Joey Jazzbo
The Utah Jazz retired Pistol Pete Maravich's number seven on December 14, 1985, 21 years ago today. They did this even though he spent the majority of his time with the franchise when it was in New Orleans, which was classy of them. The Lakers, for instance, have been unwilling to extend a similar courtesy to George Mikan.
Maravich's was the first number ever retired in the history of the Jazz franchise. Since then they've retired six others:
▪ 1 Frank Layden, Head Coach, 1981-88
▪ 12 John Stockton, G, 1984-2003
▪ 14 Jeff Hornacek, G, 1994-2000
▪ 32 Karl Malone, F, 1985-2003
▪ 35 Darrell Griffith, G, 1980-91
▪ 53 Mark Eaton, C, 1982-93
Now if you're like me the first thing you think when you look at that list is... Dr Dunkenstein was no joke. Then you move on to... Mark Eaton? For reals? Then you ask a similar question about Jeff Hornacek. Then you remember that Hornacek was in the Philly/Phoenix deal for Barkley, and then you get all pissed off...But getting back to Pistol Pete. He's the only Jazzbo currently in the Basketball Hall of Fame, although that will change as soon as the firm of Stockton and Malone come up for election. For myself, and I know this is heresy to the whole Maravich L.S.U./New Orleans mythology, but personally I always think of Pete Maravich as a Hawk, mostly because of those blue and green uniforms they had back when he was in Atlanta. Them shits were the illy-dilly, one of my all-time favorite unis of any sport period. With those tube socks yo? That is an all-world NBA look right there.
4 Comments:
I remember hating hornacek with a passion because he and jerry sloan had similar games. Mind you I'm only 22 but my dad has always been a huge chicago fan and was taping their games from the eighties. And still does.
But hornacek was a great player. The only thing I know about pete maravich was that his throwback was fire. the hawks red and white one. But this jersey looks like the one puffy designed for the mavs 2003 season.
Yeah it's got some of that Mavs vide to it, I agree. I must say, I was always partial to that sage green thing he's rocking in the other picture, but I couldn't find a blow-up of that jersey. Somebody used to sell one, I remember, and I stupidly didn't buy it.
the hawks jerseys are sick. the nameplate only saying "Pistol" is bubonic.
I've been trying to post all over the scorecard for the past week but my blogger account has been FUBAR. Anyways, I wanted to say that the league today limits individuality so much that Stern would outlaw Pete's two pairs of floppy socks and wouldn't even entertain the thought of having 'Pistol' on the back of his jersey. How sick is the nameplate? josh nailed it.
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