Listened to Vols over Ky at Rupp in ‘77 today

#1

wmcovol

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#1
While doing some painting. Boy, what a great team to listen to. The ball movement between to entire team was outstanding. Even though it was “The Ernie & Bernie Show” they had so many assists, especially late in the game. King fed Johnson several times late for layups. No 1on1 ball hogs with them.

One of Wards great lines was late in that game, talking about King, “that young man ..... knows how to play this game”
 
#3
#3
I enjoyed hearing the game. John Ward is the greatest. Bernard King is the greatest basketball player I ever saw. At the end John said hold the ball, hold the ball, hold the ball... bingo
 
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#4
#4
When Bernard King was healthy he was one of the top 10-15 basketball players of all time. Period. I'm sorry younger fans never got to see how dominate he was.
In 1984-85 he went back to back 50 point games in the NBA and averaged 33 per. He blew out a knee (ACL) in '85 and missed almost 2 full seasons.
He worked his way back at a time no one ever came back from an ACL, and in '91 finished 3rd in the league in scoring (28.4, for Washington) behind Michael Jordan and Karl Malone.
I spent my teen years listening to his Vols games on the radio and that is still my favorite time as a Vols fan in my life.
His career Vols stat line was 25+ pts, 13+ rebs. Can you imagine that today? He would have been a #1 Lottery Pick in today's game.
 
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#5
#5
When Bernard King was healthy he was one of the top 10-15 basketball players of all time. Period. I'm sorry younger fans never got to see how dominate he was.
In 1984-85 he went back to back 50 point games in the NBA and averaged 33 per. He blew out a knee (ACL) in '85 and missed almost 2 full seasons.
He worked his way back at a time no one ever came back from an ACL, and in '91 finished 3rd in the league in scoring (28.4, for Washington) behind Michael Jordan and Carl Malone.
I spent my teen years listening to his Vols games on the radio and that is still my favorite time as a Vols fan in my life.
His career Vols stat line was 25+ pts, 13+ rebs. Can you imagine that today? He would have been a #1 Lottery Pick in today's game.

25/13 per game at UT without a shot clock and outmatched opponents would often milk the clock. King was the most dominating offensive force in the NBA when he first blew out a knee.
 
#6
#6
I remember Bernard King's first game in his freshman year in 1975 where he scored 42 at Stokely. A much ballyhooed player, he exceeded the hype. I listened to this game yesterday, too. This 1977 game at Rupp was one of the 5 in a row where UT beat UK with Bernard King and Ernie Grunfeld over the period 1975-1977. All six games that King played versus UK were close and the largest margin was a 7 point victory in Knoxville. So all were super exciting. This 1977 was one of the great ones. The year in 1976 was also an overtime win for the good guys. I recall it as the "Ernie cheats" game since I was living in Kentucky after graduate school and that's what they called it in Kentucky - good story there. However, arguably my favorite was the first win of the 5 straight wins which was in Knoxville. I was in grad school at the time and two of my friends were UK undergrad. Coincidentally, we picked up tickets at different times but somehow they ended in the row right behind me dressed in blue. UK was highly ranked (yawn) and my friends said the Vols had no chance. It was a barn burner before the Vols won 103-98 (had to look up the score). Old Stokely was deafening and it was hot in there. I cheered so long and loudly for the Vols that I lost my voice and some of my hearing for three days (did it again against OU in 2015). Bernard King will always have a very special place in my heart. He truly gave his All for Tennessee.
 
#9
#9
When Bernard King was healthy he was one of the top 10-15 basketball players of all time. Period. I'm sorry younger fans never got to see how dominate he was.
In 1984-85 he went back to back 50 point games in the NBA and averaged 33 per. He blew out a knee (ACL) in '85 and missed almost 2 full seasons.
He worked his way back at a time no one ever came back from an ACL, and in '91 finished 3rd in the league in scoring (28.4, for Washington) behind Michael Jordan and Carl Malone.
I spent my teen years listening to his Vols games on the radio and that is still my favorite time as a Vols fan in my life.
His career Vols stat line was 25+ pts, 13+ rebs. Can you imagine that today? He would have been a #1 Lottery Pick in today's game.
Was Carl Malone as good as Karl Malone?
 
#13
#13
614c75c761e35eeaf1aa0022e04eddb2--tennessee-basketball.jpg
 
#14
#14
While doing some painting. Boy, what a great team to listen to. The ball movement between to entire team was outstanding. Even though it was “The Ernie & Bernie Show” they had so many assists, especially late in the game. King fed Johnson several times late for layups. No 1on1 ball hogs with them.

One of Wards great lines was late in that game, talking about King, “that young man ..... knows how to play this game”
Unfortunately I didn’t hear Ward because I was there. First time in my life I feared bodily harm by fans. We didn’t hang around to celebrate, we got out of town fast. Still one of my favorite games of all time right up there with the 85 Sugar Bowl win.
 
#16
#16
Being from Oneida, just below the KY line, we heard the derisive chant about UNYK. King and Grunfeld were a product of Stu Aberdeen's efforts up North. Stu may have bent the rules a bit ;)
 
#18
#18
Ernie would kill the 3 pt line today. He had a jumper at the top of the circle that was automatic.

Bernard was the best. Automatic 10 feet and in. Quickest off the floor jump shot I have ever scene. He also had an attitude.....
 

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