Bill Simmons, and “The Book of Basketball”

"Oh, I wonder, wonder who, mmbadoo-ooh, who, who wrote the Book Of Hoop."

With apologies to The Montones.

A review of Simmons book, with zero footnotes, but many comments.

My son Matt and daughter-in-law Shannon sent me a copy of Simmons book for my birthday about a month ago, which I finished yesterday. I didn’t take it with me to Cape Cod for the two weeks Susan I spent out there, which is one reason why it took about a month to read. The other reason is it’s 704 pages long.

The Sports Guy

Simmons claims to have written the most comprehensive book on the pro game ever, and I have to give him that, considering he spent three years writing it in what I have to believe was his spare time. I mean, aside from the fact that Simmons writes for a living, and has a wife and two small children, he had to have spent a few hundred hours reading a few dozen books on pro hoops, but must have watched thousands of hours of NBA game films. Simmons has written an outstanding book, and even though I have some arguments with a number of his ranking of players, they are mostly too small to mention. Beyond the enormously useful volume of information and data, the book is constantly entertaining, easy to read in small or large chunks, and very, very (very!) funny.

It’s been quite a long time since I have cared much for the NBA. Unlike a huge number of folks that began to watch (a lot) more of the game, I lost interest during the Jordan Era.

Why?

Well, it was a combination of things for me, not the least of which was that during the 1990’s my favorite team was the New York Knicks, and they played this ugly and nasty-assed playground style of ball. That mode of play became the signature style in the league for many teams after the Detroit "Bad Boy" Pistons perfected it starting in the late 1980’s, and later won 2 NBA titles. In retrospect I think Pat Riley (NY Knicks coach) looked at what he had for players, and knew he had zero chance of winning otherwise, so a huge number of games turned into street fights.  He carried this philosophy to Miami too.  It nearly ruined the game for me, especially after those Knick teams, the '77 Trailblazers, the Showtime Lakers, and the great Celtic teams of the '50's, '60's, and '80's

Another aspect that made me turn the dial away from the game was I figured the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan were just going to win anyway, and I got bored with it, the same way I became bored watching Tiger Woods winning all those golf tournaments for 10+ years.

The irony is that I grew up during the 1950’s and ‘60’s, which was the time when the Boston Celtics were winning every year, but looking back now I realize what attracted me to the game was the way it was played by that team. The teamwork that those teams displayed was a beautiful thing, and when my Knicks won titles in 1970 and 1973, I had never seen such perfect passing, excellent shooting, and team defense and rebounding. I have still yet to see any team approach the beautiful way those guys played the game. Back in the day, I watched a lot of NBA hoop at my friend Scott’s house, with a variety of other friends.  It was the year of the Knicks.

There was a John Mayall ("The Turning Point") album out in late 1969 that was all jazz blues fusion, without drums. Lots of harmonica, bass and guitar, and a limited amount of vocals on most tunes. Try a listen on this one, with a basketball game playing, sound off.  It's called "California." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqcqZlFMUYQ&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL33219CEE3D0D5FCA

The music flowed freely while we turned the sound off on the game, and we marveled at how the game and the music meshed to near perfection. If the pace of the game gets frenetic, try "Room to Move." Take 5 minutes and click on the link below.  There isn’t a true music fan alive that doesn’t recognize the genius in this song. 1969-70 was the Knicks and Mayall’s year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htt2Kcxuwfk

I was very pleased to read that Simmons’ dad (who has had Boston Celtic’s season tickets forever) considers Walt Frazier the other guard (with Jordan) that he’d put on his all time team. (Full disclosure – I’d have MJ and Jerry West)

King Bernard

Similarly, it was nice to see Simmons recognize the brilliance of Bernard King, another Knick that I still consider the most unstoppable scorer I have ever seen, albeit for only a couple of years (1983-85). I guess it’s the way I feel Bill Walton in 1977 had the absolute best season I have ever seen a basketball center have, and I have see them all.

Simmons captures Rick Barry perfectly. Has there ever been a better athlete who was such a complete dick as Barry? Certainly not in basketball, unless Simmons is missing someone, and I’d bet everything I have that Simmons missed nothing. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Ty Cobb is Barry’s great-uncle.

Great baller, Rick the Dick

So the book was a great journey back in time for me, and if had any trepidation when I began to read it, that feeling quickly went away.

The last lines that Simmons wrote before his epilogue:

"I am a basketball fan. I am always waiting for the next surprise. You never know when true greatness is lurking around the corner. Just make sure you don’t forget the ones who already lurked."

Frazier shoots over West

A copy of "The Book of Basketball" and a pro basketball encyclopedia would be a great cornerstone to any library.  In addition, grab a copy of Simmons favorite basketball book was (the late) David Halberstam's, "The Breaks of the Game," which remains my favorite as well.

You have to love the old lurkers.