Phil...
- Thread starter gary-7
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Great article and read it this morning...
Thanks for sharing the article, Gary. I sat next to Phil in an Economics class in 1977. He was friendly and humble.
I'm happy that he has gotten sober and know he will work hard to stay sober.
I'm happy that he has gotten sober and know he will work hard to stay sober.
Love me some Phil Ford! (The PF in my handle stands for Phil Ford) Those demons are why he was never our head coach so they derailed a lot in his life! The fact that he stays so positive after losing so much is a testament to his underlying character! Being a great man and an exemplary Christian is never about perfection, but about striving to be better every day! Keep fighting the good fight and keep loving our beloved U, Mr. Ford!
Yep. That freak injury still makes me sad. Not only did it open the door for the demons, but so many folks today don't realize just how good Phil was in the NBA --- he was not only the Rookie-of-the-Year, but was widely considered already the best PG in the league.
I watched that first year and expected him to be as influential in the NBA as he was at UNC! It is sad to see someone spiral to the point that many of their lifelong dreams dry up. He is similar to the great D. Thompson in this regard. (Chris Washburn is another Moo example + Len Bias is one too!) All 4 had the game to be the best ever at their positions, but for injuries and/or demons! Mr. Ford is a testament to the power of prayer and the support system from the Family!
Phil has been thru some struggles, he has been knocked down but live this life long enough and we all get knocked down at some point, being knocked down is not the measure, the measure is what a man does when he gets back up. Phil has been knocked down publicly but the man has got back up and become in my view as the greatest Tar Heel of them all. What he has done for this program, on the court, on the side lines both officially as well as un-officially has earned that for me.
TP, you my dude but man, I just can't see Chris Washburn or Len Bias names listed in relation to Phil and not say something. Washburn was allowed in to cow college without being able to read, he could not have been admitted to the local community college had he not played basketball. And Len Bias was a great talent but I have been told by multiple folks that I trust that Bias had a drug issue (coke) all the way thru his Md career, that the night he died was not his first take. The legacy of contributions to both of those guys ended when their playing days for their schools ended, that sure was not the case with Phil.
I agree completely! I was simply saying they were examples of otherworldly talents that never got to find out where that talent could take them! Honestly, Len BIas was possibly the best college bball player to come through the ACC. Only a few like, Sampson, Thompson, Worthy, and Hans (and a few others) can even be argued to be better! Washburn was around 7 feet with the skills and athleticism of guards and I saw him jump completely over a guard who set up for a charge on a fast break! (he had just dribbled the ball behind his back in traffic too) Washburn was the exact epitome of the modern big but he was an imbecile unfortunately! Drugs were their demons and stupidity to a lesser degree! As people they do not compare to Thompson or Ford, but as talents......?
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