http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

They don't make centers like that anymore.

19 time All-Star
3 time NCAA Champion

ROY
6 time League MVP
2 time Finals MVP
1st All Time in Points, Fouls, FG, FGA, Minutes
2nd All Time in Blocks
3rd All Time in Total Rebounds

He made approx. as much in his career as Darko will make by the end of his rookie deal. Man, how things have changed.

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Momma was queen of the mambo, Poppa was king of the congo, deep down in the jungle, I start banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be, in my place instead of me, cause I'm the king of bongo baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
-Manu Chao

Weird that this guy isn't already a Head Coach somewhere. He's been on and off different staff positions for a number of years, really since he retired. There was an article about his wanting a coaching position a year or so ago, (I think when we were playing LA in the Finals) and not getting any phone calls.

A lot of his contemporaries are now in management roles across the league. Makes you wonder why someone elsewhere hasn't seized on the opportunity to use him in their orgs.

You know the saying '...those that can't do, teach...". Maybe the opposite is true for him.

Being a "suspected" pothead probably hasn't helped him either. Hopefully, that stigma isn't still with him.

Lucky for him he played in the days before drug testing

I know that Kareem has rubbed some people the wrong way, but I see this as a deficiency of the NBA head office that legendary players are not recognized and afforded an opportunity to continue building the league.

A great example is the way Shaq paid for George Mikan's funeral expenses. Another marketing and goodwill coup missed out on by the NBA because they are oblivious to and unappreciative of their business's history.

Sure you have exceptions like Kiki Vandeweghe and Dan Issel in Denver, although Kiki is a marginal GM while Issel ended up a terrible coach. But the team made those faces of the past a part of the future. They created a bridge across the generation gap.

Is this on the Lakers organization or the NBA? Even if Kareem has personal or off the court issues, there is no reason not to keep him around, trot him out to center court a couple times a season to wave at the fans. Make him a scout. A secretary. A special assistant to the towel boy.

But don't let him rot scouting for the NY Knicks or doing the summer camp circuit.

We are talking about arguably the greatest Center of all time. Not #4, not #5. A guy who is a clear #1 or #2. A 5 time champion.

It's important to cater to the crowd that was around before the Sprite generation. We are the ones forking over cash to take our kids to games. We are the ones springing our disposable income for their birthday gift of a jersey. Keep us connected. Make us feel like we are handing down a tradition.

</gets off of soapbox>

__________________
Momma was queen of the mambo, Poppa was king of the congo, deep down in the jungle, I start banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be, in my place instead of me, cause I'm the king of bongo baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
-Manu Chao

"Abdul-Jabbar has prescription to use marijuana in the state of California, the result of nausea-inducing migraine headaches."

I was always amazed that he could play with them. Even though he missed an ocassional game due to the migraines he played a number of games when he had them. Probably even played while high on pot.

He also turned down $1 million to play for the Globetrotters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul-Jabbar

I saw Shaq's goodwill gesture mentioned on a number of sites & cable shows. How much more did you expect that instance to get played-up by the NBA?

Thanks for correcting me on that. I had forgotten that it was prescription medication. 'Course, I'm in favor of it either way: recreational or prescription. That reminds me, we need a smiley face on here that's lighting up a fatty.

My point was that the NBA should have paid for the funeral, not Shaq. Mikan was a league superstar in his day. Obviously the league has done quite well and his family may be on hard times.

It's called taking care of your own. Nice move by Shaq, but would have been a classier move by the NBA.

__________________
Momma was queen of the mambo, Poppa was king of the congo, deep down in the jungle, I start banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be, in my place instead of me, cause I'm the king of bongo baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
-Manu Chao