[ClutchFans] 25 Years Ago: Ralph Sampson Punches Jerry Sichting

Clutch,

thank for educating the masses with the TRUTH

 

Ehlo didn't do much of anything for us from what I recall. He really didn't get much regular playing time until he went off to Cleveland. I think this may have been around the period of time the Rockets kept going after "that dude who can hit an outside shot"... Craig Ehlo, Conner Henry, Steve Harris, Doug Lee... which was soon followed by the era of "trade for anybody who lights us up, especially if they play in California"... Otis Thorpe, Purvis Short, Mike Woodson, Sleepy Floyd, etc.

 

And in other news...

25 yrs ago, Heypartner punches his TV.

At least I'm not a Mavs fan. Poor Nitwitz

 

Yep Petersen is a pretty decent commentator and is also assistant coach for the WNBA Lynx. Like McHale he is also a former Golden Gopher.

 

It was on the national news even - I think he got slightly undercut by Cedric Maxwell or somebody and was off balance in the air.

If I recall correctly it was diagnosed as a contusion....not that i was old enough to know what a contusion was at the time.

 

The grand medical innovation that is the 26 mpg cap had not, sadly, been discovered...

 

Clutch,

Thanks for sharing this, and also for helping explain to some younger fans why a few of us "oldsters" were conflicted, by history, with the McHale hiring.

Observations/memories:

* Sweet Lou Lloyd was always one of my favorites on that team, but I recall him always struggling in the playoffs. I had forgotten that the drug bans were for two years. Did other players around the league get that much time? I guess I recall one famous center from NC State who was at Golden State at about the same time, but it almost seems like the league said "we're done with the Rockets for a while. Let's get us some more LA-Boston series for the ratings." I know, I know, tin foil hats, etc. I doubt there was a league office plan like that.

* McHale, with 25 years of space, is much more fluid and expert than I remember in the post. I never would have used the word graceful anywhere near him, but he looks downright nimble compared to someone like Dirk. Definitely more fun to watch now. I disliked him so much at the time.

* To piggyback on what Deckard was mentioning, I do remember the Celtics bunch as being pretty dirty, or that's how all of us viewed it at the time, and not just in the playoffs. As I mentioned in another thread, I was very familiar with them since I followed the Sixers so closely in those years (my 2nd favorite team due to Erving and then the Malone trade.)

* Me, my Dad, and his friends who came over for the games would turn the TV sound down and turn on the local radio for play by play -- that's how much we hated Heinsohn! :grin: Someone else said it perfectly (FranchiseBlade I believe): there was this surreal notion that everyone else assumed he was balanced, but he just kept saying pro-Celtics bits and quips. Even in that second video. "You have to watch the officials here. Sometimes they get biased for the team that loses its star." (or something like that) LOL

 

There is no doubt that the 80's Celtics were dirty. While it was a different time and the whole NBA was dirty by today's standards the Celtics were a dirty team even by the 80's standards and the one of the reasons for the Bad Boys of Detroit's success was that they out thugged the Celtics.

Check out McHale clotheslining Kurt Rambis (who was also a thug) in the 1984 Finals.

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Danny Ainge was probably the worst offender on that Celtics team and would frequently get into fights.

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That's insane, no suspensions!?! Love it!

 

The "How you like me Now?" era of the NBA

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Basketball was played by MEN back then!!

Rocket River

 

I have a feeling this going to be a long off season.
These threads are perfect in educating the clutchfans of the truth and real history of the Houston Rockets.

 

If KMac ends up hiring his buddy Jerry Sichting (who worked with KMac in Minny for 13 years, and is presumably leaving his assistant coach position in GSW since that team is changing head coach) to work for the Rockets. I wonder if someone can pull together a reunion of the participants of the brawl. Dennis Johnson passed away, but most of the rest of them should be available.

 

it would be cool to see Ralph Sampson back.

 

Sampson said Sichting bit him. Didn't know that. Nice article, Clutch.

 

Did Hakeem throw a punch at 1:56??? Very unlike of him if thats him.

 

Akeem did. He actually was a hot head young player back in the day.

 

You obviously don't know much about AKEEM
*chuckle*

Rocket River

 

The Rockets need a big man who won't break.

 

I don't know about back but I saw Ralph a few times at Golden Gophers basketball games the last few years since his son plays for Minnesota.