Marvin "Bad News" Barnes dead at 62

[bdm860]

http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/content/20140908-pc-basketball-great-marvin-barnes-dead-at-62.ece

Maybe the 70's version of JR Rider?  I never got to see him play (since he was before my time), but man are there some stories about this guy.

He first caused waves as a teenager in South Providence when he was with a group of his friends who tried to commandeer a city bus. They didn’t get very far, mainly because Barnes was wearing his Central letterman’s jacket with his name embroidered on the chest.

Barnes was the second overall pick of the 1974 NBA draft, behind only UCLA’s Bill Walton. But Barnes eschewed the NBA for the rival American Basketball Association and the Spirits of St. Louis. Barnes dominated in the ABA, averaging double figures in scoring (24.0 ppg) and rebounding (15.6 rpg). But just a month into the season, Barnes suddenly left the team. His location was a mystery, but after a few days the Spirits discovered that Barnes was in Dayton, Ohio at a pool tournament.

And my favorite story, told by Bob Costas:

After the game, I saw [Marvin] in the dressing room and he started giving me his state of the Spirits speech. He told me, ‘Bro, you know what’s wrong with this team? We don’t have any team play. We don’t care about each other…Let me give you an example. Tonight, I had 48 points with two minutes to go. Did anybody pass me the ball so I could get 50? Huh? No, they just kept the ball to themselves and I got stuck on 48.’

All you have to do is google "bad news barnes stories" and you can easily find a TON of crazy stories about the dude. Here's a thread at InsideHoops with a bunch of stories about him

One of those "what could have been" cases, not sure if he ever got over his demons though as at least as recently as 2007 he was arrested for cocaine.

RIP

[fairweatherfan]

"I ain't gettin on no time machine."

RIP to one of the great characters in league history.

[bdm860]

Not all about Barnes, but the 30 for 30 Free Spirits talks a lot about him, and so does the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t26z_Y1Q5UI

[Donoghus]

Can't say I'm too surprised he died a premature death at 62.  I know he had a ton of demons.

I know, to this day, that '73 Friars team is held in high regard.  Guy was like a legend down there.

[Beat LA]

http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/content/20140908-pc-basketball-great-marvin-barnes-dead-at-62.ece

Maybe the 70's version of JR Rider?  I never got to see him play (since he was before my time), but man are there some stories about this guy.

He first caused waves as a teenager in South Providence when he was with a group of his friends who tried to commandeer a city bus. They didn’t get very far, mainly because Barnes was wearing his Central letterman’s jacket with his name embroidered on the chest.

Barnes was the second overall pick of the 1974 NBA draft, behind only UCLA’s Bill Walton. But Barnes eschewed the NBA for the rival American Basketball Association and the Spirits of St. Louis. Barnes dominated in the ABA, averaging double figures in scoring (24.0 ppg) and rebounding (15.6 rpg). But just a month into the season, Barnes suddenly left the team. His location was a mystery, but after a few days the Spirits discovered that Barnes was in Dayton, Ohio at a pool tournament.

And my favorite story, told by Bob Costas:

After the game, I saw [Marvin] in the dressing room and he started giving me his state of the Spirits speech. He told me, ‘Bro, you know what’s wrong with this team? We don’t have any team play. We don’t care about each other…Let me give you an example. Tonight, I had 48 points with two minutes to go. Did anybody pass me the ball so I could get 50? Huh? No, they just kept the ball to themselves and I got stuck on 48.’

All you have to do is google "bad news barnes stories" and you can easily find a TON of crazy stories about the dude. Here's a thread at InsideHoops with a bunch of stories about him

One of those "what could have been" cases, not sure if he ever got over his demons though as at least as recently as 2007 he was arrested for cocaine.

RIP

Just to add to your stories people have about Barnes, in The Book of Basketball, Bill Simmons talked about meeting him in the tunnel in The Garden as a little kid, during a game when Marvin wasn't playing.  I can't remember anything else, though, except that Bill might have said that the guy was stoned, but don't quote me on that - I haven't picked up that book in a year, easily.

What position did the guy play, because, from his profile on basketball reference it seems that he was out of the league before he was 30, for drug use, I'm assuming.  He seemed like a hell of a player. 

Sadly, this story reminds me of another ex-Celtic with demons - Sly Williams.  Whatever happened to that guy?  I think I read somewhere that he was a sex offender or something, but again, don't quote me on that.

[D.o.s.]

He was a power forward, which you can see on his basketball reference page 

[hardlyyardley]

Not the original Bad News Barnes....that was Jim Barnes (Knicks I believe)....that PC team was incredible....Marvin, Ernie D and Kevin Stacom

[slamtheking]

great player.  one of the biggest "could have been" stories ever in basketball.  so much talent wasted.
 it was his injury that kept the Friars from taking the national title in 74

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

RIP.


Man, I wish players today were as tough... I don't mean as bad as he was but the occasional hard hit and intimidation, I'd love it.

[moiso]

RIP.


Man, I wish players today were as tough... I don't mean as bad as he was but the occasional hard hit and intimidation, I'd love it.

I think the way the game is officiated has a lot to with that.  A regular foul from that era could lead to a multiple game suspension nowadays.

[stb]

Info on Sly Williams

http://www.celticslife.com/2012/05/what-hell-happened-tosly-williams.html

[colincb]

great player.  one of the biggest "could have been" stories ever in basketball.  so much talent wasted.
 it was his injury that kept the Friars from taking the national title in 74

I'd put him at the top of the list of wasted potential and a better talent than Len Bias. He was that good and there was a lot of talent in the ABA when he was dominating.

I saw all of his college games at PC. I don't know that they would have knocked off UCLA and Bill Walton who were undefeated that year, but it wouldn't have shocked many people either. PC had blown through the East bracket and was blowing out Memphis State in the Final 4 too when Barnes got injured.  It was the 1973 tourney not 1974 BTW.

Marvin Barnes' legacy? A legend for being a head case.

[moiso]

There was a great Barnes quote in the Providence Journal the other day.  Barnes asked Bill Reynolds, a sportswriter, if cocaine kills brain cells.
Reynolds: "That's what they say."
Barnes: "Then I must have been a genius when I started out."