Ernie and Bernie Sports Illustrated

#1
Freak

Freak

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#1
"Double Trouble from Tennessee"

Does anybody have this magazine scanned or a copy of the article? I have seen the cover but never have actually read the article. I would love to be able to read it.
 
#2
#2
0209_large.jpg


all i could find online was a pic of the cover
 
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#4
When Coach Ray Mears took over the Tennessee basketball program in 1962, the Vols had won just 4 games in the previous season. He quickly built the Vols into an SEC power, winning three titles and finishing no lower than third in 10 other seasons. The Ernie & Bernie era was the climax of Coach Mears 15-year tenure at the helm of the Vols basketball program. Ernie Grunfeld and Bernard King, the high scoring forward tandem from New York City, dominated the Southeastern Conference scoring charts for three seasons during the mid 70’s- resulting in the now famous “double trouble” picture (adjacent) that appeared on the cover of Sport Illustrated in April, 1976.
Grunfeld became the Vols all-time leading scorer with 2249 points by the end of his four-year career ( broken by Allan Houston a few seasons ago), while King tallied 1962 points in three seasons. Ernie & Bernie both moved onto the NBA, and after retiring as players, Grunfeld has stayed in the league as the General Manger of the New York Knocks. King is retired and now lives in Atlanta with his family.

During Coach Mears tenure, the terms ‘Big Orange’ and the ‘Tennessee Volunteers’ were coined, and the marketing mayhem Coach Mears brought to the various league venues- Harlem Globetrotter style drills, jugglers, the band forming the ‘T’ on the floor of Stokely, and the general rowdiness of the standing room only student sections- only added to the hey days of Vol basketball that culminated with the Ernie & Bernie show. The Big Game was the Kentucky game, much as it is today, and ‘Double Trouble’ lost only once to the blue in King’s frosh year winning 5 straight thereafter. To this day, Grunfeld is often remembered not scoring 43 points against Kentucky his senior year- rather his two free throws he hit to seal the win. And if you were lucky enough to King play, well, in the immortal words of John Ward, the Vols legendary broadcaster, “ladies and gentleman- he can play the game”
 
#5
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Was it King that guaranteed he would never lose to Kentucky again after that loss is freshman year? I can't remember the story.
 
#6
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vol_freak said:
Was it King that guaranteed he would never lose to Kentucky again after that loss is freshman year? I can't remember the story.
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Yeah. He did it because he had food and drink thrown at him and the crowd was making racial slurs. I am not 100% sure if that was the reason, but I do know that it was him that guaranteed that they wouldn't lose to KY again.
 
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#7
I've still got my copy in my "favorite things" box - will dig it out and scan it for you - if I can remember where that box is!
 
#9
#9
utvol0427 said:
Yeah. He did it because he had food and drink thrown at him and the crowd was making racial slurs. I am not 100% sure if that was the reason, but I do know that it was him that guaranteed that they wouldn't lose to KY again.
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Yeah, that happened after his first game against the Wildcats in Lexington. John Ward said on a documentary that lit cigerettes where thrown on King. From that point on, Tennessee defeated Kentucky five times in a row.
 
#11
#11
#12
#12
vol_freak said:
"Double Trouble from Tennessee"

Does anybody have this magazine scanned or a copy of the article? I have seen the cover but never have actually read the article. I would love to be able to read it.
Click to expand...
Didn't Ernie Grunfiled punch Kevin Greivy of Kentucky (sp) in the nose as well as shoot free throws for another team mate?
 
#13
#13
oklavol said:
On a sidebar, anyone ever seen that old movie Bernard King starred in? He played the star player on a BB team I think the guy from Welcome Back Kotter, Gabe Kaplan played the coach.

I think it was called fast break.

Amazon.com: Fast Break: Video: Rhonda Bates,Richard Brestoff,Reb Brown,K Callan,John Chappell,Steve Conte,Doria Cook-Nelson,Larry Farmer,Randee Heller,Craig Impleman,James Jeter,Gabe Kaplan,Bernard King,Bert Remsen,Connie Sawyer,Harold Sylvester,Mich
Click to expand...

Yeah, I ran across that. I also never realized he was on Miami Vice. :lol:

http://www.volnation.com/blog/2007-02-11/bernard-king-return-to-knoxville/
 
#14
#14
Freak, I've been searching my library's online holdings, but full-text articles in SI only go back to 1992...

Interestingly enough, I just pulled up an article in February 1993 that mentions Bernard King's arrival to the NJ Nets right alongside Dennis Rodman's incident with the .22 rifle in his truck.

It is flat out amazing when you start to think how long King's career was, especially with the knee injury.
 
#15
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HotlantaVol said:
Freak, I've been searching my library's online holdings, but full-text articles in SI only go back to 1992...

Interestingly enough, I just pulled up an article in February 1993 that mentions Bernard King's arrival to the NJ Nets right alongside Dennis Rodman's incident with the .22 rifle in his truck.

It is flat out amazing when you start to think how long King's career was, especially with the knee injury.
Click to expand...

Man it is hard to believe he was still around then.

It's also amazing that as great as he was he didn't seem to get the recognition of a superstar. At least not to the degree that I think he deserved.
 
#16
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vol_freak said:
Man it is hard to believe he was still around then.

It's also amazing that as great as he was he didn't seem to get the recognition of a superstar. At least not to the degree that I think he deserved.
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From some of these articles I'm reading (some of which reference things I'm going to leave alone), it seems like he had a darker side as well.

Of course, that being said, any issues Bernard had to deal with are nothing compared to your 21st century NBA brat.
 
#17
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HotlantaVol said:
From some of these articles I'm reading (some of which reference things I'm going to leave alone), it seems like he had a darker side as well.

Of course, that being said, any issues Bernard had to deal with are nothing compared to your 21st century NBA brat.
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He was just ahead of his time in that regard. :)
 
#19
#19
I remember last year when Allan Houston came back and TBA was going buck wild....he got a standing O for a few mins....just think of how crazy TBA will be Tuesday night when The King is in the house! :rock:
 
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#21
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I am excited that they have finally been able to get Bernard to come back. I think Dickey had a lot to do with King never returning "home".

I hope that Ernie Grunfeld takes part inthe ceremony.

The Ernie and Bernie years were some great years for UT BBall. I wonder how long the standing ovatin will last for KING?

Go Vols Were gonna beat the hell out of UK
 
#22
#22
vol_freak said:
"Double Trouble from Tennessee"

Does anybody have this magazine scanned or a copy of the article? I have seen the cover but never have actually read the article. I would love to be able to read it.
Click to expand...
I do not have it but I do have a book by Ben Byrd from 1974 called The Basketball Vols. It's even signed by Coach Mears.
 
#23
#23
Bernard had the quickest good shot in the history of the game. Turnaround jumper was unblockable.
 
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#24
VolFreak, I haven't forgotten about you, but can't find my copy - got my favorite things box out of the attic - found my piece of sod from Atlanta Stadium from the night the Braves clinched division in 1969, found the 1998 SI magazine, found some love letters, (now you see why it took me so long!), but no Ernie&Bernie mag. - I remember getting it out a year or so ago, am afraid I put is some place a little too "safe!" Will let you know if I find it - have torn this place apart today!:banghead2:
 
#25
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Rizzo924 said:
VolFreak, I haven't forgotten about you, but can't find my copy - got my favorite things box out of the attic - found my piece of sod from Atlanta Stadium from the night the Braves clinched division in 1969, found the 1998 SI magazine, found some love letters, (now you see why it took me so long!), but no Ernie&Bernie mag. - I remember getting it out a year or so ago, am afraid I put is some place a little too "safe!" Will let you know if I find it - have torn this place apart today!:banghead2:
Click to expand...
How much you want for it if you do find it?
 
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