As I read Sports Illustrated's remembrances of sports figures that passed in 2014, I learned that Red Klotz won't be losing any more basketball games. The 93 year-old Klotz was the coach and general manager of the Washington Generals, the Harlem Globetrotters' longtime foils. In his career with the Generals, it's estimated that Klotz won twice and lost more than 14,000 times, despite his claims that the Generals were trying to win each time out.As a player, Klotz was more successful. At the time of his death in July, he was the oldest living NBA Champion, having won a ring as a reserve on the 1948 Baltimore Bullets. At 5'7", he's believed to be the shortest player ever to win an NBA title. He continued to play as the Generals' point guard until the age of 68. This Joe Posnanski piece is a great reminiscence on Klotz's life and career.
Reading of Klotz's death led me to think about what it would be like to play for the Generals, knowing you're almost certainly going to lose before a large crowd, and that you're reasonably likely to be embarrassed at least a little by the Globies.
Which leads me to another idea entirely. On this the first real business day of 2015, we introduce an audience participation recurring feature: What Would (the) Gheorghies Do? In which we offer a choice (or several choices), mostly sports-related, and our reading audience decides in the comments which of the choices are most preferable.
In honor of Red Klotz, the very first WWGhD, a two-parter:
Would you rather play a single D-League game, or suit up for the Washington Generals for a year?
Would you rather have Red Klotz's coaching career, or Rich Kotite's?
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