ESPN 30 for 30 Celtics/Lakers Rivalry

tempo_n_groove

So, this is a GREAT documentary.  I remember from 84 to 89 very vividly.  Learned a lot from watching this too.

But why, why in the hell does Ice Cube narrate and why does he have to act "tuff" while narrating?  Mr Cube, you've fooled people for years into thinking that you were tough, you've been paid and we all know that you're not...

The 80's with the Lakers and Celts brought back Basketball to the masses.  I have had the pleasure of never watching a tape delayed game because of this.

Imagine watching something that already happened today?

Thoughts?

pjhawks

tempo_n_groove said:

So, this is a GREAT documentary.  I remember from 84 to 89 very vividly.  Learned a lot from watching this too.

But why, why in the hell does Ice Cube narrate and why does he have to act "tuff" while narrating?  Mr Cube, you've fooled people for years into thinking that you were tough, you've been paid and we all know that you're not...

The 80's with the Lakers and Celts brought back Basketball to the masses.  I have had the pleasure of never watching a tape delayed game because of this.

Imagine watching something that already happened today?

Thoughts?

i've only seen about the last 20 minutes of the 1st episode but I found it annoying that they tried to make it a black-white thing. where whites cheered for the Celtics and blacks for the Lakers.  That is not a memory I have of those two teams.  And as a Sixers fan I wanted the Lakers to beat the Celtics.

HesCalledDyer

Can't wait to see this.  I don't have cable so I'll be waiting patiently for it to show up on Netflix.

tempo_n_groove

pjhawks said:

tempo_n_groove said:

So, this is a GREAT documentary.  I remember from 84 to 89 very vividly.  Learned a lot from watching this too.

But why, why in the hell does Ice Cube narrate and why does he have to act "tuff" while narrating?  Mr Cube, you've fooled people for years into thinking that you were tough, you've been paid and we all know that you're not...

The 80's with the Lakers and Celts brought back Basketball to the masses.  I have had the pleasure of never watching a tape delayed game because of this.

Imagine watching something that already happened today?

Thoughts?

i've only seen about the last 20 minutes of the 1st episode but I found it annoying that they tried to make it a black-white thing. where whites cheered for the Celtics and blacks for the Lakers.  That is not a memory I have of those two teams.  And as a Sixers fan I wanted the Lakers to beat the Celtics.

You must have lived in happytown USA.  I unfortunately remember it being a black/white thing.  

I LOVED Magic and the Lakers since I moved to cali for a few years so I rooted for them.  Worthy had this cool shot where he would pretend to shoot and palm the ball like a pump fake then drive baseline.  Anybody remember that move?

tempo_n_groove

HesCalledDyer said:

Can't wait to see this.  I don't have cable so I'll be waiting patiently for it to show up on Netflix.

I'm sure it's on youtube or espn site?

HesCalledDyer

tempo_n_groove said:

HesCalledDyer said:

Can't wait to see this.  I don't have cable so I'll be waiting patiently for it to show up on Netflix.

I'm sure it's on youtube or espn site?

If it's on Youtube, I can't find it.  And I can never watch anything on ESPN unless I login with my cable subscription.  Kinda defeats the purpose - if I had a cable subscription, I wouldn't be trying to watch on the app.

pjhawks

tempo_n_groove said:

pjhawks said:

tempo_n_groove said:

So, this is a GREAT documentary.  I remember from 84 to 89 very vividly.  Learned a lot from watching this too.

But why, why in the hell does Ice Cube narrate and why does he have to act "tuff" while narrating?  Mr Cube, you've fooled people for years into thinking that you were tough, you've been paid and we all know that you're not...

The 80's with the Lakers and Celts brought back Basketball to the masses.  I have had the pleasure of never watching a tape delayed game because of this.

Imagine watching something that already happened today?

Thoughts?

i've only seen about the last 20 minutes of the 1st episode but I found it annoying that they tried to make it a black-white thing. where whites cheered for the Celtics and blacks for the Lakers.  That is not a memory I have of those two teams.  And as a Sixers fan I wanted the Lakers to beat the Celtics.

You must have lived in happytown USA.  I unfortunately remember it being a black/white thing.  

I LOVED Magic and the Lakers since I moved to cali for a few years so I rooted for them.  Worthy had this cool shot where he would pretend to shoot and palm the ball like a pump fake then drive baseline.  Anybody remember that move?

well I was in high school at the time so i guess i didn't pay much attention to that. plus being in Philly we just naturally hated the Celtics. 

and yes I remember that Worthy move.  can still picture him doing it going baseline and dunking.  Showtime Lakers were a lot of fun to watch.
 

g under p

tempo_n_groove said: 

pjhawks said:

tempo_n_groove said:

So, this is a GREAT documentary.  I remember from 84 to 89 very vividly.  Learned a lot from watching this too.

But why, why in the hell does Ice Cube narrate and why does he have to act "tuff" while narrating?  Mr Cube, you've fooled people for years into thinking that you were tough, you've been paid and we all know that you're not...

The 80's with the Lakers and Celts brought back Basketball to the masses.  I have had the pleasure of never watching a tape delayed game because of this.

Imagine watching something that already happened today?

Thoughts?

i've only seen about the last 20 minutes of the 1st episode but I found it annoying that they tried to make it a black-white thing. where whites cheered for the Celtics and blacks for the Lakers.  That is not a memory I have of those two teams.  And as a Sixers fan I wanted the Lakers to beat the Celtics.

You must have lived in happytown USA.  I unfortunately remember it being a black/white thing.  

I LOVED Magic and the Lakers since I moved to cali for a few years so I rooted for them.  Worthy had this cool shot where he would pretend to shoot and palm the ball like a pump fake then drive baseline.  Anybody remember that move?

George McGuiness of the Indiana Pacers did that move much better and before Worthy ever tried such a move. It was unfortunate the death of Len Bias in 86' or else the Celtics would've continued their power teams throughout the rest of the 80's.

Peace

eeriepadave

i caught it last night, very interesting/cool.  I never thought of it as being a black/white thing at first but i can see why people thought of it now.  I didn't really care for Ice Cube or Donnie Wahlberg as the narrators, that was kinda annoying.

g under p

eeriepadave said:

i caught it last night, very interesting/cool.  I never thought of it as being a black/white thing at first but i can see why people thought of it now.  I didn't really care for Ice Cube or Donnie Wahlberg as the narrators, that was kinda annoying.

I never thought of it as a black/white thing either, I was just a Celtics fan rooting for the team from Beantown. I did think of it at the time that it was a Magic vs Bird thing though between two supreme players playing in their prime. I'm watching it now and I get emotional watching some the highlights from the Gahden. A place I saw so many games as a youth of the Celtics Big Red, Jo Jo White etc to the Bruins Orr, Cheevers and company brings out all emotions.

Peace

dankind

Beat Boston!

cp3iverson

Amazing documentary but go Sixers.  Andrew F'ing Toney.  The Boston Strangler!!!

eeriepadave

g under p said:

eeriepadave said:

i caught it last night, very interesting/cool.  I never thought of it as being a black/white thing at first but i can see why people thought of it now.  I didn't really care for Ice Cube or Donnie Wahlberg as the narrators, that was kinda annoying.

I never thought of it as a black/white thing either, I was just a Celtics fan rooting for the team from Beantown. I did think of it at the time that it was a Magic vs Bird thing though between two supreme players playing in their prime. I'm watching it now and I get emotional watching some the highlights from the Gahden. A place I saw so many games as a youth of the Celtics Big Red, Jo Jo White etc to the Bruins Orr, Cheevers and company brings out all emotions.

Peace

yeah I only around 10 years old in the mid 80's and wasn't a huge basketball fan.  I was more into baseball and football.  Almost forgot that The Sixers were part of that rivalry for a few years. 

markymark550

Looking forward to watching this. I was a small child during the thick of the Bird vs Magic years (born in 83). So, I don't remember a lot about it, but I love basketball and basketball history.

The black/white thing makes me think of the Chuck Klosterman essay about this rivalry in Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (at least I think it was in that one). He basically stated the rivalry was a metaphor for just about every dichotomy you can think of.

The Juggler

markymark550 said:

Looking forward to watching this. I was a small child during the thick of the Bird vs Magic years (born in 83). So, I don't remember a lot about it, but I love basketball and basketball history.

The black/white thing makes me think of the Chuck Klosterman essay about this rivalry in Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (at least I think it was in that one). He basically stated the rivalry was a metaphor for just about every dichotomy you can think of.

I've been meaning to read that book. Thanks for reminding me.

I've only seen about 10 minutes of this but have it on dvr. Gonna watch at some point this week.

THE LOOK

Great documentary! I didn't realize that "race" played such a major role, as the documentary suggests! All I saw growing up watching these games, was just one of the greatest rivalries in NBA history.

The Juggler

I'm surprised to see so many people claim to not remember race playing even a little factor in that rivalry. I was very young, but it was pretty obvious to me that there was one team primarily black and one team primarily white. I hate the Celtics so I rooted for the Lakers anyway. Race doesn't matter to me. But to pretend it wasn't an issue for other people is kind of foolish. 

tempo_n_groove

The Juggler said:

I'm surprised to see so many people claim to not remember race playing even a little factor in that rivalry. I was very young, but it was pretty obvious to me that there was one team primarily black and one team primarily white. I hate the Celtics so I rooted for the Lakers anyway. Race doesn't matter to me. But to pretend it wasn't an issue for other people is kind of foolish. 

Those that didn't see race in it are lucky.  Good for them.  The reason I remember race being a part of it was from comments from the adults.  
I was watching a basketball game and then I hear snarky comments.  It changed it for me.

markymark550

Finally got to watch all of it yesterday. I think it is one of the better documentaries in the 30 for 30 series. That 84 Finals was epic. I would love to just go watch that whole series. So many great players were a part of this rivalry. I'm too young to have any memories during the prime of the rivalry in the 80s, so it was great to hear all of the players tell their side of it. Definitely can't refute the claim that Magic and Larry saved the NBA.

My one complaint is the same as most of what's been said and that's the narrators. I get wanting to present an unbiased account of it all, but that could have easily been accomplished without Ice Cube and Wahlberg.

HesCalledDyer

markymark550 said:

Finally got to watch all of it yesterday. I think it is one of the better documentaries in the 30 for 30 series. That 84 Finals was epic. I would love to just go watch that whole series. So many great players were a part of this rivalry. I'm too young to have any memories during the prime of the rivalry in the 80s, so it was great to hear all of the players tell their side of it. Definitely can't refute the claim that Magic and Larry saved the NBA.

My one complaint is the same as most of what's been said and that's the narrators. I get wanting to present an unbiased account of it all, but that could have easily been accomplished without Ice Cube and Wahlberg.

The basketball 30-for-30s always seem to be the best ones:
Without Bias
Winning Time
The Guru of Go
No Crossover
Once Brothers (my personal favorite)
There's No Place Like Home
Benji
Survive and Advance
Free Spirits
Bernie and Ernie
Requiem for the Big East
Bad Boys
Playing for the Mob
When the Garden was Eden
I Hate Christian Laettner
Sole Man
This Magic Moment

All excellent!!  I haven't seen any since then but after those there are:
Believeland
Phi Slama Jama
One and Not Done
Celtics/Lakers

And there's a couple ESPN Films Presents:
The Fab Five
The Announcement

markymark550

With basketball as my favorite sport, I do tend to enjoy the basketball ones more. I, too, like Once Brothers the best. There are only a couple in the series that I didn't particularly care for (the one about OJ's Bronco ride and the Tyson/Tupac come to mind, but that's more on the presentation of it rather than content). If it's not basketball related, my second choice would be college football.