Bill Laimbeer

[Deus Vult]

I heard a discussion on a Sports Talk radio program that was centered around naming the all-time "bad boys" or villains of the NBA. Bill Laimbeer's name came up, and the co-hosts went on and on about how "dirty" Laimbeer was. They pointed out that "even Larry Bird" hated Laimbeer. Laimbeer was on a team with Rick Mahorn and Dennis Rodman -- and those guys were a lot worse than Laimbeer!


I always though Laimbeer got a bad rap. He wasn't the dirtiest, if he was dirty at all. He was tough and resourceful, to my memory. I always thought Larry Bird played the race-game by "hating" Bill Laimbeer. Almost as though he had to prove he had no racial solidarity with fellow white player Laimbeer.

 

[michiganblkman]

I remember Laimbeer and Mahorn being considered dirty. Not Rodman at that time however. Rodman didnt become dirty until after he left Detroit.

 

[pt.guard2]

Laimbeer did have a reputation as a dirty player. The Celtics and Pistons were bitter rivals and Larry Bird's feud with Laimbeer had more to do with that than any reluctance to bond with another white player.

Bird also had fights with Dr. J., Kareem and several other players in his career....he would not back down from anyone. Isiah Thomas once said that if he, Jordan, Magic and Bird all were locked in a room together, Bird would be the guy who walked out.

An example of a player getting an unfair rap of playing dirty would be John Stockton. He played the same way for his entire career....setting picks, running through screens, etc....but as the league changed, that somehow became "dirty."

 

[Don Wassall]

Laimbeer was a very aggressive player, not a dirty one. He was on the clumsy side, which oftencaused him to collide with opposing players, but it wasn't intentional.


Laimbeer was raised in the suburbs. I remember reading an article about him in which he said he had never been in a fight until he got to the NBA. His reputation as "dirty" came about because he played hard and didn't back down. Doing so as a white player when the NBA was at its most black dominated is why so many players (and white fans) detested him.

 

[Weltner]

Never been any such thing,as a White player that was the dirtiest or nastiest.However dirty or nasty any White player was,black players have always been far,far worse,and always will be.


What was amazing about Laimbeer,is that he came from a totally,filthy rich background - the Palos Verdes area,I believe,and he still played totally hard-nosed,unafraid to fight it out.What I would give for more such Whites like him.

 

[white is right]

A funny story about Laimbeer. His dad was an oil executive(or some type of executive), I always used to say to friends that he is the only player in the NBA who was making less than his dad........

 

[whiteCB]

wow I would have never have guessed that Laimbeer came from a wealthy family. He played like a guy who grew up on a welfare chack and who wasn't afraid of anybody. Also no white guy can stand up against black players in league that is 80% black without there being severe distaste for him.

 

[michiganblkman]

I didnt think Bill was clumsy at all. He had the best outside of range of any big man that played the game during that era. He also was an excellent passer and defender. Great foot speed. Lots of natural ability. All this went along with his reputation.Edited by: michiganblkman

 

[jcolec02]

hey michigan... are you black or white?

 

[Deacon]

He was tough and resourceful, to my memory. I always thought Larry Bird played the race-game by "hating" Bill Laimbeer. Almost as though he had to prove he had no racial solidarity with fellow white player Laimbeer.

Wouldn't surprise me. Larry Bird has gone on record stating that basketball is a black man's game and that he felt offended when the opposing coach designated a white man to guard him.

 

[white tornado]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBtdRz9f3iY&NR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGrQ38-pp0&mode=related&sea

 

[Bart]

Wouldn't it have been great if Laimbeer was with the Celtics instead of the Pistons?Bird and the fans would have loved him on their side.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

I have noticed that white fans will hate on their fellow whites who are either the "dirty work" types (Bill Lambeer) or are not very good (Pat Garrity being disdained in Orlando, or Shawn Bradley being hated on) more than bad black players...However, many whites seem to support great white players like Larry Bird or Dirk Nowitski even more than black stars. Us on this site, are far from the only whites who go crazy cheering for white athletes, we are just the ones with time to waste posting on this topic!Edited by: ToughJ.Riggins