Hey! Whatever Happened To: Carlos Rogers

By Brian Taylor

This one goes out to all my Raptor fans out there!

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Carlos Rogers would become one of the cornerstones of Toronto’s new NBA team. In his college days at Tennessee State, the tall, lanky center would average somewhere around 23 points and almost 3 blocks per game. At 6’11”, Carlos led his team to the Ohio Valley title twice, both times landing the team in the “Big Dance”.

Coming out of college, Rogers was drafted 11th overall by the Seattle Supersonics, but was shipped to Golden State to shore up a bench that included Victor Alexander, Chris Gatling, and a newly traded Tom Gugliotta. With the glut of veterans on that team, Carlos was expendable, and was shipped to the Raptors for B.J. Armstrong. Most folks remember him for having long arms, being the Raps first ever SF, and a propensity for blocking shots, but also having a bit of an aloof nature about him. I remember him dying his hair bronze, and being good for a wacky quote every now and then.

In 1988, Carlos’ sister, Rene was diagnosed with Kidney failure, a condition that she managed to live with day by day, but still needed a kidney transplant to recover from. Carlos, showing the world that not all athletes are selfish, about stats and money, (see: Terrell Owens) made a decision that put life in perspective for everyone. He decided to retire from basketball, to give his sister a kidney.

Everyone knows about Sean Elliott’s ailment and Alonzo’s health problems, but this was possibly the only time ever a pro athlete was ready to give up a huge, salary, notoriety and a sport they loved to help someone out. This wasn’t donating money to a hospital or children’s fund; this was something that could’ve endangered Carlos as well. He was only one of ten siblings that had the genetic makeup to keep his sister alive, and he was willing to take that shot. Tragically, ‘Los never got his chance to help his sister out, as she passed away in January of 1997.

Stat wise, Carlos never really set the world on fire, his career averages of 7 points/4 rebounds per game don’t really stand out (he did have an eye-popping 7 blocks in a game against Orlando as a Raptor however). When he was healthy, he was productive, but being on the injured list year after year hurt his numbers. After stints with the Blazers and Rockets, Carlos played 22 games in Indiana before calling it quits in 2001.

With T.O. in Dallas having another temper tantrum, I found this Carlos Rogers article to be true, regarding athletes being role models and heroes. So when you get a minute, take a look.

DVD Review: “With This Rock”

By Ryan McNeill

This weekend I was fortunate enough to watch the basketball documentary “With This Rock.” This DVD is an independent release and doesn’t have the same flash or production as ESPN’s “Through the Fire” or the ‘90’s classic “Hoop Dreams” but it does an excellent job capturing the politics and corruption involved with basketball in Flint, Michigan. The DVD begins with a scene from the Michigan State National Championship ceremony in Lansing but the documentary quickly changes gears to show that things weren’t all positive in Flint in 2000. Between clips showing physical abuse by the police, shady business deals by crooked politicians to profiles of players who failed to make their mark once they left Flint, director Emmanuel White does a great job of shedding light on the fact that basketball has broken numerous hearts in Flint.

Through watching documentaries like “With This Rock” or “Flint Star” this summer I have come to the conclusion that Flint basketball players are so successful because they dedicate their lives to basketball in an attempt to escape their poverty. Because they have so much to gain through success at basketball and so much more to lose by not escaping Flint they are willing to spend countless hours honing their craft in an attempt to get a scholarship or to obtain riches through playing in the NBA.

A local high school coach, Greg Burks, backs-ups this belief when he tells White that “I’ve been to New York. I’ve been to Kentucky. I’ve been all over the country. I’ve seen and been around the best and I haven’t seen anything compared to Flint basketball players. They have a certain amount of toughness, a certain amount of drive that kids usually don’t have.”

It’s this mental toughness and desire to escape Flint that is something that either catapults Flint players to greatness or devours them. “With This Rock” does a great job of documenting how this drive effected the lives of Terry Furlow, Charlie Bell, Justus Thigpen Sr, Leon White, Roy Marble, Bill Harris and Eric Turner. This drive to escape Flint helped most of these local legends achieve greatness but it also resulted in Furlow’s life ending prematurely due to drug use.

While most of this documentary is dark and depressing there are parts of the documentary that show some of the redeeming qualities of Flint. One highlight for me was the way that Charlie Bell’s parents instilled the value of an education in their son. As children basketball prodigies are often coddled by the public and their parents. The problem with this coddling is when they don’t make the NBA because they are quickly dismissed by fans and “leeches” that had attached to them for the next big thing. This leaves these young men without an education and any way to sustain the flashy lifestyles they become accustomed to living. White was able to sit down with the parents of Charlie Bell for this documentary and it was clear that they had prepared their son for the fact that he might not be able to make a living as a pro basketball player. One of the things they stressed to Charlie since a young age was the need for an education so that he could support himself once his days playing basketball were over.

Another highlight was the profile on the playing career of Flint legend Eric Turner. While watching “Flint Star” earlier this summer Turner was a player that was mentioned but Marcus Davenport wasn’t able to dedicate a lot of time in his documentary to Turner. White was able to collect a lot of video from his playing days and he did a great job of interviewing a wide variety of coaches and former players about Turner.

While this DVD isn’t as polished and slick as Marcus Davenport’s “Flint Star” and tends to be depressing at times, it’s still worth checking out because it will give you some more valuable insight into what life is like within the Flint basketball community.

Look for an interview with director Emmanuel White on the Hoops Addict Podcast later this week.

How The Media Shapes Minds: Truth vs Tabloids

By Michael Tillery

While growing up in suburban Delaware, I was a huge fan of sports. I practically knew every statistic available by either watching games on television, waking up the minute The News Journal hit the front door, or having the privilege of actually going to a professional sporting event. Julius Erving, Franco Harris and Reggie Jackson were the superstars that made me thirst for knowledge because of the way they affected their respective sports. They were my love. I used to become so angry when sports columnists would speak about Reggie’s ego, Doc being the face of basketball instead of winning a championship, or Franco running out of bounds late in his career. Did these irrelevant afterthoughts have anything to do with what happened on the field?

When are journalists going to write about something that mothers of professional athletes can be proud of? What happened to the sheer spirit of sports and the goose bumps that follow when an athlete performs in the clutch? When did sports become gossip? Damn you, Walter Winchell! I’m sure many of you are clamoring for the search box in your browser, trying to find out whom the hell Winchell was. I personally think it was he that demonized sports and anything that entertains us for that matter.

He was a news journalist and commentator in the early to mid 1900’s whose thirst for gossip ruined many politicians and entertainers. Josephine Baker, unfortunately was one. He helped to spawn the Vesceys and the Baylesses of the current sports journalism world.

It is again my humble opinion that papers can be sold without throwing a brick at an undeserving, minding his own business athlete and then having the audacity to question his obvious angry response. I have no intention to get personal with any athlete. I can be content to write about his athletic achievements and the good he does for his fellow man.

That is, if he chooses to do so. I also have no intention in shaping an impressionable reader with BS about what kind of music his favorite athlete’s mother’s sister’s God daughter’s neighbor-on his auntie’s side-listens to on her way to the local bingo night. I want the reader to visually and mentally learn about the athlete him or herself without prejudice.

How long ago did Chris Webber motion for timeout? Can you name the starting five for Carolina in that game? Why was Albert Belle’s incredible year of ‘95 basically made non-existent in a year when his team made it to the World Series, eventually losing to the Braves in six? (.317, 52 doubles, 50 home runs, 126 RBI’s, .690 slugging, no MVP, in 143 games!)

Public outrage is irrelevant. Don’t hate! Why is ARod’s salary always mentioned? Didn’t he sign for the market value at the time? Be happy for yourself when you get that $3.00 an hour raise that you obviously think you deserve.

His salary has absolutely nothing to do with you watching sports. Learn to appreciate him for the gracefulness he exhibits when diving behind the bag and robbing Varitek of a game winning double, or his willingness to break up a double play with one out, down by one and a runner on third. There was a time when athletes were considered role models. Ha! What happened to raising your own kids? Just because little Bobby is wearing Barry Bonds’ throwback jersey from his Pirate days, doesn’t mean that he’ll be a 40-40 player or stay skinny for that matter.

Hypothetically speaking, why would you want your child to emulate an athlete who has a squeaky-clean image publicly, but behind closed doors is feeling up his daughter?

Why is there still this thing where Babe Ruth is considered to be the best player, or athlete, for that matter, of all time? You ask most kids today who is the best baseball player to ever play and who will they say? Ruth. How the hell can that be? His stats speak for themselves, but he played in a time when no minorities to speak of were allowed to participate.

How would history perceive Bonds if Josh Gibson (.350, almost 800 home runs in 17 Negro League seasons and the only player credited with hitting a fair ball out of the House That Ruth Built) owned the “hallowed” home-run record?

There are so many writers who say anything to shape their readers’ opinions of particular athletes. They want their readers to demoralize or characterize an athlete in a less than accurate way.

Writers have a responsibility in helping our youth garner diverse opinions regarding sports and to respectfully take accountability for said opinions whenever the need arises.

The journalist who is in it for the money, this might be too quick for your 100-meter time. The writer who wants a historical reference, break the tape first. Strive to be someone your kids will be proud of.

You have your ear to the athletic street. Have some respect for yourself! Do all of us a favor and leave the gossip for weekday afternoons.

Michael Tillery is a Maryland writer. He can be reached via email at masdalunkin@aol.com

Tim Duncan: Payback

By Jeff Wong

(Sounds like an action movie I’d like to see! Can you imagine the Big Fundamental kicking butt like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?)

Heads-up to all you fans of Tim Duncan, the Spurs, and/or fancy cars: SPEED TV is airing an episode of “Payback” tonight (August 16th) at 10 pm ET/PT in which Duncan pays back his childhood friend Rashidi with a customized Hummer H2. You can read more here.

I agree with Henry: If a filthy-rich friend offers to buy me a gargantuan gas guzzler, I’d tactfully ask for something else. How ’bout a tricked-out Smart car?

Historical Glimpses: Daniel “The Horse” Issel

By The Nugg Doctor

This edition of Historical Glimpses takes a look back at one of the Denver Nuggets’ greatest players. A hard-nose throwback kind of guy who didn’t have the physical gifts that a lot of NBA stars have had, but Issel was the epitome of consistent. He consistently played, consistently won, and consistently was a force to be reckoned with.

It all started back at the University of Kentucky under the coaching of legend Adolph Rupp. Back in those days a freshman couldn’t play varsity ball, but the next three years would be concluded with SEC championships. When all was said and done, Issel had set 23 records at Kentucky (including becoming the all-time scoring leader) and was ready to make the jump to the pro ranks.

He would get his start with the local ABA Kentucky Colonels. He would play five years with Kentucky and one with Denver during his years in the alternate league. During that time he would capture Rookie of the Year in 1971, All-Star MVP in 1972, and win a championship with the Colonels in 1975. It was now time for the Nuggets to be absolved by the NBA and Issel to take his game with them.

While continuing to play for the Nuggets for the rest of his career, Issel only missed 24 games in 15 pro seasons. Because of this feat and his blue-collar style of play it was only fitting that his nickname be “The Horse.” Issel was a throwback guy. A guy that came to the gym everyday knowing that his only chance was to work twice as hard as the next guy with more talents, and his work ethic to the game was a credit to that. Furthermore, and just as fitting, Issel owns a racehorse breeding ranch in Kentucky and is tightly linked to the sport.

Issel ranks seventh on the combined ABA/NBA career-scoring list with 27,482 points with a 22.6 point per game average. When he retired he was the all-time leading scoring in Nuggets history (Alex English surpassed him a few years later) and his name was littered all over the NBA record books. He is still the all-time rebounder (6,630) and leader in free throws made (4,214) in Nuggets history. He was an NBA All-Star in 1977 and was the first Nugget to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 1992. Prior to his entrance into Springfield, his jersey number 44 was retired to the rafters of McNichols Sports Arena on April 5th, 1985. He would later coach and broadcast for the Nuggets and remains one of Colorado’s most recognizable sports legends and personalities.

As a coach he is most commonly remembered for leading the eighth-seeded Nuggets against the number one seed Seattle Supersonics and becoming the first eighth seed to ever upset a number one in 1993. No one will ever forget Dikembe Mutombo clutching the ball over his head while lying on the floor after that historical win. And no one will ever forget Dan “The Horse” Issel either.

Check out Nugg Doctor for more Historical Glimpses and all your Nuggets news.

Hey! Whatever Happened To: Rex Chapman

By Brian Taylor

When Larry Bird came into the league in the early 80’s, he was coming into an NBA that had been dominated mostly by African-American players. Sure, you had your Jeff Rulands, and your Bobby Jones’, but Larry would take control, and it was inevitable. When the 80’s were ushered out and the 90’s arrived, you saw guys get more creative on the court. Michael Jordan not only crushed his opponents, but he did it with a little style, a little flair, from the tongue wagging to the baggy shorts. In this decade you still had your good white players, but they were usually more fundamental (i.e. Mark Price) and got the job done without a lot of fanfare. All that ended when Kentucky’s Rex “Boy Wonder” Chapman entered the scene in 1988.

When expansion clubs start building their teams, they sometimes go for players that have more drawing power than skill (Hornets drafting J.R. Reid, Bobcats getting UNC Alumns Ray Felton and Sean May) to try and get people in the seats. Rex was picked 8th overall in the 1988 draft and contributed immediately, with 17 ppg.

What people knew about Rex was that the guy could flat out jump out the gym. “White Men Can’t Jump” most definitely didn’t apply to Rex, as he regularly posterized guys night in and night out. He was the typical brash rookie who had something to prove, but there was no doubt he had hops. At the 1989 All-Star Slam Dunk contest, he pulled off a ridiculous two-handed, two ball slam before bowing out to Slam Dunk stalwart Dominique Wilkins.

His reckless style was what made fans remember him, along with his 40 inch vertical. When he added a wet jumper to his arsenal, he got even more dangerous. Even in the Midwest Division (Remember when they put the Hornets there? What was THAT about? Someone get at me on that.) Rex did damage, but the Hornets were still cellar dwellers. If you really want to check him doing his thing, check him out from his Bullets/Heat/Suns days. As a matter of fact, his most famous shot was the one he took when he was playing with the Suns in the 1997 Playoffs. With about 3 seconds left in the game, Phoenix fumbles the ball and it looks like its going out of bounds. Chapman had the court awareness to fling up a prayer while falling out of bounds, swishing a three-pointer to send the game to O.T. Even though Phoenix would lose the game (and the series), people remember that shot the most in those playoffs. You could call him a shorter version of Brent Barry, with Jason Williams’ hood mentality.

Why You May Have Forgotten Him:

Remember how when Allen Iverson, Steve Francis and Baron Davis first came into the league, they were catching oops and cramming on anyone and everyone at any given moment? There’s a reason they don’t do that now, and it’s because even though it looks cool on YouTube years later, it tears up your knees and your back. Rex, being the flashy guy, paid the price later in his career, as he was always injured, always missing games. He was also kind of maddening: if he was having a bad shooting night, he’d usually try to clank through it, much to his coaches’ chagrin. I remember him in Miami and even with the Bullets, crumpled up and being carried off the court. Pretty soon, he got that stigma of “injury-prone”, and eventually retired in 2000.

These days, Rex owns a restaurant (3’s Sports Bar and Grill) with his wife in Lexington. He’s also a part-time player scout for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and during TNT’s playoff coverage, you can check him out.

Mistaken Identity

By Michael Tillery

Imagine watching the national news and seeing your picture all over the TV. You mistakenly were associated with being involved in a despicable and heinous sex crime because you shared the same name with the alleged criminal. If you were eating food at the time you saw the report you actually might choke. How many people would you call? Would your heart almost beat out of your chest? What would you really do? Your life—until you hopefully cleared your name—would be a nightmare.

When mistakes in the media happen, the result can be a lifelong quest in trying to clear the affected individual’s name and credibility. Eddie Johnson 47, analyst for the Phoenix Suns, was involved in such a story. He sat down recently with Michael Tillery to rectify what he called “the worse day of my life.”

Eddie “Fast Eddie” Johnson, 51 years of age and former All Star with the Atlanta Hawks, was arrested in Ocala, FLA and charged with residential burglary and sexual battery on an underage child.

The girl and her three brothers were staying in the apartment while their mother registered them for school, according to a police report. Johnson walked into the apartment uninvited and told the girl’s six year old brother to lock the door police said. The girl told detectives Johnson ordered her into a bedroom where he sexually assaulted her according to the police report. He then told her not to tell anyone about what just happened and tried to kiss her in the kitchen before leaving the report stated.

She told her mother about the alleged assault when the women returned to the apartment police said. The girl’s mother said she knew Johnson from the neighborhood, but said he had never had permission to be in her home.

Johnson was arrested in a field near the apartment building. He told detectives he had been in the apartment with the children, who had been jumping on the bed. He also told detectives, he kissed the girl on the head, which he does all the neighborhood children “as a friendly gesture,” according to a police report.

Since 1989, online Marion Country court records show Johnson has had numerous convictions: burglary, battery, robbery, marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest, along with the charge last month of battery on a law enforcement officer or obstructing an officer without violence the Ocala Star-Banner reported for Wednesday’s editions.

Johnson, a 6′2 guard from Auburn University, played in the NBA from 1977-1987 with the Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Seattle Supersonics. He represented the Hawks in 1980 and 1981 in the NBA All Star game and scored 10,163 points in his career.

Edward “Eddie” Arnet Johnson, from Illinois University, spent 17 seasons in the NBA. He played for the Kings, Suns, Supersonics, Hornets, Pacers, Rockets and Greek team Olmpiacos (1994-1995) before retiring from basketball in 1999 with 19,202 career points. In 1989, he received the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award as member of the Suns.

Michael Tillery: Eddie A. Johnson, How did this happen?

Eddie A. Johnson: I think that it was a chain reaction—so to speak. I just got back from vacation in Hawaii Wednesday morning. I got a phone call from one of my best friends and current Atlanta Hawks head coach, Mike Woodson saying that people have called him and said my picture was attached to the story about Eddie Johnson molesting an eight year old girl. He knew right away that it was the other Eddie Johnson who used to play in the league and was disturbed obviously—almost as much as I was. Someone obviously didn’t do their homework. When I got home, I saw some phone calls from some of my family and friends asking what happened. The Chicago Tribune, in their overzealousness to get to print, did not read the entire Associated Press report of his arrest. They read it maybe a quarter of the way. The end of the report stated his height—6′2, and his college—Auburn. I’m 6′8 and went to Illinois. Big difference. Being that a lot of graduates of Illinois live in the Chicago area, it was a big story. Skip Bayless on Jim Rome’s radio show, and who also works for ESPN’s Coldpizza, was ranting on me and just killing me verbally. Saying he doesn’t know why the Suns hired me with such a checkered past and all kinds of other stuff. I guess someone called in during the middle of his tirade and informed the station that he was talking about the wrong one. He killed me on the air for like a minute and a half and then only apologized for 15 seconds.

Eddie A. Johnson: In the span of 8 hours. I basically got reeled in by a company who attaches pictures to stories. My picture was first placed in the story by an Atlanta TV website. The ball kept rolling from there. My picture was basically on every TV station’s website—across the nation and abroad attached to this article. Those three entities not doing their entire jobs cost me my reputation. I have to clear my name and make sure that everybody knows that I’m not that guy who was arrested.

Michael Tillery: So the initial story had it right?

Eddie A. Johnson: The Associated Press didn’t make a mistake. Their article stated “Ex NBA All Star Eddie Johnson.” I never made the All Star team, so they were correct. They said he was fifty-one years old—correct. At the bottom of the article they said he was 6′2 from Auburn—also correct. Their release was factual. They could have written it a little bit better—maybe putting his bio at the top or used his picture. A lot of people thought it was me. When you mention that name in sports circles, you automatically think that it’s me. People don’t think of him. That’s where the confusion started. I still say you do your homework. I still say you take in the fact that I’ve never had problems. I don’t have a shaky past. If anything, people should pause and say this can’t be right. Then you go do your research. Whoever printed this story was negligent and reckless and basically didn’t do their correct job. That’s the most disappointing thing about it.

Michael Tillery: The other site I work for, Black Sport Network, really goes out of it’s way to make sure stories are correct in their entirety. We don’t make snap judgments on particular incidents because we don’t want to look like fools. I talked to my boss when this story hit and asked him did he hear about you. We both thought there was something funny with this story and decided to reserve judgment until we heard more about this. I recently saw you on ESPN. After this story hit I thought back to that appearance and thought to myself that no one would have you on if your past was as checkered as some of the outlets were reporting. Especially with the way athletes currently are scrutinized, there’s no way—especially being African American—that you would be given a pass and be allowed to do what you do so eloquently. I hope that all these outlets that have portrayed you in such a negative light go to great lengths to apologize. We obviously are here to help and I hope through us running this, people will say to themselves, “I knew it wasn’t him!”

Eddie A. Johnson: In their desire to be the first, outlets push and push further. The way media reports today, some don’t care who they hurt. The Chicago Tribune put a retraction in the paper yesterday—which was nice—but it still is not enough. That’s one of the largest newspapers in the world. For them to be negligent in that fashion is just not right. It’s disappointing.

Michael Tillery: They just now have began to put his picture in the story.

Eddie A. Johnson: That would have squashed it right there. As I said before, I understand that when you mention my name, you are not going to think of him. He retired in 1987, I retired in 1999. My career was a little bit more visible than his. I understand all that. To push it along by putting my picture and stating that it’s the “Fighting Illini’s Eddie Johnson” is ridiculous. Skip Bayless ranting and raving is what caused the furor and all the finger pointing at me. The entities that reported this reach millions of people. If I wanted to create a nightmare, that’s how I would have created it. A company that can distribute my picture to every news station with one click? The Chicago Tribune is read all over the world. Jim Rome is one of the most listened to radio shows in the country. That would be the perfect nightmare. It happened in that order and that’s the scary part about it. I received an email last night saying that over in China, they still have my picture on the article. One English speaking daily goes to over six million people! It’s not over. I appreciate that Blacksportsnetwork.com contacted me to help in rectifying such a potentially ugly situation for myself and my family.

Michael Tillery: Do you think there were other motives involved, or do you think it simply was a case of mistaken identity?

Eddie A. Johnson: I think that it was a mistaken identity type thing. I also think that it was the big story. That’s how our society works. These three entities wanted it to be me because that would make it a bigger story. They didn’t want it to be the other one, and because of that, they just didn’t do their research. At the Tribune, they wanted it to be me because I went to Illinois. We are big there for obvious reasons. Skip Bayless went for the jugular by saying he couldn’t understand why Jerry Colangelo hired somebody like me. He just went right into it. It’s just the way people think. They want to get pats on the back for breaking news. This other Eddie Johnson would have stayed small. He’s irrelevant to them. He doesn’t have anything to do with the league. Even though he was a very good player, he’s not well remembered. That’s not good enough.

Michael Tillery is a Delaware writer who just can’t understand why so many of our heroes keep dropping the ball. He can be reached via email at masdalunkin@aol.com