Just thought I'd post this video compilation of Julius "Dr. J" Erving, my favorite sports figure, and the only "hero" from my member interview that's still alive. I thought of him because he got rushed to the hospital the other day. (but is okay now)



I recall Daryl Dawkins and Lloyd Free talking about him in an interview. The Sixers had just lost the NBA Finals to the Portland Trailblazers, and he told them after the final game "Come on, we're going to go over the the Trailblazer locker room". Dawkins and Free said "why the hell would we do that?" and Julius answered "to congratulate them". I can tell you that both Dawkins and Free were great players but neither was the kind to agree to do that in a million years. But in the interview they said "We don't know how it happened, but we found ourselves going over there with Julius to congratulate them." Such was the respect that Julius inspired in the people around him.

I'm trying to think of which sports figures nowadays would have the inclination to act classy like that after a big loss. And also which of them would command enough respect from their teammates to convince them to go with them. Just wondering.