ABA Basketball not covered by local newspapers

I still think the clown that started the thread is Joe Newman, owner of the ABA. He does this, goes on message boards and beats his fist around and says his league is awesome only to be shouted down time and again.

 

The preponderance of the evidence suggests that to me as well. I'd highly recommend, should the ABA ever try to set up camp in your area, to read the link CKY posted uptopic. Absolutely unbelievable some of the stunts they've pulled.

 

Agree with this. I was a frequent poster over at OSC for a while and it was a really great resource for me when things were breaking. A lot of rumors, but when a rumor hits the wall I would call my sources and they would learn what was real and what was fake.

 

Here's that link again.

FWIW, I think Joe Newman threatened OSC founder Paul Reeths with a lawsuit. Still might have a link on an OSC forum somewhere.

I chatted with Paul years ago, but he was good people. Assume he still is.

And to think, a shortlived WBA franchise -- the Kentucky Reach (I know, dumb name) -- WANTED to get into the ABA.

 

The PBL also wanted to sue Paul when they went through their game-fixing allegations, and I think something got filed, but I have heard nothing ever happened. Paul is good people I have talked to him many times.

 

And SJ's now getting some props from OSC ...

http://www.oursportscentral.com/boards/showthread.php?t=20537

 

It's a shame a shyster got his mitts on the ABA name. I think it would be cool as hell if there was a legit ABA minor league complete with the red-white-and-blue ball.

There would have to be a team in Flint though.

 

Agree totally, would add that the CBA should be a part of that too with it being a A, AA, AAA system with the D-League like minor league baseball. It would help out for kids who don't want to go to college for a couple years.

 

Those kids are not good enough for the D-League.

 

This thread is epic. The stories, the tales, everything --- epic.

If there was a Thread Hall of Fame at SportsJournalists.com, I would nominate this one immediately. This is some funny shit.

 

The Detroit Hoops are ranked #22 in the latest ABA power rankings. I'm pretty savvy about the Detroit sports scene - I can give you a rundown on the rosters of our two Division 4 semi-pro soccer teams - but I have never heard of the Detroit Hoops. Not only that, there are apparently two more teams in the Detroit area - the Oakland County Cowboys and the Pontiac Firebirds (really?).

The Firebirds - great idea to pick a name that will put you on page 722 of a Google search - have a website that allows you to buy tickets via PayPal. The website does not, however, tell you where the games are played. I could make an educated guess as to where they play, but that's only because I used to live in Pontiac.

The Hoops and the Cowboys? No websites at all. The Cowboys may have gone out of business. I have no idea.

 

When someone paid the ABA franchise fee in our neck of the woods at my first stop after college, I remember them pretty solid coverage. There was all kinds of gimmicky stuff like if you stole the ball before the other team crossed half-court, a light would go on and it meant that any basket scored on the resulting possession was worth an extra point.