The 1960 U.S. men's Olympic team and 1992 U.S. men's Olympic team engaged in some championship trash talking this week.
View full sizeBasketball Hall of Fame inductee Karl Malone shows off his new jacket with sleeves much too short on Friday.SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Friday's Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame induction of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team, viewed as the greatest amateur basketball team ever assembled, and the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, better known as the Dream Team, made up of NBA players and viewed as the greatest team ever assembled, produced some world-class trash talking.
During a panel discussion after dinner at the Hall on Thursday night, Charles Barkley and Larry Bird of the 1992 squad engaged in some good-natured banter with Ohio State star Jerry Lucas and Walt Bellamy of the 1960 team about which team would have come out on top in a game between the two.
In explaining some of the differences, Lucas pointed out that the track team was the star of the 1960 U.S. Olympic squad and got to ride in the air-conditioned part of the trains in Europe, while the basketball team rode at the end of the trains' non-air-conditioned cars. Jerry West recalled the $1 per diem they got -- and noted there was no air conditioning in their dorm rooms in Rome, either.
Meanwhile, the Dream Team was afforded every luxury in Barcelona.
After all the back-and-forth, Barkley got a big laugh when he suggested the dining tables be cleared from the floor and the two teams settle it on the court.
Going for three: Former Cavs player and coach Lenny Wilkens' induction as an assistant coach on the Dream Team makes him the only person inducted into the Hall of Fame three times. He also was inducted as a coach and player.
Tight fit: When the navy Hall of Fame jackets were handed out Friday morning, Karl Malone's didn't come close to fitting. It was tight through his massive chest, and the sleeves were several inches too short. Although he gamely put it on when it was first presented, he took it off and held it up in front of him as pictures were taken at the end of the ceremony.
Malone suggested the weekend be dedicated to the deceased Gus Johnson and Dennis Johnson, as well as to U.S. troops.
Ladies' day: Cynthia Cooper was the first WNBA player inducted, joining Jackie MacMullan, the former Boston Globe reporter, now and author and ESPN personality, who was the first female recipient of the Curt Gowdy Media Award, which she shared with Cavs broadcaster Joe Tait during ceremonies Thursday night. Shoe time: Springfield's answer to the big, multi-colored guitars that grace street corners in Cleveland are big, multi-colored tennis shoes.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668