MovieChat Forums > The White Shadow (1978) Discussion > analysis of the Carver team

analysis of the Carver team

posted 17 years ago by librachashjesu
16 replies | jump to latest

Looking at Carver from a pure basketball standpoint:

Thorpe-point guard...5'7"...had quickness and speed...decent enough outside shooter to keep defenses from clogging it in on Coolidge...ball-hawk on defense who usually made life miserable for the other team's 1...had a college offer, but didn't take it...good penetrator and break leader.

Coolidge-the big man...6'7" or 6'8"...at Carver's level of competition, he was dominant, but had a lot of work to do if he wanted to succeed at any further level...could post-up, put it on the floor, not a bad shooter from 15-feet...not especially fast, but could get up and down the floor when motivated...always good for at least one crowd-pleasing dunk a game.

Reese-forward, sometimes a guard if Reeves wanted to go big...inconsistent, however...had a great game before his girlfriend said she was pregnant...good enough to be "recruited" by a coach at a predominately white school...helped Carver to a big win over that school when it was discovered he didn't have to play for them as long as he didn't play in at least one game...didn't play in the game, but provided some huge tips.

Hayward-Coach called him his "best player" in the pilot episode...buff and strong...good outside shooter...great backcourt tandem with Thorpe...shared the ball-handling duties...ended up going to college.

Jackson-mainly a power forward who helped out Coolidge under the boards...good, quick defensive player...not much of a shooter.

Salami and Gomez-not much skills at all, but both played their hearts out when asked to spell either Hayward or Thorpe at guard.

Goldstein-backup center, backup power forward...more skilled than he was often given credit for...went in when Coolidge or Jackson needed a breather.

Later players:

Rutherford-much better at the forward position than either Reese or Jackson.

Franklin-became Coolidge's "enforcer"...unequaled 1-2 punch on the boards

Falahey-big, white, and dumb and very little skills...best shot was a dunk in season 3's opening credits.

Mitchell-not enough action observed to go on...Hayward's replacement, maybe?

Vitaglia-tough defensive player in the mold of Salami or Goldstein.

[–] swinters-2 17 years ago

Better check those opening credits of Season III. That's Coolidge dunking....Falahey's trying to guard him...and failing.

[–] librachashjesu 17 years ago

You sure? In Season 3's opening credits, I remember Coolidge delivering a behind-the-back pass to a white player...since Salami or Vitaglia is very unlikely to dunk, that player had to be Falahey.

[–] swinters-2 17 years ago

You know what? You're right, it is Coolidge with the behind the back pass...but it's actually Rutherford with the dunk....Falahey is on defense...

[–] librachashjesu 17 years ago

Hey, we gotta get 20th Century Fox to hurry up and get Season 3 out...

swinters, here's questions about Season 3...

Which episode had Falahey's pregnant girlfriend trying to get him to own up to it?

In the episode about teacher burnout, was it Finniman (the science teacher) that was burned out?

Did any episode center around Mitchell (Stoney Jackson)?

[–] sweet1310452 17 years ago

I can answer these Qs:

Trial and Error is the episode about Falahey's girlfriend.

The burned out teacher was Mr. Mackie played by one time guest Richard Lawson.

I noticed that the science teacher was in more than one episode. Good consistency.

Stoney Jackson and Art Holiday never had any episodes focused on them. Stoney Jackson was the least distinct of all the regulars. On the season 2 DVD Kevin Hooks mentions that he was scheduled to direct episode 318 and Thomas Carter was scheduled to direct 317 but CBS shut down the show at 315. Presumably Stoney Jackson and Art Holliday would've had episodes that revolved around them, but it also brings up the issue of what were the plots of those 3 (or more) unfilmed scripts?

[–] swinters-2 17 years ago

So exactly how do we get Season 3 out on DVD? Seriously, it's been a long time since Season two's release.....

I've got this bad feeling that we'll never see it. I'm just guessing there wasn't enough interest generated after the release of the first two seasons that warranted a release of the third. You have to remember also that this show barely survived after Season 2, and they had to change the "edginess" of the first two seasons to a more light hearted approach in the third. Popularity dwindled that year. That MAY have something to do with it as well.

What sucks is that they already have that documentary made (that was initially going to go on the Season 3 DVD) including interviews with characters from Season 3 as well. While every god-awful reality show is out on DVD in the span of a few months after its conclusion, we may NEVER get to see this!?!

[–] roadgame999 17 years ago

unless Coach Reeves wanted to play 3 guards at once I think Reese was mainly a forward (though why he was being recruited as a guard made no sense)

[–] chris_caratzas-1 17 years ago

Thanks, librachashjesu, for giving the lowdown on the team. I watch the show on the YES network every now and then and realize it's not as good as I thought it was back in the day when I was an adolescent (the episode where Gomez gets kicked off the team and rejoins a gang has some of the worst acting I have ever seen. Seriously, check out the "acting" by the gang members. Horrible). Anyway, I always wondered who the starters were versus the reserves so now I know.

Thanks again.

[–] jstang411 15 years ago

Awesome post.

In the last episode of season 1 (where Thorpe dates the red-haired girl with a rep for making a whole lot of guys feel good), Thorpe walks into Coach's office and Reeves' greeting is "there's next year's all-city guard."

Might have been a bit puffed, but obviously Coach thinks that Thorpe has the goods.

[–] librachashjesu 14 years ago

roadgame, Reese was actually being recruited as a forward by Coach Harper...remember, Harper said to him before they boarded the bus for the Carver game, "I'll match you up with that forward whose moves you know so well (probably referring to Jackson)."

[–] vastuntitled 14 years ago

1-11, 1st 2 seasons

coolidge- baby dawkins, thought he was moses malone when he was thinking of turning pro after awarded tourney MVP, talked to dishwashing al attles-clone, came to senses
bobby maggum- a 2 or small 3, id go big and move him to the point...can create own shot...needs ball in tracy mcgrady kind of way
mac wade-- reeves sees the next walton, i see the next keith van horn, walton sees the next jon koncak
haywood- one of coach's faves, strong, solid defender...knockdown shooter, chaucey billups
thorpe- coach said he'd be all-city guard, tiny archibald on a out-of-this-world day
jeff simpson- hearing loss would have been tough to overcome, but on ability, his outside shot would be a factor with advent of 3-pt line...reggie miller, or glen rice if he fills out
reese- good enough to be recruited, a scorer, adrian dantley, if dantley were 6-0, 180
vitaglia--beats out jackson bc of defense...good athlete, not a bad pitcher, ace of carver team, 3 pitches (fastball, change, monster curve)
jackson- now cj is somewhat a disapointment...always seemed like he could do more...point shaving situation doesnt help...rebounding and defense, maybe a poor mans tyrone hill, or a dead mans paul milsap...looks like sleepy floyds brother, that could help
salami- when the benches clear, his real value is seen...solid welterweight, not much of a player but hustles...caught the eye of welterweight champ Carlos Palamino's trainer, said he had what it takes to be champ one day
goldstein and gomez- well....undrafted free agents improbable, D-league maybe, summer league possible, sunday league likely...

[–] threadman80 12 years ago

Damn, you guys are no joke. I played, and grew up watching this show. Spot on stuff

[–] prettyD2368 12 years ago

Coolidge was big and skilled and Thorpe was actually a good player, very quick too! Hayward also could play. I actually thought Reese and Jackson were on the same level. The best player in real life though was Wolfe Perry who played Rutheford. He averaged 18.3 points a game as a senior at Stanford and dropped 34 on UCLA.

[–] jefgg 8 years ago

I thought Salami was a good ball handler. Maybe he should have taken up boxing.

[–] jackbnimbleharvardblue 8 years ago

Does anybody remember the A Day In The Life episode when when Rutheford beat Coolidge and Franklin in a dunk contest at the end of the episode? Rutheford came with a off the backboard two hand Tracy McGrady type of dunk!

[–] Vastuntitled (5460) 5 years ago

Wolfe perry\rutherford could ball...