Customer Reviews

The Night of Pistol Pete

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This appears to be a live television broadcast with the New York Knicks commentators as Pistol Pete Maravich wows them in the Superdome in New Orleans with 68 points. My only quarrel with the DVD is that they did not show some of his missed shots (though he didn't miss many that night), and that makes him seem a little more superhuman than he was. Had those been included, I would have given five stars. During breaks in the game, various Jazz spokesmen, sportswriters, Pete's lawyer, and Pete's step-brother, Ronnie, reflect back on the times. James Dobson also recalls the moment of Pete's death. These insertions are brief and do not interrupt the flow of the game. Hearing the reaction of the announcers is a big part of the fun. Look for two horrible charging calls that gave Pete his fifth and sixth fouls. Both should have been blocking fouls on Tom McMillen, and Pete would probably have ended the night with about 75 points.

There are two big problems with this DVD.

First, it's a mediocre copy of a black-and-white telecast. Grainy, fuzzy. If you grew up with B&W TVs and rabbit ears, you'll feel very at home. But if you're looking for clarity, forget it.

Second, if you're looking for Pistol Pete at his best, the last thing you want to see is his biggest scoring night ever. Think about it. What made the Pistol so amazing was his range of skills and, most importantly, his unorthodox passing. He was Magic Johnson before there was a Magic Johnson, but with a jump shot. But in this game, all he does is shoot. And he shoots very well indeed, but that's pretty much all he does, the vast majority of them jumpers. So if you want to watch Pete Maravich shoot lots of jump shots, buy this DVD. But if you want to see the Pistol shooting, dishing, driving to the hoop, making all the surprising passes that distinguished him from other NBA players, you will be very disappointed.

Great video about the best basketball player in history. Pete Maravich was the one who set the stage for the entertainment monster that basketball has become.