I'm glad I didn't have to choose a Jewish American team owner because that would be a difficult choice with so many to choose from (Bill Davidson of blessed memory left a legacy of philanthropy here in Detroit, the Cavaliers' Dan Gilbert's a great guy and a smart businessman, the late Wizards' owner Abe Polin was a mensch; and then there's also Bruce Ratner of the Nets, Jerry Reinsdorf of the Bulls, and even Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz owned the Supersonics at one time).
My selections are listed below, but I'll offer some background on my choices (note that there are only three options for each position). I chose Red Auerbach as coach. He was definitely the greatest of all time. It's interesting that of the three Jewish American coaches listed, two are named "Red." Being from Detroit, I might have picked Larry Brown or Ron Rothstein, but they weren't listed in this category. Larry Brown was an option for Point Guard, but I went with current player Jordan Farmar.
At Center I went with Neal Walk because of the mustache. I would love to go with Nate Huffman (pictured with me) who Wikipedia lists as a Jewish player, but I learned a few months ago that he isn't actually Jewish. Since the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation wasn't able to induct him in the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, it presented him with the Tree of Life Award. I think any award with the word "tree" in it is a fitting tribute to a guy who is 7'1". Huffman's from Michigan and played for Maccabi Tel Aviv. He signed as a free agent with the LA Clippers but never played with them.
Finally, for Power Forward I was going with Dolph Schayes, but I couldn't resist selecting Amare Stoudemire since his questionable Jewishness has been so widely discussed lately. By the way, if Dolph Schayes' son Danny was an option at Center, I might have gone with him. And former Detroit Pistons Center Earl Cureton probably could have been included even though he's not Jewish since he works out at the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit more than any Jewish person I know.
I ran across your mention of basketball great Jack Molinas while doing a google search. Molinas’ story is fascinating - so much so that our company published a novel about him written by Jerry Marcus: “Broken Trust – The Murder of Basketball Star Jack Molinas,” (Brittany Publications, Ltd., 2008).
ReplyDeleteMarcus first thought about writing “Broken Trust” around 1985, when he started doing some research, including contacting Columbia University. He soon realized there was one haunting question: Why would Jack Molinas, with all his talent and such a bright athletic future, risk it all?
No one will ever know for sure what turned Molinas into someone who wanted to beat the system, but Marcus points out that it’s often more than the popular theories of easy money or genetics. He says: “Something or somebody has to push you over the edge, make it worth the risk. It’s not only gamblers who want to control the odds by fixing games, and cheating the innocent. Who knows what makes a person turn to crime? Maybe it’s a corporate CEO, or a Chairman of the Board, who cheats the stockholders as well as his employees.”
In “Broken Trust,” Marcus created a scenario in which Jack Molinas turns to fixing games after a rabbi steals from his father. After serving his prison sentence, Jack tries to turn his life around and make amends for his past. Unfortunately, others have something else in store for him.
Rabbi Yaakov Fogelman (“The Jerusalem Jewish Voice”) has this to say about Marcus and “Broken Trust” - “Besides writing a gripping tale of a powerful, rich, highly competitive industry, with its strange grip on so many fans, Marcus delivers a high-impact, no holds barred, picture of modern social establishments- both religious and secular- so corrupt and self-serving, amidst their public pious and self-righteous pretense and hypocrisy… 'The Lion King’ also vividly portrayed the conflict of good and evil, and the contrast between those who sacrifice their safety and comfort, to eradicate evil, and those who just sit back and enjoy life; so Marcus’ works too are modern ‘mussar seforim,’ ethical works, which praise noble souls and expose all that is ignoble, amidst our rich, powerful, and sensual modern world .”
I ran across your mention of basketball great Jack Molinas while doing a google search. Molinas’ story is fascinating - so much so that our company published a novel about him written by Jerry Marcus: “Broken Trust – The Murder of Basketball Star Jack Molinas,” (Brittany Publications, Ltd., 2008).
ReplyDeleteNo one will ever know for sure what turned Molinas into someone who wanted to beat the system, but Marcus points out that it’s often more than the popular theories of easy money or genetics. He says: “Something or somebody has to push you over the edge, make it worth the risk. It’s not only gamblers who want to control the odds by fixing games, and cheating the innocent. Who knows what makes a person turn to crime? Maybe it’s a corporate CEO, or a Chairman of the Board, who cheats the stockholders as well as his employees.”
In “Broken Trust,” Marcus created a scenario in which Jack Molinas turns to fixing games after a rabbi steals from his father. After serving his prison sentence, Jack tries to turn his life around and make amends for his past. Unfortunately, others have something else in store for him.
Rabbi Yaakov Fogelman (“The Jerusalem Jewish Voice”) has this to say about Marcus and “Broken Trust” - “Besides writing a gripping tale of a powerful, rich, highly competitive industry, with its strange grip on so many fans, Marcus delivers a high-impact, no holds barred, picture of modern social establishments- both religious and secular- so corrupt and self-serving, amidst their public pious and self-righteous pretense and hypocrisy… 'The Lion King’ also vividly portrayed the conflict of good and evil, and the contrast between those who sacrifice their safety and comfort, to eradicate evil, and those who just sit back and enjoy life; so Marcus’ works too are modern ‘mussar seforim,’ ethical works, which praise noble souls and expose all that is ignoble, amidst our rich, powerful, and sensual modern world .”
Hello Rabbi Miller,
ReplyDeleteI must tell you that I found your Blog on the internet quite interesting.
It is so refreshing to see how someone can come up with a list of some well known Jews of Basketball, who have carved their own piece of history to the great game. Jews have contributed so much to all of life, be it Sports, Medicine,
Entertainment, you name it we have done it.
Anyway my Dad is Max Zaslofsky, and I was thrilled that you named him your Shooting Guard. I am very proud of his place in Basketball, and your kind comments made this a fine read. Has this Book been published? And where can I get a copy?
Thanks again!
Peace,
Jeff Zaslofsky