Remembering Len Bias

That's one way of looking at it. The other is this. Suppose he lived that night after using cocaine. Who's to say that wouldn't have been the beginning of a terrible descent into drug abuse for Bias and his career would have been a shell of what it could have been like other great who couldn't overcome rampant drug abuse. Guys like Michael Ray Richardson and Roy Tarpley.

I'm just saying he was absolutely dominant as a college player, and in a way it's nice to think "Poor guy could have been one of the greatest ever if only he had lived." At the same time though, it's not too hard to think it might have been just as sad a story had he lived.

Good post. I'd agree.

^ I agree! I am big Celtics fan as well and I lived in Boston when this happen it was shocking but in the same light I think people like to make dead people seem greater then they actually were or going to be.

To say Bias was going to add more Championships to the Celtics is kind of stupid. That team was getting old Bird back problems were starting, Parish was just old and MCHale was getting there as well.

That's one way of looking at it. The other is this. Suppose he lived that night after using cocaine. Who's to say that wouldn't have been the beginning of a terrible descent into drug abuse for Bias and his career would have been a shell of what it could have been like other great who couldn't overcome rampant drug abuse. Guys like Michael Ray Richardson and Roy Tarpley.

I'm just saying he was absolutely dominant as a college player, and in a way it's nice to think "Poor guy could have been one of the greatest ever if only he had lived." At the same time though, it's not too hard to think it might have been just as sad a story had he lived.

Yeah, that's a good point. I'm just going off of what I heard. I'm sure those predictions of his greatness were based on a career free of drug abuse. It's totally valid to speculate that he would have had drug problems moving forward.

To say Bias was going to add more Championships to the Celtics is kind of stupid. That team was getting old Bird back problems were starting, Parish was just old and MCHale was getting there as well.Assuming Bias survived and decided a brush with death was enough to keep him off the coke.....

Bias coming out of college was regarded on the same level or even better than Jordan, plus 2" taller and stronger. Is it such a stretch to believe Bias would've allowed Bird to log fewer minutes, extend his career and make him more productive when he was on the court. Think about a few things:
- Would Bias have made a difference in the '87 Finals and tipped the scales to the C's?
- Parish was an All Star in '87, '90, '91. From 87-88 thru 91-92 he averaged no less than 14 pts / 8.5 Rebs.
- McHale was an All Star from 87-91. From 87-88 thru 90-91 he averaged no less than 18.4 / 7.1.
- Bird was an All Star in 87, 88, 90, 91, 92. For the same period as Parish he averaged no less than 19.3 / 6.2 / 4.8 assists.
- Would the C's + Bias have been able to beat the '88 Pistons & Lakers? Good chance.
- How would the C's + Bias stack up against the '89-'90 Pistons and '91 Bulls? Favorably IMO.

Assuming Bias survived and decided a brush with death was enough to keep him off the coke.....

Bias coming out of college was regarded on the same level or even better than Jordan, plus 2" taller and stronger. Is it such a stretch to believe Bias would've allowed Bird to log fewer minutes, extend his career and make him more productive when he was on the court. Think about a few things:
- Would Bias have made a difference in the '87 Finals and tipped the scales to the C's?
- Parish was an All Star in '87, '90, '91. From 87-88 thru 91-92 he averaged no less than 14 pts / 8.5 Rebs.
- McHale was an All Star from 87-91. From 87-88 thru 90-91 he averaged no less than 18.4 / 7.1.
- Bird was an All Star in 87, 88, 90, 91, 92. For the same period as Parish he averaged no less than 19.3 / 6.2 / 4.8 assists.
- Would the C's + Bias have been able to beat the '88 Pistons & Lakers? Good chance.
- How would the C's + Bias stack up against the '89-'90 Pistons and '91 Bulls? Favorably IMO.

Very good but I think you are forgetting about one other young guy that came on board during that time, Reggie Lewis, he basically put up numbers that probably would have been similar to Bias and still the C's won no championship. I would also say a lot of those all star games past say 88 were do to the big three's popularity. IMO Reggie Lewis death was a bigger blow to the C's then Bias becasue we all know what he could actual do in the NBA.

Really how many times have we heard this is the next big thing only to see it not happen on the professional level, cough, Greg Oden.

Very good but I think you are forgetting about one other young guy that came on board during that time, Reggie Lewis, he basically put up numbers that probably would have been similar to Bias and still the C's won no championship. I would also say a lot of those all star games past say 88 were do to the big three's popularity. IMO Reggie Lewis death was a bigger blow to the C's then Bias becasue we all know what he could actual do in the NBA. You're right I didn't factor in Lewis, that would make the C's working on banner 24 or 25 :)

You're right I didn't factor in Lewis, that would make the C's working on banner 24 or 25 :)


Man I wish but hopefully we can get number 18 this year!

Man I wish but hopefully we can get number 18 this year!:food-smil Here's to # 18....and winning the LeBron sweepstakes next year. We can dream, right?