"He Could Have Played Blind"Geaux Tigers"

http://www.pistolpete23.com/artistrylegacy.htm ^ | 4/01/06 | www.pistolpete23.com

[catholicfreeper]

"He Could Have Played Blind" ‘The radio was playing and the morning news was on. I was startled to hear that Pete Maravich, the basketball player, had collapsed on a basketball court in Pasadena, just fell over and never got up. I’d seen Maravich play in New Orleans, when the Utah Jazz were the New Orleans Jazz. He was something to see – mop of brown hair, floppy socks – the holy terror of the basketball world – high flyin’ – magician of the court. The night I saw him he dribbled the ball with his head, scored a behind-the-back, no-look basket – dribbled the length of the court, threw the ball up over the glass and caught his own pass. He was fantastic. Scored something like 38 points. He could have played blind.’

Bob Dylan from the first volume of his autobiography “Chronicles”

It was Magic" Legendary LSU Superstar “Pistol Pete” Maravich took his swirling basketball magic to paradise 17 years go. Heaven couldn’t wait for showtime. Between the leg dribbles, behind the back passes, dishing the ball off the dribble at full throttle in the blink of an eye, physical acrobatics in getting a shot off…it was magic. It was also instinctive, inventive and incredible.

Maravich pushed basketball to new limits. Consider this: Pistol Pete scored 3,667 points during his LSU collegiate playing career, averaging a staggering 44.2 points per game for 83 varsity college basketball contests. All of this occurred before the advent of the 3 point shot.

It was the kind of show that filled arenas all over the Southeastern Conference. What the SEC saw was a gangly, angular kid who played basketball with a pained expression, with a blend of jazz and classical music, with an apparant air of nonchalance. What he accomplished in college was truly “Ruthian” and will never be matched.

[catholicfreeper]

Pistol Pete pray for your LSU Tigers tonight. That being said good luck to Florida, George Mason, and UCLA for making it to a magical final four. Geaux Tigers

[Crawdad]

I've got video copies of 3 of Pete's games against Kentucky, Georgia, and UCLA. No sound. I own many sports-related video's and DVD's, but those three are my favorites. Don't tell me about Jabbar, Wilt, Bird and/or Magic. Pete was the greatest basketball player who ever breathed.

[catholicfreeper]

I wished I have could have seen him play. They had a special on him a couple of days ago on tv. Its was a Legend. DId you see him play in person.

[Bogey78O]

There i a co-worker of mine who invited Pete to his wedding. He got a card back from him since but no atendance since they knew each other only in passing. He was one of Pete's biggest fans though and vividly remembers the day he heard about Pistol Pete's death.

It was before my time but from what I've heard his ability is almost unparalleled.

[stylin19a]

LSU coach: Pass the ball to my son !
Press had one rule for his son that overrode all others: Shoot when open, and keep shooting.

[catholicfreeper]

Thats cool. I met him twice at LSU related stuff when I was a kid. It was a shame he died so young. He would have been a great influence and role model for kids today in the game. I would have loved to see him on alot of these Sports shows we have today giving commentary.

[Crawdad]

I never did. I'm 46, and I could spin a basketball on my finger forever when I was 10. I never cared about the scoring. It was his passing that got me.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I saw Pete play at LSU. The other four players on the team were just to have someone to pass to to keep everyone from ganging up on Pete. I saw him score 65 points and it didn't look that hard.

Although there was no 3 point shot many of his field goals were far further out than the present 3 point line. He could shoot shortly after he crossed mid court and if they crowded him he could go around them as if they weren't there. Layups by Pete, pre slam dunk, were things of beauty as much as his long shots.

Like I said, his team mates were just someone to pass to and that was exciting at times to. You wondered how he knew there was someone where he passed it because he never even looked that way. I assumed he thought, and maybe he did, that since they weren't somewhere else they must have been there.

Remembering those times makes me aware that as much fun as they were, I should have appreciated them more. Now I do.

[tang-soo]

This is a portion of a commencement speech given by Dr. James Dobson ...

"Success and achievement are really not all that important in life as ends in themselves. They tend to tarnish with the passage of time."

To underscore his point, Dobson related the story of Pete Maravich, "one of the top five basketball players of all time." Maravich’s fame and financial success did not bring him happiness, Dobson said. For many years, he tried to find satisfaction in wild living and heavy drinking. It was not until after his retirement from basketball that Pete Maravich found true happiness in Christ. "He gave his heart to Jesus Christ, and for the next five years, he was on fire for the Lord," Dobson said.

Learning of his conversion, Dobson invited him to appear on his radio program in 1988. After the interview, they played a game of pick-up basketball with several others. When the game ended, Dobson turned to Maravich and said, "Pete, you can’t give up basketball. This game means too much to you."

Maravich explained he had experienced pain in his right shoulder for more than a year, but now it had disappeared. "I feel just great," he said.

Those were his last words.

Maravich collapsed on the basketball court, and minutes later, died in Dobson’s arms.

"Later that day, I sat down with my son Ryan, who was 17 at the time," Dobson said. "I told him that what happened to Pete wasn’t an isolated event. This is the human condition. This is all of us. It will happen to me some day."

Two years later, Dobson suffered a heart attack on the same basketball court.

"Pete Maravich didn’t have an opportunity to speak with his family one last time. But I want to tell you, be there. On resurrection morning, be there. I will be looking for you then. Nothing else matters. Be there."

[Mind-numbed Robot]

LSU coach: Pass the ball to my son ! Press had one rule for his son that overrode all others: Shoot when open, and keep shooting.

It was good advice. Do you have a problem with it?

I can remember only one other player on the team and it was because his was an unusual name and his father of the same name was a local politician. Do you remember any of the other players? No fair cheating and looking it up. Did any of the other players play pro? hint: NO!!

[FormerLib]

Yeah, some of us remember "Pistol Pete."

[BronzePencil]

link to the pistol in action

http://youtube.com/watch?v=c4UksQdQRE4&search=pistol%20pete

[catholicfreeper]

Wow cool story, I wasnt aware that Dobson had suffered a heart attack on the same court. I wasnt even aware he was into Basketball. Inspiring and thought provoking story.

[Armigerous]

I saw him play when I was at Ole Miss when he was being coached by his dad Pres Marovich at LSU...poetry in motion...they slaughtered us

[MadelineZapeezda]

May his memory be eternal. I remember him well, his Dad Press was a cousin of my Mothers. First BB player I ever watched!