In all Airness - Michael Jordan era NBA history

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Welcome Rich Rinaldi to the show. Part one of our extended conversation about his life. We recorded this on Rich’s 75th birthday (an added treat). A wide-ranging discussion and perfect example of why I love creating my podcast. We talk baseball - Rich’s first sporting love - and what led to his switch to basketball at age 14.

Rinaldi became a hoops standout in high school and a star in college, amid the real possibility of being drafted for military service in the Vietnam War. Our chat covers through early 1971 – just before the ABA and NBA drafts (March). Keep an ear out for part two where we’ll delve into Rich’s pro career; the NBA, ABA and overseas (where he starred for six seasons).

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My recap of the final stop on the No Bull Tour (Sydney). Australian legend, Luc Longley, invited his former Chicago Bulls teammates, Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, to our friendly shores. The show was even better than I could have imagined.

For greater context, I created this YouTube video to accompany the audio. It features a wide range of photos spanning the players' careers. There's also brief footage from the end of the show, when we were able to record video of the Bulls trio.

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Let's welcome the legendary Tom Chambers to the show. A massive thanks to our mutual friend, Jeff Wells. Jeff was my guest on episode 128. We detailed his campaign for Tom to enter the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. We also spoke at length about Jeff’s awesome YouTube channel, TC24, devoted to the life of Tommy C. Without Jeff, today’s episode would simply not be possible. I strongly encourage you to subscribe to TC24 – it features a wealth of excellent clips and features on Mr. Chambers.

This episode is sprinkled with audio snippets that add more context to my conversation  with Tom. In some instances, the audio is edited for brevity. Where applicable, most clips are available to watch – or listen to - in full on TC24.

Please note that our conversation was recorded on January 21, 2024. As of that date, the stats I discuss with Tom - re the number of 60-plus point scorers - are correct. In recent weeks, remarkably, an additional five such games have been added to that exclusive list. TC discusses a wealth of topics in this episode. From a personal point of view, it may be the most enjoyable conversation in the history of my podcast.

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On November 2nd, 2023, six-time NBA All-Star Walter Davis died of natural causes while visiting family in Charlotte. Today, I welcome back Adam Beechen - a great friend of the show. We discuss Walter’s life on-and-off the basketball court.

Amidst his innumerable accomplishments, Davis was certainly no stranger to adversity. Despite battling substance abuse for the majority of his Phoenix Suns tenure, Walter averaged 20-or-more points per season in six of his 11 campaigns in the Valley of the Sun.

A quick sidebar. Per Basketball Reference.com, on July 6, 1988, Walter Davis was the second player in NBA history to sign as an unrestricted free agent. He joined the Denver Nuggets one day after another would-be Suns legend, Tom Chambers, signed w/ Phoenix.

In the lead-up to recording this conversation, I put out a call for listener contributions. Tim Gallagher kindly answered the bell. Tim has collected sports autographs for more than 50 years and is a Consignment Director for Robert Edward Auctions. You’ll hear Tim’s reflections on Walter Davis as an interlude within the episode. Tim will also feature as a future guest on my podcast. He has a wealth of incredible stories to tell.

RIP, Walter Davis. The Man with the Velvet Touch.

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Reggie Lewis tragically passed away 30 years ago (1993) at the age of just 27. This is an updated re-release of episode 27 with my great mate, Todd Spehr. We recorded our chat ten years ago to mark the 20th anniversary of Lewis' sudden passing.

I’ve added numerous audio clips for greater context, edited our original conversation and improved its sound quality. We discussed the life and times of Reggie - from his days at Dunbar High School, to his tenure at Northeastern University and ultimately, rise from seldom-used NBA rookie to captain of the famed Boston Celtics. Todd mentioned the poem that Reggie’s widow, Donna Harris-Lewis, read to the Boston Garden faithful on Reggie Lewis Night in 1995. Audio of that poignant moment also now features.

This is a fresh listening experience even for the most-diehard fan clamoring for a new episode – of which, to be sure – many more are planned for release throughout the rest of 2023. Most of the additional audio in this episode was sourced from TV broadcasts aired at the time of Lewis’ passing. They were thankfully preserved by Tim Theriault.

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The legendary Beef Brothers (Rick Mahorn and Jeff Ruland) return for episode six.

01:49 2023 NBA Draft Lottery - Wemby to San Antonio Spurs
06:21 Ralph Sampson (and Bill Walton) - similarities to Victor?
07:16 Manute Bol was how old when he joined NBA?! Chuck Nevitt mention!
08:37 Bill Garnett ('82 Draft - pick #4) and Jeff Ruland have beef!
09:09 Rick offers Jeff tissues to get over the incident!
09:33 Ja Morant brandishing a weapon (again) on social media
13:27 Lakers and Nuggets - West Finals discussion
15:03 Mile-high (in Denver) or just high?
16:28 76ers' woes - fallout from Embiid's comments after ECSF G7
18:21 Heat and Celtics - East Finals breakdown (Beef Brothers masterclass)
20:12 Do the Heat need a Herro?
20:42 Coach Erik Spoelstra's impact
21:22 Setting Suns?
21:58 Rick and Jeff's on documentaries (don't ask Horn about The Last Dance!)
24:01 Adam looks like Andy Cohen?! It's an Aussie roast!
24:20 Listener question: Rick's opinion of Isiah Thomas (after The Last Dance)
25:38 Listener question: Jeff on battling Darryl Dawkins and Buck Williams
26:45 Rick's a big Chocolate Thunder fan. Buck Williams? Not so much!
27:50 Horn does his best impression of the Aussie accent!

Watch conversations online - episodes live on the Beef Brothers' YouTube channel. Here's episode six.

We encourage your interaction - ask questions or add comments on YouTube and the Beef Brothers will respond in future episodes. If you prefer e-mail, reach Rick and Jeff by e-mailing Adam: [email protected] - he'll collate your submissions to read out to the guys. A quick warning that ocassional language during this series is not safe for young ears.

Follow: Instagram [Rick / Jeff / Adam] | YouTube [Beef Brothers / Adam]

Support: Buy Adam a coffee | Amazon: USA / Australia | Audible | PayPal

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[as an Amazon Associate, Adam earns from qualifying purchases - you'll be supporting his podcast at no extra cost]

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Let's welcome Bill Willoughby to the show. There are many more strings to his bow – as you’ll hear in my introduction - however, Bill rose to national awareness during the 1981 NBA Playoffs, by virtue of his excellent defense against the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Willoughby is one of only a few to ever reject The Captain’s iconic skyhook. A topic we certainly cover in this refreshingly open and honest conversation.

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[as an Amazon Associate, Adam earns from qualifying purchases - you'll be supporting his podcast at no extra cost]

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The legendary Beef Brothers (Rick Mahorn and Jeff Ruland) return for episode five.

01:12 2023 NBA Awards thus far
03:23 Rick Mahorn nominated for Washington Wizards President?!
05:12 Players who find a great fit on the right team
06:23 Kyrie conundrum
06:37 Jeff and Rick's role on 1980s Bullets
08:55 2023 Playoffs - 76ers, Nuggets and Suns advance to round two
09:47 Trae Young shocks Boston (Game 5)
10:30 Celtics vs 76ers / Heat vs Knicks (round two preview)
11:50 Heat's reliance on Jimmy Butler - who else can help?
12:45 Importance of good health in the playoffs, Embiid's return
14:18 Dillon Brooks' value and impact on Grizzlies' chemistry
16:30 Whining to refs / Dick Bavetta and Joey Crawford stories
18:33 Can the Kings dethrone the Warriors?
19:51 Hat-tip to Butler and Booker / Suns vs Nuggets (round two preview)
21:42 Rick and Jeff's funniest teammates!
26:23 Listener question: Rick and Jeff's relationship with Wes Unseld
28:04 Listener question: Origin of Rick's patented "pull-the-chair" move
29:44 Listener comment: Appreciation for 1980s Bullets making playoffs
31:54 Frank Johnson and Gerald Henderson brawl (1984 Playoffs)

Watch conversations online - episodes live on the Beef Brothers' YouTube channel. Here's episode five.

We encourage your interaction - ask questions or add comments on YouTube and the Beef Brothers will respond in future episodes. If you prefer e-mail, reach Rick and Jeff by e-mailing Adam: [email protected] - he'll collate your submissions to read out to the guys. A quick warning that ocassional language during this series is not safe for young ears.

Follow: Instagram [Rick / Jeff / Adam] | YouTube [Beef Brothers / Adam]

Support: Buy Adam a coffee | Amazon: USA / Australia | Audible | PayPal

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Subscribe (free): NBA-history newsletter

[as an Amazon Associate, Adam earns from qualifying purchases - you'll be supporting his podcast at no extra cost]

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Watch Adam's TV debut. Or, listen to this audio and learn how his adventure went. Can he justify his self-proclaimed title of Michael Jordan / NBA-history obsessive?!

I recently made my first - and perhaps last - appearance on television. I was a contestant on Australia's top-rated game show, Hard Quiz. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's on-demand TV streaming service, ABC iview, describes Hard Quiz thusly: "Not satisfied with winning the 2022 AACTA Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Program, Tom Gleeson has combed the nation to find a new bunch of self-nominated experts willing to undergo the HARDEST test there is".

My Hard Quiz appearance aired on April 12, 2023. It was recorded in-front of a live studio audience in early September, 2022. The description for episode 10 of series eight: 'Four contestants are after one Big Brass Mug and host Tom Gleeson is in the way. Expert topics this week are Scouts Australia, animated film The Incredibles, NBA superstar Michael Jordan and penny farthing bicycles!'

No prizes for guessing my specialty topic. Thanks to my best mate of over 40 years, Nicholas, for encouraging me to apply for the show. A special thanks to Hard Quiz Contestant Producer, Zim, who ensured each contestant had a fantastic time on the day of recording.

Support: Buy Adam a coffee | Amazon: USA / Australia | Audible | PayPal

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[as an Amazon Associate, Adam earns from qualifying purchases - you'll be supporting his podcast at no extra cost]

Send Adam a text message.

The legendary Beef Brothers (Rick Mahorn and Jeff Ruland) return for episode four.

00:50 NBA reg-season recap (best records, league leaders)
01:18 NBA MVP picks for 2023 season
02:41 League parity
04:03 Did Suns win Durant trade?
04:52 Will Kyrie and Luca remain a duo, win a title?
06:28 Dwane Casey's replacement as Pistons coach
07:17 Josh's Giddey nether regions / Beef Brothers inflicting pain
08:13 Fashion sense (or lack thereof) in today's NBA
09:47 2023 Play-in Tournament (last two games)
11:43 2020 NBA Playoffs - Round one preview
15:28 Wizards' outlook / free agency across the NBA
18:59 Beef Brothers washing uniforms in the sink or shower?
19:58 Who will win Wembanyama Sweepstakes?
20:55 Kangaroo meat for Wemby?!
21:10 Rick's and Jeff's off-the-court interests
22:50 Listener question: Jeff on denying Jordan's first NBA jam ('84)
23:56 Beef Brothers were "built to make posters", put players on their a$$!
24:32 Listener question: Rick on Isiah Thomas punching him in the head ('90)

[Ryan Van Dusen's awesome YouTube channel]

25:46 JEFF UNFILTERED - Rules doesn't mince words re Isiah!
27:25 Listener question: Beef Brothers t-shirts (latest re availability)
28:21 Episode frequency to increase / special guest appearances, too!
29:29 Power to the people, avoid kangaroo meat and subscribe to Beef Brothers!

Watch conversations online - episodes live on the Beef Brothers' YouTube channel. Here's episode four.

We encourage your interaction - ask questions or add comments on YouTube and the Beef Brothers will respond in future episodes. If you prefer e-mail, reach Rick and Jeff by e-mailing Adam: [email protected] - he'll collate your submissions to read out to the guys. A quick warning that ocassional language during this series is not safe for young ears.

Follow: Instagram [Rick / Jeff / Adam] | YouTube [Beef Brothers / Adam]

Support: Buy Adam a coffee | Amazon: USA / Australia | Audible | PayPal

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast

Follow: Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

Subscribe (free): NBA-history newsletter

[as an Amazon Associate, Adam earns from qualifying purchases - you'll be supporting his podcast at no extra cost]