Len Bias
 

For those of you who are too young to have had the pleasure to see Len Bias play you are missing out. For those of us who had the pleasure of seeing Len Bias played, well we were lucky. I think today is the 20th anniversary of his death. I just read a great article on ESPN Page 2 about Bias. Man, he was something special. I was 19 when he died and I can remember watching Bias play. Just imagine him playing with Bird, McHale, Parrish, DJ, etc etc. The rivalry between Bias and Jordan would have been great to watch for 10-15 years.

Not sure if this should have been in a different forumn: if it is I apologize for putting it here.

I remember Len Bias very well. Spectacular player who would have thrived in the NBA. Duke's Coach K called Bias -- along with Jordan -- one of the two best to play in the conference. Great, great player.

I am still to this day convinced he would have been one of the greats of all time. He completely carried Maryland into the NCAA tourny during his last year. A damn shame the way he went out.

Without a doubt in my mind one of the top 5 best NBA players EVER if he would have played in the NBA.

He was spectacular for Maryland. Another one lost to the bad decision of letting drugs take over your life. And people still dont learn.

Sad, sad story. Recreational use can be deadly also!

as a HUGE Celtics fan growing up in the mid 80's, I cried like a baby. He was the best I ever saw at the college level.

I will never forget the game against UNC at UNC. He totally manhandled UNC. He looked like he was toying with them the entire game. Dean Smith had no answers. Man oh Man was he something special.

There is actually a small housing development down here that his family owns. Bias Shores is the name of the joint.

Really that is unreal. Is it pretty nice?

In the story on ESPN Page 2 the writer says he bought a Len Bias Celtic jersey. Man I would love to have one.

My father was a HUGE UK fan. He loved to hate Len Bias but he insists he was the best college player ever.

You read Bill Simmons' column, right? Or was it Scoop's?

Either way, Simmons had a really good inclusion about how Bias' death served as a giant anti-drug, and more to the point, anti-coke ad during the late '80s..

Being a young dude, I didn't have the privilege of being around to see him play, but the story is still astounding to me for the fact that no one's totally positive that Bias even had a drug problem; he just got carried away while partying one night, and POOF - he's gone..

Wild stuff.

I actually read them both. Scoop is prob my favorite to read on ESPN. In Scoop's article he mentions Wilbon's article written after Bias's death. I remember that article and if I can find it I will post it here. Prob one of the best reads regarding Bias ever.

I remember hearing a little theory about Bias and his death. It was assumed that Bias did not have a drug problem, but once he got drafted then a certain dealer knew he was going to have bank to spend on cocaine. Well the dealer wanted Bias to get hooked so that he could make a big score. Apparently the coke was free and Bias obviously took too much. The dealer was looking to make a meal ticket out of Bias. I have no clue if this is true, but it seems logical.

I'm sure nobody pointed a gun to his head to do the white garbage. It was a bad decision on his part, one many of us have mad and got away with. Unfortunately he didnt. Like many other regular people, he died because his heart was not strong enough to withstand the effects of the drug.
Cocaine is very bad news and sad to say I have a few good friends hooked on the stuff. Its just a matter of time before it kills them.

pval take note..lol

Tim, I also know a few friends who have issues with it. With drugs like these, you are playing with your life. Remember a basic heart abnormality will get magnified. Scary stuff but I don't tell people how to live their lives.

I am ashamed to admit I have used it before. One summer about 8 years ago I dated a very rich Skidmore girl who was into it and I dabbled in it because it was there and free. I had some good times on it but I knew that garbage would never get the best of me. I havent done it one time since. My friends and coworkers have tried to tempt me on special occasions but no way. Never going near it. I have enough to deal with the horses.

The important thing is that you don't do it anymore. Everyone makes mistakes....I will say that people would be shocked if they knew just how many people still do the stuff. This isn't the 80's but it has picked up a bit in the last 5 years.

I picked up the habit in college and then spent a couple of years spiraling downward before i got clean--take it from one who's been there don't dabble.

Even that summer, when she wasnt around, I wouldnt go looking for it. Never got into drugs for obvious (smart) reasons. I was a big drinker back in my twenties, but even then I knew there would come a day when I could easily give the booze up. When I hit 30, I pretty much stopped doing anything that made me feel like crap the next day. Life is too short to waste days being hungover. Last time I was drunk was at my bachelor party one year ago, Belmont Stakes day 2005. I felt so pitiful for 2 days after, I swore I wouldnt get drunk for a very long time and I have stuck by it.

LOL, yeah Timmy, when people wonder why I don't smoke trees, I just think "I've got enough expensive habits," mainly the nags..