does anyone remember when juwan used to put up rediculously good numbers a few years back? bring 'em back juwan
Nobody filled the lane on the break like Oooooooooo Teeeeeeee, Otis Thorpe! I don't think you'll find anyone on this board over the age of 30 that doesn't love OT. I was at his first game back in Houston after the Drexler trade. He came off the bench for the Blazers. When he got off the bench, the whole place went crazy. He was inbounding the ball and the ref was classy enough to take his time handing him the ball so the crowd could give him a LONG standing ovation. He said in an interview after the game that it was a moment he will never forget. I think DaDakota met him a few months ago and actually got a picture with him. Said he was a super nice guy.
Anyone remember the game when OT scored 40!?? I listened to it on the radio. He was unconcious. All of his j's were actually falling!
One of the things that mystified me about Thorpe was his erratic free throw shooting record. He was never Ben Wallace/Shaq bad, but he swung wildly between slightly above average down to mediocre between seasons for no apparent reason, to wit: year/FT% 1985 62 1986 66 1987 76 1988 75 1989 72 1990 68 1991 69 1992 65 1993 59 1994 65 1995 59 1996 71 1997 65 1998 68 1999 69 2000 60 2001 80 I remember back in 93-94, when he started having trouble, the announceers would always say "well OT has trouble becasue of those big hands, he can't shoot free throws"; but I was always like WTF? His hand weren't too big when he was hitting in the mid- 70's a few years ago. What is stranger is that his apparent decline was reveresed in 1996 with Detroit when he all of a sudden starts hitting in the 70's again (with a fair number of attempts). Perhaps all players go through this, I just always noticed it with OT.
OT was of a breed of power forwards that seemed to be common in the early 90s but are now almost extinct -- the rugged, rebounding, enforcer, low post, blue collar ox. Rodman, Oakley, the Davises were all like that. Where did this type of player go? Why do power forwards now seem so much sissier?
Yep, it's like the Eddie Griffin syndrome. Plus, look at how teams like the mavs and suns are using power forwards these days. They shouldn't call the position power forward anymore. It should be something like finesse forward. And, because players take so many 3's, there are more long rebounds, so actually boxing out has become a lost art. Whoever happens to be standing where the ball lands gets the rebound. It's kind of sad. I miss the old school NBA. Oh well, there's always ESPN Classic.
Cato was also a league leader in FG% a few years ago. I think Cato and OT are a little bit similar although OT played with more heart. That being said, OT only played with heart sometimes because his biggest downside was his inconsistent play. One game he'd play like a monster and the next game he'd go into hiding. (Cato rarely, if ever, played like a monster) Don't get me wrong, I'd take OT over Cato in a heart beat but until we won the championship, OT had A LOT of detractors in Houston because he sometimes would simply disappear in games. But I still wish we had him now. He was a freak of nature with those gigantic hands!
You don't get on Jay Leno's show by having freakishly huge hands and grabbing rebounds like crazy (something the Rockets have struggled with for a LONG time). You don't make the cover of SI by making pinpoint outlet passes. You don't get a sneaker deal by boxing out and clearing the lane. The simple fact is that college players have come to think of themselves as junior NBA stars, and their play is starting to reflect it. Everyone wants to be the next Jordan or Wade, few people want to be the next Thorpe or Oakley. But it's players like Thorpe, like Oakley, like Rodman (who, despite his amazing ability to rebound, didn't start making headlines until he dyed his hair and acted a fool) that bring you a dynasty.
OT was my favorite Rocket until he was traded. I loved his intensity, his rebounding, and the way he would hang one handed from the rim for just a second after a dunk. I would give my left nut for an OT-style player with a jumpshot.
Yeah, 6'10" guys that could shoot Made OT endagered species. Funny thing is i blame Bill Lambear and Robert Horry
I loved his one handed under the bascket reverse dunks. just when you thought he was trapped under the basket he would get up twist his arm and dunk one handed. and i never forget the facial he put on robinson on a fast break in san antonio. that was the year hakeem got hurt for a few games ( either blood cloth or the eye sucket injuey) and OT and kenny smith took over with the pick and role. i had the picture posted in my college room. he was my favorite rocket for the longest time, unselfish, smart, and did all the dirty work. i also remember that Karl Malone backed out of a fight with him a couple of times like the chicken#@$t that he was. i loved the year we had him, Hakeem, and Mr. Mean in the same team.
Mr. Mean ! Now that's a guy I really miss. Boy could the rockets use him now. Although I think Chuck Haye's approach is much the same (intensity level), only he does not have the size or bulk of a Larry Smith.
yeah, I loved O.T. but in the end, he was as good a complimentary player to hakeem as horry. he was hands down a better player, but hakeem didn't need him. I now a lot of folks want yao to be surrounded by shooters but I think he would be great next to yao. he would clear the lane for yao.
Hey, that guy flipped me the bird at a game once. When he was with the spurs, he fouled out and I was heckling him as he walked back to the bench. Dude looked right at me and shot me the bird. EDIT: Sorry, I'm thinking of Greg 'Cadillac' Anderson.
The 2 things I remeber about OT is his one handed long down court passes. Who else does that? Plus he had a lot of clever moves around the bucket on the pick and roll. Most players these days pick and then fade to a spot they can like and shoot a jumper, but OT rolled to the basket every time. Maybe it was bwcause he couldn't shoot a lick from outside 8 to 10 feet. But I miss OT. Oh yeah...post a few more times OK?
signature Otis Thorpe 1) One-hand rebounds 2) One hand 70 ft outlet passes 3) One hand power dunks when he had the triple double, he probably could have done it with his left hand tied behind his back
No kidding. His kind used to be more common, but now they're gone, like the dinosaurs. Maybe a coelacanth or two, lol, but that's it. Isn't it weird how some players are like that? It's like their form comes and goes.
