Oscar Robertson: The Milwaukee Bucks’ First Star
Oscar Robertson is the Milwaukee Bucks’ first star player. Known as “The Big O”, Robertson is a recipient of the MVP award in 14 professional seasons. Robertson is an inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame and also one of the 50 greatest NBA players in history.
The Milwaukee Bucks is the NBA team representing the city of Milwaukee in Winconsin.
Robertson’s Early Years
The NBA star was born to a poor family on November 24, 1983 in a segregated housing project in Indianapolis. Boys his age were into baseball but Robertson was not interested in the sport. Instead, he preferred to learn basketball. Because of their poverty, Robertson resorted to using tennis balls and rags which he tied together using a rubber band instead of a proper basketball. In place of a hoop, he shot these makeshift basketballs into a peach basket. With these improvised equipment, Robertson honed the skills that would later on propel him to stardom in the NBA.
School
In 1954, Robertson entered a segregated school that is exclusive for African-Americans, called the Crispus Attucks High School. Because of his love for basketball, he joined the high school basketball team in the state competition. The team had previously lost during the state quarterfinals to Milan, who would later on become state champions. However, with Robertson around, the team bounced back getting an excellent record of 31 wins and 1 loss in 1955 and won the state championship. This was the first time an all-black school ever won a state championship in Indianapolis.
The following season, Robertson and the Attucks won their second state championship. The team this time impressed the crowd with 31 wins with no losses at all. The team was also on the way to securing a state record of 45 straight victories. Because of his efforts — he scored 24 points for every game during his senior year — Robertson was awarded the title Indiana “Mr. Basketball” in 1955.
In 1956, Robertson graduated and entered the University of Cincinnati, eventually joining the university’s basketball team. His skills had improved to the point that he scored 33.8 points per game on the average. Robertson’s record was the third highest scoring in the history of college basketball.
For three years, Robertson won the national scoring title. In every year, he was named an All-American player and College Player of the Year. Robertson also set 14 NCAA and 19 school records during his stay in the University of Cincinnati. With him on board, the Cincinnati Bearcats had an overall record of 79 wins and 9 losses, as well as two appearances in the Final Four. However, he failed to lead the team into a championship despite his excellent record in high school. By the time he left college, Robertson was a leading NCAA scorer.
After college, Robertson joined the U.S. basketball team during the 1960 Summer Olympics. His team captain was Jerry West. Robertson and West, along with a few others, were regarded as the greatest collection of amateur basketball players. They were undefeated, and got the gold medal. Robertson and few others then made it to the NBA, where three of them became Hall-of-Famers.
NBA Years
Robertson’s first professional team was the Cincinnati Royals (which would later on become the Sacramento Kings). While he was with the team, Robertson made a mark as a rookie by scoring 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 9.7 assists during his first year with the Royals. His performance led to an NBA rookie of the year award in the 1960-1961 season, and an election into the All-NBA First Team. He also appeared in an All-Star game, during which the West scored victory and Robertson made a record of 23 points, 14 assists and 9 rebounds. However, the Royals during the season never made it past the Western Division with a record of 33 wins and 46 losses.
During the next season (1961-1962), Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 11.4 assists and 12.5 rebounds for every game. He was the only player to do so. He also broke Bob Cousy’s 715-assist record with his 899 assists.
Similar to his stay in the University of Cincinnati, Robertson failed to see a championship with the Royals until he left the team during a trade off in the 1970-1971 season draft. Traded for the Milwaukee Bucks’ Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk, it was with the Bucks that Robertson saw his first championship in 1971. He also helped the Bucks get two division titles during the 1971-1972 and 1972-1973 seasons, and also assisted the team to reach the finals during the 1974 season. However, the team lost to the Bolton Celtics during the season.
The Oscar Robertson Suit
The Oscar Robertson suit is a suit filed by the NBA Player Association — of which Robertson was president — against the league in 1974. The suit basically was settled after six years, which resulted to a merger of the NBA and the ABA, and introduced the free agency status of players after their contracts expired.
Attila Z Jancsina is a freelance copy writer. He occasionally writes for Wisconsin Real Estate FSBO. Website offers Free FSBO advertisement.
Basketball at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 will be Sure to Dominate as a Crowd Favorite
Basketball at the 2008 Olympic Games will be held at Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing from August 9-24, 2008.
Basketball is definitely a global sport that has shown continued growth over recent years. The USA with the NBA and its college basketball system undoubtedly has the toughest competitions in the world that attracts the world’s best players. However, the USA has not always dominated the Olympics and on several occasions they have been embarrassed by some unexpected defeats to lesser known teams.
The USA always enters the Olympics as favourites but their inability to gel and play as a team has brought about some bad losses. The question will be is will they have a team of players who play like individuals or will they put aside their egos and play as a team. If they play as a team then they should win the gold medal.
In 1972 the Soviet Union beat the USA to win the gold in a controversial game. After 1988 the Olympics opened the sport up for professional players to play which saw the greatest basketball team of all time to compete in 1992. The “Dream Team” lead by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were just unbeatable and put on a show for all the world to see. Most of the players on the other teams were star struck by playing against these legends of the game.
In 1992 Michael Jordan was the team’s second highest scorer with 14.9 points per game and he had a tournament high 37 steals. The U.S. defeated Croatia 117-85 in the final and as a result Michael Jordan earned his second Olympic gold medal.
David Stern of the NBA has stated a number of times that they wish to expand and promote the game of basketball in China. As a result they have played and will continue to play more exhibition games in China. The presence of China’s greatest player, Yao Ming in the NBA has helped to increase the popularity of basketball in China.
The following teams have already qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympics: Angola (African Champion), Argentina (Americas runner-up), Australia (Oceania Champion), China (host), Iran (Asian Champion), Lithuania (European Bronze medallist), Russia (European Champion), Spain (World Champion) and USA (Champion of the Americas).
The remaining three positions for the Beijing Olympics will be decided in the twelve team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men that will take place in Athens, Greece on July 14th. The tournament will involve the following teams: Cameroon and Cape Verde (Africa), Brazil and Canada (Americas), Lebanon, Puerto Rico and the Republic of Korea (Asia), Greece, Germany, Croatia, and Slovenia (Europe) and New Zealand (Oceania). The draw for this tournament will be held on July 20, 2008 in Athens.
The semi finals are scheduled to be played on August 22nd and the finals two days later on August 24th. Although the Americans often underplay the importance of the Olympic Games it is guaranteed that this time they will want to restore their global dominance in basketball by coming out and performing at their best. Anything less than a gold medal will be taken as a failure by many players and supporters in the USA.
For more information on Basketball at the Olympics you should visit Basketball in Beijing 2008
The Rules Of Basketball
Basketball was invented in a pursuit for an indoor game, which would provide complete fitness. Dr James Naismith, a Canadian physical instructor, wrote down the basic rule for the game after initial rejection of many ideas, at a YMCA Training School. This game was officially played for the first time on January 20, 1892, in the YMCA Gymnasium, at Springfield College. Women began playing basketball in 1892, at Smith College, and different sets of rules were laid down for them.
This is a team sport where two teams, consisting of nine members each, throw ball into a ten-foot high basket of the opponent in order to get a score. While one team member aims for the basket, member of the other team prevents him from doing so. The team that has the highest score wins the game. The ball is dribbled and carried forward. In competitive basketball variation there are lot of regulations and the handling of the ball is restricted. Less regulated versions have been developed for recreational purposes and in some countries, this game is considered as a spectator sport.
Initially a soccer ball was used in basketball after which a brown colored ball was introduced. But to increase the visibility of the ball to the players and spectators alike the color was changed to orange, in 1950s by Tony Hinkle. Initially dribbling wasn’t a part of the game. It was included in the game in the 1950s.
Different versions have different rules and time limits. According to NBA, some of the rules have been discussed here. The basketball court should be 94 X 50 feet. There should be baskets on two opposite ends of the court. The court is either made out of wood or cement. The ten feet high basket is made out of steel rim with a net attached. One score, also called shot, is counted as two points or three points when aimed from a distance of 7.24 meter. The game is divided into four quarters which each of them with a time limit of twelve minutes.
A break of fifteen minutes is allowed after the first two quarter and in between each quarter, there is a break of two minutes. In the third quarter, both the teams exchange their baskets. At a time five members of each team are present on the court. Permission is given to have up to seven substitutes. Other than the coach assistant coaches, statisticians, managers, trainers and doctors assists a team. Other equipments, other than the ball, required during the game are scoreboard, score sheets, clocks, stop clocks, whistles, and alternating possession arrows.
The male and the female player require to wear a pair of shorts and a jersey with clear number printed on the front and the back. High-top sneakers can be worn to provide extra ankle support. Sometimes the coach can request clock stoppages in between the game, if he wants to discuss something important with his team members. Usually three referees watch over the game. Other things like timekeeping, fouls by an individual or a team, score, team possession arrow, shot clock and player substitutions are taken care of by the table officials.
Over the period of time, various positions have been developed in basketball. Initially there were one guard, two forwards, and two centers or two guards, two forwards, and one center. Later on point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center positions were added.
Actions, which lead to violations are double dribbling, traveling, and carrying the ball and shot clock. Foul is illegal physical contact with the opponent team members, which would hinder them.
The other variations of the professional basketball are wheelchair basketball for the physically handicapped, water basketball to be played in a swimming pool, beach basketball which has very few or no regulations, half court game which has only one basket, and street ball and one-on-one which has two players and smaller court.
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The Real History of Basketball
Basketball, as we know it today, was not always as simple as it seems. There were no big, multi-million dollar stars like Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan or Larry Byrd. There were no arenas like there are today - no Spectrums or Los Angeles Coliseums. There were not any television broadcasts or broadcasters, no hardwood floors or even nets. The basketball game of many years back was a terrifying experience to say the very least. It was a right of passage and a way to settle disputes.
Basketball as it was first seen took place 100’s of years ago and was played by the Mayans and Incas of Mexico, Peru and other South American countries. The game, or what they called a game, was played in a brick trench roughly the length of a Canadian Arena Football field (half the length of an American one) and the width was half of an American football field as well. The teams were made up of 7 men on each side. There were metal hoops placed various heights and distances apart, and these hoops were worth a certain amount of points.
Winning one of these games was, literally, life and death. In fact, the ball was not a ball at all, but was a decapitated human head. The players would not dribble the ball. They instead, tossed it back and forth, much like in Australian rugby, until a player could toss the head through a hoop. On one side of the trench were your opponents hoops, and the other your own. You could take points away from the opposing team by throwing the head into the opposing team’s hoops. These games could go on for many hours without a victor in sight. There were no time outs, half times or removal of a player from the “court” or “arena” and certainly injuries were not a factor. The rules were simple and precise: toss to your teammates and throw into the hoop.
Unlike the game of basketball that we know and love today, the winners did not get bonuses in their paychecks or get awarded fancy cars, jets or luxurious vacations. They were not even pampered. These players were warriors, plain and simple. The winning team got to do one important thing: live. The losing team was sacrificed in a blood ceremony by having their heads removed and their bodies cremated. There was no dishonor in this death. Whatever the issue was, be it war, marriage or crop management and disbursement, it was now settled. This was a “gentleman’s way” to manage conflict without hundreds or thousands of deaths, much like dueling in the 17th and 18th centuries.
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Improving Your Basketball Game with Strength Training and Endurance Techniques
When we sit and watch a basketball game, we are always yelling at our team for every screw up they throw our way. We are fans - and as fans - it is our job to judge, heckle and to annoy these men who, as far as we are concerned, are not worth as much as they are paid to play a “simple sport” or “game.” Basketball is big business like any other sport.
Make no bones about it though - it is not easy. There are a lot of things that go into making a great basketball player and height, surprisingly, is not one of them. It helps - do not get me wrong - but there have been some short men to play the sport over the last hundred years or so (Muggsy Bogues to name one of recent play). Strength, stamina and endurance are all important factors in your basketball game. The following simple techniques will help you achieve your potential.
1) Run the Wood
Endurance is a major factor in the game of basketball and you are required to constantly run, run, run up and down the court. So in order to meet the needs of the game, this is what you do - run up and down a basketball court for 20 minutes to start. Gradually increase your time and speed. Timing your pivots and run backs are important as well, so make sure to touch the line before you pivot as making quick changes during a game are important.
2) Tire Throw
Besides throwing the basketball into a hoop, you always need to be able to pass with accuracy. A simple way to accomplish this feat is by stealing an idea from football players. Unused car tires make a perfect target for throwing your “rock” and hitting the mark. If you have some friends who want to improve their skills at the same time, you can take turns running in-between several hanging tires, to pass the ball through the holes, avoiding possible steals.
3) Nothing Beats Calisthenics
No one likes doing these. I know I hated them. It brings me back to high school gym class, but nothing can get your stamina, endurance and strength up as much as doing jumping jacks, push ups, pull ups and up downs (jogging in place, hitting the floor and getting up to do it all again).
Doing these simple things for at least 20 minutes before your practice will help you gain endurance, stamina and strength to make your game all that much more improved.
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Michael Jordan: The Cliff Notes
Michael Jordan was born three days after Valentine’s Day in 1963. He brought a new level of excitement to the game of basketball, and is now retired, much to the relief of his opponents, and despite coming back several times previously. He is a marketing genius and a businessman. Michael Jordan is often called the greatest basketball player to ever live - a distinction he himself is quick to denounce. He was, however, marketed to the fullest by his team, and his shoe line from Nike, the Air Jordan, remains the top selling shoe endorsed by a sports personality. He ruled basketball through the 80’s and 90’s.
He began his career as a stand-out playing the Tarheels out of the University of North Carolina. Be began his professional career in the near mid 1980’s when he inked a deal with the Chicago Bulls franchise. It did not take Michael Jordan long to shine on the professional level, becoming one of the greatest stars in his rookie season. He was a high scorer with a tremendous leaping ability and many of his slam dunks have become highlight reel moments - especially the backboard shattering ones of which there were plenty. All of his accolades as a leaper and a scorer gave him the moniker of “Air Jordan” and he was also sometimes referred to as “His Airness” by sassy commentators. Besides being a great offensive player, he was also a tremendous defender.
He helped take the Chicago Bulls to World Champion Chicago Bulls in 1991 and their streak continued through 1992 and 1993 securing them a much talked about “three-peat”. Michael Jordan, feeling bored with basketball, took a leave during the 1993 through 1994 season in order to follow a dream of becoming a major league baseball player. That did not go as well as he would have liked and he went back to playing basketball with the Chicago Bulls in 1995. With Michael Jordan back on the wood, the Chicago Bulls pulled off another three-peat by winning back to back to back championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998 and they also set a record with winning 72 games in a regular season in 95-96. Michael Jordan again retired in 1999 but soon returned to play in the 2001 and 2002 seasons with the Washington Wizards, a team he was part owner in.
Michael Jordan is probably the most highly decorated basketball player in the game today, winning five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team Designations, fourteen all star game appearances as well as holding the record for the highest career regular-season scoring by managing a little over 30 points a game.
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How The Sport Of Basketball Got Its Start And How It Has Evolved
Basketball was first discovered by DR. James Naismith who was a Canadian physical instructor. It was first played in the winter of 1892 on January the 20th. Even though it was made and discovered by a man, women soon started to play the sport.
The sport is a team sport where there are nine players on each team when the team with the ball is trying to score they are trying to score in a hoop that is ten feet tall and there is also going to be a center that is trying to deflect the ball but cannot be goal tending. While the other team is dribbling down court towards the defending team the defending team is standing their ground waiting for the ball to come to their hoop. If the team with the ball scores the defending team is given the ball and is allowed to try to get basket unless the other defending team steals the ball then they could run down court and make a simple lay up. Basketball is a competitive sport and when being played both teams should be trying to get the most points that they can make.
The first basketball was a soccer ball which was white since the fans and announcers couldn’t keep up with the white ball the ball was changed to orange in the 1950s. The court is to be 94×50 which is going by the NBA standards. The goal is going to be ten foot tall with a steel hoop and net with it. There are to be 4 quarters with each of them lasting 12 minutes each. After the first two periods there is to be a fifteen minute break which is known as halftime when the period resumes to the 3rd period the teams switch baskets where they are now opposite to where they were playing before.
In the NBA today the players are required to wear matching jerseys to their teams and are required to have at least 9 players to a team. After the teams have been organized the game would start with a jump ball and either team with the highest person to jump would get the ball first hand to try and make a basket. If the team scored the defending team would then get the ball and would be allowed to try and score against the opposite team for a score of either two points or three points depending on where the shot be taken from. If the shot was missed by the offense then the defending team would be allowed to try and rebound the ball so that they could get a point without having to let the offense score. If the offense had missed a shot and the defense had recovered the ball that is known as a rebound and can be played.
There’s much more that can be said about the sport and this is the time of year when everyone is tuning in to see who is going to make it to the playoffs. Watch your favorite sports channel to follow your team and be sure not to miss March Madness.
Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about rock climbing as well as extreme sports equipment at http://www.nsearch.com
Michael Jordan - From Unlikely Basketball Player To Internationally Known Superstar
Michael Jeffery Jordan is probably one of the most well known names in the world of basketball. He was born on February 17, 1963 in New York City. Jordan was responsible for making National Basketball Association or the NBA famous, during the 1980s and 1990s. He is the fourth child of his parents, James R. Jordan, Sr. and Deloris Jordan.
As he developed his interest for basketball the high school he went to wouldn;t let him play because of his height, a few months later he went from being 5′11″ to 6′3″. He then got a basketball scholarship in 1981 from the University of North Carolina because of his impressive records in school. In the 1982 NCAA Championship game he made the game winning jump shot, as which he says is the turning point in his career and what made him what he is today.
He then started his pro career in 1984 when he signed with the Chicago Bulls. When he turned pro he was soon a public icon and he was also on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline, “A Star Is Born”. He won the NBA championship from 1991 to 1993 and was then known as the best basketball player around. Although many people disliked him, many loved to see him dunk from the free throw line. As that is what he was most famous for doing in those times and what gave him the nickname of Air Jordan. This is also the name of the signature shoes that just about every kid wants.
In October 1993, he took a temporary leave to go play baseball but wasn’t really good at it at all and the only reason he even left basketball was because of the loss of his father, he joined back in 1995 again. He then won it again by winning the NBA championships from 1996 to 1998. He then took another break again in 1999 to return back again in 2001, but this time he would join the Washington Wizards. He played with the team till 2003.
Michael Jordan was part of two award winning gold medalist Olympic teams. His first team won the first gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics and the second one was in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. He set a record in NBA by making the highest career regular season scoring average of 30.1 points per game. He was the best that ever lived I think and he was my favorite player for a number of years until Carmelo Anthony and Labron James started to play in the NBA. He will always be remembered as making history and he will always be the one who first dunked from the free throw line. Even though he was a small guy once he grew fast into the NBA.
Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about basketball as well as basketball equipment at http://www.nsearch.com
How To Be A Proficient Coach In The Game Of Basketball
Being part of a basketball team or even leading the team requires certain tactics and strategies that must be put into play. The game of basketball is about a lot more than just shooting some hoops. It requires a lot of planning and preparation in making a strong team and helps the players to play their best.
Basketball is really a sport that requires someone who is a trained coach to lead a team. Coaches need to have the proper skills such as the knowledge about conditioning that is done on a daily basis so that players are limber and prepared for the game which also reduces any injuries caused from the stress of the game. Basketball is a game of high physical contact and it is intense physically therefore the team is required to be able to move around quickly and efficiently on the court. Part of the conditioning for basketball requires running practice, training and conditioning the team members to learn how to shoot the ball correctly, dribble, and utilize their offense and defense at all times.
It is also a job of the coach to ensure the safety of his players during conditioning as well as during the game. Basketball is a game where there is a high risk of injury because of the pushing, the running, and the nature of the speed involved. It is also very important that once a player sustains an injury regardless of the magnitude of it that the coach does not push the player and add further strain to the injury. It is essential that any injuries are taken care of in their entirety before the player returns to the game.
Both physical and mental preparation need to be addressed for each and every game. A player can be in top notch physical condition but if the player is not mentally right it is likely that he will not perform well in that game. Respect is a very large part of the game and players need to understand that during the game and also during practices. It is the coach’s job to make sure that players walk away from a game feeling both physically and mentally good in the event of a win or a loss.
Coaching a game such as basketball requires diligence constantly and players need a continual understanding of the game and its basics. This has to be done consistently and with a firm but at the same time caring hand. Coaches are very special
people that can leave a lasting impression on players for years to come. Players will need continual reinforcement and believe it or not need to understand how to both win and lose effectively.
Having the right mindset is extremely important when it comes to playing any game at all and so is morale. Teams that have not unified and that have low morale will essentially have low numbers of wins as well. The responsibility of this lies largely in part of the coach as it is his job to make sure that no matter what morale stays high.
Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about basketball as well as sports gear at http://www.nsearch.com
What You Need To Know To Be A Good Basketball Coach
If you have decided that you want to coach a basketball team you will want to start with the bare minimum and that is to know and understand the essentials of the game and the core concepts. Once you grasp this part of coaching you will be able to get all of the players on the same page and coordinate a game that everyone loves to participate in as well as to watch.
Basic concepts include the obvious, such as having to opposing teams. Although there will be more players on your team, only five are allowed on the playing court at one time. The goal here, although it may seem simple, is to have each team work together to try and get the basketball thrown through the hoop. Sounds easy enough but you have to remember and never underestimate the opposing team’s defense. Getting the ball through the hoop is how points are scored and like most other games, the high scoring teams, wins. Again, sounds fairly simple but now you have to factor in the rules of what is allowed and what is not. This always makes things just a bit tougher.
For example, when the ball is in play, a holding call will be placed on the player by the referee if the ball is held too long. This gives the team a penalty and allows the opposing team to either gain control of the ball or in some cases the referee gives the opposing team what is called a free shot. During the free shot a designated player is allowed to throw the ball without any interference from opposition. The ball has to be thrown from a specified distance as well. Dribbling is a huge part of the game of basketball. Dribbling is the fast short strokes that a player bounces the ball continuously while it is in motion or play. The dribbling also has to occur within a specified area of the playing court at all times or the referee will call the play or the ball out of bounds.
Basketball has been enjoyed in the United States since around 1891. It was developed for the intent of giving rugby players a way to stay in shape during their off season. Back then, rugby was a very popular sport but it did not take long for the country to embrace the game of basketball and soon after the YMCA gymnasiums were formally accepting the game as well as developing regulations and rules that are still adhered to today. Basketball is now an international sport and is recognized by the National Basketball Association (NBA). Basketball is also accepted and enjoyed on a professional level where literally millions of spectators pay for tickets to entertain the sport of basketball.
Because of the explosive growth of basketball coaching has also become a multi million dollar business as well. Coaches have had to literally develop an art to coaching by teaching teams how to interact and work as a team towards the same objectives.
Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about coaching basketball as well as basketball equipment at http://www.nsearch.com
