Sully on Sports

I finally spoke with Dr. Jack Ramsay on Monday afternoon. Ramsay, who is covering the NBA finals for ESPN Radio, was apologetic about not calling in time to be included in Sunday's column on Randy Smith. That's fine, I told the former Braves coach, we can put your thoughts in a blog. That's the great thing about modern media. There's always a vehicle for observation.

Ramsay had fond memories of Smith, who was in his second season with the Braves when Ramsay became head coach in 1972-73. He was aware of Smith from his previous NBA coaching, and knew about his extraordinary athletic ability. 

"But I was unaware of the extent of it," Ramsay said. "When I got there to Buffalo, I saw how tremendously athletic he was, and saw he had the potential to be a very good player. He was very strong, and right-hand dominant. In fact, he couldn't take more than one dribble with his left hand. Early on, I said 'Randy, you can't only dribble with your right hand.' "

So Smith listened, put in the extra work, and became deft with both hands and incredibly fast with the ball in the open floor. Ramsay said athletic ability only takes a player so far. Smith was also a tireless, dedicated professional who worked to become a top NBA player.

"He became very versatile," Ramsay recalled. "Other defenders hated to match up with him. He wanted badly to succeed in the league. He, Ernie (DiGregorio) and Mac (Bob McAdoo) were the key guys. Ernie, of course, wanted the ball. He would keep it until someone got open. Randy felt he should be able to take the ball in the middle of the floor. He said, 'Coach, I can make that pass.'

"I said, Randy, if you were me, who would you want on the wing on the break, Ernie D. or you?' He said he understood. I had to make peace between all three of those guys."

At times, one basketball might not have been enough. But Ramsay said those Braves teams were very close off the court, the most fun team he ever coached. He said Smith and McAdoo were at the heart of it, close friends who loved to tease each other and the rest of the guys on the team.

"Randy was such a fun-loving guy,"" Ramsay said. "I never saw him without a smile on his face. He and Mac constantly ragged each other. The locker room would be in an uproar by the time they were finished. They had more fun than any other group I ever coached. Randy and Mac were the key guys, and they never let up. If any guy had a flaw in his game or his physical makeup, they made fun of it -- and they included each other."

Ramsay has fond memories of his Buffalo days, when he honed the philosophy of basketball that he would use to win the NBA title at Portland a few years later. He said a lot of people recall those Braves teams of the mid-1970s,

"I bump into players, going around all the NBA cities," Ramsay said. "I'll inevitably meet up with someone from Buffalo, or Boston. They always ask about the Braves and the playoff series. I live in Naples, Florida. A guy who lives near me had season tickets at the Aud."

Ramsay is one of the true marvels of his sport, an accomplished triathlete who is still active in broadcasting at age 84. He said he would love to see the Braves honored in a ceremony at HSBC Arena. He remembers coaching the Braves in "home" games in Toronto. It would be great if the Raptors could play a home game in Buffalo some day. Maybe ESPN could send Dr. Jack to cover it. 

What do you think? Should we push for a Raptors game in the Arena, where they could honor Randy Smith and the Braves?