In the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, Chris Ballard wrote an article, Guarding Kobe, which is worth the read. In the piece Ballard details the match-up through (4) games between Kobe Bryant, and the guy trying to slow him down, Shane Battier.
The article applauds the efforts of Battier - which is well deserved. But it also reaches back, and reminds us of another guy, who gave the best scorer of his day all he could handle come Playoff time - year after year... and that guy is former Cavalier, Craig Ehlo.
As the article mentions, Ehlo is a guy who has 'secured goat status in the eyes of Cleveland fans.' However, it also suggests, that this might be an unfair label for Craig - and I agree.
To me, I have always believed that Ehlo gets a bad wrap. Did he shut Jordan down? Of course not. But find me one NBA player that did.
Craig Ehlo gave the Cavaliers (7) years of service. During that stretch, he averaged 10.5 points per game, over (40) postseason games, all the while chasing the likes of Jordan all night on the other end of the floor. Jordan may have gotten his number most times, but as Cavs Trainer Gary Briggs said to Ehlo after one game, "he may have gotten 45 points, but you were in his sh*t all night."
What more could you ask from the guy?
On a side note - for whatever its worth - Ehlo is probably the last American-born whiteboy who will ever be asked to guard the best player in the NBA for a full game...let alone a full playoff series...
unless Luke Walton steps his game up, cracks the starting line-up, the Lakers advance, and he's matched up against LeBron James up in the Finals this year.
But game after game, to give his team the best chance to win Ehlo took that match-up. As a sports fan, you have to respect that. Just like you have to respect Battier. But when you watch Kobe try to shoot his way past the Rockets Sunday, just remember that before there was Shane Battier, there was Craig Ehlo...and 'Eggs' was a helluva player...whether you chose to remember that or not.
The article applauds the efforts of Battier - which is well deserved. But it also reaches back, and reminds us of another guy, who gave the best scorer of his day all he could handle come Playoff time - year after year... and that guy is former Cavalier, Craig Ehlo.
As the article mentions, Ehlo is a guy who has 'secured goat status in the eyes of Cleveland fans.' However, it also suggests, that this might be an unfair label for Craig - and I agree.
To me, I have always believed that Ehlo gets a bad wrap. Did he shut Jordan down? Of course not. But find me one NBA player that did.
Craig Ehlo gave the Cavaliers (7) years of service. During that stretch, he averaged 10.5 points per game, over (40) postseason games, all the while chasing the likes of Jordan all night on the other end of the floor. Jordan may have gotten his number most times, but as Cavs Trainer Gary Briggs said to Ehlo after one game, "he may have gotten 45 points, but you were in his sh*t all night."
What more could you ask from the guy?
On a side note - for whatever its worth - Ehlo is probably the last American-born whiteboy who will ever be asked to guard the best player in the NBA for a full game...let alone a full playoff series...
unless Luke Walton steps his game up, cracks the starting line-up, the Lakers advance, and he's matched up against LeBron James up in the Finals this year.
But game after game, to give his team the best chance to win Ehlo took that match-up. As a sports fan, you have to respect that. Just like you have to respect Battier. But when you watch Kobe try to shoot his way past the Rockets Sunday, just remember that before there was Shane Battier, there was Craig Ehlo...and 'Eggs' was a helluva player...whether you chose to remember that or not.
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3 comments:
"for whatever its worth - Ehlo is probably the last American-born whiteboy who will ever be asked to guard the best player in the NBA for a full game...let alone a full playoff series..."
Interesting point. He's certainly the last one, no? Unless Steve Nash was counted as the best player in the NBA for awhile there. But Nash is no Jordan anyway.
You should send this post to the guys who made this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07X9MxoL3YI
Frowns - Thanks for checking in...I appreciate the feedback...Ehlo's case is one I always found interesting. As far as Nash, not to split hairs, but he's technically a Canadian. That said, I do think you could make the argument for him certainly as the best player in the NBA for a stretch, during his back to back MVP run. I will forward this to the link you posted, thanks again!
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