NBA History Conversations: Basketball Record

Hey, it's Adam here. A quick podcast update for you as we near the end of 2021.

It's official. My recent conversation with the great Jerry Colangelo was episode number 200 overall. It was the 127th edition of 'In all Airness'. The remaining episodes are a combination of detailed season-recaps, short-form stories and a few podcast updates.

My great mate Aaron Stehn has featured regularly throughout the history of the show. We released a 30-episode series called #NB85 (devoted to Michael Jordan's rookie season). Our #NB86 series (you guessed it, chronicling the 1986 NBA seaon) is comprised of 15 episodes and #NB87 is a 13-episode run detailing the 1987 season. We're currently five episodes into #NB88 and hope to resume the series early next year. Shout-out to another great friend, Todd Spehr, for his support over the years, too.

I created this show in 2012 because I couldn't find a podcast that offered what I wanted to hear as a diehard fan of old-school basketball. Looking back on the extensive episode list, I'm very proud of my podcast. There's been an incredible array of guests on the show - Hall of Famers, All-Stars, role players, journeymen and those who have made significant contributions to the history of the game, from off the court, too. I've also made some  fantastic friendships and acquaintances over the years.

Recent updates to my website now allow fans of the show to support the podcast monetarily. Completely optional, of course. There are numerous costs involved to produce this show and with the recent rise of crowd-funded podcasts, I've finally jumped on board. You can 'Buy Me a Coffee' (more so a donation similar to the price of a cup of coffee). You can make one-off PayPal donations - if you'd prefer to make recurring payments, please contact me and that can be arranged. In the show notes of this episode, there are various affiliate links to basketball-related retailers here in Australia and the USA. By clicking on those links, you can support my show at no extra cost to you. If you make a purchase within 24 hours of visiting a link, I'll receive a small commission.

I also offer a free 30-day trial to Audible. Sign-up using my link and you'll get a credit to purchase any premium title (regardless of price). For example, if you're a fan of the legendary columninst - and repeat podcast guest - Bob Ryan, you can obtain his excellent book Scribe, by taking advantage of this Audible trial. Best yet, you can cancel anytime and still keep your purchase. If you wish to sponsor an episode of the show, that is also possible. Reach out to me and we can discuss specifics.

Your support will help offset some of the costs involved in producing the show, which is now in its tenth year. Those costs include my website / podcast hosting fees and my newspapers.com and audio-editing subscriptions to name a few. View the possible forms of support: inallairness.com/support.

All the best and thanks once more for being a listener of the show.

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Let's welcome ‘The Godfather of Arizona Sports’, Jerry Colangelo. Jerry’s contributions to professional sports are immeasurable. In this conversation, we focus primarily on his incredible basketball journey. Jerry discusses his high school, college and semi-pro career, before detailing how he became involved with the birth of Chicago’s NBA franchise in 1966. He recalls how the Bulls nickname came to be and what it was like to be a day-one employee.

We cover his move to Arizona where he was named GM of another expansion franchise, the Phoenix Suns. Jerry talks about the famed coin flip to obtain the services of Lew Alcindor (later, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and how the Suns worked their way to an NBA Finals appearance in 1976 versus the mighty Boston Celtics. Jerry describes how he built the mid-to-late 80s Suns into title contenders and the big trade that brought Sir Charles Barkley from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Valley of the Sun.

We briefly cover Jerry’s vital role in rebuilding Team USA. For more context, listen to this great conversation that Jerry had on The Crossover NBA Show (with Chris Mannix). He discussed how he turned the entire program around.

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Joanne worked with Reebok for over 15 years. Her family has links to the Boston Celtics dating back nearly five decades. Joanne details what it was like to grow up within the confines of the Boston Garden and the unique relationships she has developed with the franchise and its players throughout her lifetime.

Our conversation covers a wide range of Joanne’s amazing experiences working with Reebok. She joined the team in the mid-1980s and talks about the development of the brand and how Reebok managed to compete – and then thrive - in an intensely-competitive market for shoes and apparel. You’ll hear some tremendous stories about some of the NBA’s biggest names of the era – Larry Bird, Dominique Wilkins, Shawn Kemp, Dee Brown and Shaquille O’Neal, to name just a few.

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I’m excited to welcome Basketball Hall of Fame legend, Dave Cowens. The first NBA Most Valuable Player to appear on the podcast. In this fun, insightful and wide-ranging conversation, Dave discusses his days at Newport Catholic HS and run-ins with the assistant principal, who also doubled as his basketball coach. Dave details his recruitment to Florida State University – where he was a four-year standout with the Seminoles.

Dave recounts an intriguing letter he wrote to Celtics legend – and then-Cincinnati Royals coach, Bob Cousy – ahead of the 1970 NBA Draft. Cowens was a busy man in the lead-up to his rookie debut with the Celtics. During the week, he played in Boston’s Neighborhood Basketball League (BNBL) and on weekends commuted to New York to play in the famed Rucker League. For good measure, Dave teamed with ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich and stole the show at the Maurice Stokes Memorial Basketball Game.

Of course, there’s plenty of NBA and Celtics discussion. We chat about the two titles Dave won with Boston in the 1970s, how he prepared for games and battled with all-time great centers that often had significant height advantages over him. We even found time to talk about Larry Bird, too. This conversation primarily covers Dave’s on-court days. Hopefully he’ll return to the show to discuss his post-playing career and life after basketball. This is a candidate for my favorite episode yet.

If you enjoy this chat and you’re on Twitter, I’d be most grateful if you’d consider a quick tweet to Bob Ryan (@GlobeBobRyan), thanking him for the connect with Mr. Cowens. This conversation would not have happened without Bob’s continued generosity.

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How good is your knowledge of NBA trivia? This episode is all about nicknames. 30 questions in total, courtesy of the mighty Basketball-Reference. Players from the 1950s thru 1990s. Only one question went unanswered. Test your knowledge and see how you match-up!

Our first foray into NBA trivia. This is an edit of my Twitter Spaces recording from late August, 2021. We initially had four participants. In alphabetical order – Aiden, David, Joel and Richo. A fifth entrant, Matt, joined approximately halfway through. Competition was tough. Richo and David were particularly ruthless. However, everyone answered at least one question correctly.

Due to the nature of Twitter Spaces, the audio quality is variable. If you want to hear more trivia episodes, or even take part in a future one, please reach out and let me know. I’d be more than happy to set-up my own higher-quality recordings.

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[2015 re-release] Adam and Aaron discuss Dominique Wilkins' return to Atlanta - his first game versus the Hawks as an opposition player. Nique dropped 36 points on his former team, as the L.A. Clippers defeated the Atlanta Hawks by three points. This game was just four weeks after the Hawks' blockbuster trade that sent Dominique to the Clippers, in exchange for two-time NBA All-Star, Danny Manning.

We discuss all the key aspects of the game. We talk about the SportSouth broadcast and the commentary team's (Tim Brando and Mike Glenn) mention of an alleged rivalry between former teammates, Kevin Willis (1992 NBA All-Star) and The Human Highlight Film. We talk about each team's roster and our memories and opinions on this memorable match-up. Arguably, a forgotten gem of the 1994 NBA season.

People mentioned include Ron Harper, Mark Jackson, Mookie Blaylock, Stacey Augmon, Bo Outlaw, Harold Ellis, Duane Ferrell, Jon Koncak, John Williams and Elmore Spencer.

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I’m very pleased to welcome Caitlin Shea and Greg Hassall - co-producers of Australian Story’s two-part feature on Luc Longley - ‘One Giant Leap’. Personally, this podcast episode is extra special. Luc contacted me in June to ask if I’d be interested in doing research for the project. When Luc Longley calls, you don’t need to be asked twice. I offered some historical context and pointed Greg towards particular video footage of Luc’s career. A minor role, however, I'm extremely thankful to Luc, Caitlin and Greg for trusting my judgement.

In this conversation, we discuss behind-the-scenes details on how One Giant Leap originated. The pair talk about their experiences meeting Luc and the interview process with Longley’s family and friends. You’ll learn how interviews with US-based guests such as Scottie Pippen, Coach Phil Jackson and Steve Kerr were conducted. Of course, we examine how Caitlin and Greg managed to secure the involvement of Michael Jeffrey Jordan. They chat about how it felt to speak with one of the world’s most-recognisable names and the unique relationship between Luc and Jordan whilst teammates on the Chicago Bulls. Truly fascinating to hear.

Not in Australia? Watch here [Australian Story on YouTube].

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Approximately 20 basketball crazies here in Australia, flew to the USA for two weeks of NBA experiences we’ll never forget. It was an amazing time that I’ve occasionally mentioned throughout the course of this podcast’s existence.

You’re about to hear me reflect on that trip, enhanced with additional research and select audio clips. I also share a few unexpected twists and turns that I guarantee even the most ardent fans of the show have never heard before.

Once you’ve listened to this episode, I recommend venturing into the podcast archive. A great mate of mine, Aaron Stehn, joined me to recap the 1994 NBA season. That conversation is a perfect complement to what you’re about to hear.

I’ll preface this episode by saying that Michael Jordan’s October 1993 retirement from the Chicago Bulls was just weeks after the deposit for my USA trip had been paid.

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Hey, it’s Adam here. A quick podcast update for you as we near the end of the first week of July, 2021. Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening behind the scenes.

I have recorded - but not yet released - part one of my conversation with Wali Jones. He starred in college at Villanova, before entering the NBA and earning an All-Rookie selection in 1965 and winning an NBA championship in 1967 as a key member of one of the most-dominant teams in history - the Philadelphia 76ers. Wali discusses his memories of being teammates with the iconic Wilt Chamberlain and much more.

Numerous topic-based episodes are also in the works. Fans of Tom Chambers would be wise to keep an eye on the podcast feed over the coming months. Plus, upcoming episodes will feature authors discussing a range of great basketball books.

I've updated my website. It now offers the ability for fans of the show to support the podcast monetarily. Completely optional, of course. You can make PayPal donations, sponsor episodes or visit an affiliate link - at no extra cost to you - to basketball-related retailers here in Australia and the USA. Listener support helps offset some of the costs involved in producing the show, which is now in its tenth year.

Remember, you can always reach me via e-mail. All the best and thanks once more for being a listener of the show.

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I’m very pleased to welcome Terry Davis (10-year NBA veteran). All going to plan, Terry will join the show at a future date for a deep dive on his life in basketball.

Here, Terry reflects on his NBA return and pivotal role in the debut of Washington’s MCI Center, early in the 1998 NBA season. Shout-out to great friend of the show, Jim McIlvaine, whose VHS tape of the game – his Sonics played against Terry’s Wizards – is the source audio you’ll hear during the episode.

Normally, I’d preface a conversation with facts and figures about my guest. However, in this format, it’s best to listen and learn as the episode unfolds.

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