Pete Vecsey's Favorite NBA/ABA Moments
Apparently this was posted at NBA.com a while ago but somehow I missed it. Anyway, click on the link below to hear Pete Vecsey reminisce about some of his favorite moments as a beat writer:Peter Vecsey: Favorite Teams He Ever Covered
Vecsey, who was the best man at Julius Erving's wedding, talks about covering the 1974 New York Knicks, the 1974 New York Nets (who Erving led to the ABA title) and the 1977 Philadelphia 76ers (who Erving led to the NBA Finals). Vecsey also discusses the 1978 NBA Finals, having the opportunity to observe the early days of the Showtime Era and traveling with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics.
I met Vecsey for the first time at a game in Indiana a couple years ago. We talked about some of his experiences covering the ABA and then he asked me an interesting question: "Who has been your toughest interview?" I thought about that for a moment but had not really had a serious problem with anyone so that's what I told him. Vecsey's quick reply: "You haven't been around long enough." Perhaps, but my approach to interviewing players and coaches is kind of like what Yoda told Luke Skywalker when Skywalker asked him what was in the "Dark Side Cave": "Only what you take with you." Just like Yoda told Skywalker that he did not need his weapons, when I interview someone I do not expect (or bring) hostility.
posted by David Friedman @ 4:12 PM
10 Comments:
I've often wondered: there's a prolific author of basketball books in the 70s who is named George Vecsey. Any relation?
vecsey is my favorite ever. hes been around the aba, rucker and the nba since 1970. i know he is an ____hole but its that new york arrogance that last forever. he is corny at times but he always has something to say. im sure not of the beef with him and barkley (very funny when they used to jab each other on TNT and vecsey in the NYPost).
he definitely needs to write a book. i know a lot of writers have stories and have covered leagues and teams for years. i would definitely love to read a book by him about his stories in the nba, aba and rucker. he probably wont though
They are brothers. George writes for the New York Times; George's daughter Laura is also a sports columnist.
Vecsey is entertaining, clever and knowledgeable but rubs people the wrong way some times because he can be a bit abrasive; he takes shots at people in print (some would say low blows). My understanding is that Barkley refused to be on set with him, which is why Vecsey is no longer at TNT (I didn't hear that from Barkley or Vecsey--I didn't ask either guy about the other--but that was reported somewhere, possibly in USA Today's TV column a few years ago).
o so thats how the barkley situation went down.
yeah hes very abrasive and arrogant but i dont have a problem with it. his brother george is nothing like him. he takes shots at everyone. he even took a shot a Dr. J in one of his columns.
Just to clarify, I assume that you mean that Pete took a shot at Dr. J in one of his columns, because George is not known as someone who takes shots at people or gets involved in much controversy. If we are thinking of the same thing, Pete suggested that Doc became a little too passive in the NBA and did not fully show his talents because he deferred to players like McGinnis and Free.
pete took a shot at Dr. J a few years ago when that sex tape came out.
I've only read books by George Vecsey, not columns, but it's hard to imagine him taking shots at anybody. Everybody is a great players in his books, quite a contrast to his brother.
Yes, George and Pete have very different writing styles.
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