No there was not That just shows all of us what a Classest And Great Man Julius Erving Trully Is The Real God Of Basketball

*Yes* plenty of times, like Dr J at... Chicago Stadium Milwaukee MECCA Brendan Byrne Arena NJ Capital Centre, DC MSG The Omni, ATL Pontiac Silverdome, DET Richfield Coliseum, CLE Market Sq Arena, IND Reunion Arena, Dallas Salt Palace, Utah The Summit, Houston McNichols Arena, Denver ARCO Arena I, Sacramento Hemisfair Arena, San Antonio LA Sports Arena Veterans Coliseum PHX Seattle Ctr Coliseum Oakland Coliseum Arena Portland Memorial Coliseum ...& the Fabulous Forum in LA

@@sweetmapleleafs lol nice

NO!

"How well spoken"... Somehow - that sort of comment...and it's a comment I repeatedly hear evoked in situations related to People of Color (namely, specifically, Black People)...has always rubbed me the wrong way.

What I’m sure he meant is that Dr. J is a well spoken man, either black or white. There are allowed to be well-spoken people, aren’t there?

@@ThomasFromTN Translation.....he sounds white.

@@joshuasussman4020 Red used to bash the ABA saying there was only one great player Dr. J.

​@@ThomasFromTNshut up you thin chested racist white liberal.

Reed Rothchild Yeeeeeeeeeees, you couldn't have said it any better. thank you

Doctors are always eloquent to speak.

Dr.j original airwalker toward the basket 🧺 to score points

I like Dr Js style better.

It’s because the NBA back then LITERALLY bought out the ABA specifically to bring Doc over, BUT they don’t count any of his statistics, rings, and awards from the ABA as part of his legacy… which is absolutely unthinkable. But with Jordan, the NBA purposely promoted him and literally marketed him as basketball Jesus. MJ is ACTUALLY responsible for the superstar rules in terms of officiating. I know nowadays, all of us old folks complain about today’s rules… You know, allowing zone defense, no hand checking, players taking 3-4 steps without traveling calls, tricky tack fouls in favor of the popular players, allowing guys to push off, and allowing guys to carry the ball CONSTANTLY when dribbling. We absolutely DESPISE it! But it’s not a new phenomenon; MJ was the pioneer of that specifically BECAUSE of the League being marketed around him for money and ratings purposes. But after MJ retired, the League saw how huge a mistake it was to do what they did with Mike, and they never did it again. Marketing him as god was great for the NBA while he was active, but it caused a nose dive when he left. So never did they do it that again with anyone else! Instead of marketing one guy as top dog and putting everything into him, they went back to the “Rivals” game plan. And first order of business to elevate several players and push the narrative that the top 2-5 superstars in the League were all battling for the opportunity to be considered “The NEXT Jordan.” So if you were either around for it and have a good memory, OR if you’re a young fan who missed it but have the ability to put in the work to research it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. But most importantly, something like that HAS TO BE done as objectively as humanly possible. Or else, you’re gonna do what 99% of fans do… They start with their personal preferences and favorites; THEN, they add and organize the stats/data in the way that best supports their preferences. (that, of course, doesn’t only apply to Jordan, the NBA, or even sports overall; people do it with all kinds of celebrities- from Eminem to Jay Z to Tupac to Taylor Swift to Beyoncé, etc). (Cont’d below)…

Since MJ is the example we’re using, I’ll use him for my illustration. MJ is to basketball what Tupac and Biggie came to be in hip hop. In other words, so many people have crowned him as the GOAT that not doing so is immediately dismissed, and the person who doesn’t go along with it is automatically cast off as someone who doesn’t know the game. Even that individual lists the criteria that led to their perceptions and perspectives. Go ask every hip hop fan you know to name the Top 5 greatest rappers in hip hop. No matter the generation or location, 98.9% of them will include Biggie and Tupac. Even guys who weren’t anywhere near being born at the time AND can’t even name 5 of their songs that weren’t released as singles. No matter what, they’ll have them in the list. Ask them why, and they’ll break into a long soliloquy parroting a bunch of vague, cookie cutter talking points about how “Tupac was so real… blah blah blah… and how he may not have been all that lyrical, but you FELT his music.” Then, “B.I.G. was so smooth, he was a great storyteller, and the greatest lyricist to bless the mic…blah blah blah.” With Jordan, we hear about how he’s the greatest bc of his killer instinct, how competitive he was… blah blah blah… great scorer AND great defender… supreme team leader… and (my personal favorite), he won six rings. And those championships make him the greatest. All of that’s hilarious because the same people will change the rules and criteria for determining who’s the best. And they’ll change it 19839 times as often as they need to in order to justify their guy. Never fails.

Tom Brady’s another one. For guys like these, people not only SAY they’re the best BUT will also actually try to force 100% of the public to agree and to validate the claims. But since they’re hands down the greatest EVER, how and why would such a player need help from the officials so much? I mean, Jordan got a LOT of calls/ non calls in his favor. But TB12 is even worse than him! Tom actually needed help from the refs AND from the NFL front office! Like, they LITERALLY created rules to protect him specifically… Because the statue he’ll have in up there in Boston can outrun the real actual Tom Brady. And we saw early on in his career, defenses with an effective pass rush were able to pretty much neutralize him completely. It’s why the first few Pats Championships were won by Belichick’s defenses and Adam Vinatieri’s leg. It wasn’t until the rule changes, the cheating, and the were wearing Patriots (then Bucs) jerseys under their stripes that 12 started being elevated into NFL all time great conversations.

Oh yes long live Julius the Doctor Erving The classiest man to put on a sports uniform A true gentleman he is They don't come like Julius anymore

You bet he's the class guy you will ever know And the classest man to ever put on a sports uniform I truly love this great gentleman

You never saw Bill Russell play then.

Oh yes the most classest man to ever put on a sports uniform What a great man on and off the court

You can say that again Julius is also a great Human Being The classest man I ever seen in my lifetime and I'm 62 Long Live Doctor j

Wow you talked to Julius was this after he retired Man that's my dream to me him and to shake those huge big hands of his and get a huge from him .I love this great man He's the classest man to ever put on a sports uniform long live the Doctor And what a Lucky guy you were to speak with him

Dr.j original airwalker toward the basket 🧺

BasketballJones48021 not one but the greatest ever

Celtics fans always show respect for their rivals

BasketballJones48021 Yeeeeeeeeeees, because Boston and Philly were arch enemies at one time.

Every team did this for Dr J when it was his last game at that arena.

By 1987, He is probably the greatest Ever, He was literally the MJ of the 70's in terms of flair and hangtime moves

Damn if that aint a great description. Yes it was. That era had it all. Attitude, rivalries, team loyalty, loyal diehard fans and Dr. J who pioneered the above the rim style. And nobody did it better or came close to creating the excitement that Dr. J did. He was the original.

Yes all sports are dead

Real basketball

@@josephgiuffdrida5387 you should upload them

Yes the do have respect But were talking about Julius Erving The classest man to ever put on a sports uniform Philadelphia gave Doctor j a huge parade and a very big ceremony when he retired I didnt see that with Magig ,Bird or Jordan That goes to tell you what a great man Julius Erving The Doctor J really was a great Man

Every team did this for dr j in 1987

​@@zt1053 ...Absolutely!!!

Even as a diehard Celtic fan, I would have given my left nut to have watched a game in the Spectrum and hear Dave Zinkoff introduce the players, especially Dr. J.

wtf you expect?

@@BP-gl7zt Whenever I see stuff like this, I want to say, "What's he supposed to sound like?" Not every basketball player grew up in the hood.

I don't think he meant anything disrespectful by it. Dr J is more articulate than alot of politicians

This is such thinly veiled racism. Whenever somebody remarks upon a black person speaking well, as if to imply that it’s shocking as 98% of them don’t. Or can’t.

SO TRUE, SO TRUE. AMEN, AMEN, AMEN.

Go Devils ...I remember those games like yesterday.

Cool fact. Fitting end for the Doc to the great Sixer/Celtics rivalries of the '80's

Both in 86 and 87 the Celtics lost close games at the Spectrum. I was hoping the Celtics would get revenge in the playoffs but both times the Sixers choked and lost to the Bucks.

I was at 106-104 OT win at the Spectrum.

Yes you said it right and especially The Green Bay Fans There with out a doubt The greatest fans I've been a Green Bay Fan For 52 years and I'm 62 And I live in NY I bleed packer green But those fans are far from phony fans True blue to there team Go Pack Go

Dirk nowitzki would've scored 50s points against Larry bird; LeBron James would've scored 50s points against Larry bird; Nikola jokic would've scored 60s points against Larry bird

You have no idea what you're talking about. Bird and Dr. J would eat those guys for breakfast and play two games a day.@@loydkline

@tomtalley2192 ❤️ dr.j my hero ;; dirk nowitzki& Nikola jokic & LeBron jameseach would've 🐦 on a outside grill &cook it 50s; & 40s points average against Larry bird especially broken back & bad feet Larry bird dirk nowitzki & Nikola jokic would've call Larry bird short stuff & shoot by behind 3 point line top of 🔑 key make the shot & then backup some more 3 point shot make it then drive pass Larry bird for layup

​@loydkline ...The NBA from the late 'seventies and the entire 'eighties was the Golden Era.

It happened one year later. In 1983 76ers with Moses Malone swept Lakers.

Misha Gelenava when I say two years later I'm talking 84 when Celtics beat lakers

Mike Gillins they broke the mold after God created Julius Erving, cause the other players can try to do his moves and copy him and his style but they will never get close to out doing the "Dr J".

Both Sixers and Celtics fans knew.

Yes it happened 2 years later and the sixes gave The LA Lakers one good ass kicking a 4 game sweep.

Kareem appreciated em' too and let them know it.

lol that's not exactly the truth.....I remember hearing Robert Parish say he had quite a few problems racially in Boston in his early years there

@@TRJ2241987 I think that was more of a community (off the court) issue. Russell went through it too and worse.

Yeah not at Boston Garden, more so everyday life outside of the game

Just ask CC Sabathia and that other player who played with the Baltimore Orioles who said The only opposing stadium that they were called the n-word in was at Boston.

He also went to UMass

Even though he never wore the green he is still one of our coming from U Mass.

Wow....I remember Earl; nice post. Erving indeed was a special player; I live in San Antonio and was fortunate to see him in his prime during those ABA years when he battled the Spurs. Hated him as an opponent but loved his creativity, talent and best of all ....class!

777, Wow! Appreciated that point. I can understand him saying that because Dr. J back then did do amazing things that you didn't see on the basketball court and look at as normal! I had the pleasure of seeing him in the Spectrum in Philadelphia against the Milwaukee Bucks and also in the Omni in Atlanta against the Hawks. Earl Strom was a vet official back then. Very well respected and for him to say that, knowing that it could have been looked at as a form of favoritism towards a play or franchise and then for him to still point that out meant he must have been pretty amazed by Doc's gifted athleticism. As indicated in the Vid, he was class personified on an off the court and had fans respect throughout the league. Appreciate you sharing that point.....

Lbj?