Page 8 November 20, 2014 TORRANCE TRIBUNE TerriAnn in Torrance A Prince of a Man – A Documentary By TerriAnn Ferren Photos by TerriAnn Ferren The moon, nearly full, created a magical atmosphere for a very special Thursday evening. It was a warm night and the trip to Club Nokia at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles seemed longer than usual due to traffic, but maybe it was just my excitement. The world premiere of the documentary 33STR8 about former coach and two-time Hall of Famer Bill Sharman, and the ’71 – ’72 Lakers 33 game winning streak, was being unveiled. The name 33STR8 is actually taken from Bill and Joycie Sharman’s license plate, which was gifted to them by Rob Yardley, son of Hall of Famer George Yardley. Excitement about the documentary about Bill Sharman and the 33- game streak was palpable outside the theatre. Both Bill and Joyce Sharman were diligently working on the documentary when Bill died last year (May 25, 1926 – October 26, 2013), but Joyce courageously finished the film they both worked so hard to complete and on this night, everyone will hold Bill in their hearts. (See Torrance Tribune, February, 24, 2011). Inside Club Nokia at the pre-game gathering with the Lakers royalty in attendance, I spotted Pat Riley, Keith Erickson, Mitch Kupchak, James Worthy, Jerry West, Jim McMillian and many others. Everywhere I turned I saw members of the historic ’71 – ’72 team. But there was one very special man missing – the coach, Bill Sharman. At a time when the Lakers of today are struggling, to say the least, it is nice to look back on Lakers history to a prince of a man who led his team into the record books and beyond, Bill Sharman. Former Lakers coach and part of the Lakers 33-game winning streak team Pat Riley told me, “Well, anytime you can go back to the future it’s great and I just hope everybody that I played with - and is still God bless them, are above ground, that are here - and I want to see ‘em. It’s a long time ago, and I want to see them.” I asked Joyce Sharman how she felt having players, coaches, fans, friends and relatives at this very special premiere and she said, “Surreal.” Radio sports commentator, Joe McDonnell told me, “I’m thrilled, I mean of everybody who was in the documentary - I was the youngest one. I was just in high school when this all took place. I remember it like it was yesterday. It is great to be here and I can’t wait to see it [the film].” Lakers former player and current radio color commentator Mychal Thompson told me, “It feels great to be here among all this greatness – see all these Lakers legends – and Joe McDonnell of course – I don’t feel like I am worthy to be here so I am just sitting back and enjoying the scenery - just an honor to be here.” Elizabeth McDonnell added, “Oh my - this is so exciting I can’t wait to see the movie and 33STR8 Questions and Answers with legends. I’m so proud of everything that everybody’s done and they’ve worked really hard to get this done.” Brian Decloux, Coordinating Producer, Original Programming at Time Warner Cable Sports told me, “It is a great to have this blockbuster documentary be part of this foundation [West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation]. We are lucky ‘cuz we oversee the original programming of Time Warner Cable Sports and we are honored to air this on Time Warner Cable Sports. We are not sure yet, but it will be within the next month. I was lucky enough to meet him [Bill Sharman] once and I wish I had known him longer. He was a fantastic guy. I read the part where he would always write personal thank you notes. Like if you interviewed him, he would write you a personal, handwritten thank-you note. We all would like to be like him.” Keith Erickson, former player and member of the ’71 – ’72 championship Lakers team, also narrates the documentary, which is largely composed of the interviews of players focusing on that special season. Bill Sharman himself tells the story of how he was invited to coach the 1971 – 1972 Lakers team and how he magically transformed a perceived lackluster bunch of athletes into a winning machine. Sharman instituted the shoot-around, 3-point shot, using film for scouting future teams, and was the first to ask, and receive from owner Jack Kent Cook, approval for an assistant coach. “It’s very crowded in here – it’s a great turn out and it should be a lot of fun with great memories. And we miss all of our guys that are not here, especially Bill,” said Erickson. Current Athletic Trainer for the Lakers, Gary Vitti was at the event and told me, “It’s fantastic. I grew up not working with this team but watching this team, and then eventually working with some of the people that were on the team. And that particular team, beginning with Bill Sharman set the winning tone for the Lakers which transferred to the 80s and then into the millennium and still exists today. The heart and soul of the Lakers winning tradition started with the ’71 – ’72 Lakers and to me, that is what this is all about.” Mitch Kupchak was all smiles and said, “I just saw Bill Russell walk by – that is the best thing in itself. I was just talking to Pat Riley in the corner with Bill Bertka and the assistant coaches and I hear Jerry West is coming and Claire Rothman [former General Manager and Vice President of the Forum] is here and it really doesn’t get any better than this.” Claire was beaming and told me, “It’s just thrilling to know all the effort that went into this - Bill and Joyce – and this is the night to celebrate.” James Worthy said, “Awesome!” Jim Mc- Millian told me that “It brings back a lot of memories of people I haven’t seen in awhile. But because of the production of this documentary, it’s great to see people again and reminisce.” Suddenly, the lights flashed and everyone made their way into the theatre to take their seats. The documentary ran 66 minutes and the entire audience sat spellbound. It is the story of a rag-tag team that tallied up wins with Bill Sharman as the coach. A coach who spoke gently, guided brilliantly by example, and led his team into basketball history. There were more than a few misty eyes in the audience when the film ended. 33STRA8 is a treasure of that special time where the stars lined up and graced a team so very unique that today their work, perseverance, dedication to a leader of men, Bill Sharman, still holds them together as a family. Time Warner will run the documentary soon and my recommendation is – don’t miss it. Bill Sharman lost his voice coaching that historic season, but won a place in basketball history I doubt will ever be surpassed. Mr. Sharman, who lived in Torrance, was an honorable man and a role model to anyone who knew him. Jerry West smiled and said, “It’s a documentary but it’s a documentary of something that I don’t think we’ll see the likes of again and thanks to Joyce and her hard work and dedication to get this project done, it’s always nice to pay tribute to your husband – but really - one of the great people that I’ve ever been involved with in my life – particularly in the sports field – but even away from that, he’s just a wonderful person and I think a lot of people will enjoy this.” The film, expertly narrated by Keith Erickson has only one signature song that bookends this brilliant documentary: How You Play the Game, written by Kipp Lennon, Charlie Vaughn, and Dave Feldstein of the group Venice. “Win or lose it’s all the same, it’s not about the fortune or the fame, win or lose it’s all the same, no matter where you aim, it’s all in your good name, and how you play the game.” • Brian Decloux, Coordinating Producer, Original Programming at Time Warner Cable Sports. Claire Rothman and Pat Riley. Elizabeth & Joe McDonnell and Mychal Thompson. Mitch Kupchak. Joyce Sharman with Mary Morikawa and Steve Morikawa, Assistant VP of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Gary Vitti. Keith Erickson. Jerry West. Jim McMillian. Joyce Sharman & Joseph Ide.
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