"Clipper memories..." (January 12, 1998)

I told my friend yesterday, that since we're going to the Clipper game on Wednesday versus the Raptors, I'd write an article on the Clippers. I don't know exactly what I'm going to write, but it'll be about the Clippers.

You may ask me, out of all the teams in the NBA why do you like the L.A. Clippers? That's a good question. I'll give you out there in Internet-land some insight into the Hoop-LA brain. First and foremost, I was conned into it. Just kidding. Let's see. I'd say it started back in 1986. (I might get some dates wrong but you'll get the general idea). In college there was this massive overpowering center who dominated his weak division and was coached by Willis Reed. I saw him on a newscast once and figured he'd be a damn good pro. Seven feet. 270 lbs. Good hands. Could run a bit. Rebounded well and played some defense as well. Besides, he was coached by Willis Reed, he'd have to be good. Who is it? Benoit Benjamin, when he was at Creighton. The L.A. Clippers drafted him. I didn't really know about the Clips at the time. I only knew they sucked. I believe this was just after they unloaded Byron Scott for Norm Nixon. One of the many deals the Clips got screwed on. (Others: trading away Tom Chambers, Terry Cummings, Hersey Hawkins, Danny Manning, etc.) So where was I? Oh yes, the Clips draft Ben. I try to follow them a bit during his first season. At this time, I was watching a lot of college ball, especially Big East ball in CBS. Pitt was good back then. Pitt has a great power forward/center named Charles Smith. Smith had it all back then, before he got hurt and had bad knees. He could really play. I started watching him and hoping he'd go to a team I liked. This was the year Danny Manning led Kansas to the national championship, so I got to know him quite well on television. It was, Manning this and Manning that. Manning was awesome in the NCAAs. Also, I had a friend, who was a huge Danny Manning fan, even in college. He was swaying me, telling me how good he was. The NBA draft is always at the end of June. I used to miss it every year because I was at camp. In 1988, Manning was drafted first by the Clippers. The Clippers also had another high first round pick, drafted Hersey Hawkins and parlayed that pick into Gary Grant and Charles Smith. I was really happy that Smith went to the Clippers, even though I'd never get to watch him, because two of my favorite players got together. And to my surprise I was even happy the Clips got Manning. I guess by that time, I was a latent Manning fan. My friend's constant prodding got to me. The Clips also added Grant, but I hate Michigan, so I didn't care. I figured, any team with Ben, Chuck Smith (not to be confused with the point guard from Georgetown who ran over someone and was charged with vehicular manslaughter) and Danny Manning would be good, at least .500. At the time, the team had Norm Nixon, Quentin Dailey, Reggie Williams (a mega-bust from Georgetown), Ken Norman (a good young player from Illinois) and some other crappy players.

The next year I hoped they'd do well. They didn't. In fact, they sucked for quite a long time. Manning blew his knee out his first year. Smith got to carry the team and put up some good numbers. Norman got a lot of playing time. Ben chugged along displaying his vast potential only occasionally. This is a guy who'd go 20/10 for 5 games and then 10/6 for another 5. He's was wildly inconsistent. But overall, his averages were more than respectable. I always remember him averaging 13-15 ppg, 7-8 boards, 1-2 blocks and 50% from the field and 70+% from the line. Not bad for a center. There are more who do worse than this than do better. Ben was often maligned for his poor play, often deserving but most often because he represented the team. Overpaid, underperforming. During the next two to three years, the Clippers collected chumps in the draft or in free agency like Ken Bannister, Tom Garrick, Jay "Coke" Edwards, Jeff Martin (not the lead singer from "Tea Party") and others. This was a bad team with three good players, Smith, Benjamin and Manning. Manning didn't come back at full strength until the beginning of his third season. The Clips drafted Danny Ferry in the 1989 draft and a year later unloaded him and Reggie Williams for Ron Harper and picks. It was the greatest draft steal of all time, ok, not of all time, but of all Clipper time. Harp was a near all-star and the only Jordan-stopper (or at least Jordan controller). Harp could do it all and score 20 ppg. Besides, Williams was a bust with a big contract and Ferry was not the next Larry Bird, he was a high post center, with a decent jump shot and lead in his sneakers. It only took the Cavs 5 years to figure out what the Clips knew all along. He wasn't a good pro. He has one skill and is too slow and weak to play either forward position in the NBA.

Ok, so the Clips now have a lineup of Grant (who continues to dish out almost 10 assists a game, but frustrates his coaches by taking bad shots, and then no shots, and then making way too many turnovers), Harper, Manning, Smith and Benjamin with Norman off the bench. There are others in this cast of characters, but it's not worth mentioning. Maybe one story.

During Quentin Dailey's last year as a Clipper, he was told to go into the game, when the Clippers were losing big time. It was near the end of the game, and the shooting guard was fouled out. The coach, I think it was Gene Shue, told him to get into the game. Quent, ever the loyal team player, told him to stick it. The coach got pissed and put another player into the game. In the meantime, Dailey ordered a hot dog from a vendor after the timeout. Nice. If anyone remembers Quent, he was a pretty pudgy guy towards the end of his career. I think Dailey was unloaded to Seattle soon thereafter.

Halfway through Harp's first season, the Clipper curse hit him, he blew out his knee with an ACL. Grant followed with a dislocated ankle. You don't know how painful it is to watch Tom Garrick run the team for 35 minutes a game.

Larry Brown, after quitting his job in San Antonio, comes to L.A. and takes over the Clipper job. Benjamin is traded to Seattle and I'm totally pissed off. The Clips and Ben were synonymous. Brown got Smith to play center and Norman to play power forward. Harp came back and was almost as good as new, except he didn't drive as much. Grant was playing relatively well. And the Clippers added lunch bucket rebounder Loy Vaught. Vaught was from Michigan, and even though I hate the Wolverines, I liked Loy. He was very un-Michigan. He just plays hard. Besides, the Clips never had a guy who hit the boards as hard as he did. Brown led the Clips to the playoffs for two season. The Clips took Utah and Houston to 5 games each. In Brown's last year, the Clips made a big deal, unloading Charles Smith to the Knicks for Stanley Roberts from Orlando and Mark Jackson from the Knicks, in a three-way deal. It was supposed to free up players to play their natural position. Smith got his career killed by Riley, who tried to make him a small forward. Smith was a great power forward who played close to the hoop. He was lost at 3, where he had to defend and was defended by fast smaller players. Roberts was a bust and was injured much too much. Jackson played well, but as well as he always plays, not a superstar, but a solid player. He's best when playing on a good team like Indiana or New York.

Then the mass exodus occurred. In a short time, Manning was traded to Atlanta for Dominique Wilkins. Manning bitched about the Clippers for years and in his final year was unloaded for Wilkins. Wilkins, who also voiced his displeasure about being traded, was not resigned. He went to Boston. Manning took $1 million from the Suns instead of a big pay day from either Atlanta or the Clips, who ironically offered him big money to stay. Ken Norman, a unsung player who could hit the open 18 footer, rebound and swing from 3 to 4, was not resigned and he went to Milwaukee. In a matter of two years, the Clippers lost Manning, Smith, Norman and Benjamin. The only thing they had to show from it was Mark Jackson and Stanley Roberts.

The Clips during this era had blown more drafts than Madonna had blown NBA players. LeRon Ellis. To think the Clips could have drafted Stanley Roberts instead of Ellis and then would never had to make that stupid Roberts deal. Randy Woods. Elmore Spencer. The list goes on. Does anyone remember Larry Brown bringing in John "Hot Plate" Williams to play with the Clippers. He was a good all around triple double threat when he was 230 lbs, but he ballooned to over 300 lbs. Brown still gave him playing time. Go figure.

The Clippers added and subtracted numerous times over the next few years and now they are in their present incarnation. The only connection they have to my beloved Clippers is Loy Vaught. He is injured and I won't be able to see him. I will regret that. He is a good player. He'll be gone after this year, in true Clipper fashion. The Clips seem to have some decent players, but lets face it, no one wants to play there. Brent Barry wants out. He's their best player. The Clips paid $8 million over 5 years to a center who wasn't even drafted, Keith Closs. The Clips are cursed. They are doomed. I like them just the same.

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