Top 5 party guests

[Wheat/"/"/"]

OK, it's off season, I'm sitting around today a little bored. I see a couple of "Top 5-10" threads and a thought pops into my mind to start another "Top" thread, which is something I rarely do. Usually, I just make dumb comments to existing threads, I don't start them...

I think the comments/choices could be interesting.

Maybe not.

Anyways, here's the deal. You have a table reserved in a private room of a great steakhouse with a lovely cocktail waitress and a bartender looking for a big tip.

You can invite any 5 people alive, that have some association with basketball.
Your goal is to have guests for a memorable and enjoyable evening.

Who's it gonna be?

[calltheobvious]

OK, it's off season, I'm sitting around today a little bored. I see a couple of "Top 5-10" threads and a thought pops into my mind to start another "Top" thread, which is something I rarely do. Usually, I just make dumb comments to existing threads, I don't start them...

I think the comments/choices could be interesting.

Maybe not.

Anyways, here's the deal. You have a table reserved in a private room of a great steakhouse with a lovely cocktail waitress and a bartender looking for a big tip.

You can invite any 5 people alive, that have some association with basketball.
Your goal is to have guests for a memorable and enjoyable evening.

Who's it gonna be?

Great topic.

John Chaney
Bobby Cremins
Mike Krzyzewski
Bill Raftery
Bill Walton

With this group, and with the standard 18% gratuity for parties of six or more, methinks the cocktail waitress and bartender would get their wish.

[gumbomoop]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Larry Bird
Shane Battier
Mike Krzyzewski
Doug Collins

[moonpie23]

Charles Barkley
Coach K
bill walton
shane battier
ashley judd

[Wheat/"/"/"]

OK, since there seems to be some interest, here's mine.

Bobby Knight
Charles Barkley
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
Jay Bilas

[Wheat/"/"/"]

ashley judd

Nice touch...figuratively speaking of course :)

[dukestheheat]

Christian Laettner
Aminu Timberlake
Phil Henderson
Alonzo Mourning
Rick Pitino.

I feel so spirited after writing that list that I could burst into haiku at any moment.

dth.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

Christian Laettner
Aminu Timberlake
Phil Henderson
Alonzo Mourning
Rick Pitino.

I feel so spirited after writing that list that I could burst into haiku at any moment.

dth.

You sir, are a brave soul. Ready to party with Rick Pitino in a back room of a restaurant, huh? ;)

[UrinalCake]

Coach K
Yao Ming
Bobby Knight
Shane Battier
Shaq


I didn't want to have too many coaches at the same time. Shaq seems like a fun guy to be around, Battier would be great to ask about life as a Duke player, and Yao would have a different perspective on everything. Knight seems like he'd have great stories to tell.

[MCFinARL]

I want

Bill Bradley
Charles Barkley
Phil Jackson
Shane Battier
Bill Walton

Honestly, it's a little hard to imagine the conversation, though....

[Wheat/"/"/"]

I want

Bill Bradley
Charles Barkley
Phil Jackson
Shane Battier
Bill Walton

Honestly, it's a little hard to imagine the conversation, though....


Maybe you could advance the national debt ceiling conversation with that group...then take on unemployment?

[slower]

Bob Knight
Bill Russell
Hubie Brown
Charles Barkley
David Stern

[OldPhiKap]

Coach Knight -- insight and stories
Coach K -- same, plus Duke stuff
Coach Cremins -- funny as heck, great story-teller
Bill Walton -- met him backstage at a Grateful Dead show -- andhe went 21 for 22 in the first nationally televised NCAA championship game
Dennis Rodman -- 'cause you need a wild card.

[Newton_14]

Wow. This is tough. First two are easy, but after that, it gets interesting. But, here are the 5 I would choose today.

Mike Krzyzewski
Bobby Knight
Larry Bird
Charles Barkley
Tom Suiter

[DukeGirl4ever]

Coach Knight -- insight and stories
Coach K -- same, plus Duke stuff
Coach Cremins -- funny as heck, great story-teller
Bill Walton -- met him backstage at a Grateful Dead show -- andhe went 21 for 22 in the first nationally televised NCAA championship game
Dennis Rodman -- 'cause you need a wild card.

Rodman would DEFINITELY be on my list. I hated him when he played for the Pistons but grew to love his ability and "I don't give a crap what people think of me" attitude and wished I could have been more like that when I played.

Here's my list:
Dennis Rodman
Coach K
Geno Auriemma
Bobby Hurley - he's the reason I fell in love with Duke basketball as a little 6th grade girl just beginning to fall in love with the game of basketball.
Bob Knight

*Honestly, it's hard to pick just 5. I didn't want too many coaches on there, but those three would be a hoot together, and I'd like to pick at their minds a bit about basketball/life philosophies.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

Rodman would DEFINITELY be on my list. I hated him when he played for the Pistons but grew to love his ability and "I don't give a crap what people think of me" attitude and wished I could have been more like that when I played.

Here's my list:
Dennis Rodman
Coach K
Geno Auriemma
Bobby Hurley - he's the reason I fell in love with Duke basketball as a little 6th grade girl just beginning to fall in love with the game of basketball.
Bob Knight

*Honestly, it's hard to pick just 5. I didn't want too many coaches on there, but those three would be a hoot together, and I'd like to pick at their minds a bit about basketball/life philosophies.

Rodman was my 6th man...just the potential of Madonna stories alone almost got him past the cut.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Shane Battier
Grant Hill
Bob Knight
Jay Bilas
Kenny Dennard


Love, Ima

[JBDuke]

I'm gonna leave with the college crowd. You could make another list of guys more associated with the pro game:

Coach K
Rick Majerus
Bill Raftery
Jim Boeheim
Lefty Driesell

Some great stories out of that group!

[Lord Ash]

Shane Battier
Grant Hill
Sir Charles
Jay Bilas
Coach K

[Son of Jarhead]

Here's my five for the laughs & great stories:

Coach K
Bobby Cremins
Bob Valvano
Bucky Waters
Lefty Driesell
6th man: Roy Williams (Just to stick him with the check!:D)

Or for an all player selection:

Grant Hill
Jay Bilas
Jason Williams
Shane Battier
Nolan Smith
6th man: Chris Carrawell

Or if I'm smart:

Coach P
Alana Beard
Abby Waner
Georgia Schweitzer
Lindsay Harding
6th man: Jasmine Thomas

[CameronBlue]

Coach K
Art Hicks (Seton Hall swingman implicated in point shaving scandal)
Red Auerbach
Pat Summit
Pete Maravich

[wsb3]

K
Shane
Bob Verga
Vic Bubas
Mark Alarie
Gene Banks (sixth man)

If you invite Walton no one else gets a word in.

[OldPhiKap]

Rodman would DEFINITELY be on my list. I hated him when he played for the Pistons but grew to love his ability and "I don't give a crap what people think of me" attitude and wished I could have been more like that when I played.

Here's my list:
Dennis Rodman
Coach K
Geno Auriemma
Bobby Hurley - he's the reason I fell in love with Duke basketball as a little 6th grade girl just beginning to fall in love with the game of basketball.
Bob Knight

*Honestly, it's hard to pick just 5. I didn't want too many coaches on there, but those three would be a hoot together, and I'd like to pick at their minds a bit about basketball/life philosophies.

Curious -- why Auriemma instead of Pat Summitt?

[davekay1971]

Coach K for the stories and humor
Nolan Smith to watch him pick on Coach K
Jay Bilas because his tweets are so funny
Charles Barkley for the same reasons as everyone else
Grant Hill because I might get smarter just being around him

[DukeGirl4ever]

Curious -- why Auriemma instead of Pat Summitt?

Very good question! I played for a coach in high school who was just like Pat Summit. He terrorized my high school days and I always said he was the male version of Pat. Coach Summit, to me, seems very stone cold, and I've rarely seen a soft side to her.
Geno, on the other hand, seems like a big teddy bear underneath it all. Some of his former players (Taurasi and Bird) have commented on his soft side and I love his personality during his interviews. His efforts to make Tina Charles in to the player she was her senior year also made me appreciate him.

SIDE NOTE - I think Geno knows which buttons to push with his players. Some may say he was hard on Tina during her first 3 years, but if you look at the outcome and listen to her discuss her appreciation of what Coach Auriemma did to make her the player she was, I think he you can understand he knows what to do to make his players better.

[Reddevil]

Since this is for fun, and drinking is involved:

Calipari and Chaney will be seated next to each other.
Laimbeer, Barkley, and Tarkanian will also be there just in case any instigation is needed.
Good times!

[devildeac]

1. K-for oh so many obvious reasons
2. Bilas-funny guy and he can tweet all the stories during/afterward
3. Battier-I wanna hear about his presidential campaign plans for this decade or next
4. G. Hill-Who else is gonna pour the beer;)? Plus, I wanna hear stories about his Mom and Dad AND Hurley and Laettner.
5. RMK-for almost as many reasons as K.

odd man out, err, 6th man-ol' roy-Hey, there's gonna be alcohol served and stories told and someone has to drive us all home on the bus:rolleyes:.

[devildeac]

Since this is for fun, and drinking is involved:

Calipari and Chaney will be seated next to each other.
Laimbeer, Barkley, and Tarkanian will also be there just in case any instigation is needed.
Good times!

This one won't work as you will need several other seats at the table for the law officers that will need to be there and involved in the altercations sure to occur:o.

[Verga3]

Great thread!

Art Heyman and Larry Brown...let's settle this
Lenny Wirtz...in event of 3-second violations or ejections needed
Jay Bilas and Bobby Cremins...should be hughly entertaining even after the ejections

[NSDukeFan]

There have been some great selections in this thread and I would agree they would probably all be good choices, but I will go with:
Coach K
Bill Russell
Steve Nash
Charles Barkley
Grant Hill
with apologies to many others who I would also enjoy having a meal with.

[94duke]

1. K-for oh so many obvious reasons
2. Bilas-funny guy and he can tweet all the stories during/afterward
3. Battier-I wanna hear about his presidential campaign plans for this decade or next
4. G. Hill-Who else is gonna pour the beer;)? Plus, I wanna hear stories about his Mom and Dad AND Hurley and Laettner.
5. RMK-for almost as many reasons as K.

odd man out, err, 6th man-ol' roy-Hey, there's gonna be alcohol served and stories told and someone has to drive us all home on the bus:rolleyes:.

Not sure about ol' Roy driving the bus. I think he's only good at throwing people under it. ;)

[A-Tex Devil]

Great topic.

John Chaney
Bobby Cremins
Mike Krzyzewski
Bill Raftery
Bill Walton

With this group, and with the standard 18% gratuity for parties of six or more, methinks the cocktail waitress and bartender would get their wish.

Was once lucky enough to be in a room in 1996 for about 3 hours with K, Raftery, and Cheney. As well as Gene Keady, Mike Tirico, Billy Tubbs and others. Your dinner would be awesome.

Will just say it involved Robert Goulet.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

Ok, so my 1st team was for a real good time.
My second team, just to talk about some great games and play.

James Worthy
Michael Jordan
Tyler Hansbrough
Walter Davis
Gene Banks

We'd have to have a Duke guy to pick on and I always liked Banks.

[gumbomoop]

Ok, so my 1st team was for a real good time.
My second team, just to talk about some great games and play.

James Worthy
Michael Jordan
Tyler Hansbrough
Walter Davis
Gene Banks

We'd have to have a Duke guy to pick on and I always liked Banks.

For Heels' perspective, I sure would want to include Charlie Scott and Brad Daugherty, maybe George Karl. Dump MJ and TH. Overrated bums, talk-wise.

[jipops]

Ok, so my 1st team was for a real good time.
My second team, just to talk about some great games and play.

James Worthy
Michael Jordan
Tyler Hansbrough
Walter Davis
Gene Banks

We'd have to have a Duke guy to pick on and I always liked Banks.

I get the impression that simply keeping a conversation sustained with Hansbrough would be painful.

[CameronBlue]

I get the impression that simply keeping a conversation sustained with Hansbrough would be painful.
.
Let him come, someone has to serve the hors d'oeuvres

[hurleyfor3]

I'd just invite Larry Eustachy, and tell him to pick the other four.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

I get the impression that simply keeping a conversation sustained with Hansbrough would be painful.

TH seems like a big goofy kid, and he would entertain that group with some game talk of his own.
Besides, I'd like to personally buy him a drink, probably chocolate milk, for his dominant play in Cameron over the years:)

[jipops]

TH seems like a big goofy kid, and he would entertain that group with some game talk of his own.
Besides, I'd like to personally buy him a drink, probably chocolate milk, for his dominant play in Cameron over the years:)

and he should pass that chocolate milk on to Ty Lawson.

[CameronBlue]

TH seems like a big goofy kid, and he would entertain that group with some game talk of his own.
Besides, I'd like to personally buy him a drink, probably chocolate milk, for his dominant play in Cameron over the years:)

Yes TH did prove himself in Cameron. His game travels well you might say.

[dukebsbll14]

No one talking about Dickie V? If drinking games are involved I'd love to hear him once the games get going!

[jipops]

Barkley
Bilas
Hubie Brown
Sam Cassell
Mark Cuban

[TonyWR]

Yes TH did prove himself in Cameron. His game travels well you might say.

Lol, so true. Maybe he can bring a few of the hole loving refs with him too!

[Wheat/"/"/"]

Barkley
Bilas
Hubie Brown
Sam Cassell
Mark Cuban

Good call on Cuban, hadn't thought about him, he could be fun to be around.

[moonpie23]

good call on hubie .......excellent actually..

[Edouble]

Coach K
Art Hicks (Seton Hall swingman implicated in point shaving scandal)
Red Auerbach
Pat Summit
Pete Maravich

Just to be nit-picky, the instructions stated that the five people are supposed to be alive.

I'll go with:

Coach K
Phil Jackson
Christian Laettner
Michael Jordan
Grant Hill

[sagegrouse]

I think the most interesting guy I have ever heard is Bill Russell, who had a fascinating talk show on radio in LA a number of years ago. But how do you get a group together that allows him to shine?

I'm inclined to add Dream Teamers Magic, Bird and Barkley -- but I think Sir Chaz needs his own special group to interact with.
Perhaps Jerry West, who was one of the top five players of the early days of the NBA.

So I would go with

Russell
Coach K
Magic
Bird
West

sagegrouse

[davekay1971]

.
Let [Hansbrough] come, someone has to serve the hors d'oeuvres

And provide the musical entertainment. He can amaze and impress all with his freestyle rapping.

As reported by Rick Reilly:

"Give the ball to
The tower of power
Pass it back out
Watch my main man Bobby
Drain threes like
He's in the shower"

[devildeac]

TH seems like a big goofy kid, and he would entertain that group with some game talk of his own.
Besides, I'd like to personally buy him a drink, probably chocolate milk, for his dominant play in Cameron over the years:)

And maybe some frozen peas into which he could flop or "dive."

[davekay1971]

And maybe some frozen peas into which he could flop or "dive."

Just don't invite both Hansbrough and Gerald. Hansbrough might lean in for the twice baked potatoes when Gerald's reaching for the sauteed veggies. It would be a mess if he hit Gerald in the elbow with his nose AGAIN! Then you'd have Carolina fans blaming Gerald for the violent reach across the table and Duke fans wondering why Hansbrough was still at the table after the meal was clearly over.

[OldPhiKap]

I would invite:

1. Tom Sheehey
2. Makhtar Ndiaye
3. Deron Washington
4. JR Reid
5. Bill Lambier


Lock the door behind me, and seal the door shut.

[ArkieDukie]

Just don't invite both Hansbrough and Gerald. Hansbrough might lean in for the twice baked potatoes when Gerald's reaching for the sauteed veggies. It would be a mess if he hit Gerald in the elbow with his nose AGAIN! Then you'd have Carolina fans blaming Gerald for the violent reach across the table and Duke fans wondering why Hansbrough was still at the table after the meal was clearly over.

POTD! A most excellent observation! In addition, Gerald would likely be sent to his room and then grounded for a subsequent meal.

[ArkieDukie]

I would invite:

1. Tom Sheehey
2. Makhtar Ndiaye
3. Deron Washington
4. JR Reid
5. Bill Lambier


Lock the door behind me, and seal the door shut.

Interesting choices, OPK! Would you consider adding Chris Paul and Julius Hodge as honorary invitees?

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Interesting choices, OPK! Would you consider adding Chris Paul and Julius Hodge as honorary invitees?
Surely not at the same table!

[chrishoke]

Candace Parker
Swin Cash
Candice Wiggins
Becky Hammon
Iciss Tillis

Dinner served poolside.

[MCFinARL]

I would invite:

1. Tom Sheehey
2. Makhtar Ndiaye
3. Deron Washington
4. JR Reid
5. Bill Lambier


Lock the door behind me, and seal the door shut.

Um, which side of the door are you going to be on? Because if it's inside, I think you need to talk to somebody about your self-destructive tendencies.....

[moonpie23]

Just don't invite both Hansbrough and Gerald. Hansbrough might lean in for the twice baked potatoes when Gerald's reaching for the sauteed veggies. It would be a mess if he hit Gerald in the elbow with his nose AGAIN! Then you'd have Carolina fans blaming Gerald for the violent reach across the table and Duke fans wondering why Hansbrough was still at the table after the meal was clearly over.

actually.....that's really funny dave, but let's not forget.......it was a clean block, all ball....beaker hit his nose on the floor...


as you were...

[ArkieDukie]

And maybe some frozen peas into which he could flop or "dive."

Another nice idea, devildeac. Would you, maybe, put a big bowl of them beneath a 2nd story window?

[chrishoke]

I would invite:

1. Tom Sheehey
2. Makhtar Ndiaye
3. Deron Washington
4. JR Reid
5. Bill Lambier


Lock the door behind me, and seal the door shut.

Danny Meagher is a must invite to this table.

[devildeac]

And maybe some frozen peas into which he could flop or "dive."


Just don't invite both Hansbrough and Gerald. Hansbrough might lean in for the twice baked potatoes when Gerald's reaching for the sauteed veggies. It would be a mess if he hit Gerald in the elbow with his nose AGAIN! Then you'd have Carolina fans blaming Gerald for the violent reach across the table and Duke fans wondering why Hansbrough was still at the table after the meal was clearly over.


Another nice idea, devildeac. Would you, maybe, put a big bowl of them beneath a 2nd story window?

You bet! In fact, I'd fill an entire above ground pool with them under that window, AD. Along with davekay's twice baked BP and some sauteed veggies.

1979

And that's not just crazietalk!

1980

[Wheat/"/"/"]

You bet! In fact, I'd fill an entire above ground pool with them under that window, AD. Along with davekay's twice baked BP and some sauteed veggies.

1979

And that's not just crazietalk!

1980

Well, I just might have to invite Dexter for a guest appearance and serve some of this pie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL1y8HoVtY0) And we'll need Kyle there too, to flop up...excuse me, I mean mop up , if something gets spilled :)

[devildeac]

Well, I just might have to invite Dexter for a guest appearance and serve some of this pie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL1y8HoVtY0) And we'll need Kyle there too, to flop up...excuse me, I mean mop up , if something gets spilled :)

Great clip, wheat. Plus, the added bonus of the ref making the correct call.

1981

and the final product:

#2 Duke....................... 42 33 - 75
#1 North Carolina............. 28 30 - 58

1982

[Wheat/"/"/"]

.....the added bonus of the ref making the correct call.


I would submit that clip to the department of lame as the worst call of the year, but I can't seem to find the address. :D

[moonpie23]

I would submit that clip to the department of lame as the worst call of the year, but I can't seem to find the address. :D

i would agree with you, if you were right......



but.....


i doooooo love it when a unc high flyer thinks they have a highlight reel add, only to find out it was a charge....

[lotusland]

No one talking about Dickie V? If drinking games are involved I'd love to hear him once the games get going!

You wouldn't hear anything else. The other 4 guests might as well not show up. Plus I doubt Vitale has any pearls of wisdom that he hasn't already shared. I don't see him keeping many secrets, or anything else for that matter, to himself. I think his mouth opens automatically as soon as a thought arrives.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

..... a unc high flyer thinks they have a highlight reel add, only to find out it was a charge....

There was only one guy in the building who thought that was a charge, and I'll be damned if he didn't have a whistle.:(

I can only imagine how this board would have reacted to the same call if Nolan had done that to Barnes when he turned his back on the play like Singler did there.

The overhead shot of the play removes any doubt the Ref missed that one.

As Bilas would say...quoting Jeezy, of course..."real recognize real".

[devildeac]

There was only one guy in the building who thought that was a charge, and I'll be damned if he didn't have a whistle.:(

I can only imagine how this board would have reacted to the same call if Nolan had done that to Barnes when he turned his back on the play like Singler did there.

The overhead shot of the play removes any doubt the Ref missed that one.

As Bilas would say...quoting Jeezy, of course..."real recognize real".

And the ref still made the correct call even with 20K+ blind folks there in attendance with pale, washed out blue shirts and without whistles:p.

1983

1984

[Reilly]

I would invite:

1. Tom Sheehey
2. Makhtar Ndiaye
3. Deron Washington
4. JR Reid
5. Bill Lambier


Lock the door behind me, and seal the door shut.

Oh geez I laughed at this .... who will Sheehey accuse of touching his, um, .... does anybody else remember a game from the late 80s against Virginia when, if I'm recalling correctly, the players from Duke and the opponent would shake hands one at a time at mid-court during introductions, and, again, if I'm remembering correctly, Sheehey tried to kick Ferry ... I swear that's what happened, but might even be wrong about the mid-court handshake thing ...

[Reilly]

I get the impression that simply keeping a conversation sustained with Hansbrough would be painful.

You not interested in hearing the finer points of shirtless ping pong known as Texas-style?

[UrinalCake]

And the ref still made the correct call even with 20K+ blind folks there in attendance with pale, washed out blue shirts and without whistles:p.

I thought it was a bad call, or at least it was a 50/50 call and Duke got a little lucky. It certainly prevented UNC from gaining momentum at a point in the game where they were starting to, but in the end I don't think it affected the outcome of the game or anything.

No matter who you invite to the dinner, Barkley is picking up the tip. He's a notoriously good tipper, it's been said that he will often ask his server what's the largest tip they've ever received, then match or exceed it. On the other end of the spectrum? Scotty Pippen. Other players nicknamed him "no tippin' Pippen" for his miserly habits.

[rasputin]

Very good question! I played for a coach in high school who was just like Pat Summit. He terrorized my high school days and I always said he was the male version of Pat. Coach Summit, to me, seems very stone cold, and I've rarely seen a soft side to her.
Geno, on the other hand, seems like a big teddy bear underneath it all. Some of his former players (Taurasi and Bird) have commented on his soft side and I love his personality during his interviews. His efforts to make Tina Charles in to the player she was her senior year also made me appreciate him.

SIDE NOTE - I think Geno knows which buttons to push with his players. Some may say he was hard on Tina during her first 3 years, but if you look at the outcome and listen to her discuss her appreciation of what Coach Auriemma did to make her the player she was, I think he you can understand he knows what to do to make his players better.

I have always had a high opinion of Pat Summitt, and it went higher when she showed up at a Vols' mens' game in a cheerleader outfit.