One-on-One with Bob Remy
 |
Imagine seeing "Pistol" Pete Maravich drop 68 points on the New York Knicks in 1977. Imagine seeing 26,511 fans wade their way through high rain water to watch the New Orleans Jazz play at the Superdome. Imagine witnessing the first New Orleans Jazz victory in which "Pistol" Pete nailed a 20-foot jumper with one second left to win it. You can imagine it, but Bob Remy lived it.
For the five years the Jazz were in New Orleans, Bob Remy was the man keeping tabs on the fouls, points and other stats as the New Orleans Jazz official scorer.
Being part of the game is what Remy likes about being a scorer. "You're there and you're an integral part," Remy says. After 23 years, Remy picks up where he left off, now taking the reins as the official scorer for the New Orleans Hornets.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Remy now resides with his wife of 36 years in Metairie, Louisiana. They have two children, one of which is on the New Orleans Hornets statistics crew with his father.
On October 30, Remy will tip off his duties with the Hornets, while the Hornets tip off against Remy's former squad, the Jazz. Prior to the game, Remy chatted live online on Wednesday, October 30. See what he had to say about the wonder that was Pistol Pete, his days with the New Orleans Jazz and more.
Michael (New Orleans): Do you think the fans will get behind the Hornets like they have the recently successful Saints?
Bob Remy: I definitely believe so. We have a very good club here, and I feel like we're going to have a good season. The fans supported the Jazz when they were here, and there's no doubt they will support this team.
Bo: Did you ever think basketball would be back in New Orleans? What are you feeling today after all these years?
Bob Remy: When the Jazz left, 23 years ago, one of the reasons was because the Superdome wasn't an adequate place to play. With that in mind, I didn't even consider them coming back here. Three years ago when they built the new arena, I thought hey, we have a chance now, at least we have a place to play. And it happened. So for 20 years, I didn't think so. But the last three years, I knew we had a fighting chance.
Dustin (Baton Rouge): Was Pete Maravich the best shooter in the NBA prior to the 3-point arc? And how many points would Maravich score if they had had 3-point arc?
Bob Remy: To be honest, Pete was a great shooter, but the way the game is played now, there's a lot more emphasis on defense. So with that in mind, even wiht the 3-point shot, I don't believe he would've got off as many shots as then. With the way defense is played now, he probably would've averaged about the same.
Portland, OR: Bob, I lived in N.O. while the Jazz were there. (I even attended a Pete Maravich basketball camp.) If "Pistol" were playing today he would make the highlight reels every night. He was the origninal showtime! Do you have some flashy memories you could share? Thanks, Bryan
Bob Remy: I have many! The night he scored 68 points against the Knicks. There were a lot of high-scoring games. In addition to his scoring, he was a great ballhandler and passer. There are many highlights, too many to score here. The night he scored 68 was probably the highlight of his five years here.
Bill: Can you talk about Pistol's ballhandling skills? Have you ever seen anyone handle the rock like he did?
Bob Remy: He had the luxury of playing for his dad at LSU who gave him the opportunity to experiment with different passes. He was the original showman.
John (New Orleans): How did you end up as an official scorer? You never really hear how people get those jobs.
Bob Remy: When the Jazz came here, I was writing a weekly column for a neighborhood newspaper. Whenever the Jazz would have a press conference, the people at the paper couldn't attend, so I asked if I could. So I met the public relations person, and he asked me to help him with the original media guide. Soon afterwards, he asked me to be the official scorer. So I guess it's just making yourself acquainted with the organization and being in the right place at the right time.
jk: Who were the cool cats back in the old day for the Jazz?
Bob Remy: Aaron James. He was from New Orleans and was a local favorite. Truck Robinson was a cool cat. He was a great rebounder and was another favorite with the crowd. Jimmy McElroy comes to mind. He was an excellent ballhandler and a real crowd-pleaser.
Deron (Dayton): What was the craziest play you've ever seen from the scorer's table?
Bob Remy: The play that sticks out the most was the night Pete scored 68 points. He fouled out of that game with 1:18 remaining. The sixth foul was an offensive foul, he had made the basket and the official called the foul on him. It was an unbelievably bad call. Everyone was in shock, at the table. We all thought it was a bad call and he would've had 71 then and probably would've ended up with 75 points. Incidentally, it was the only game he fouled out that entire season, which was incredible.
Tommy (Texas): New Orleans has experienced the NBA in two different eras. The game has definitely changed. But, to you, in what ways is the game different today that you see in your perspective?
Bob Remy: Two big things. One is defense, the players nowadays play just as hard on defense than offense. So you have to work harder for your points, every shot is challenged. For instance, the Jazz in their last season here, averaged 105 points a game, and they weren't a very good team. The Hornets last year averaged 93 points a game and are a very good team. So you can tell how much more prominent defense is now. The second thing is officiating, how now they seem to let the players play a lot more. They don't blow their whistles as often which makes for a more entertaining game. No one wants to pay $50 for a seat to watch players parade to the foul line all night long. So those are the two things that stand out immediately to me.
Marcy: Do you think your son will follow in your footsteps?
Bob Remy: (laughs). He loves it, but no, I don't think so. And not because he doesn't have the knowledge or ability, but he has other things to keep him occupied besides sports. But he will be working the games with us. He's just not as big a sports nut as his old man is. Thank God.
David (Baton Rouge): Can Baron Davis really become a superstar in the NBA this season, especially with the addition of Courtney Alexander to relieve him from playing 45+ minutes a game?
Bob Remy: Absolutely. I've seen us in the playoffs last year, and the scrimmages and the presesason games this season, but I don't think anyone, anywhere can doubt that Baron is a great player and can only get better. I'm sure glad we have locked him up for eight years. That was the best thing the organization could do, re-signing Baron.
JD: Now that you've seen basketball in both the new Arena and in the Dome, which place do you like better?
Bob Remy: The Arena, absolutely. The Dome really was too huge. You can't play basketball in a 70,000-seat arena. It just doesn't have an atmosphere for basketball like an arena that's built for basketball. There's no comparison.
N'awlinsgirl: What's your favorite New Orleans Jazz funny story? Who's your new favorite New Orleans player?
Bob Remy: Two guys, one worked the clock and another guy worked at the table, and they didn't like one another. In the middle of hte game, they started fighting and I had to leave the game in the middle of the game to separate them. I'm not sure it's as funny as it was scary, but they patched things up. As far as my favorite player now, it's too soon to tell. But right now, the local guy, P.J. Brown is leading the pack going in anyways, I know he's going to be a crowd favorite.
Bob Remy: Thanks to everyone for writing in. Once again, I believe the team was unjustly taken away from us 23 years ago. They're back now and are going to be exciting to watch. Let's make everyone out there Hornets fans because we're in for a great ride!
