First Entry

Welcome to my blog!

Some of you may know that I played professional football from 1980 to 1985, officially retiring in 1987. Retiring in my case is a nice way of saying no one was interested in my services any longer. Regardless, I played four full seasons and made it to the league final game all 4 years ( 1 Super Bowl, 3 USFL Championship games). I tried to market myself as a good luck charm to several general managers, but with no success.

During those years, and even before, I had the opportunity to meet and interact with some of the most famous and interesting people on the planet. In the near future, you will hear short stories about people such as Michael Jordan, Don Rickles, Bryant Gumbel, Lawrence Taylor, Julius Erving, and many others. I can tell you with utmost sincerity that all of the stories are true, and will provide an entertaining unique perspective on some of these legendary figures.

Here is the first story about basketball superstar Michael Jordan. Hope you enjoy, and please send me your feedback!

Ken Dunek



MICHAEL JORDAN


Eagles training camp in West Chester, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1980 drew an odd assortment of onlookers. Local sports celebrities, national media, and Hollywood personalities were often seen wandering around the area. I guess they were all football fans, but I always wondered how the heat, pain, and drudgery that was my perspective of training camp could be enticing to others to be around. I never quite understood it.

Doug Collins, the local basketball star from the 76’rs, was a mainstay at camp. In fact, there was a full basketball court next to the athletic dorms where the players were staying, and he was seen there numerous times working on his jump shot. Few players had the energy to play in the sparse amount of time we had in between the military like practices held by Coach Dick Vermeil, but my basketball background and Illinois roots (Doug played at Illinois State) proved too powerful to resist so I would play some one on one with him from time to time.

Several years later after I retired from football, I was working for Roosevelt Paper Company as a salesman. The outfit was owned and operated by Irv Kosloff, who had owned the 76’rs until selling them in the early 80’s to local businessman Fitz Dixon. Although no longer having a principle interest in the team, he still had the 4 best seats in the house which were on the visiting bench. And I mean ON THE BENCH! I was in literal basketball heaven. You could converse with the coaches, listen to strategy, and get a most unique perspective on NBA basketball. It just so happens that my good friend Doug Collins was now the Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls.

At this point I must interject about the pain associated with being a Chicago sports fan. The Cubs have been a lifelong misery, the Bulls were always competitive but never quite part of the NBA elite, the Bears had one shining moment in 1985 with Ditka and Payton, the Hawks were one of the cheapest and worst run franchises in the NHL, and the Sox hadn’t won since the 50’s (but I didn’t care because no true Cubs fan roots for the Sox anyway). The Bulls had not won a championship yet, but you could see the ground was being laid for a potential great team. I was so happy for the long suffering Chicago sports fans.

I was on the court about a half hour before the Bulls-Sixers game when Collins recognized me and walked over to chat. My wife Terri didn’t believe me when I told her I knew Collins personally, and she was wide eyed as he approached. “Hi Ken”, he said. “What are you doing here with Koz, looking to buy back the team?” Irv shook his head with an emphatic no, and I told Collins I was about 80 million dollars short of the down payment.

After a couple of minutes talking about the Eagles 1980 Super Bowl team, Collins says, “Hey, you’re from Chicago. Would you like to meet Michael Jordan”? I was stunned, speechless. Would I like to meet Michael Jordan? It’s like asking me if I’d like to kiss the Pope’s ring. Of course I’d like to meet him, and my wife’s eyes became wider still.

He yells across the court to where Jordan was taking some pre-game warm up shots. “Hey Michael come here, there is someone I want you to meet”, Collins says. He introduced him to Mr. Kozloff first, and I was salivating with sweaty palms as I awaited my turn to meet one of my only true sports idols. “And this is my friend Ken”, Collins exclaims as he directs Jordan in my direction. I extended my rather large pass catching right hand, and I was immediately engulfed by his. “No wonder the guy can perform magic tricks with the ball”, I thought. “It looks like an orange in his hand”. We are smack dab in the middle of the longest handshake I can remember, when Collins utters the immortal words…”And Michael, Ken says he can KICK YOUR ASS”. I looked at Jordan’s face, and his smile turned to a pregame scowl. “Football player or no football player”, Jordan responds while letting my hand go in an icy manner, “You tell Ken he can’t kick my ass... in anything”. And he walked away without a goodbye to continue his pre game ritual.

I could have killed Collins. “Why did you say THAT?” I exclaimed. Doug responds, “Yeah, he didn’t take to kindly to that, did he”? He then excused himself to prepare for the game, leaving me aghast at what had just happened.

My only personal interaction with possibly the greatest player in the history of basketball had nearly turned into a confrontation, and I have my good friend Doug Collins to thank for it. The next time we play one on one, I’m think I’m going to post him up.