Sports Briefs: Remembering the Texans of the CBA
July 12, 2007 by
When one thinks of minor league baseball, Susan Sarandon comes to mind. Conversely, when one thinks of minor league basketball, Isiah Thomas comes to mind.
So when I mention that the most exciting basketball game I attended was Game 6 of the CBA Championship in Wichita Falls, Texas, in April 1991, please understand that this was prior to Thomas buying the league and bankrupting it.
The Wichita Falls Texans were a Continental Basketball Association team from 1988-1994. They played a mere 45 miles from my house. They are also responsible for suiting up Roy Tarpley for a few games in 1992, making it the most exciting basketball event ever in the city that didn't involve donkeys.
The star players for the team included Ennis Whatley (who participated as the 12th man on a handful of NBA teams), Derrick Taylor (shares a last name but is not related to James Taylor) and Kurt Portman (token tall, white guy). The head coach was current LSU assistant John Treloar, and his assistant at the time was current University of Alabama at Birmingham head coach Mike Davis.
Both Treloar and Davis served at Indiana as assistants under Bob Knight, proving that, along with mesquite trees and goats, Wichita Falls is now a hotbed for coaching prospects as well.
My first memory of the Texans was watching highlights of a game on the nightly news, in which a referee made a bad call. This was followed by hundreds of fans throwing plastic basketballs (that night's promotional giveaway) onto the court, hoping to make contact with said official's noggin.
This looked to be fun, so I insisted that my family attend next season's basketball giveaway night.
Those entering through the turnstiles that night were given a prize better than plastic (this was a savvy marketing ploy, attempting to compensate for the team's jersey colors including pink and neon green). Each person in attendance received a real, palm-size basketball. This prompted that night's officials to seriously consider wearing football helmets to ref in.
So when I mention that the most exciting basketball game I attended was Game 6 of the CBA Championship in Wichita Falls, Texas, in April 1991, please understand that this was prior to Thomas buying the league and bankrupting it.
The Wichita Falls Texans were a Continental Basketball Association team from 1988-1994. They played a mere 45 miles from my house. They are also responsible for suiting up Roy Tarpley for a few games in 1992, making it the most exciting basketball event ever in the city that didn't involve donkeys.
The star players for the team included Ennis Whatley (who participated as the 12th man on a handful of NBA teams), Derrick Taylor (shares a last name but is not related to James Taylor) and Kurt Portman (token tall, white guy). The head coach was current LSU assistant John Treloar, and his assistant at the time was current University of Alabama at Birmingham head coach Mike Davis.
Both Treloar and Davis served at Indiana as assistants under Bob Knight, proving that, along with mesquite trees and goats, Wichita Falls is now a hotbed for coaching prospects as well.
My first memory of the Texans was watching highlights of a game on the nightly news, in which a referee made a bad call. This was followed by hundreds of fans throwing plastic basketballs (that night's promotional giveaway) onto the court, hoping to make contact with said official's noggin.
This looked to be fun, so I insisted that my family attend next season's basketball giveaway night.
Those entering through the turnstiles that night were given a prize better than plastic (this was a savvy marketing ploy, attempting to compensate for the team's jersey colors including pink and neon green). Each person in attendance received a real, palm-size basketball. This prompted that night's officials to seriously consider wearing football helmets to ref in.
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Before I get into the meat of this article, let me say that, of all the columnists who have repeatedly ripped Isiah Thomas the last couple of years, I have been at, or near the top of the list when it came to Thomas' critics.
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It took a while to find all the all best places to go for a cold one in Wichita Falls, but once I did I had my favorite three: Iron Horse, Toby's, and It'll Do. It takes all kinds to stay hydrated in the Falls.
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