Who among us basketball junkies and honkies that lived during the UCLA legend of Wilbur Johns who would metamorphose into his legendary successor John Wooden!
An All American himself, 77 consecutive NCAA victories….two 7 footers in (Jabbar) Lew Alcindor and the redhead from San Diego, Bill Walden. (6’10”+)
II
A post office in Reseda named after him(Wooden)…caught jogging in Encino, the Ventura Boulevard bumper to bumper traffic honking deliriously, on sharing his presence..in the same space.
III
Out of this hoop fest, a muscular powerful
Built body on the boards named Dennis Rodman, in chasing his coach and father figure Chuck Daly of the Detroit Pistons, Dennis the menace finished his career at center with the Chicago Bulls: the “um holy holy” trio of M.J, Scotty Pippen and Phil Jackson (the triangle stratagem of Tex Winter, sitting behind coach Jackson, masterminding the flow and ball control , his Kansas State role, mastering his Trojan Wars yesterdays (post WW2)) Alex Hannum and Bill Sharman. In the Duke Wayne riding“shotgun” offense of John Ford’s “Stagecoach”.
IV
Dennis Rodman was last heard and seen in North Korea, sitting with the Supreme North Korean leader, the son inheriting his father’s reign.
In this incarnation, the North Korean son , is whiplashing his drive to the boards, warning South Korea of provocations as the time clock winds down…
V
Is nothing o n the Planet sacred anymore?
Playing to the raucous fans on each competing side? Everybody and Dennis Rodman getting into the fix, our minor planet twisting ever so slowly on its axis….
VI
Athletic Drector Johns appointing John Wooden to replace him,post WW2
Don Barksdale at center (a music store on South Western Avenue, Jackie Robinson answering the phone) Dave Minor, a transferee from Toledo University, Ohio, where he played in Madison Square Garden, with his left arm in a cast, coach Johns leaving four ducats at Madison Square Garden’s NIT tourney for a Daily Bruin scribe, with a “minor” in P.E.
VII
What comes to mind is Dennis Rodman. His Detroit Piston coach and father figure…could Dennis the Menace, use his backboard strength and court savvy ,to make peace between North and South before the Peninsula erupts?
Is there a stage akin to the Garden?, Pauley Pavilion? The Korean peninsula?
Where on the planet lurks a mediator, who knows the NorthKorean leader personally, both in hoop warfare , could mediate the flared up dispute between the two heads of state, the crisis into a game time clock “finito”.
VIII
What takes your breath away, however is not the bullying sound and fury of the North Korea or Dennis Rodman’s role in moderating the dictator’s three point shot from downtown…
IX
Within that sound and fury, Ted Turner again turned to his group’s sensitive nature, playing “Judgment at Nurenberg” ontee v.
Judy Garland “fresh” from “Wizard of Oz” and Yip Harberg’s“Over the Rainbow”. In a fraulien courtroom role. (a Stone Canyon Drive neighbor in Bel Air, post WW2)
The civilized pop cosmos and shooting range mentality we inhabit, the story of the Third Reich and Hitler’s tyranny and murder of 6 million Jews is as timely today as it was in 1933-45,not a catatonic hiss or whisper to be heard, except for Rudolph Hess’s flight to escape to England.
A toast to these larger than life quality humans who identified with the massacre all over Europe.
The clash of conscience on trial , the jury all of first hand witnesses at the demonic slaughter and genocide!
X
To turn aside from atrocities, may not be a sin on the surface, but Spencer Tracy’s condemnation of the immorality was powerful as was Burt Lancaster confessing to his self serving complacency.
Maaximillan Schnell (Bobby Lantz’s client) was impeccable and emotionally draining in defense, even after Richard Widmarkvideoed the concentration camp horrors and scientific cannibalism…gas chambers on pretext.
XI
The speeches and confessions brings tears to one’s eyes, man’s inhumanity to man playing out, a pop culture to the contrary.
August 22, 2015 The City that never sleeps.
