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Username Post: "On the Map"        (Topic#24365)
Stuart Suss 
PhD Student
Posts: 1439

Loc: Chester County, Pennsylva...
Reg: 11-21-04
05-24-20 01:26 AM - Post#307861    

I wish to recommend for your viewing a very good basketball documentary film, "On the Map." The movie tells the story of the 1976-77 Maccabi Tel Aviv team and their journey to the 1977 European championship game.

There is a significant Ivy league presence in this film. The Maccabi Tel Aviv team included Bob Griffin who played for Columbia in the early 70s and Lou Silver, Harvard class of 1975. Also featured is Bob Morse, Penn class of 1972, who starred on the defending champion Italian team. There is a brief appearance by Digger Phelps, a former Penn assistant coach. I am led to believe that Phelps went on to coaching fame elsewhere.

Principal commentary comes from Bill Walton and the late David Stern. Stern was a Columbia Law School graduate and chaired Columbia's Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2005.

If you have a Roku stick, the film is available for free viewing (with commercial interruption) on the Roku Channel. It is also available for rental at these film sites.


 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21086

Reg: 12-02-04
Re: "On the Map"
05-24-20 10:55 AM - Post#307870    
    In response to Stuart Suss

The following is a video of the pivotal semifinal game against CKSA (Moscow) with commentary from the Israeli broadcasters. Even if you don't know Hebrew, still worth a watch.

"Anachnu BaMapa"--Tal Brody's glorious, American accented (and Americanized Hebrew phrasing of "we're on the map", which most probably did not exist in Hebrew) exultation when interviewed after the game by one of the Israeli crew remains epic in the history of Israeli sport...and beyond.

This ultimately catapulted the New Jersey raised Brody (later a star at the University of Illinois before moving to Israel) into Israeli politics.

But the story of the video is very much a David vs. Goliath one. Very inspiring. And like the 1980 US men's hockey team, it is the semifinal game (also against Russia) that people remember much more than the subsequent final.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQnNG-ek7B4

Edited by penn nation on 05-24-20 11:17 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
Stuart Suss 
PhD Student
Posts: 1439

Loc: Chester County, Pennsylva...
Reg: 11-21-04
Re: "On the Map"
05-24-20 01:26 PM - Post#307876    
    In response to penn nation

The documentary film never refers to the game against the Soviet Red Army team as a semifinal "game," despite its description as such in later accounts. Unlike the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" game which automatically advanced the USA team to the gold medal game, the game against the Red Army team was merely one of 10 games in a semifinal "round" consisting of the six teams that advanced from group play. As depicted in the documentary, other games in the semifinal round were yet to be played. Tel Aviv needed help from (ironically) the Red Army team in order for Tel Aviv to prevail in a three way tiebreaker for second place. That set up the championship game against Bob Morse and his Italian teammates.

The movie “Miracle on Ice” could only try to depict the civic mood in 1979-80 America in light of the cold war, the Iranian hostage crisis and long lines at gasoline stations. This documentary attempts to depict the civic mood in Israel in 1977, realtively soon after the Yom Kippur war of 1973. The basketball games would occur during a financial scandal that would lead to the effective resignation of a prime minister, and during a general election campaign that would change the political balance of power in Israel for the first time in its 29 year history. As the movie shows, 1977 would end with the visit to Israel of Egypt’s Anwar Sadat.

I encourage you to watch the film.


 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21086

Reg: 12-02-04
Re: "On the Map"
05-24-20 01:37 PM - Post#307877    
    In response to Stuart Suss

I plan on seeing it, yes.

1977 was arguably the most pivotal non-war year in Israel's history. It broke the stranglehold of the Labor party on Israel's politics, and since that time Likud has been mostly in power, either by itself or in a power-sharing coalition.

A lot of the ethnic and religious pride you saw displayed by the fans in Belgium (and indeed, throughout Israel whose citizens mostly watched the game on the one and only TV station in the country) would be reflected in its politics from that point on.

Just what went into playing that game in Belgium is itself quite the story. And the Israeli fan turnout for that game is a big part of the story.

I think it was around that time that Maccabi also beat the Washington (then) Bullets in an exhibition and Israelis basically thought they were on top of the world.

Edited by penn nation on 05-24-20 01:39 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
OldBig5 
Masters Student
Posts: 639

Age: 66
Reg: 02-18-18
"On the Map"
06-02-20 07:11 PM - Post#308377    
    In response to penn nation

I will have to check this out. I don't have Roku. Is it on youtube or other sites?

Any chance to see Bobby Morse seems worth it and seems many other reasons to watch.

EDIT:
Per Wiki, "His career averages for 11 seasons played in the Italian League were 27.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He shot 60.9% from the field, 85.9% from the free throw line, and 54.5% from three-point distance." Amazing

Edited by OldBig5 on 06-02-20 07:19 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
Stuart Suss 
PhD Student
Posts: 1439

Loc: Chester County, Pennsylva...
Reg: 11-21-04
Re: "On the Map"
06-02-20 08:39 PM - Post#308379    
    In response to OldBig5

"On the Map" is available for streaming, renting or purchasing at the sites at this link.

Even if you do not have The Roku Channel, free streaming (with commercial interruptions) is available here.



 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21086

Reg: 12-02-04
Re: "On the Map"
06-02-20 09:35 PM - Post#308383    
    In response to Stuart Suss

That's fantastic news--will definitely stream at some point this week.

  • Stuart Suss Said:
"On the Map" is available for streaming, renting or purchasing at the sites at this link.

Even if you do not have The Roku Channel, free streaming (with commercial interruptions) is available here.






 
OldBig5 
Masters Student
Posts: 639

Age: 66
Reg: 02-18-18
Re: "On the Map"
06-03-20 05:40 PM - Post#308428    
    In response to Stuart Suss

  • Stuart Suss Said:
"On the Map" is available for streaming, renting or purchasing at the sites at this link.

Even if you do not have The Roku Channel, free streaming (with commercial interruptions) is available here.






Thank you.

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21086

Reg: 12-02-04
Re: "On the Map"
06-03-20 09:34 PM - Post#308449    
    In response to penn nation

Thank you for the tip. Just watched it--that was a nice documentary.

A couple of comments/quibbles:

Executive Producer = Nancy Spielberg (Steven's sister).

The artificial use of English play by play /English commentary (i.e., clearly done at the time of the documentary and not in the 1970s) was not necessary.

They talked and/or had visuals about the American colleges where all of the Maccabi players came from....well, except for, of all people, Tal Brody. I mean we hear he's from New Jersey. Digger Phelps is talking about watching him play at Trenton Central High. Then the next thing you know, he's drafted very high by the Bullets. I mean, come on, the guy was a star at Illinois. The team was a powerhouse in 1965 and Brody was right up there with Bradley as being one of the top college players in the entire country.

Also, the story of Perry's conversion at the time was far more controversial than what the documentary shows.

Bill Walton was fantastic!

Worth watching the actual tapes of the games against CKSA and the finals. Boatwright was just unbelievable with his shooting touch (they showed a few baskets in documentary, but they don't win without him). Very touching having his widow as part of this.

Also, this gem about CSKA coach Gomelsky from Wikipedia:

He was originally the Soviet national team head coach in 1972, and was expected to coach the team at the 1972 Summer Olympic games, but the KGB confiscated his passport, fearing that, since Gomelsky was Jewish, he would defect to Israel.

  • penn nation Said:
That's fantastic news--will definitely stream at some point this week.

  • Stuart Suss Said:
"On the Map" is available for streaming, renting or purchasing at the sites at this link.

Even if you do not have The Roku Channel, free streaming (with commercial interruptions) is available here.









Edited by penn nation on 06-03-20 09:43 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21086

Reg: 12-02-04
Re: "On the Map"
06-07-20 12:19 AM - Post#308614    
    In response to Stuart Suss

BTW, since that time a grand total of one Ivy player has been on Maccabi (Foote, for a cup of coffee).

Well, other than Blatt on the coaching side.

The IBL itself, of course, has had any number of Ivy players over the years.

  • Stuart Suss Said:
I wish to recommend for your viewing a very good basketball documentary film, "On the Map." The movie tells the story of the 1976-77 Maccabi Tel Aviv team and their journey to the 1977 European championship game.

There is a significant Ivy league presence in this film. The Maccabi Tel Aviv team included Bob Griffin who played for Columbia in the early 70s and Lou Silver, Harvard class of 1975. Also featured is Bob Morse, Penn class of 1972, who starred on the defending champion Italian team. There is a brief appearance by Digger Phelps, a former Penn assistant coach. I am led to believe that Phelps went on to coaching fame elsewhere.

Principal commentary comes from Bill Walton and the late David Stern. Stern was a Columbia Law School graduate and chaired Columbia's Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2005.

If you have a Roku stick, the film is available for free viewing (with commercial interruption) on the Roku Channel. It is also available for rental at these film sites.





 
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