:10 I might as well start with this. What good is it if you’re “the secret service man” and you can’t keep a secret!! The whole crew got busted cause they didn’t want to pay the bill…pay the lady! C’mon man!
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| BILL NEAL
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:09 I am at Kinko’s doing what I do and in walks “Dr. T.” aka Tyrone Tillman. He of “The Dons” fame…The 4th all time winningest team in Connie Hawkins Basketball League history and the #1 Best Dressed Team in W. PA summer league history…But I digress…back to “Dr. T.” If you got Dr. in front of your name it means you can operate, and Tyrone Tillman would perform serious surgery on ya if you weren’t careful. One of the city’s original highwire acts…Dr. T. you’re now in “The Locker Room” And oh yeah he could stroke the soft jump shot with that high elevation. C’mon Rankin Gangsters, Cosmic Echoes and Bump yes you remember…don’t ya?!?!
:08 Speaking of the “Connie Hawk League,” and I was. Man did I get the greatest compliment of all time from Heath Bailey and Brian Carroll, two of the great players from the third of four great waves that played in the league. Heath…who in fact I am proud to say is the principal at Sto-Rox High School …said that he, Brian, J.R. “Booper” Holden and the boys got just as hyped for “The Connie Hawk” games as they did their college games. MMMAAANNN that’s enough to make a grown may cry! Oh yeah thanks for the wedding invitation Heath, I had a great time…what?
:07 I know you’re dying to know, so here it is. The Four Connie Hawkins League Era’s:
ERA # 1—Connie, Kenny Durrett, Norm Nixon, Bill Graham, Chuckie Anderson, John Marshall, Kirk Bruce, Craig Prosser, Larry Richardson, Bob Moore and all the original CHL “Ballers” that got it started at the Homewood YMCA.
ERA # 2—Erick Jefferson, Hosea Champaign & The Rankin Gangsters, Jeffery “Junkhead” Burton, Bobby Byrd, The Cosmic Echoes, Larry “Juice” Walker, Houn Johnson and and Bump yes, and of course Leroy Freeman, Joe Barlow, Larry Harris and Kevin “Dr K” Walls of the Don’s. Yeah before “Dr K” defected all at East Hill; and there was no party without Nate Duck “Big E” Carter, Gerald Lovelace and the Homewood Hopes.
ERA # 3—The Park at East Hills when the crowds were a thousand plus every night and we had to move to Pennly (AKA Champions) Park. Darren Skywalker Walls, Heath Bailey, Tim Tyler, David “Puffy” Kennedy, Sam “Bam” Clancy, “Dr.” Bill Clarke, Donny Johnson, Tom “Bum” Coates, Mike Goosby, Melvin Paul, Steve Snyder…oh, stop me Lord, stop me Lord, I’ll run out of ink calling all the names. And be reminded Dougie Johnson would dunk on you in a hreartbeat. (Speaking of East Hills, hey Roland Slade, where’s my trophy mmmaaaaannn!)
ERA # 4—The last of one of the greatest summer league runs in the nation. Myron Brown, Steve Sntder, Anthony “The Grey Hound” Rivers, “Big John,” Rico Appendanza and the “White Boys” that ruled the league, J.R. Holden, Ricky Greer, Sam Clancy Jr. all the Pitt, Duquesne and Robert Morris boys. Man that was back in the day, never to be equaled again. But after saying that stay tuned we got a surprise for ya later this summer.
:06 Right now the Pens are back in it. Down 3-2 to the Flyers. Go Pens! Oops, correction…It’s now over, Flyers win 5-1 in Philadelphia Sunday afternoon.
:05 Steelers draft coming up next week. Many needs to fit, but please get a killer “D” tackle, shut down corner and a “O” right tackle that can go the distance.
:04 Blake Griffin is straight out of this world. But Charles Barkley is right. He must expand his game beyond killer dunks.
:03 Oh yea…the Pirates. I’m just saying.
:02 Do you remember these guys? Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Kukos and Luke Longley…who? That’s right it was not so long ago when those Bulls ruled the world.
:01 At the Buzzer…your favorite part! Yes it is, yes it is…shut up.
•I am telling you again. “Act of Valor” best movie of the year. I give it 4 basketballs. That’s un-heard-of !!
•The Champions Middle School All Star Classic Sunday, April 29, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at The Penn Hills YMCA. The Big Celebrity Game at 3 p.m. featuring The Champion All-Stars and the “Pgh Bullets” semi-pro team.
•“Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now”…we’re on the move. The Summer Old School Par-Tay Fantastic Voyage Kicks up it’s heel Friday, May 4, at the Comfort Inn Rodi Road. All The First Friday Rules still in effect. Dancin’…Eatin’…& Drinkin’…along with The United Rays Corvette Club and The Fabulous Diamond Models. Don’t forget it’s the early set 7 p.m. to midnight. Free parking, cash bar.
•The Jazz is coming…the Jazz is coming…Kevin Howard kicks off “Jazz On The Green” Friday, May 11 & 25—Friday June 15 & 29 and Friday, July 13 & 27 at the amazing 3 Lakes Golf Club—Saltsburg Road in Penn Hills 8 p.m.-Midnight. Stay Tuned.
~ This Game Is Over ~
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