Episodes

Marc Grossman - the Bulls' Head Statistician since 1977 - discusses the creative ways that Chicago's stats team maximized Michael Jordan’s playing time in 1986, when MJ had a (so-called) "seven-minute per half" restriction as he recovered from a broken foot. Steve Kashul - Anchor and Host of Bulls Basketball on SportsChannel and Fox Sports Net Chicago (1991-97) / Bulls Radio Host (1997-2019) - chats about his appearance in episode two of The Last Dance. More generally, Marc and Steve each shar...

We're back. Aaron joins me to recap episode two of The Last Dance docuseries. Check out my podcast feed - I've now released the first in a series of The Last Dance bonus shows, with two great guests who can personally relate to series: Marc Grossman - Head Statistician of the Bulls since 1977 (still working for the franchise today). Steve Kashul – for most of the 1990s, Anchor and Host of Chicago Bulls Basketball on SportsChannel and Fox Sports Net Chicago. He then transitioned to the role of...

It's here. Aaron joins me to recap episode one of ESPN's 10-part documentary series, The Last Dance. Its focus is Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ 1998 season. After the recap, I'm joined by 1998 NBA Champion, Scott Burrell. In episode one, Scott features in a memorable exchange with teammates Ron Harper and Michael Jordan at the 1997 McDonald’s Open in France. We cover that, Scott’s memories of his championship season with the Bulls and more. Support: Buy Adam a coffee | Amazon: USA / Au...

Let's welcome Nate Bellamy Jr. and Nigel Miguel back to the show. They joined me on episode 75 to discuss Space Jam’s 20th anniversary. Prior to that, Nigel was my guest for episode 68. I encourage you to check out those great episodes, too. Today, we’re chatting about ESPN's highly anticipated, 10-part documentary series, The Last Dance. Its focus is Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ 1998 season. For the context of this podcast chat, Nigel’s relationship with MJ goes way back to 1981 when...

Pueblo High School legend, Arizona State University Hall of Famer and two-time NBA All-Star, Lafayette 'Fat' Lever. Fat discusses his storied career and offers plenty of great insight into his fantastic on-court exploits. Near the end of the conversation, I mention Chicago, as it pertains to 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend (Feb 15-16). There’s a strong possibility that I’ll have an opportunity to meet with Fat - and other retired players - as my wife (Lisa) and I will be holidaying in the USA at the...

Syracuse University great and 18-year NBA veteran, Danny Schayes. The longest-tenured Syracuse University player in NBA history, Danny Schayes, reminisces about his unique life in basketball. His father, Dolph Schayes (RIP), was one of the NBA's pioneering stars. Dolph, a 12-time All-Star and 1955 NBA Champion (Syracuse Nationals), was the NBA's all-time leading scorer (19,249 points) when he retired in 1964. Dolph was the first coach of the Buffalo Braves (now the L.A. Clippers). A pre-teen Da...

High school star, Kansas University standout and 12-year NBA veteran, Paul Mokeski. Milwaukee Bucks’ cult hero, Paul Mokeski, discusses his life in basketball. As a youngster – whilst not always comfortable in his surroundings – Paul found his calling in basketball. A burgeoning star at Encino’s Crespi Carmelite High School, he was recruited by countless colleges – some went to extremes to land his signature. However, Paul’s family (his father played college basketball) offered strong guidance ...

High school great, University of Texas at San Antonio star, NBA player and European standout, Derrick Gervin. Derrick Gervin is a Detroit native. He starred at Martin Luther King High School in his home state of Michigan. Twice, he was named to Detroit's All-Public School League first team. Following high school, Gervin moved cross country to play at a college where his jersey is one of just two to have ever been retired to the rafters - the University of Texas at San Antonio. Coincidentally, ...

Remembering Michael Jordan's iconic 1989 moment. This episode covers: - Jordan's heroics in Round 1 of the 1989 NBA Playoffs Behind the Game. The inside story - from MJ's defender, Craig Ehlo - on the moments that culminated with Michael Jordan's amazing, series-clinching jump shot to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers. People mentioned include Larry Nance, Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper, Lenny Wilkens, Bernie Lincicome, Sam Smith, Mark Price, Bill Cartwright, Sam Vincent, Cheryl Raye-Stout and Peter...

Adam and Aaron dissect Michael Jordan’s comeback game at Indiana - March 19th, 1995 - the Pacers hosted the visiting Bulls, at Market Square Arena. We discuss the circumstances behind Jordan's return, uncover great tidbits that preceded this much-hyped match-up and of course, offer an in-depth recap of the game itself. We chat about Michael's post-game presser, too. In the podcast archives, you’ll find numerous guest episodes that add even deeper context to this conversation. Bill Wennington, ...

Michael Jordan isn't immune to hi-jinks. This episode covers: - Jordan's role in a few (1980s) April Fools' Day pranks Behind the Game. Learn of three instances where Michael Jordan was involved in April Fools' Day stunts. We begin with Laney High School (1981), then move to the University of North Carolina (1982) and conclude with the Chicago Bulls (1987) of the NBA. People mentioned include James Worthy, Ralph Sampson and Pat Benkowski. Support: Buy Adam a coffee | Amazon: USA / Australia ...

NBA Creative Director (former), Gameplan Creative CEO and Sports Design Trendsetter, Tom O'Grady. During the 1980s, Tom worked as an ad agency art director on the McDonald’s business. Simultaneously, McDonald’s began to devote resources to sports marketing. This was the perfect opportunity for Tom – he combined his love of sports with his passion for design. He met and worked with Michael Jordan on the memorable Large fries for “Small Fries” ad campaign and also contributed design work to the i...

Adam & Aaron celebrate the 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan's fourth season in the National Basketball Association. This episode covers: - December 5 through December 18, 1987 - Insightful minutiae, all but lost to the annals of basketball history Notable: - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s streak of 787 straight double-figure scoring games ends - Larry Jordan (Michael’s brother) drafted by the IBA’s Chicago Express - Ralph Sampson traded from Houston to Golden State for Joe Barry Carroll Links di...

Brothers, Sean and Brad Malone, are co-directors and producers of Wild About ’88 – The Rise of Arizona Basketball. In 1988, Sean and Brad caught basketball fever. As fate would have it, the Arizona Wildcats were firing on all cylinders, advancing to the Final Four of the 1988 NCAA Tournament. Tucson loved their Wildcats and the city relished in its team’s dominant 35-3 season. Arizona’s roster featured six players who would make the NBA – Sean Elliott, Steve Kerr, Jud Buechler, Tom Tolbert, the...

NCAA great, 12-year NBA veteran and 1988 All-Star, Xavier McDaniel. The X-Man joins the show for a wide-ranging discussion about his life in basketball. Few players in NBA history were as physical as McDaniel. However, there's much more to Xavier's bow than simply being an enforcer. He was the first-ever player (1985) to lead the NCAA [Division I] in scoring and rebounding in the same season. His name is littered throughout the record books at Wichita State, where he played four seasons with th...

Indiana Pacers staffer (Media Relations / Publications: 1991-2007), MaryKay Hruskocy. Though a native of Whiting, IN, MaryKay grew up a fan of Chicago sports. As the Bulls were celebrating their 1991 NBA Championship at Grant Park, MaryKay was driving to Indianapolis to commence her career in media relations for the Indiana Pacers. Our conversation covers behind-the-scenes memories from MaryKay’s tenure with the team. This includes, arguably, the biggest one-day sporting event of the 1990s. Tw...

Washington Mystics Head Coach and General Manager, Mike Thibault. Our wide-ranging conversation examines a multitude of great topics. Thibault's (pronounced Tee-bo) coaching career began in the 1970s. Before the decade ended, he was scouting for the L.A. Lakers and contributed to the team’s 1980 and 1982 NBA championships. We discuss Mike's move to Chicago, where he was an assistant coach for the Bulls for four seasons (1983 through 1986). He scouted the top-three picks - Olajuwon, Bowie and Jo...

My friend, Mike Fraler, host of Forgotten Maverick (now Mavs Archives) invited me on his show. We discuss how our podcasts came to be and reminisce about our love of NBA history. I also discuss my 1994 and 1995 trips to the USA, and how luck wasn’t on my side – both times I visited the States, Michael Jordan was in the midst of his first retirement. Fancy some NBA trivia? Listen in and test your knowledge against mine. As the name of Mike's podcast cleverly suggests, he chats with Dallas Maver...

Adam & Aaron celebrate the 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan's fourth season in the National Basketball Association. This episode covers: - November 21 through December 4, 1987 - Insightful minutiae, all but lost to the annals of basketball history Notable: - Petur Gudmundsson – career-high 21 points - Mark McNamara – career-high 22 rebounds - Franklin Edwards – career-high 16 assists Links discussed: * Travelin’ Bulls (Higher Ground) * Jordan jabs Jazz: “Was he big enough?” This episo...

Four-time NBA All-Star, All-NBA (1993) and Dream Team II (1994) member, Mark Price. Mark Price rose to basketball prominence from humble beginnings. He starred at Enid High School in Oklahoma, breaking many records; serendipitously, equaling feats set by his famous father Denny, decades earlier. After high school, Mark played four years with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. To this day, his name is littered throughout the record books. As a freshman, he led the ACC in scoring (20.3 ppg) – an o...