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From: star@cdstar.UUCP (J Quillard)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops
Subject: Re: Info wanted on Rick Mahorn
Message-ID: <172@cdstar.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 19-Sep-85 12:33:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: cdstar.172
Posted: Thu Sep 19 12:33:10 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Sep-85 13:33:39 EDT
References: <265@mb2c.UUCP>
Organization: Cambridge Digital Systems - Cambridge, MA
Lines: 59

> Can Mahorn do anything on the basketball court except be a goon?

Yes, he can rebound, block shots, and DUNK with authority.  From
five feet in, he's very effective beacuse of his size, stregnth, and
leaping ability.  I've seen him hit a 15 foot jumper on occasion.
His main contribution is defensive intimidation.

>  .. in each of those contests I saw him take a cheap shot at somebody.

Yeah, so he has a short fuse and a mean streak, but he puts out 110%
for every game.  His fouls are not always clean, but they are effective
at preventing baskets.  Seeing Mahorn play leaves the impression that
he is a bully, but not a killer.  (But he loves to blindside guards!)

> Is anyone out there a Bullets fan who has seen Mahorn play more than a few
> times?  What should I expect? 

What you will get is a player who gives his best effort whenever he plays.
You should expect his aggressive style of play to inspire the team on
some nights, and to motivate the opponents on other nights.

> I guess the reason Detroit got him is because Bill Laimbeer doesn't like to
> get too physical ( I've noticed ) and they thought Mahorn could be the 
> "enforcer" that they need.  Myself, I don't care much for "goon" basketball;
> I guess that's why I've always liked the Lakers fast-break type of game.

Right, Laimbeer is not a physical player, as proof look at his sub-par
playoff performance against the Celtics.  Laimbeer was battered and
it seemed to shake his offensive confidence.  Until the rules are changed,
"goon" basketball will continue to be played, exactly for reasons like
the intimidation of Laimbeer.  If you deck a player on a breakaway, they
will remember it next time, and if they are weak of intestinal fortitude,
it will affect their game.

> If I want to see people beating the hell out of each other, I would prefer to
> see it on the football field.  ( Or the rasslin' ring :-) :-) :-) )

But on the football field everyone has pads!  Its more exciting to see
a 7 foot cannibal eat a 6 foot 4 guard's finger for a snack.  Grrrrr. :-)
There should be more severe fines and manditory suspensions for altercations
on the court.  The most severe penalty should be for players who leave
the bench during a fight.  Special award goes to Ray-Ray Williams who
decided the best place to get tangled with Kurt Rambis was the Laker bench.
No wonder no one want to sign Ray-Ray this year!!  The Lakers didn't even
have to leave their bench to get a piece of the action!!

If there are doubts about the merits of "goon" basketball, consider that
the Cleveland Cavs almost beat the Celts in the playoffs, by using all
6 fouls that each big man had to give, nearly "beating" the series away
from the Celts.  The drawback in this case was that the refs got so used
to calling fouls against the Cavs, that when a call was questionable, it
automatically went against the Cavs.  These bad calls may have cost the Cavs
the series, at least Cav coach George Karl thought so.


 REWARD OFFERED or RANSOM PAID for any CELTICS home tickets!!


 {wjh12,talcott}!cdstar!star  J Quillard @ Cambridge Digital Systems