Then came another tall No. 85, Marcellus Rivers, and it was like Alonzo had never left. Yet no replacement is adequate for Wayman Tisdale or Bryant Reeves. Or even Doug Gottlieb and Oleg Reztsov . A player with a magical turnaround could never match Wayman's smile. Not even a super 7-footer could capture hearts like Big Country did.
Football is an impersonal game.
Basketball is personal. McPhee was born before the Civil War, died 57 years ago and never played in the 20th century. That sums up his offensive exploits. No one alive could possibly remember having seen McPhee play. Yet he gets a plaque in Cooperstown, and Maz and Oliva wait another year.