malone. Kemp and the Glove. Hakeem. DRob. Ewing. Barkley. Every week featured a game that was worth looking forward to.
Then, you had the 72-10 Bulls and the Sonics going at it in the NBA finals. I rooted for the Sonics (I loved Gary Payton back then), but it seemed like a futile exercise against those Bulls.
That offseason, you had Space Jam come out, and I was hooked on the NBA going forward.
What are your earliest memories?
Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
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Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
Bird/Magic for the 1979 NCAA title. I know I watched a lot of hoops before that, but that sticks out as the first really clear memory. I remember thinking how stupid it was that Indiana State named their team after a tree.
Edit: Actually, the Wes Matthews shot to beat Michigan St. was 3 weeks before that. I was actually in attendance for the Matthews shot. Still the greatest thing I ever saw live.
http://archive.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/118935979.html
Edit: Actually, the Wes Matthews shot to beat Michigan St. was 3 weeks before that. I was actually in attendance for the Matthews shot. Still the greatest thing I ever saw live.
http://archive.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/118935979.html
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Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
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Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
As a basketball fan in Greece, in most cases around my age, the turnpoint of really loving basketball was on 1987 when Greece beat the mighty Russia 103-101 on OT, to become European champions. I remember the game like it was yesterday even if I was 11 then (I am not 41 now, still 18 with 23 years experience ). Then everybody started playing basketball in every corner in Greece wanting to be Galis.
The initiation to NBA started in the early 90s. MJ ( I had a huge collection with anything related to him),the mighty Bulls (never expected to dislike them as much as I do now ), Malone, Stockton, Drexler, Olajuwon,Ewing, Kemp, etc etc. NBA Jam, getting the Air jordans and other basketball shoes.It was like watching basketball on Fast forward on steroids . Used to wake up during the night to catch some games live (like now).
Of course I was lucky that my home team (Panathinaikos) was a power force in European Basket and I was very often at the Stadium.
Around university time I stopped following NBA that closely, then marriage, kids etc). I didn't have a team to support until Giannis went to the Bucks, and here we go again....
Thanks for the trip down to memory lane !
Cheers,
Alex
The initiation to NBA started in the early 90s. MJ ( I had a huge collection with anything related to him),the mighty Bulls (never expected to dislike them as much as I do now ), Malone, Stockton, Drexler, Olajuwon,Ewing, Kemp, etc etc. NBA Jam, getting the Air jordans and other basketball shoes.It was like watching basketball on Fast forward on steroids . Used to wake up during the night to catch some games live (like now).
Of course I was lucky that my home team (Panathinaikos) was a power force in European Basket and I was very often at the Stadium.
Around university time I stopped following NBA that closely, then marriage, kids etc). I didn't have a team to support until Giannis went to the Bucks, and here we go again....
Thanks for the trip down to memory lane !
Cheers,
Alex
Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
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Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
I remember mowing a neighbors lawn and listening to the bucks and celtics. always pissed at how good we were but stupid celtics and sixers were a touch better. . .
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Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
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Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
Technically the Bulls first championship vs the Lakers. But I think the '92-93 season was when I first heavily got into the NBA. The Suns/Bulls finals were when I first got invested. The following season Blue Chips came out and Penny joined Shaq in Orlando. Fall of '94 NBA Live '95 was now on SNES, and my cousin introduced me to Above the Rim on VHS.
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Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
Nightfall wrote:As a basketball fan in Greece, in most cases around my age, the turnpoint of really loving basketball was on 1987 when Greece beat the mighty Russia 103-101 on OT, to become European champions. I remember the game like it was yesterday even if I was 11 then (I am not 41 now, still 18 with 23 years experience ). Then everybody started playing basketball in every corner in Greece wanting to be Galis.
The initiation to NBA started in the early 90s. MJ ( I had a huge collection with anything related to him),the mighty Bulls (never expected to dislike them as much as I do now ), Malone, Stockton, Drexler, Olajuwon,Ewing, Kemp, etc etc. NBA Jam, getting the Air jordans and other basketball shoes.It was like watching basketball on Fast forward on steroids . Used to wake up during the night to catch some games live (like now).
Of course I was lucky that my home team (Panathinaikos) was a power force in European Basket and I was very often at the Stadium.
Around university time I stopped following NBA that closely, then marriage, kids etc). I didn't have a team to support until Giannis went to the Bucks, and here we go again....
Thanks for the trip down to memory lane !
Cheers,
Alex
we have absolutely the same good memories, i loved also xristodoulou..except tht panathinaikos power force all Greece was Aris back then..
Cheers
Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
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back before the days of cable watching the Bucks play the Celtics and 76ers in the playoffs in the early 80's. can't really remember anything specific though.
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Double Dribble for Nintendo.
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Kareem (with LA unfortunately) and the skyhook. Not much bball on local tv at the time, but that and his glasses made an impression
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The "Light It Up" song with Allen, Big Dog, and Cassell. Beyond that I randomly started watching televised games for the 03-04 Bucks season that were occasional on UPN (I think it's my24 now?) and have followed the team and the NBA since then.
Also random, but I recall thinking Vince Carter was on the Kings for the longest time when I was like 10 or 11 years old, because Toronto also had purple jerseys and I just didn't know anything about the NBA at that point.
Also random, but I recall thinking Vince Carter was on the Kings for the longest time when I was like 10 or 11 years old, because Toronto also had purple jerseys and I just didn't know anything about the NBA at that point.
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True story.
My dad was watching the news, I was playing on the floor with some GI Joes or leggos. He normally turned it off right before the sports came on (because he is a lame accountant) but there was a special segment on Michael Jordan, and how he was the new hot thing in the city (I grew up in Chicago). This had to have been like, 1987. As they showed the interviews with people on the street, and Jordan highlights, I had some sort of awakening. I went in to the kitchen, and found a box filled with coffee filters, which I hollowed out and made in to a hoop. I balled up a few socks and started dunking. I eventually graduated to a nerf hoop, and my parents eventually bought me a real one for the driveway. I have never not loved basketball since.
Huge Bulls fan, obviously, but around 1994 I was so sick of everyone on the Bulls bandwagon that I decided to make a "switch" of favorite teams. The plan was to pick an up and coming team, and never switch again. In retrospect. Perhaps I did make the wisest choice for new favorite?
When I eventually moved to Wisconsin after high school, I was shocked at the lack of NBA interest. I am a social and outgoing guy, and always in gyms and playing pickup ball. I can count the guys I know that genuinely like and follow the Bucks (over a 20 year span) on two hands.
I guess it is getting a little better.
My dad was watching the news, I was playing on the floor with some GI Joes or leggos. He normally turned it off right before the sports came on (because he is a lame accountant) but there was a special segment on Michael Jordan, and how he was the new hot thing in the city (I grew up in Chicago). This had to have been like, 1987. As they showed the interviews with people on the street, and Jordan highlights, I had some sort of awakening. I went in to the kitchen, and found a box filled with coffee filters, which I hollowed out and made in to a hoop. I balled up a few socks and started dunking. I eventually graduated to a nerf hoop, and my parents eventually bought me a real one for the driveway. I have never not loved basketball since.
Huge Bulls fan, obviously, but around 1994 I was so sick of everyone on the Bulls bandwagon that I decided to make a "switch" of favorite teams. The plan was to pick an up and coming team, and never switch again. In retrospect. Perhaps I did make the wisest choice for new favorite?
When I eventually moved to Wisconsin after high school, I was shocked at the lack of NBA interest. I am a social and outgoing guy, and always in gyms and playing pickup ball. I can count the guys I know that genuinely like and follow the Bucks (over a 20 year span) on two hands.
I guess it is getting a little better.
Re: What is your earliest memory as a basketball fan?
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Random NBA video games in the mid 90s. I Also have faint memories of the NBA on NBC games, dominated by the Orlando Magic. Loved their look back in that era.
But the first memory that sticks out vividly and would be what I consider the starting point of my die hard NBA fandom is the 01 season. The intensity my dad displayed during the comeback in Charlotte for G6 was pure lunacy. I also waited w/ my uncle outside the BC during G7 in Philly to buy Finals tix if we won
But the first memory that sticks out vividly and would be what I consider the starting point of my die hard NBA fandom is the 01 season. The intensity my dad displayed during the comeback in Charlotte for G6 was pure lunacy. I also waited w/ my uncle outside the BC during G7 in Philly to buy Finals tix if we won
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Bucks winning the coin flip and getting one of the best players ever to play the game.
Ride the tank
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Earliest memories as a basketball fan.
I remember the inside of a comic book that had Dr. J and Rick Barry in it, with the red/white and blue ball. I remember collecting basketball cards that had the ABA players in them. I was FASCINATED by the ABA. I had a Wilt card when he played for the San Diego Q's that had ALL his stats on it.
First game I clearly remember watching was a finals game of Portland vs Sixers.
I remember going to a Marquette game during their NCAA championship season (I do not remember the game, tho). It was my first live game.
I remember the inside of a comic book that had Dr. J and Rick Barry in it, with the red/white and blue ball. I remember collecting basketball cards that had the ABA players in them. I was FASCINATED by the ABA. I had a Wilt card when he played for the San Diego Q's that had ALL his stats on it.
First game I clearly remember watching was a finals game of Portland vs Sixers.
I remember going to a Marquette game during their NCAA championship season (I do not remember the game, tho). It was my first live game.
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NCAA: Going to games at the field house during Finley's career (91-95). We weren't very good, but Finley was a lot of fun to watch. 1994 was a big year, because we got into the NCAA Tourney for the first time in not only my lifetime, but my dad's lifetime. It was our first time dancing since 1941. I was 8, so even then was only semi-interested and sometimes played games during the game (y'all remember those handheld electronic games you could buy at the grocery store?). But I definitely have some great memories and we had some good seats.
NBA: I liked the Bucks okay, but my Bucks fandom didn't start moreso until we drafted Big Dog. When I was a kid, I liked players. So I remember watching Hakeem, Penny, Glen Rice, and of course Jordan. I had a Hornets Starter jacket - loved those teams (even Fat Mason...ugh).
ETA: God, I guess Big Dog was 94. I guess it was around Ray Allen's draft (97) i got more into the Bucks.
NBA: I liked the Bucks okay, but my Bucks fandom didn't start moreso until we drafted Big Dog. When I was a kid, I liked players. So I remember watching Hakeem, Penny, Glen Rice, and of course Jordan. I had a Hornets Starter jacket - loved those teams (even Fat Mason...ugh).
ETA: God, I guess Big Dog was 94. I guess it was around Ray Allen's draft (97) i got more into the Bucks.
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When I was 7 or 8 my dad won an award and we got to sit court side and get honored at center court at halftime. Before the game all the Bucks workers kept asking me who my favorite players was and I kept saying Ray Allen. We were getting our picture taken and autographed with a player and half court. I figured since they kept asking me who my favorite player was and it was Ray Allen that it would be Ray Allen. However, it ended up being Vinny Del Negro, which at the time he might've been the last player I would have chosen on the entire roster!
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Double Dribble video game. And a makeshift hoop my dad made in our basement with a wood backboard and a just a medal bar made into a circle for us to use with one of those mini balls. Played that for hours on hours when I was 4-7ish
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DingleJerry wrote:Double Dribble video game. And a makeshift hoop my dad made in our basement with a wood backboard and a just a medal bar made into a circle for us to use with one of those mini balls. Played that for hours on hours when I was 4-7ish
Good call. Before I ever watched a minute of basketball on TV we played on the hoop in the driveway, or just about as memorable, on a little nerf hoop we hung on a wall in the garage. My dad, my brother, and I went hard on those games.
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Dunking on my nerf rim in my bedroom while rocking my '95 children's size Vin Baker jersey..................yesterday..........
What was the question again?
What was the question again?