Boob-No-More

I know those two words are painful to many Blazer fans, especially on draft day, but there is an interesting article about Sam Bowie on Canzano's blog. I'm not a Canzano fan (can't stand the guy), but I've always felt kind of sorry for Sam Bowie. It's not his fault he was taken before Jordan. It's not his fault he had such terrible injury problems. He was always a class act and in spite of the stigma of being picked ahead of Jordan, he's never been bitter about it - in fact, exactly the opposite.

Many on this group only know Sam Bowie as the worst draft day mistake in history - of course hindsight is always 20/20. I remember Sam Bowie from his college days, his days with Portland and his days with the Nets after he was traded for Buck Williams. Obviously, I'd have preferred to have had Jordan and five or six championships, but I understand why the Blazers took Bowie and have always wished him nothing but the best.

For those who never saw Sam Bowie play, and can't fathom how ANYBODY could be taken before Michael Jordan...

Sam Bowie was 7'1" tall and very gifted. He had good post moves, was an excellent rebounder, an above average passer (215 assists his rookie year compard to Sabonis' career high of 218 assists) and a great shot blocker (203 blocks his rookie year - still the second highest single season total in Blazers history). He was a big man who could dominate both ends of the court. In short, if not for the injuries, he would have been a top 3 center in the league for 15 years. He had all the skills of Hakeem Olajuwon and probably a more developed all-around game coming out of college. Olajuwon had more athleticism, but Bowie was 2 - 3" taller. Of course, the injuries were Bowie's downfall.

For just a hint of Sam Bowie's talent, consider a game from the 1992 season. This was after he'd been slowed by all the injuries and was 30 years old. Sam was off an excellent start and having perhaps his best individual season. The date was 12/26/92 and the Nets were playing the Rockets in a head-to-head match up of the two players selected before Michael Jordan in the 1983 draft. Sam Bowie, post-injury, totally dominated Hakeen Olajuwon, the man selected before him in the 1983 draft. Houston had a much better team. They entered the game with a 15-11 record, compared to the Nets at 7-18. Bowie lead the Nets to a 99-93 victory, totally out-playing Olajuwon in his prime. In 35 minutes, Bowie scored 34 points on 13-20 shooting and grabbed 15 boards. In 34 minutes, Olajuwon had 17 points on 6-14 shooting and had 7 rebounds. Yes, it's just one game, but the fact that a post-injury Sam Bowie could totally outplay Hakeem Olajuwon in his prime gives you some idea of the talent this guy had and how good he could have been if not for the injuries.

On the 23rd anniversary of the 1983 draft, let's hope our pick this year turns out a little better. Perhaps someone with Sam's talent and class, but without the injuries.

BNM

P.S. If Sam Bowie was 21 years old and injury free, he'd easily be the consensus No. 1 pick in this draft.

B_&_B

Bowie seems like a great guy. It's not his fault we picked him and he broke his leg. Nobody more than him wishes his career would have gone differently. It sounds like he's living a good life and has a great family.

__________________


"People say we are coming, but I almost think it's to the point where we are here," he said. "I think it's no longer coming. We are here now."... Brandon Roy.

Boob-No-More

Yep, in spite of (or more likely because of) his humble beginnings and all he's been through, Sam Bowie has always carried himself with tremendous grace and dignity. He's a good man whose only real fault is having brittle bones. Too bad, he could have been great - not Jordan great, but nobody seems to fault Houston for taking Olajuwon over Jordan...

BNM

Oldmangrouch

Nice summary on Bowie. As a person, Bowie never deserved the scorn many folks heaped on him.

3 important lesson came out of that situation:

1) It's fine to give a coach input on draft day - but don't let him have the final say.

2) A history of injuries doesn't just magically stop. (IIRC, Bowie missed the equivalent of 2 seasons worth of games while in college)

3) To excell at the NBA level, a player needs skill AND talent. (Bowie had plenty of skill, but his body wasn't built to take the pounding.)

__________________
We enter this life naked, wet, and hungry - and it only gets worse!

Boob-No-More

Yes, Bowie broke his left leg in college. That injury healed and he played his last year at Kentucky without injury. It was thought that the injury was completely healed, not career threatening and not likely to recur (it was repaired with a bone graft). In fact, it was Bowie's right leg he broke - twice- while with the Blazers. The guy just had brittle bones. He also broke a rib during training camp before the start of his rookie season. He went on to have a very solid rookie year, making first team all-rookie and then broke his right tibia, for the first time the following season. Obviously, sports medicine has come a long way in the last 23 years. It makes you wonder if Bowie were entering the draft in 2006 if:

a) his propensity to broken bones could be diagnosed in advance

b) something could be done to strengthen the bones and reduce the risk of future injury

Perhaps better nutrition as a child would have helped. Who knows? It's also interesting to speculate how good Walton could have been without the recuring foot injuries or Sabonis without the torn achilles tendons. The Blazers sure do have a history of drafting talented big men with serious injury problems.

BNM

Trader Ed

oops

__________________
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts..."

Heart, desire and hustle! Its the fire within that makes a champion.

Target

I think JJ Redick has the potential to be someone's Sam Bowie this year.