Len Bias RIP

[Henderson]

Len Bias died 28 years ago today. It was like Secretariat breaking a leg right before the Belmont. What a talent. What a waste. I was living in the Boston area at the time and a Celtics fan. The loss felt like some ship had sunk. Or Secretariat breaking a leg while sinking on a ship. Or something. Basketball misses Len Bias.

[OldPhiKap]

Len Bias died 28 years ago today. It was like Secretariat breaking a leg right before the Kentucky Derby. What a talent. What a waste. I was living in the Boston area at the time and a Celtics fan. The loss felt like some ship had sunk. Or Secretariat breaking a leg while sinking on a ship. Or something. Basketball misses Len Bias.

His last game in Cameron, he scored something like 41 points before fouling out. Got a standing ovation as he went off. And we had the best defense in the country in '86.

Like Elvis, I remember where I was when I heard he died.

Tragic waste.

[Bob Green]

Basketball misses Len Bias.

The World misses Len Bias.

[roywhite]

A few things I remember about Len Bias as a player:
He was amazingly strong
He was a great leaper
Somewhat unusually for a great athlete, he had a very soft shooting touch; seemed like he often got the ball to bounce around the rim and fall in

In terms of his build and jumping ability, Semi Ojeleye reminds me some of Bias.

[Newton_14]

Len Bias died 28 years ago today. It was like Secretariat breaking a leg right before the Belmont. What a talent. What a waste. I was living in the Boston area at the time and a Celtics fan. The loss felt like some ship had sunk. Or Secretariat breaking a leg while sinking on a ship. Or something. Basketball misses Len Bias.

I was at work and a huge Celtics fan. I honestly wanted to cry. I can see the guy coming to tell me like it was yesterday. I told him no way man, you are crazy. Then we turned on a radio. It was all over the news. (Yes kids, no internet, no PC's, no smart phones, not even a TV in the building. Radio was the only confirmation we had).

I was so looking forward to watching a frontline of Bias, Bird, McHale. With DJ and Ainge, man that would have been a sick lineup. He was the next Michael Jordan before there was barely a Michael Jordan. Just amazing player. I hate it for the young guys who never got to see him play. You missed history.

[Here is a Turtle]

He was an all time Maryland great, and I wish I was alive to see him play. He was a great talent and from talking to people who knew him, sounds like he was a good person. Not too surprising, but students still go to Washington Hall to go check out the room where he went into cardiac arrest. I checked youtube earlier, and I found an old game where Bias went off on UNC for 35 points. Don't know how many would be interested, but I'll post it anyway.

Enjoy.

[Newton_14]

He was an all time Maryland great, and I wish I was alive to see him play. He was a great talent and from talking to people who knew him, sounds like he was a good person. Not too surprising, but students still go to Washington Hall to go check out the room where he went into cardiac arrest. I checked youtube earlier, and I found an old game where Bias went off on UNC for 35 points. Don't know how many would be interested, but I'll post it anyway.

Enjoy.

Thanks. I watched that game live. Amazing performance. They could not stop him. Man amongst boys...

[OldPhiKap]

He was an all time Maryland great, and I wish I was alive to see him play. He was a great talent and from talking to people who knew him, sounds like he was a good person. Not too surprising, but students still go to Washington Hall to go check out the room where he went into cardiac arrest. I checked youtube earlier, and I found an old game where Bias went off on UNC for 35 points. Don't know how many would be interested, but I'll post it anyway.

Enjoy.

Thanks. I watched that game live. Amazing performance. They could not stop him. Man amongst boys...

My recollection:

With three games to go in the regular season, 1986, UNC had a half game lead over Duke for the regular season "title." Bias and Md went into CH and beat the Heels, really Len as a one-man wrecking crew (game you linked). Watched that game on a tv in the bar in the basement oF Gilbert-Adams (forget the name of the place). Then we beat Md in the game I described above, at home, despite 40+ from Len, then beat UNC in Cameron in the infamous "in-Hale ex-Hale" game (senior night for Dawkins, Alarie, Bilas, Hendu, W.Williams -- think they retired JD's jersey that night too).

Someone can correct my failing memory, but in my mind that was one of the most intense and enjoyable two weeks in Duke ball.

Oh yeah, and screw Never Nervous Pervis. But I digress.

Good link 'Turtle, it is memories like this which make me wish the administration in College Park had not submarined their school.

[FerryFor50]

A little gem I came across while watching the Bias highlights...

http://articles.latimes.com/1988-08-...michael-jordan

I had no idea that game even happened.

[BlueTeuf]

Basement of G-A; the Down Under?

[OldPhiKap]

Basement of G-A; the Down Under?

Exactly!

Which reminds me -- Barrence Whitfield and the Savages have a new album out. (Props to my college buddy Mod Mark for hipping me to it)

[Henderson]

Basement of G-A; the Down Under?

Exactly!

Which reminds me -- Barrence Whitfield and the Savages have a new album out. (Props to my college buddy Mod Mark for hipping me to it)

Too funny. In the early 1980's there was a band that called themselves The Fruit Eating Bears that played regularly at the D.U. Kind of a comedy bluegrass act. I ran into the banjo player for that band at a wedding last month in a small town in Ohio, over 30 years on.

[Rich]

Basement of G-A; the Down Under?

Exactly!

Which reminds me -- Barrence Whitfield and the Savages have a new album out. (Props to my college buddy Mod Mark for hipping me to it)

Too funny. In the early 1980's there was a band that called themselves The Fruit Eating Bears that played regularly at the D.U. Kind of a comedy bluegrass act. I ran into the banjo player for that band at a wedding last month in a small town in Ohio, over 30 years on.

Not to hijack this thread, but wasn't the Down Under the bar under the pass to The Bryan Center? And wasn't Gilbert Adams on East campus? Maybe I'm confused or "mis-remembering".

Back to the OP, I remember the Duke-MD game and the Duke-UNC game and Len Bias was a monster. Totally unstoppable.

[OldPhiKap]

Not to hijack this thread, but wasn't the Down Under the bar under the pass to The Bryan Center? And wasn't Gilbert Adams on East campus? Maybe I'm confused or "mis-remembering".

Back to the OP, I remember the Duke-MD game and the Duke-UNC game and Len Bias was a monster. Totally unstoppable.

You're thinking of The Hideaway.

[Rich]

You're thinking of The Hideaway.

Ahh, yes. Good times in The Hideaway. I told you I misremembered!

[ancienteagle]

He was an all time Maryland great, and I wish I was alive to see him play. He was a great talent and from talking to people who knew him, sounds like he was a good person. Not too surprising, but students still go to Washington Hall to go check out the room where he went into cardiac arrest. I checked youtube earlier, and I found an old game where Bias went off on UNC for 35 points. Don't know how many would be interested, but I'll post it anyway.

Don't forget: no account of that UNC-MD game would be complete without recounting with laughter the last seven seconds. Here's the set-up: Overtime, Maryland up 75-72, seven seconds left, Maryland inbounding under its own basket. Keith Gatlin has the ball out, notices that the "All-American" Kenny Smith has his back to him, inbounds the ball off of Smith's butt, scores an uncontested layup. Final: Maryland 77, UNC 72, OT.

Remember this the next time Kenny Smith says he's a lot smarter than Rashad McCants! Oh, the humanity!

[Henderson]

Don't forget: no account of that UNC-MD game would be complete without recounting with laughter the last seven seconds. Here's the set-up: Overtime, Maryland up 75-72, seven seconds left, Maryland inbounding under its own basket. Keith Gatlin has the ball out, notices that the "All-American" Kenny Smith has his back to him, inbounds the ball off of Smith's butt, scores an uncontested layup. Final: Maryland 77, UNC 72, OT.

Did Kenny's butt show up in the box score with an assist? It would have been nice if UNC-CH had taken something positive like that away from the game.

[brevity]

Don't forget: no account of that UNC-MD game would be complete without recounting with laughter the last seven seconds. Here's the set-up: Overtime, Maryland up 75-72, seven seconds left, Maryland inbounding under its own basket. Keith Gatlin has the ball out, notices that the "All-American" Kenny Smith has his back to him, inbounds the ball off of Smith's butt, scores an uncontested layup. Final: Maryland 77, UNC 72, OT.

Did Kenny's butt show up in the box score with an assist? It would have been nice if UNC-CH had taken something positive like that away from the game.

Not an expert, but I'm sure there's nothing positive about Kenny Smith's butt.

I watched the last 7 seconds of OT play in that video. I liked the part where the Maryland player was shooting free throws, and the announcer says, "And the crowd is up waving its arms. Something you don't see very often in Carolina..." Some things never change.

[OldPhiKap]

Not an expert, but I'm sure there's nothing positive about Kenny Smith's butt.

I watched the last 7 seconds of OT play in that video. I liked the part where the Maryland player was shooting free throws, and the announcer says, "And the crowd is up waving its arms. Something you don't see very often in Carolina..." Some things never change.

That was when the Dean Dome was new, too. IIRC they opened it with our first game against them about a month or two before the Md game.

[Olympic Fan]

That was when the Dean Dome was new, too. IIRC they opened it with our first game against them about a month or two before the Md game.

It was in fact, UNC's first ever loss in the Smith Center.

UNC opened it on Jan. 18. 1986 with a 95-92 victory over Duke. Home wins over Georgia Tech, Clemson, Notre Dame and Wake Forest followed. On Feb. 20, UNC lost to Bias and Maryland in the Dean Dome.

It was a disastrous loss for the Heels. UNC was 26-1 and No. 1 in the nation going into that game. They led most of the way, but Maryland rallied and forced overtime. Not only did UNC lose in the overtime, but senior guard Steve Hale suffered a collapsed lung during the extra period. He would miss the rest of the regular season as UNC finished 1-3 (losing to Maryland, NC State and Duke down the stretch. Hale returned for the ACC Tournament, but UNC was knocked out in the first round by Maryland. They did make the Sweet 16, but ended up losing to the same Louisville team that would beat Duke in the title game.

I think it's right that we remember Bias and his passing. But let's not make him something he was not. He was a great player, but there are some who try to make him one of the all-time greats. He was a consensus first-team All-American once and ACC player of the year twice -- but he never won a significant national player of the year award and he averaged 20 points once in his career. He was a so-so rebounder for his size (5.7 for his career) and not much of a playmaker. He was a spectacular player more than a great player. In fact, I would argue that Walt Williams had a slightly better junior/senior seasons than Bias. Both had their best years for mediocre teams.

And his death, while tragic, wasn't like it was an act of an arbitrary god -- Bias's cardiac arrest was precipitated by his massive cocaine overdose.

I think his death and the spotlight it put on athletes indulging in illegal drugs helped bring that era to a close -- and THAT was Bias' greatest significance to the sports world.