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Soul Power - ABA Documentary

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rcodey

Freshman
May 5, 2006
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I probably was at over a hundred ABA games from Teaneck to Indiana to Miami Beach and I watched the first 2 episodes . A little disappointed in the factual errors. The New York Nets and Los Angeles Stars were not the names of ABA teams in the first season . There were the New Jersey Americans and Anaheim Amigos .

Spencer Haywood was not the first to go pro avoiding the NBA 4 year rule . Reggie Harding went fron High School to the Detroit Pistons and played several years in the NBA .

That being said I'm glad a,whole new generation can see the ABA was equal to or even better than the NBA . Too bad they didn't have the resources to continue.
 
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NYShoreGuy

Senior
Jan 7, 2006
1,670
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rcodey said:
I probably was at over a hundred ABA games from Teaneck to Indiana to Miami Beach and I watched the first 2 episodes . A little disappointed in the factual errors. The New York Nets and Los Angeles Stars were not the names of ABA teams in the first season . There were the New Jersey Americans and Anaheim Amigos .

Spencer Haywood was not the first to go pro avoiding the NBA 4 year rule . Reggie Harding went fron High School to the Detroit Pistons and played several years in the NBA .

That being said I'm glad a,whole new generation can see the ABA was equal to or even better than the NBA . Too bad they didn't have the resources to continue.
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And the NBA and ABA screwed many in the merger
 
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PhishingPirate088

Sophomore
Mar 10, 2022
277
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It was very good

kevin loughery on mad dog radio had called into question a few of the stories in the doc

But it’s good
 
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NYShoreGuy

Senior
Jan 7, 2006
1,670
802
113
MichiganStoleTitle said:
But not the ABA owners who were wise enough to take slice of TV money!
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Silna family had spirit of st Louis they got 2.2 mil in the mid 70s plus 1/7 in perpetuity of all future media rights...nba just gave them 500 million in 2014 to end that....multi generational money...Hannah storm father mike storen was a commish at one time....current cnn anchor Pamela brown her dad bought into the buffalo franchise then sold when he ran for Kentucky governor. Her mom was Phyllis from cbs sports and beauty pagent background. I do truly feel as a basketball enthusiast there is a story to tell on Buffalo basketball and how it spun into what it is now with balmer.
 
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HALL85

Heisman
Jul 5, 2001
29,811
10,934
113
NYShoreGuy said:
Silna family had spirit of st Louis they got 2.2 mil in the mid 70s plus 1/7 in perpetuity of all future media rights...nba just gave them 500 million in 2014 to end that....multi generational money...Hannah storm father mike storen was a commish at one time....current cnn anchor Pamela brown her dad bought into the buffalo franchise then sold when he ran for Kentucky governor. Her mom was Phyllis from cbs sports and beauty pagent background. I do truly feel as a basketball enthusiast there is a story to tell on Buffalo basketball and how it spun into what it is now with balmer.
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They cover the Silna deal in the last episode. The family was in the embroidery business in Moonachie of all places.

The ABA technically did not innovate the three point shot. There was a regional league (Eastern Basketball League) that was in business from 1971-77 and they started the 3-pt shot which the ABA jumped on.

One of the best segments is the first slam dunk contest. They couldn’t afford to pay for entertainers so they decided to just do the contest instead. Artist Gilmore, George Girvin, David, Thompson, Darnell Hillman and Dr. J. All of the footage, including Erving taking off from the foul line and dunking it.
 
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Piratz

All-Conference
Mar 24, 2004
1,301
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I started watching this and it’s very well done for entertaining, from Connie Hawkins to this alleged $1M from Abdul-Jabbar. Idk about all the facts but the focus is clearly on the impact.

Amazing the impact on the game we know now.
 
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Buc Bloc

Redshirt
Sep 17, 2025
43
40
18
Most interesting fact that i learned was how the Nets screwed up the Lew Alcindor negotiations. Would have changed everything.

Was hoping for a little local mention, but not one word about Bob Verga, who had a very good ABA career.

Rick Barry was a fantastic interview, and George Gervin was even better.

Saw one of the ABA-NBA all star games at the Coliseum, as well as a few DH's at the Garden.

This was all going on while the Knicks were at the top of the heap, too. ABA was unlucky that way.

enjoyable and nostalgic. I really enjoyed it even if they didn't get all the facts straight.
 
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TheHall87

Senior
Jun 3, 2001
439
625
93
HALL85 said:
They cover the Silna deal in the last episode. The family was in the embroidery business in Moonachie of all places.

The ABA technically did not innovate the three point shot. There was a regional league (Eastern Basketball League) that was in business from 1971-77 and they started the 3-pt shot which the ABA jumped on.

One of the best segments is the first slam dunk contest. They couldn’t afford to pay for entertainers so they decided to just do the contest instead. Artist Gilmore, George Girvin, David, Thompson, Darnell Hillman and Dr. J. All of the footage, including Erving taking off from the foul line and dunking it.
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The ABA started in 1967. The EBL would have had to be in business prior to that.
 
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HALL85

Heisman
Jul 5, 2001
29,811
10,934
113
TheHall87 said:
The ABA started in 1967. The EBL would have had to be in business prior to that.
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They were. The EBL started up in the 1940’s and then changed its name to the EBA in 1971 and then folded in 1977. The adopted the 3pt shot in 1964-65 season prior to the ABA formation. I had the acronym wrong.

There were a few EBA players that made it to the ABA (Billy Melchioni, John Brisker and Wendell Ladner). Full disclosure…I used to work with a guy who played for SJU in the 70’s and EBL for the Allentown Jets. We still keep in touch and he loves talking about those times.
 
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