Celtics legend Dave Cowens showing off his shooting touch at 67

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/watch-celtics-legend-dave-cowens-110054386.html



Celtics legend Dave Cowens showing off his shooting touch at 67



Justin Quinn
Wed, August 25, 2021, 4:00 AM


It had been decades since Hall of Fame Boston Celtics big man and Florida State legend Dave Cowens picked up a basketball as a player, but the then-67-year-old Celtics icon put on a shooting clinic in 2016 at his alma mater in Tallahassee, Florida.

The two-time Boston champion sank shot after shot without breaking a sweat in this clip embedded below, only missing the first underhanded free throw he attempted, and making up for it with another made shot backward over his head. No word on whether the former NBA Most Valuable Player of 1973 is planning a comeback with that kind of shooting still at his fingertips, but it might be worth looking into.

We kid, but check out this clip of Cowens showing off his shooting prowess for yourself – it’s worth the watch.




Bob
MY NOTE:  Like riding a bike...

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At 67, I would not have recognized him. What a great player! I had the great privilege of watching him and Havlicek play in 1972 when I lived for 1 and 1/2 years in Boston (Auburndale). Those were the days in the old Gawden. I don't remember how much the  ticket cost but it was peanuts compared to today and I bought it at the night of the game! Speaking of peanuts I had a seat way up in the peanut gallery which was astonishingly good. How the hell I ever found my way up there I don't know even today.

Berlin-T

Berlin I didn’t know you lived in Newton! BobH lived in Newton for a while, I’m born and raised in Newton as is Rosalie.

Anyone else from this board lived in Newton?

Auburndale - When I drove for Checker Cab of Cambridge I used to go out to the Dale on occasion with fares from Logan.

bobc33 wrote:Berlin I didn’t know you lived in Newton!  BobH lived in Newton for a while, I’m born and raised in Newton as is Rosalie.

Anyone else from this board lived in Newton?

Bobc,

7 years in Newtonville.


Bob


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I am an Auburndale girl myself. Was born in Waltham, Mom and Dad built a small cape right over the line in Auburndale in 1954, and that was where I grew up. Fond fond memories. Still best friends with my three girlfriends, one since we were 12, the other two from 18 on. Mom lived there until she passed away in 2017.

Hubby is a born and raised West Newton boy. Lived there his whole life until he went to VietNam. Funny thing is that he knew BobC's whole family, used to sit on his grandmother's piano bench and listened to her play the piano, was friends with Bob's brother, father, uncle.

Small world isn't it???

worcester wrote:Auburndale - When I drove for Checker Cab of Cambridge I used to go out to the Dale on occasion with fares from Logan.

Worcester before I served in the Army I drove for Veteran’s Cab in Newton while going to college. A great job while in school as I could get in some studying between fares. After college and 3 years in the Army I drove for a short while for Yellow Cab in Newton.

I really enjoyed driving cab. When I was in acupuncture school living on Magazine Street in Cambridge, I didn't have a car and got everything done for my personal life with my cab. I too could study while waiting for fares. I also drove for Town Taxi on Boston in 1973, but I much preferred working out of Cambridge, sitting in Central Square or Harvard Square watching some really freaky looking people walk by, and into my cab. I once dropped off a fare at the Garden and six NBA refs piled into my cab wanting a lift to the airport. That was good. I got a fare to Logan, but what cheap tippers! For six of them all crammed into my cab. I don't think it was even a $5 thank you. Another fare to Logan was the Paul J. Liacos who became Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. When I told him I had dropped out of B.U. Law to study acupuncture instead, he quite cruelly ridiculed me, telling me I was crazy and would never amount to anything if I wasted my time with acupuncture. His unkind manner reinforced my low opinion of lawyers which I had developed by watching them interact at law school. I have never regretted my professional life since.

bobheckler wrote:

bobc33 wrote:Berlin I didn’t know you lived in Newton!  BobH lived in Newton for a while, I’m born and raised in Newton as is Rosalie.

Anyone else from this board lived in Newton?

Bobc,

7 years in Newtonville.


Bob


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I’m from Newton Corner, but during college I lived in an apartment on Madison Ave in Newtonville. Another of the many good neighborhoods in Newton.

Jerry West and Rick Barry both said they were much better shooters as they got older away from the game, unfortunately it was for naught as they both said they wouldn’t have near the durability or endurance to pull it off in a real game….

Thanks everyone for the memories (as Bob Hope used to sing). My year and a half living on Woodbine Street was one of the happiest periods of my life.

Berlin-T

Cowens remains one of my most favorite players. He had the type of skill set that would be transferrable to today's NBA unlike a lot of centers that played back in the 70's.

He stills has that beautiful touch.

Same here, dboss!  As you know, he was the first Celtic I remember seeing on TV (along with JoJo and a retiring Havlicek) in the early-mid 70's.  Jumping into the stands after a ball going out of bounds.  Sliding into the press tables knocking everything over.  It clearly made quite an impression.  The Charlie Hustle of the NBA.    

At that age, I was just learning there was a difference between college ball and NBA ball and how college teams got "split up" to go to the NBA.  

There was a slight drought for me from the mid- to the late-70's until the Bird/Magic nuclear bomb dropped on basketball and the league in 1979/80.  I was too busy focused on NC State hoping they could put together another run themselves.  It came 9 years later resulting in one of the most memorable if not the most memorable run in college basketball history.  But by that time, Bird and Magic had set the course and I was armpit deep with Boston vs. LA!  

db

dbrown4 wrote:Same here, dboss!  As you know, he was the first Celtic I remember seeing on TV (along with JoJo and a retiring Havlicek) in the early-mid 70's.  Jumping into the stands after a ball going out of bounds.  Sliding into the press tables knocking everything over.  It clearly made quite an impression.  The Charlie Hustle of the NBA.    

At that age, I was just learning there was a difference between college ball and NBA ball and how college teams got "split up" to go to the NBA.  

There was a slight drought for me from the mid- to the late-70's until the Bird/Magic nuclear bomb dropped on basketball and the league in 1979/80.  I was too busy focused on NC State hoping they could put together another run themselves.  It came 9 years later resulting in one of the most memorable if not the most memorable run in college basketball history.  But by that time, Bird and Magic had set the course and I was armpit deep with Boston vs. LA!  

db

As a Celtics fan, I was more than pleased with the transition away from the Russell teams. When a center like Russell retires it did not seem possible that Boston could rebuild so quickly and become a contender. It did not take long for everyone to realize that Dave Cowens was a flat out baller.

And a Boston cab driver for a day...

I've told this story here before, but this is a Dave Cowens thread so here we go again...

There was a game at the Gahden, in early 1976, which I had 2nd row floor, midcourt seats for.  There was one row of folding chairs in front of me and then the midcourt line almost directly in front of them.  We were playing Houston and there was a 6'4" guard named Mike Newlin on their roster.  Newlin looked like a mini-Cowens, really solidly built.  




At one point Cowens was jogging up court on offense and Newlin was slowly running backwards on defense.  As Cowens approached he drifted into Cowens' path and initiated a bit of contact, not much.  Newlin let out a big yell and flew backwards like he had just been shot by an elephant gun.  Offensive foul on Cowens.  Cowens hated flopping with an absolute passion, he thought it demeaned the game and, considering how much passion Big Red played with normally you can imagine how irate he got when something really riled him up.  Cowens complained to the ref it was a flop, but the ref just turned and ran down court away from him.  Some time later, the exact thing happened again.  Newlin drifted into Cowens' way and won another Oscar.  This time Cowens is going down court chewing on the ref every step of the way (this is back in the day when players could do that, to a point, and the refs would just give it back to them).  The very next possession, while Houston was bringing the ball up court after the turnover, Cowens who was on my side of the court, sprinted clear across court at Newlin, who was running along the sidelines (on the side of the court that had the scorer's table) and just two-hand shivered him over the scorer's table and into the crowd at full speed (I had a picture I cut out of the Globe the next day that I kept for years where all you see are Newlin's two legs above the scorer's table like a pair of rabbit ears.  You didn't see Newlin at all, he was already over and gone, just his two white legs).  Cowens then turned to the ref and screamed "NOW THAT'S A FOUL!" and then just went to the Celtic bench and sat down with 3 fouls.  No game suspensions back in those days.  As you might imagine Coach Tommy Heinsohn gave him a couple of pats on the back when he passed him on the way to sit down.

The first flop by Newlin happened right in front of me, just over half-court heading to my right.  The 2nd one happened a little further over half-court but in the middle of the court.  With the 3rd time Cowens turned right and started streaking across the court almost right in front of me (the half court line was just on my left, Cowens started sprinting just to my right so, maybe, 8'-10' to the right of half court) and caught Newlin a little past half court on the other side.  Still, pretty much right in front of me, just on the other sideline. You could read Cowens' name on the back of his jersey the whole time, that's how east-west he was going.

I also saw the shootout playoff games between Bird and 'Nique (1988 playoff game, I was sitting at one end, under the basket) and the duel between Bird and Jordan in 1987.  Those 3 memories are some of the highlights of my life, and I've been around.


Bob


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Great stories Bob.

My bball highlight memory was watching Jack the shot Foley score 56 points in a college game way before anyone imagined the 3 point shot bonus point.

dboss wrote:Cowens remains one of my most favorite players.  He had the type of skill set that would be transferrable to today's NBA unlike a lot of centers that played back in the 70's.

He stills has that beautiful touch.

He sure as hell could play today, could play 4 or 5, could spread the floor, run high post offense, could post up, he invented the jump hook, could cover out to perimeter, remember the Oscar play? Manic rebounder, just a beast.

I believe it was Bill McGill who actually invented the jump hook. He tutored Bob Pettit who began using it as well. Certainly Dave’s specialty as well.

I can remember those words coming out of Cowen's mouth. Tommy was so proud of him!!!
He was one tough guy who succeeded even though many thought he would not. He became an all star and is in the HOF, and did it all his way. I loved the guy.