May 10, 2023 • 28 mins
Johnny Moore joins Bill Schoening in this episode to take us through his journey in the NBA. Johnny shares what it was like growing up in Pennsylvania and then he explains why he chose to play for the University of Texas. Later, Johnny describes the moment when he knew he could make a career out of playing basketball, he provides stories of playing with George 'the iceman' Gervin and James Silas, he discusses life after basketball and then he shares how he wants to be remembered.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to Sound of Spurs Podcast. Episode number twenty four
brought you my SWBC and Bury proud to have Johnny
Moore with us. Double Zero, of course, hangs in the
rafters at the AT and T Center and Johnny, first
of all, thanks so much for joining us nine seasons
with the Spurs and now we have you on the
fiftieth anniversary of the Spurs season. So thanks for taking
time out of your schedule and joining us today.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Well, thanks for having me. It's really my pleasure to
do this.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
You know, a lot of people remember you as Double zero,
and of course I remember you even further back because
I followed the Texas Longhorns for a long time and
you had a very good college career in Texas. But
let's go start back in the beginning. Altoona, Pennsylvania, right
in western Pennsylvania. That's where you were born. Is that
where the basketball journey started?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah, that's where it started.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You know, I had an older brother who really he
had all the records, he had broken all the records
at the Hi High School. And you know I used
to try to follow him around as a little brother,
and he said, no, you're not ready, You're not ready.
And you know, I cried, tell my mam, tell him
take me. He's like, no, he's not ready, but you know,
I kept working. He grew up to the court and
(01:14):
he said, look, try to steal this ball, and you know,
you stay here till I get back.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
So I had to stay at the court till he
got back. I couldn't go home. And so on the
way back home, he's like, here trying to steal it,
and I try to steal it.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
And then right before we went into the house, he said,
now we played together, and I was like, well, okay,
So you know that that was really the start of it.
You know, I watched him play and I was so
proud of him, and I want to kind of be
like him.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
You know, I had so many guests on the show
during the season where they were younger brothers of older guys,
and of course they were inspired to play well and
had to play with the older guys, had to play
with the bigger guys. So you got better earlier because
you had a better competition.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Well, I mean that's usually how it happens. And I
can remember when he first started letting me go with
him around.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I was smart. I wasn't trying to take all the shots.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I played a good defense and making good passes, and
I mean that's one of the reasons why he continued
to take me with him.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Now, did you stay in Altuna all through high school?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
John here?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Or did you move around a little bit?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
No, I stayed back there in Altuona. Uh huh.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
And so you were recruited, obviously to the University of Texas.
I'm sure some other schools showed interest. Why did you
end up in Austin?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Well, to be honest, you know, I had about sixty
seventy offers. You know, I was looking at UNCC and
I like Providence a lot. But when I came to Texas,
you know, I saw that I had an opportunity to
grow with a growing program, and that really caught my attention,
you know, for me to go off and do my
own thing.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Was it Leon Black who first recruited you to Texas?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yes, sir, and.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Tell me about him as a coach, and then of
course ab Lemons took over during your time there, right.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yes, you know, Leon very great coach. He was very
he was a Christian.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Uh, he loved God, you know, and he always liked
to do things the proper way. And you know he
used to tell me in my roommate, you know, y'all crazy.
You know, y'all got to settle down. You know, he
used to his word was bare down. He said, y'all
got to bear down, you know, and take care of
our business. But uh, you know, we really had a
good relationship with with Coach Black. You know, we truly
(03:26):
loved him as a coach, and uh, you know he
did a lot for you know, building men. It's not
just about the basketball, but you know, helping too mature
into manhood.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I got to know coach years later when he was
in the athletic department at the university. Now, Ab was
a little bit different than Leon, wasn't he.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah, it was different.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
One thing about a I mean he they took his
witness sarcasm sometime they didn't know how to take that.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
But he was very serious.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
But he understood that, you know, you had to be
self motivated if this is going to work.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, he gives you some structure, but you have to
be self motivated. You need rest. You need to go
get your rest. You know, he tell you what y'all
need to do, but it was up to us to
do it, and we just met. A was just something special,
I mean really special. You know the way he came
in and I remember the first day he came in
and he's walking around. He's like, well, here, y'all, Mickey
(04:22):
mouse around here. I gotta make y'all think I know
something about the game, and we're all looking like what
you know?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
But you know, he's truly a great, great, great coach
and a great motivator.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Now, basketball, of course, back then and even to a
certain degree now has come on certainly, but football was
always the number one thing at the University of Texas.
And here you are during the period of time when
Earl Campbell was there right or right before that, so
I know football was king, and you guys are trying
to establish yourself as a basketball program back then.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Well, I mean that's true.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
One of the things whenever I came down and they said, man,
that's football country, and I said what it is? But
you know, we great pride and knowing that we kind
of laid the foundation for Texas basketball, myself, ob Docs
and Jim Kreevacs and uh, you know Gary Goodnew who's past.
But you know, we we were at the beginning of
(05:14):
what Texas is today.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
And we took great pride in that.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
And they had just built the Irwin Center when you
were recruited, right, I mean that was a brand new
facility back then. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, you know that was a big draw.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
You know, they like, we look where you get to play,
and uh, you know, I played two years in h.
Gregory Gym, which it was the old facility and you know,
it had its own tradition, what have you. But then
I played two years in the Super Drum and there
was nothing like that. That was the Cadillac of coloseums
back in that day.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Johnny, When did you feel like you really had a
chance of maybe making a career out of this basketball thing?
Was it during your time at UT.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
To be one hundred honest? When I was in the third.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Grade, you know, and I was telling everybody that, but
they because I was always the smallest one. But you know,
like I said, I developed that work ethic and I
had something to look up to. You know, not only
my brother, but my uncle Jim Curry played before him
and he went on and played football, but he played
(06:16):
at the University of Cincinnati with Oscar Robinson. So you know,
my family has a big, a deep tradition in basketball.
But I wanted to play back then, and you know,
it was just something they said.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I saw.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
My idol at the time was tiny Archibald and since
being so small, you know, he let me know that,
you know, there's a place in this game for the
small man. So I continue to work and you know,
I tell him I was going to do this and that.
But I think it really came to, you know, be
a reality for me whenever it was my senior year
(06:50):
and I went to the pan Am trials, so you know,
I remember they had all the best around the country
and I played well and I was like, shoot, you know,
if I keep working a little bit harder, you know,
I can do this.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
And I think that was really the key moment for me.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
The draft, of course, is a lot different now, a
lot more attention being paid to the draft, and you
can go through all the different picks. But in nineteen
seventy nine, the Seattle SuperSonics took you, I take us
through the whole process because I wasn't familiar with it
until I started looking up your story.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Today. Well, you know, we I'm waiting, you know, seeing
what's going to happen.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
You know, they say, oh, you know, you might get drafted,
you know, And I was very hopeful. Like I said,
I played in the PanAm trials and matter of fact,
I didn't make the team, but I did well, and
so I was very hopeful.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
So I'm waiting around, and I can remember the day.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
That they said, oh, the SuperSonics select you anymore, and
you know, and I was like, ah, and I jumped
up and down. I'm a super Sionic. I'm a Supicionic.
And then you know, it won't too much longer. After that,
the Spurs traded and paid for the rights for me
to go there, and I was like, man.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
That's right down the street, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
So I was really excited about that for the opportunity
to go right there, which I considered in my backyard.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
So and and with who.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
They had down there, with the iceman, I was like, man, shoot,
that's all I need is sewing in the back court
with me.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Hey go, I'm gonna start off a few assists a
game if I can pass the iceman, right. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I've remember one time I told Ice, I said, I said,
come on, Ice, I mean card your man. He said, Mo,
I got thirty four. My man got twenty seven. If
we do that, we blowed If everybody does that, we
blowed them out.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I was like, oh that made sense.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
A wise man, that Iceman.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
I was a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
So so now you end up with the Spurs after
drafted by the Sonics, and it's right down the road
from Austin. So take us through that whole process. Your
first you know, inkling of what it was going to
be like in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Well, it's all new, and uh, my whole thing is,
you know, you always I've always developed the good work ethic,
and I think that that was the thing that would
carry me over and get me over the hump.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I remember my first trial was Doug mull was.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
The coach and Jee Carr was his assistant, and you know,
I really was just I was doing everything that they
was telling me to do. You know, do this, do this,
I said, okay, And then at the end of the
day they said, well, you know, we don't think you
score enough. I'm like, well, what I said, You know,
I could shoot ever since you know I was little,
I could shoot it. But you know, it's just one
(09:32):
of those things you know, you have to be and
I always understood that the point guard is an extension
of the coach out on the floor. So it was
always important for me to have that high basketball IQ,
you know. And my the thing that I feel my
greatest accid is I didn't let anybody out hustle me.
I mean, that was one thing that you know, I
(09:53):
had to work, and I knew that, you know, from
being the littlest I always had to work. And you know,
I took pride in that.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Playing time certainly did increase fairly early during your tenure.
In fact, you led the team and assists in that
eighty eighty one season and then I'm looking at the
numbers and you that league and assists the following year,
So you obviously were starting to get your confidence up
pretty early in your career.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Johnny.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Yeah, well, and I'm telling I have to tell you
about ice again. He said, Ma, he said, do to me.
I ain't gonna dribble it, I said, I said, I said,
you know that works for me. But you know, I
mean I had some great players, you know, surrounding me.
I think that's key. You know, as a point guard,
(10:37):
you know you can do all the right thing, but
if you don't have someone that can put it in
the basket. You know, it's not gonna work, but I
think that, you know, any good point guard has to
have the ability to recognize when to be aggressive, when
not to be aggressive, how to get his teammates involved.
All those things are crucial, you know, whenever you building
the team.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
You got a chance to play with some really, really
good players in San Antonio. But were only with the
James for one year, right, James Silas was that Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Yeah, one year. But it was a good year. It
was a great year for me, you know, I was
I was one of them players. I tried to soak
up all the information I could and Jimmy Silas, he
would come out, he says, well, you know that he
got from college.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
He was calling me junior, he says, Junior, go tire
him out for me.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Till I go out there some more defense and you know,
Captain come in and do his thing. So but that's
that's the thing that I really look at even to
the day.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
You know, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
That all the guys, you know, like the roles. You
don't have to like your roles, but you know, you
have to do your role. You know, know what your
role is and then do that. You know, I think
that's what made us so great. You know, I knew
what my role was. You know, shoot, if I have
a shot, you know, and I feel like I can
(11:54):
make it, But I that's what he's supposed to do him,
Mike Mitchell.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
I mean, that's they respond.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
So everybody assumed their role and played it to the
tild I think that's what made us good back in
the day, Johnny.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
That's one of the things that's been consistent as a
thread for the Spurs through the years. You know, I've
had a chance now to cover twenty two different Spurs teams,
and back in the days when Jenobili and Parker and
Duncan were playing, they all took less money. They all
knew their role. They were good team players and teammates.
They accept the do guys coming in and you know,
you don't always see that on a consistent basis around
(12:28):
the league. And I think that's one of the reasons
why maybe they were so special for so long.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
I think I agree with that. And then you always
can tell if they taking less money, you know, they
really bind into what's going on. But I mean, what
they what they did and what they were able to accomplish.
It's just really unparalleled. The fact that you know that
they played together what ten twelve, I mean, that's come on,
(12:53):
that's unheard of. But you know, they had that chemistry,
and you know, obviously they had that relationship, you know,
with themselves, among the team and the coaches, and I mean,
that's what all championship basketball is all about.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
You played Again, we mentioned the fact that you played
with the Ice band. I was looking at some of
your other teammates and of course you were there during
that Bruise Brothers period of time, or Corsine and Oberdang
and Reggie Johnson. That must have been fun. Because I
was talking to Ice about this too. Those guys apparently
knew their role. You know, Ice knew that those guys
are gonna set screens, They're gonna do the dirty work,
(13:27):
play defense, get rebounds, let him do the scoring. And
of course you during that period of time doing a
lot of the passing. Uh. And again it goes back
to that role playing. But was it fun to play
with those big guys up front?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Oh? Look at it.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
There's nothing like that, Because I'm just saying, you know,
so it hit me with the strong pick. I'm like,
then y'all saw.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
That what room do you know?
Speaker 3 (13:47):
And I mean, you know, I've run them around there
and you know, like overdinging them. They didn't play. I
mean they were They called them the Bruise Brothers for
a reason, and I mean they were they were talented,
but they were strong and big and and again I
mean they played their role to the till and I
think that's what really was gave us the ability to
(14:07):
do the things that we did and accomplishing things that
we did back then.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
And you got to play during the heyday of the
Hemisphere arena when it was really rocking, smoking the arena, right,
hell kinds of crazy on.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
This side to see what's going to happen this side.
Oh yeah, those are some good times.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Yeah, the baseline bumps on your side, which is a
good thing, right because you don't want to be on
the other side of the baseline bumps. What are your
memories of Hemisphere?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Oh, you know, in the baseline bums, and I mean
just in your career development. You know, you came out
the back doing the fans were right there by the
old pro the Lone Starve pavilion, so you know, you
had to learn how to talk to the fans and
you know what I'm saying, and kind of sometimes diffuse them,
you know, because you know we didn't win all the games.
You know, a man, hey, wait, wait, wait wait now
(14:53):
you know so, I mean, just that interaction was something special.
You know that the fans could get up up close
to us and actually talk to us and they feel
like they know us, and uh, that was a great feeling.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
And like I said, that's a great time for us.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
You're stay in touch, Johnny, But some of your former
teammates from back then.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
You know, not so much.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
You know, everybody's kind of spread out, but uh, you
know there's matter of fact, Paul Griffin.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Is trying to put something together now.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
So you know, I mean I certainly, you know, try
to participate in that if I can, but you know,
I'm a special head teacher now, and that takes up
a whole lot of time, and you know, everybody's just
off doing their things. But I mean the relationships that
we forge, you know, I mean, they last a lifetime.
It's always good to get together and they always come
up with something that you didn't remember, and you know
(15:43):
how those memories are fade no say, I said, oh, yeah, yeah,
I remember that. I don't remember that one, you know,
But it's always it's always a good time to get
back and to reminisce with the fellas.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
That was one of the cool things about this year
being the fiftieth anniversary the Spurs, is that so many
guys came back at different times and got to see
different guys they played with and hear the cheer of
the crowd. And of course the Spurs played a couple
of games up at the University of Texas this year
at the brand new Moody Center. And the ovation they
got and the reception they got selling out two games
up there. You've seen this firsthand from a long long
(16:19):
time ago, that Austin and San Antonio connection, and the
world's get a little smaller, right Johnny. I mean these
two towns are almost growing together.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Now, Yeah, they are.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
And I was just I was just telling someone today,
you see that Austin skyline.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Oh capital anymore? You can't see the build, the Capitol
building anymore.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
I mean, you know, and I get it. I started
looking around.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
I was up for a wedding and we stayed in
the Fairmount and I'm looking on each side, just time
to you know.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
I mean, because before all you saw was you saw
the tower on the university in the capitol.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
But now, I mean it's just beautiful and it's growing,
and you know, it's it's one of those spots that
you know you want to be.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
It's the spot to be.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Yeah, Johnny, you mentioned earlier that you still live in
the San Antonio area and now you're teaching. Just kind
of bring us up to date with what you're doing.
I know you coached for a while after your career
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Yeah, you know, I still do a little bit that
I got an ABA team that you know that I coached,
and you know, try to give these young kids it's
still the opportunity to continue to play and maybe fulfill
some of the dreams. You know, I sent some guys
to overseas to Mexico, so I mean it's an opportunity
for them to learn and to grow. And then as
far as the special way that I do at the school,
(17:31):
you know, I just felt like a special column in
my life to go back and try to help establish
the foundation for some of those kids.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Well, I think that's really important and I think it's awesome,
very very commendable. You know, you look back on your career,
You're one of only seven players Johnny to record twenty
or more assists in a playoff game. What do you
remember about that playoff game where you had twenty assists?
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Who was that against Denver?
Speaker 1 (17:55):
You know, I was just looking it up earlier, you know,
and I'm not sure it might have been against Denver
because back then, all those games against Denver were always
highest scoring, so I'm sure those assists were up. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, Well you know, all those stats and stuff, that's
for the people.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
You know.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
One thing about it is we've always and you know,
I always preach to the guys you play the game
like it's supposed to be played and then let.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
The chips fall what they made.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
But that was my thing, you know, Like I said,
I had great scores around me. So yeah, I can
remember Gene Banks. He was like the hustle guy. He
was like a bruising guy, you know what I'm saying.
But so you know, I have a left you know,
but I see him running hard. You know, Oh here
go ahead, Gino. Let let him throw it down. Tinker Bell,
(18:39):
that's what we call them. You know, so, I mean,
but that's that's how you grow and you you forged
them relationships. Like I said, that that really last the lifetime.
But those were some some some great, great great moments,
you know, some great memories for me.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
By the way, that assist game was against Denverord the
Western Conference finals.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I thought it was I had to tell the story
because as if you follow my history, you know that
Doug Moucutney, I was like, man, what are you thinking about?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
But you know, you know how the game goes.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
And I was fortunate enough to come back and stand
all back and saw something special. And I remember that
game of my career high was I scored thirty nine.
That was in the playoff game against Denver and I remember,
you know, I was killing them. I was killing them,
you know. And I went down and I did a
little role and it bounced off the back and I
(19:34):
missed it because I had I had thirty in regulation.
I was like, oh, man, and you know you playing
so well and you missed that shot. But the game
went in the overtime and I'll never forget it because
I scored all nine points in the overtime.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
You can look it up if you want to.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
So anyway, I remember I took the ball, the bounce,
the ball went to the other side and it came
all the way back to me and I pulled up
and hit that last three and I looked. I didn't
say anything, but I looked at Douvin more like, would.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
You cut me today? What'd you cut me today? I mean,
you know, I took it personally.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
But the thing about it is, it's all in about competition,
you know, in the right spirit.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
But uh no, those were some great days.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
But like I say, my whole thing is I'd always
try to get my teammates involved.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
You know, I didn't really worry about scoring. I got
the ball my hands eighty percent of the time.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
So that's that's like a That's like a cook. You
talk about you hungry, what you cooking the food? And
you hungry? You a dumb cook. So if I got
the ball, you know, I should be able to get
my shot when I want. And I had all the skills,
you know, I can pass in and handle it, so
you know, I didn't worry about that.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
You know, I get my.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Players involved, and I even from a young and I
think my brother instilled that in me because when I
first started playing with him.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
A real quick story.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
We went up to Saint Francis Is about twenty minutes
from my hometown where Norman van Leir and Kevin Porter
where they went to school.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And he was just starting to take me around.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
And I went up there and I remember, you know,
he's coming down on a fast break and I had
norm beer later coming on the left and I hit
him behind.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
The back pass.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
He caught that thing and he hit it and when
he came up, he said, man, who is.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
That little guy? And I remember my brother.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
He had a smile from d talking about that's my
little Bella. So you know, but those are some great
times for me, you know, and some great memories and
you know, like even now, oh well, coach, you know
you ain't got I said, man, shit, I'm sixty five.
I ain't trying to get it. But don't look here.
This is like riding a bike. I don't think I
(21:46):
forgot how So you know, so those were some great times,
you know, And I always love to, you know, really
give my teammates you know what they needed.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
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(22:20):
dot com slash careers. That's SWBC dot com slash careers.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
And Johnny, unfortunately, your career was got short by something
called desert fever. And I got to be honest with
you until I read your story of years ago about
desert fever. I haven't heard much about desert fever since
or before that. He just kind of kind of gives
a brief synopsis of what it is and how it
affected you.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
Yeah, desert fever.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
It's a real form and meningitis, and it comes from
spores that whenever did any time excavation sports get dispersed
in the air and you inhale them, and normally they
attack your lungs, but for some reason it disseminated to
the base of my brain. And you know, they were saying,
(23:13):
I never play again, and you know, I may be
blinded and all those things, but you know, I thank God.
You know that he has another plan, it's usually fatal.
You know, the few people that I've heard you know
since then, Like you said, I didn't know anything about it.
You know, well you got head okay, but you know,
let me take my aspen and you know I'll be back.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
No, it's not about that.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
And you know, the process of you know, putting a
myra whis called a Maya reservoir. It's a rubber shunt
that went right beneath the scalp, and they had a
tube that went down to my base of my brain
and they injected the medication called Amphi terrasin, which we
called Amphi terrible because it gave me the same symptoms
as a disease, the nausea of the headaches. So, I mean,
(24:00):
it was a big process, but ultimately it developed into
the flu can't blue blue conisole and then then they'd
later called it die flu can to where I could
take it orally and I could come back. But when
I was taking those medication, it would knocked me down
for you know, a couple of weeks. So there was
no way that you know, I could sustain you know,
(24:22):
act professional career that way. But again, you know, I
just thank God that he had his hand on my life.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Yeah, you know you turn negative into a positive, right,
you turn by the things that you're doing in your life.
Right now, Johnny, how would you like people remember you
both as a player and as a guy.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
First of all and foremost, someone who loves God and
puts him first in his life. In the second one,
you know that I'm a team player that you know,
my ability is to try to go and to.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Make everybody around me better in every respect.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Well, those are good legacies to have. And you lead
the league in assists. If you're not making guys around
you better, that's that's the side of an unselfish person.
What about the legacy of the Spurs, Johnny? Fifty years now?
This is the anniversary from when they came from Dallas,
the old ABA, the Dallas Chaparrals moved to San Antonio
for the seventy two seventy three season. Now fifty years old,
what are your thoughts on the legacy of the Spurs?
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Man, I mean, it's a great They've had a great ride,
and I'm just saying, you know, they've had some times
when you go through some growing pains, you know, it's
it's it's hard to stay on the top.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
You know, just the way that things are positioned.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
You know what I'm saying, Well, you don't get the
top draft picks, you know, and all this and that,
but you know, Spurs have been I mean really blessed.
I'm saying, I think, you know, we got in the
latter lottery, we got David Robinson. Then we come back
a few days that the letter and get Tim Duncan
you know. And then of course you know, in my opinion,
(25:58):
Mannu Daniodi, he's one of the best players in the
world ever ever high basketball IQ.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
He got all the skills.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
I'm just saying, hustle, I'm just saying he's he's one
of my favorite players.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
And I'm just saying, you know so and to have him.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
And then I remember when I met Tony Parker. He
was just but sixteen seventeen, you know, and he yes, sir,
yes sir. Matter of fact, I saw him up in
Austin and he was yes, sir, And I was like,
oh man, he's still like that. But I mean, just
for that group of kids, guys to be together for
that length of time, it takes a lot of sacrifice.
(26:36):
You know, you can't be selfish and I think that
that's one of the things that why they were so successful.
You if you take like Marno, you know, he started
on any team in this league, but he came off
the bench, you know. And I'm just saying and that
just I mean, that's just an attribute to his character,
(26:56):
you know, and who he was. But you know him,
Tim Duncan, I mean when Tim Duncan came out, and
I mean Sean Kemp was real big at the time,
and you know, I was like, man, Tim Duncan. You know,
Sean Kemp is, you know, but you not look. But
that one thing about pomp you did a good eye.
He had a good eye for that talent, you know,
saying and then then it's not just the talent, is
(27:19):
how they come together as a group. And I think
that's the big, biggest and the most important thing. And
I mean the legacy for the Spurs is great.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Right now.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
They're going through some growing pains, you know, but they
got some talented young players and you know they're going
to continue to learn and to grow if they're receptive.
And you know, we look for the Spurs to be
at the top. And you shoot san tonin you know,
we spoiled.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Very true, without a doubt. Hey, Johnny really have enjoyed
the visit today. Thank you so much for taking the
time and we're so happy that you were a part
of the fiftieth anniversary and the Soundles Furs podcast and
continued success. You're doing great things in the community there
in shirts and up the great work.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
With those kids. Okay, thank you very much, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
That is Johnny Moore. Of course, the number double zero
hangs the rafters at the AT.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
And T Center.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Great to have Johnny with us. Sada Spurs Podcast brought
to you by SWBC. This is episode number twenty four.
I'm Bill Sheening. So long everybody,
Welcome to Sound of Spurs Podcast. Episode number twenty four
brought you my SWBC and Bury proud to have Johnny
Moore with us. Double Zero, of course, hangs in the
rafters at the AT and T Center and Johnny, first
of all, thanks so much for joining us nine seasons
with the Spurs and now we have you on the
fiftieth anniversary of the Spurs season. So thanks for taking
time out of your schedule and joining us today.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Well, thanks for having me. It's really my pleasure to
do this.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
You know, a lot of people remember you as Double zero,
and of course I remember you even further back because
I followed the Texas Longhorns for a long time and
you had a very good college career in Texas. But
let's go start back in the beginning. Altoona, Pennsylvania, right
in western Pennsylvania. That's where you were born. Is that
where the basketball journey started?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah, that's where it started.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You know, I had an older brother who really he
had all the records, he had broken all the records
at the Hi High School. And you know I used
to try to follow him around as a little brother,
and he said, no, you're not ready, You're not ready.
And you know, I cried, tell my mam, tell him
take me. He's like, no, he's not ready, but you know,
I kept working. He grew up to the court and
(01:14):
he said, look, try to steal this ball, and you know,
you stay here till I get back.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
So I had to stay at the court till he
got back. I couldn't go home. And so on the
way back home, he's like, here trying to steal it,
and I try to steal it.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
And then right before we went into the house, he said,
now we played together, and I was like, well, okay,
So you know that that was really the start of it.
You know, I watched him play and I was so
proud of him, and I want to kind of be
like him.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
You know, I had so many guests on the show
during the season where they were younger brothers of older guys,
and of course they were inspired to play well and
had to play with the older guys, had to play
with the bigger guys. So you got better earlier because
you had a better competition.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Well, I mean that's usually how it happens. And I
can remember when he first started letting me go with
him around.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I was smart. I wasn't trying to take all the shots.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I played a good defense and making good passes, and
I mean that's one of the reasons why he continued
to take me with him.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Now, did you stay in Altuna all through high school?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
John here?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Or did you move around a little bit?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
No, I stayed back there in Altuona. Uh huh.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
And so you were recruited, obviously to the University of Texas.
I'm sure some other schools showed interest. Why did you
end up in Austin?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Well, to be honest, you know, I had about sixty
seventy offers. You know, I was looking at UNCC and
I like Providence a lot. But when I came to Texas,
you know, I saw that I had an opportunity to
grow with a growing program, and that really caught my attention,
you know, for me to go off and do my
own thing.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Was it Leon Black who first recruited you to Texas?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yes, sir, and.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Tell me about him as a coach, and then of
course ab Lemons took over during your time there, right.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yes, you know, Leon very great coach. He was very
he was a Christian.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Uh, he loved God, you know, and he always liked
to do things the proper way. And you know he
used to tell me in my roommate, you know, y'all crazy.
You know, y'all got to settle down. You know, he
used to his word was bare down. He said, y'all
got to bear down, you know, and take care of
our business. But uh, you know, we really had a
good relationship with with Coach Black. You know, we truly
(03:26):
loved him as a coach, and uh, you know he
did a lot for you know, building men. It's not
just about the basketball, but you know, helping too mature
into manhood.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I got to know coach years later when he was
in the athletic department at the university. Now, Ab was
a little bit different than Leon, wasn't he.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah, it was different.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
One thing about a I mean he they took his
witness sarcasm sometime they didn't know how to take that.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
But he was very serious.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
But he understood that, you know, you had to be
self motivated if this is going to work.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, he gives you some structure, but you have to
be self motivated. You need rest. You need to go
get your rest. You know, he tell you what y'all
need to do, but it was up to us to
do it, and we just met. A was just something special,
I mean really special. You know the way he came
in and I remember the first day he came in
and he's walking around. He's like, well, here, y'all, Mickey
(04:22):
mouse around here. I gotta make y'all think I know
something about the game, and we're all looking like what
you know?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
But you know, he's truly a great, great, great coach
and a great motivator.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Now, basketball, of course, back then and even to a
certain degree now has come on certainly, but football was
always the number one thing at the University of Texas.
And here you are during the period of time when
Earl Campbell was there right or right before that, so
I know football was king, and you guys are trying
to establish yourself as a basketball program back then.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Well, I mean that's true.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
One of the things whenever I came down and they said, man,
that's football country, and I said what it is? But
you know, we great pride and knowing that we kind
of laid the foundation for Texas basketball, myself, ob Docs
and Jim Kreevacs and uh, you know Gary Goodnew who's past.
But you know, we we were at the beginning of
(05:14):
what Texas is today.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
And we took great pride in that.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
And they had just built the Irwin Center when you
were recruited, right, I mean that was a brand new
facility back then. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, you know that was a big draw.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
You know, they like, we look where you get to play,
and uh, you know, I played two years in h.
Gregory Gym, which it was the old facility and you know,
it had its own tradition, what have you. But then
I played two years in the Super Drum and there
was nothing like that. That was the Cadillac of coloseums
back in that day.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Johnny, When did you feel like you really had a
chance of maybe making a career out of this basketball thing?
Was it during your time at UT.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
To be one hundred honest? When I was in the third.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Grade, you know, and I was telling everybody that, but
they because I was always the smallest one. But you know,
like I said, I developed that work ethic and I
had something to look up to. You know, not only
my brother, but my uncle Jim Curry played before him
and he went on and played football, but he played
(06:16):
at the University of Cincinnati with Oscar Robinson. So you know,
my family has a big, a deep tradition in basketball.
But I wanted to play back then, and you know,
it was just something they said.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I saw.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
My idol at the time was tiny Archibald and since
being so small, you know, he let me know that,
you know, there's a place in this game for the
small man. So I continue to work and you know,
I tell him I was going to do this and that.
But I think it really came to, you know, be
a reality for me whenever it was my senior year
(06:50):
and I went to the pan Am trials, so you know,
I remember they had all the best around the country
and I played well and I was like, shoot, you know,
if I keep working a little bit harder, you know,
I can do this.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
And I think that was really the key moment for me.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
The draft, of course, is a lot different now, a
lot more attention being paid to the draft, and you
can go through all the different picks. But in nineteen
seventy nine, the Seattle SuperSonics took you, I take us
through the whole process because I wasn't familiar with it
until I started looking up your story.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Today. Well, you know, we I'm waiting, you know, seeing
what's going to happen.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
You know, they say, oh, you know, you might get drafted,
you know, And I was very hopeful. Like I said,
I played in the PanAm trials and matter of fact,
I didn't make the team, but I did well, and
so I was very hopeful.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
So I'm waiting around, and I can remember the day.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
That they said, oh, the SuperSonics select you anymore, and
you know, and I was like, ah, and I jumped
up and down. I'm a super Sionic. I'm a Supicionic.
And then you know, it won't too much longer. After that,
the Spurs traded and paid for the rights for me
to go there, and I was like, man.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
That's right down the street, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
So I was really excited about that for the opportunity
to go right there, which I considered in my backyard.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
So and and with who.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
They had down there, with the iceman, I was like, man, shoot,
that's all I need is sewing in the back court
with me.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Hey go, I'm gonna start off a few assists a
game if I can pass the iceman, right. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I've remember one time I told Ice, I said, I said,
come on, Ice, I mean card your man. He said, Mo,
I got thirty four. My man got twenty seven. If
we do that, we blowed If everybody does that, we
blowed them out.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I was like, oh that made sense.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
A wise man, that Iceman.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
I was a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
So so now you end up with the Spurs after
drafted by the Sonics, and it's right down the road
from Austin. So take us through that whole process. Your
first you know, inkling of what it was going to
be like in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Well, it's all new, and uh, my whole thing is,
you know, you always I've always developed the good work ethic,
and I think that that was the thing that would
carry me over and get me over the hump.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I remember my first trial was Doug mull was.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
The coach and Jee Carr was his assistant, and you know,
I really was just I was doing everything that they
was telling me to do. You know, do this, do this,
I said, okay, And then at the end of the
day they said, well, you know, we don't think you
score enough. I'm like, well, what I said, You know,
I could shoot ever since you know I was little,
I could shoot it. But you know, it's just one
(09:32):
of those things you know, you have to be and
I always understood that the point guard is an extension
of the coach out on the floor. So it was
always important for me to have that high basketball IQ,
you know. And my the thing that I feel my
greatest accid is I didn't let anybody out hustle me.
I mean, that was one thing that you know, I
(09:53):
had to work, and I knew that, you know, from
being the littlest I always had to work. And you know,
I took pride in that.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Playing time certainly did increase fairly early during your tenure.
In fact, you led the team and assists in that
eighty eighty one season and then I'm looking at the
numbers and you that league and assists the following year,
So you obviously were starting to get your confidence up
pretty early in your career.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Johnny.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Yeah, well, and I'm telling I have to tell you
about ice again. He said, Ma, he said, do to me.
I ain't gonna dribble it, I said, I said, I said,
you know that works for me. But you know, I
mean I had some great players, you know, surrounding me.
I think that's key. You know, as a point guard,
(10:37):
you know you can do all the right thing, but
if you don't have someone that can put it in
the basket. You know, it's not gonna work, but I
think that, you know, any good point guard has to
have the ability to recognize when to be aggressive, when
not to be aggressive, how to get his teammates involved.
All those things are crucial, you know, whenever you building
the team.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
You got a chance to play with some really, really
good players in San Antonio. But were only with the
James for one year, right, James Silas was that Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Yeah, one year. But it was a good year. It
was a great year for me, you know, I was
I was one of them players. I tried to soak
up all the information I could and Jimmy Silas, he
would come out, he says, well, you know that he
got from college.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
He was calling me junior, he says, Junior, go tire
him out for me.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Till I go out there some more defense and you know,
Captain come in and do his thing. So but that's
that's the thing that I really look at even to
the day.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
You know, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
That all the guys, you know, like the roles. You
don't have to like your roles, but you know, you
have to do your role. You know, know what your
role is and then do that. You know, I think
that's what made us so great. You know, I knew
what my role was. You know, shoot, if I have
a shot, you know, and I feel like I can
(11:54):
make it, But I that's what he's supposed to do him,
Mike Mitchell.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
I mean, that's they respond.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
So everybody assumed their role and played it to the
tild I think that's what made us good back in
the day, Johnny.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
That's one of the things that's been consistent as a
thread for the Spurs through the years. You know, I've
had a chance now to cover twenty two different Spurs teams,
and back in the days when Jenobili and Parker and
Duncan were playing, they all took less money. They all
knew their role. They were good team players and teammates.
They accept the do guys coming in and you know,
you don't always see that on a consistent basis around
(12:28):
the league. And I think that's one of the reasons
why maybe they were so special for so long.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
I think I agree with that. And then you always
can tell if they taking less money, you know, they
really bind into what's going on. But I mean, what
they what they did and what they were able to accomplish.
It's just really unparalleled. The fact that you know that
they played together what ten twelve, I mean, that's come on,
(12:53):
that's unheard of. But you know, they had that chemistry,
and you know, obviously they had that relationship, you know,
with themselves, among the team and the coaches, and I mean,
that's what all championship basketball is all about.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
You played Again, we mentioned the fact that you played
with the Ice band. I was looking at some of
your other teammates and of course you were there during
that Bruise Brothers period of time, or Corsine and Oberdang
and Reggie Johnson. That must have been fun. Because I
was talking to Ice about this too. Those guys apparently
knew their role. You know, Ice knew that those guys
are gonna set screens, They're gonna do the dirty work,
(13:27):
play defense, get rebounds, let him do the scoring. And
of course you during that period of time doing a
lot of the passing. Uh. And again it goes back
to that role playing. But was it fun to play
with those big guys up front?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Oh? Look at it.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
There's nothing like that, Because I'm just saying, you know,
so it hit me with the strong pick. I'm like,
then y'all saw.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
That what room do you know?
Speaker 3 (13:47):
And I mean, you know, I've run them around there
and you know, like overdinging them. They didn't play. I
mean they were They called them the Bruise Brothers for
a reason, and I mean they were they were talented,
but they were strong and big and and again I
mean they played their role to the till and I
think that's what really was gave us the ability to
(14:07):
do the things that we did and accomplishing things that
we did back then.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
And you got to play during the heyday of the
Hemisphere arena when it was really rocking, smoking the arena, right,
hell kinds of crazy on.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
This side to see what's going to happen this side.
Oh yeah, those are some good times.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Yeah, the baseline bumps on your side, which is a
good thing, right because you don't want to be on
the other side of the baseline bumps. What are your
memories of Hemisphere?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Oh, you know, in the baseline bums, and I mean
just in your career development. You know, you came out
the back doing the fans were right there by the
old pro the Lone Starve pavilion, so you know, you
had to learn how to talk to the fans and
you know what I'm saying, and kind of sometimes diffuse them,
you know, because you know we didn't win all the games.
You know, a man, hey, wait, wait, wait wait now
(14:53):
you know so, I mean, just that interaction was something special.
You know that the fans could get up up close
to us and actually talk to us and they feel
like they know us, and uh, that was a great feeling.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
And like I said, that's a great time for us.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
You're stay in touch, Johnny, But some of your former
teammates from back then.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
You know, not so much.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
You know, everybody's kind of spread out, but uh, you
know there's matter of fact, Paul Griffin.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Is trying to put something together now.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
So you know, I mean I certainly, you know, try
to participate in that if I can, but you know,
I'm a special head teacher now, and that takes up
a whole lot of time, and you know, everybody's just
off doing their things. But I mean the relationships that
we forge, you know, I mean, they last a lifetime.
It's always good to get together and they always come
up with something that you didn't remember, and you know
(15:43):
how those memories are fade no say, I said, oh, yeah, yeah,
I remember that. I don't remember that one, you know,
But it's always it's always a good time to get
back and to reminisce with the fellas.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
That was one of the cool things about this year
being the fiftieth anniversary the Spurs, is that so many
guys came back at different times and got to see
different guys they played with and hear the cheer of
the crowd. And of course the Spurs played a couple
of games up at the University of Texas this year
at the brand new Moody Center. And the ovation they
got and the reception they got selling out two games
up there. You've seen this firsthand from a long long
(16:19):
time ago, that Austin and San Antonio connection, and the
world's get a little smaller, right Johnny. I mean these
two towns are almost growing together.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Now, Yeah, they are.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
And I was just I was just telling someone today,
you see that Austin skyline.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Oh capital anymore? You can't see the build, the Capitol
building anymore.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
I mean, you know, and I get it. I started
looking around.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
I was up for a wedding and we stayed in
the Fairmount and I'm looking on each side, just time
to you know.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
I mean, because before all you saw was you saw
the tower on the university in the capitol.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
But now, I mean it's just beautiful and it's growing,
and you know, it's it's one of those spots that
you know you want to be.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
It's the spot to be.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Yeah, Johnny, you mentioned earlier that you still live in
the San Antonio area and now you're teaching. Just kind
of bring us up to date with what you're doing.
I know you coached for a while after your career
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Yeah, you know, I still do a little bit that
I got an ABA team that you know that I coached,
and you know, try to give these young kids it's
still the opportunity to continue to play and maybe fulfill
some of the dreams. You know, I sent some guys
to overseas to Mexico, so I mean it's an opportunity
for them to learn and to grow. And then as
far as the special way that I do at the school,
(17:31):
you know, I just felt like a special column in
my life to go back and try to help establish
the foundation for some of those kids.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Well, I think that's really important and I think it's awesome,
very very commendable. You know, you look back on your career,
You're one of only seven players Johnny to record twenty
or more assists in a playoff game. What do you
remember about that playoff game where you had twenty assists?
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Who was that against Denver?
Speaker 1 (17:55):
You know, I was just looking it up earlier, you know,
and I'm not sure it might have been against Denver
because back then, all those games against Denver were always
highest scoring, so I'm sure those assists were up. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, Well you know, all those stats and stuff, that's
for the people.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
You know.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
One thing about it is we've always and you know,
I always preach to the guys you play the game
like it's supposed to be played and then let.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
The chips fall what they made.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
But that was my thing, you know, Like I said,
I had great scores around me. So yeah, I can
remember Gene Banks. He was like the hustle guy. He
was like a bruising guy, you know what I'm saying.
But so you know, I have a left you know,
but I see him running hard. You know, Oh here
go ahead, Gino. Let let him throw it down. Tinker Bell,
(18:39):
that's what we call them. You know, so, I mean,
but that's that's how you grow and you you forged
them relationships. Like I said, that that really last the lifetime.
But those were some some some great, great great moments,
you know, some great memories for me.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
By the way, that assist game was against Denverord the
Western Conference finals.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I thought it was I had to tell the story
because as if you follow my history, you know that
Doug Moucutney, I was like, man, what are you thinking about?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
But you know, you know how the game goes.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
And I was fortunate enough to come back and stand
all back and saw something special. And I remember that
game of my career high was I scored thirty nine.
That was in the playoff game against Denver and I remember,
you know, I was killing them. I was killing them,
you know. And I went down and I did a
little role and it bounced off the back and I
(19:34):
missed it because I had I had thirty in regulation.
I was like, oh, man, and you know you playing
so well and you missed that shot. But the game
went in the overtime and I'll never forget it because
I scored all nine points in the overtime.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
You can look it up if you want to.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
So anyway, I remember I took the ball, the bounce,
the ball went to the other side and it came
all the way back to me and I pulled up
and hit that last three and I looked. I didn't
say anything, but I looked at Douvin more like, would.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
You cut me today? What'd you cut me today? I mean,
you know, I took it personally.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
But the thing about it is, it's all in about competition,
you know, in the right spirit.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
But uh no, those were some great days.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
But like I say, my whole thing is I'd always
try to get my teammates involved.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
You know, I didn't really worry about scoring. I got
the ball my hands eighty percent of the time.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
So that's that's like a That's like a cook. You
talk about you hungry, what you cooking the food? And
you hungry? You a dumb cook. So if I got
the ball, you know, I should be able to get
my shot when I want. And I had all the skills,
you know, I can pass in and handle it, so
you know, I didn't worry about that.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
You know, I get my.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Players involved, and I even from a young and I
think my brother instilled that in me because when I
first started playing with him.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
A real quick story.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
We went up to Saint Francis Is about twenty minutes
from my hometown where Norman van Leir and Kevin Porter
where they went to school.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And he was just starting to take me around.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
And I went up there and I remember, you know,
he's coming down on a fast break and I had
norm beer later coming on the left and I hit
him behind.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
The back pass.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
He caught that thing and he hit it and when
he came up, he said, man, who is.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
That little guy? And I remember my brother.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
He had a smile from d talking about that's my
little Bella. So you know, but those are some great
times for me, you know, and some great memories and
you know, like even now, oh well, coach, you know
you ain't got I said, man, shit, I'm sixty five.
I ain't trying to get it. But don't look here.
This is like riding a bike. I don't think I
(21:46):
forgot how So you know, so those were some great times,
you know, And I always love to, you know, really
give my teammates you know what they needed.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
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(22:20):
dot com slash careers. That's SWBC dot com slash careers.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
And Johnny, unfortunately, your career was got short by something
called desert fever. And I got to be honest with
you until I read your story of years ago about
desert fever. I haven't heard much about desert fever since
or before that. He just kind of kind of gives
a brief synopsis of what it is and how it
affected you.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
Yeah, desert fever.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
It's a real form and meningitis, and it comes from
spores that whenever did any time excavation sports get dispersed
in the air and you inhale them, and normally they
attack your lungs, but for some reason it disseminated to
the base of my brain. And you know, they were saying,
(23:13):
I never play again, and you know, I may be
blinded and all those things, but you know, I thank God.
You know that he has another plan, it's usually fatal.
You know, the few people that I've heard you know
since then, Like you said, I didn't know anything about it.
You know, well you got head okay, but you know,
let me take my aspen and you know I'll be back.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
No, it's not about that.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
And you know, the process of you know, putting a
myra whis called a Maya reservoir. It's a rubber shunt
that went right beneath the scalp, and they had a
tube that went down to my base of my brain
and they injected the medication called Amphi terrasin, which we
called Amphi terrible because it gave me the same symptoms
as a disease, the nausea of the headaches. So, I mean,
(24:00):
it was a big process, but ultimately it developed into
the flu can't blue blue conisole and then then they'd
later called it die flu can to where I could
take it orally and I could come back. But when
I was taking those medication, it would knocked me down
for you know, a couple of weeks. So there was
no way that you know, I could sustain you know,
(24:22):
act professional career that way. But again, you know, I
just thank God that he had his hand on my life.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Yeah, you know you turn negative into a positive, right,
you turn by the things that you're doing in your life.
Right now, Johnny, how would you like people remember you
both as a player and as a guy.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
First of all and foremost, someone who loves God and
puts him first in his life. In the second one,
you know that I'm a team player that you know,
my ability is to try to go and to.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Make everybody around me better in every respect.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Well, those are good legacies to have. And you lead
the league in assists. If you're not making guys around
you better, that's that's the side of an unselfish person.
What about the legacy of the Spurs, Johnny? Fifty years now?
This is the anniversary from when they came from Dallas,
the old ABA, the Dallas Chaparrals moved to San Antonio
for the seventy two seventy three season. Now fifty years old,
what are your thoughts on the legacy of the Spurs?
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Man, I mean, it's a great They've had a great ride,
and I'm just saying, you know, they've had some times
when you go through some growing pains, you know, it's
it's it's hard to stay on the top.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
You know, just the way that things are positioned.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
You know what I'm saying, Well, you don't get the
top draft picks, you know, and all this and that,
but you know, Spurs have been I mean really blessed.
I'm saying, I think, you know, we got in the
latter lottery, we got David Robinson. Then we come back
a few days that the letter and get Tim Duncan
you know. And then of course you know, in my opinion,
(25:58):
Mannu Daniodi, he's one of the best players in the
world ever ever high basketball IQ.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
He got all the skills.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
I'm just saying, hustle, I'm just saying he's he's one
of my favorite players.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
And I'm just saying, you know so and to have him.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
And then I remember when I met Tony Parker. He
was just but sixteen seventeen, you know, and he yes, sir,
yes sir. Matter of fact, I saw him up in
Austin and he was yes, sir, And I was like,
oh man, he's still like that. But I mean, just
for that group of kids, guys to be together for
that length of time, it takes a lot of sacrifice.
(26:36):
You know, you can't be selfish and I think that
that's one of the things that why they were so successful.
You if you take like Marno, you know, he started
on any team in this league, but he came off
the bench, you know. And I'm just saying and that
just I mean, that's just an attribute to his character,
(26:56):
you know, and who he was. But you know him,
Tim Duncan, I mean when Tim Duncan came out, and
I mean Sean Kemp was real big at the time,
and you know, I was like, man, Tim Duncan. You know,
Sean Kemp is, you know, but you not look. But
that one thing about pomp you did a good eye.
He had a good eye for that talent, you know,
saying and then then it's not just the talent, is
(27:19):
how they come together as a group. And I think
that's the big, biggest and the most important thing. And
I mean the legacy for the Spurs is great.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Right now.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
They're going through some growing pains, you know, but they
got some talented young players and you know they're going
to continue to learn and to grow if they're receptive.
And you know, we look for the Spurs to be
at the top. And you shoot san tonin you know,
we spoiled.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Very true, without a doubt. Hey, Johnny really have enjoyed
the visit today. Thank you so much for taking the
time and we're so happy that you were a part
of the fiftieth anniversary and the Soundles Furs podcast and
continued success. You're doing great things in the community there
in shirts and up the great work.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
With those kids. Okay, thank you very much, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
That is Johnny Moore. Of course, the number double zero
hangs the rafters at the AT.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
And T Center.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Great to have Johnny with us. Sada Spurs Podcast brought
to you by SWBC. This is episode number twenty four.
I'm Bill Sheening. So long everybody,
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