Six reasons why Bradley's block was Cal's GOAT block...

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Big C
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12:42a, 3/11/21
First of all, my Cal Basketball knowledge only goes back 45 years, so somebody will be able to call me on this GOAT-claiming. Still, Matt Bradley's block was Cal's greatest block of all time. All my time. Six reasons...

1. Big Game (and note the caps). Not a HUGE game, but a win-or-go-home, semi-post-season game against our arch-rival.

2. Big Moment. Again, not a HUGE moment, but it was fairly late in the 2nd half and we had led the whole way, but Furd had narrowed it to one point and this gimme dunk would've given them the lead.

3. Shorter Guy Blocks Taller Guy. Bradley is six inches shorter than Kasunas. This is always better! Man-bites-dog novelty.

4. Strong Block, but Clean Gene. Bradley goes right up with this bigger player who is trying to dunk. Strong block, but ZERO hand or body contact (no way it could ever legitimately be called a foul). A work of power, but also a work of art. The way Kasunas grabbed the rim, he probably though for a split second that he had actually thrown it down. "Wait, what?!?"

5. Ball Stays in Play and Converted for Cal Score. You purists must love this aspect. I do, too! I have vague visions of some spectacular Devon Hardin blocks that he sent up into the rafters, out of the gym and rolling into Strawberry Creek along side some crayfish, but then the other team got the ball back. Not this time. Plus, we scored a 3-pointer!

6. I can't remember any other specific blocks, so this was the only one that made the final round. Boom. Sure I have visions of some Hardin blocks and some Yogi Stewart blocks, but I can't think of a SPECIFIC one, so Matt Bradley's block this evening is the GOAT. And that's that.
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DWM81
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3:09a, 3/11/21
Well expressed Big C...
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drizzlybear
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In reply to Big C • 6:49a, 3/11/21
Big C said:
First of all, my Cal Basketball knowledge only goes back 45 years, so somebody will be able to call me on this GOAT-claiming. Still, Matt Bradley's block was Cal's greatest block of all time. All my time. Six reasons...

1. Big Game (and note the caps). Not a HUGE game, but a win-or-go-home, semi-post-season game against our arch-rival.

2. Big Moment. Again, not a HUGE moment, but it was fairly late in the 2nd half and we had led the whole way, but Furd had narrowed it to one point and this gimme dunk would've given them the lead.

3. Shorter Guy Blocks Taller Guy. Bradley is six inches shorter than Kasunas. This is always better! Man-bites-dog novelty.

4. Strong Block, but Clean Gene. Bradley goes right up with this bigger player who is trying to dunk. Strong block, but ZERO hand or body contact (no way it could ever legitimately be called a foul). A work of power, but also a work of art. The way Kasunas grabbed the rim, he probably though for a split second that he had actually thrown it down. "Wait, what?!?"

5. Ball Stays in Play and Converted for Cal Score. You purists must love this aspect. I do, too! I have vague visions of some spectacular Devon Hardin blocks that he sent up into the rafters, out of the gym and rolling into Strawberry Creek along side some crayfish, but then the other team got the ball back. Not this time. Plus, we scored a 3-pointer!

6. I can't remember any other specific blocks, so this was the only one that made the final round. Boom. Sure I have visions of some Hardin blocks and some Yogi Stewart blocks, but I can't think of a SPECIFIC one, so Matt Bradley's block this evening is the GOAT. And that's that.

Fun post! And I, too, am hard-pressed to remember a better block in my 35 yrs. If I may add a couple additional points:

7. It spared me from getting pissed (again) at Hyder for getting completely lost on defending that pick-and-roll. I was already yelling at Hyder when MB turned my shouts of frustration into shouts of joy and amazement.

8. The schadenfurd. Did you see the reactions of the furd players and coaches in the background as the play unfolded? It went from anticipatory jubilation to "OMG, our lunch money just got taken by that bad man. I'll sit back down now and quietly experience to myself my amazement at what just happened."

3. And to your point of smaller guy blocking bigger guy, I would add that it's not merely a cool novelty, which it is, but much more importantly it's about not giving up, and taking on the challenge. David beating Goliath was far more than a novelty. It's about the Bear never quitting.
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MSaviolives
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In reply to Big C • 8:09a, 3/11/21
Big C said:


5. Ball Stays in Play and Converted for Cal Score. You purists must love this aspect. I do, too! I have vague visions of some spectacular Devon Hardin blocks that he sent up into the rafters, out of the gym and rolling into Strawberry Creek along side some crayfish, but then the other team got the ball back. Not this time. Plus, we scored a 3-pointer!

Yeah same with Jamal Sampson in his one year at Cal--exciting blocks that went into the stands. David Kravish was quite good at blocks that he kept in play, ala Bill Russell.
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joe amos yaks
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In reply to Big C • 8:54a, 3/11/21
I think you'd have to go back to PF Jamal Sampson in 2001 - 2002.
Sampson made spectacular blocks part of his game.
One I recall was his block of a shot taken from the corner basket right. Jamal left his feet leaping from the right key line and rejected the shot mid-arc, slamming it into the fifth row seats of the right side court.
I believe the game was against ucla (?).
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oskidunker
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8:59a, 3/11/21
I actually caught one of his blocks in the stands at a practice.
Go Bears!
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LudwigsFountain
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10:16a, 3/11/21
I agree that this is the GOAT block. As I go back a bit further it replaces my previous favorite -- Clarence 'Tree' Johnson's Alcindor block.
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stu
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In reply to Big C • 10:30a, 3/11/21
Also no woofing and no technical after the block.
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Cal8285
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11:58a, 3/11/21
Big C, I was thinking the same thing, for essentially the same reasons.

As the play was happening, I was the opposite of the LSJU bench. I yelled "Crap!" because not only were we allowing the easy dunk, as Bradley challenged, I thought there was no way he would stop the dunk and no way he would avoid a foul. I was already hoping Kisunas would miss the free throw. I was surprised when there was no whistle, but on further review, it was clean and it was awesome. Better yet, the ball stays in play, goes to Cal, and it leads to the 3 pointer by Betley.

I can't remember a block in ANY basketball game that impressed me as much. Sure, there have been more important blocks in basketball history, there have been more visually spectacular blocks, but given the totality of the circumstances, including all points made in the OP, I can't remember a better block, Cal or non-Cal.

I'm sure the recency effect has an impact, and the fact that I don't care about non-Cal games as much matters, I'm sure there have been blocks as good as that one I've seen, but I sure can't think of a better one.
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ktownbear83
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2:05p, 3/11/21
One more reason can be found in the level of play that the block seemingly triggered or at least amplfied. Stanford was coming back and energized over the entire second half to that point. Then comes the block, the dish out to Ryan Betley, for three. Then another three. And another. Early in the shot clock, even. Cal wins going away. Pedal down. No easing up. No milking the clock. Instead, looking to score and running up a 20 point lead over the final 7 minutes. Huh? This is not the script that decades of watching Cal BB has lead me to expect.

So Stanford was hurt and short-handed; maybe they gave up or just wore out. You can always play down to the level of an opponent. This Cal team last night was a bear. Great game gentlemen.

Go Bears
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Big C
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In reply to stu • 2:23p, 3/11/21
stu said:
Also no woofing and no technical after the block.

LOL, up until last night, that block Bradley had freshman year, where he stood over the guy and drew the T, had been a favorite of mine because it made a statement. But this one is a gazillion times better, because it also helped us win a game! (I hear that's important... )
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Cal8285
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In reply to Big C • 2:42p, 3/11/21
Big C said:
stu said:
Also no woofing and no technical after the block.

LOL, up until last night, that block Bradley had freshman year, where he stood over the guy and drew the T, had been a favorite of mine because it made a statement. But this one is a gazillion times better, because it also helped us win a game! (I hear that's important... )
I'm generally not in favor of woofing and getting a T except under limited circumstances, but boy, if there is a time when I would hope nobody thinks of doing that, its when the block gets you possession and running the other way, especially in a close game. Play basketball, and take full advantage of what just happened.

And that's what Bradley and the team did. Thus the block resulted in a 5 or 6 point swing (5 or 6 depending on whether the failure to block resulted in a 3 point play).
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Larno
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4:38p, 3/11/21
This was clearly an important block and could very well have been the turning point in the game. But I still have vivid memories of a block by Gene Ransom back in the mid-70's. Those of us old enough to remember Ransom recall him as one of the all-time top Cal guards and an incredibly exciting player at only 5'8". I believe this happened in a game against WSU. A WSU player, around 6'5" or so, had a breakaway and was cruising to an easy layup. Ransom came flying in from behind and launched himself up and pinned the ball against the backboard and pulled it down, cleanly and with no foul. Think of the attack rabbits in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
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helltopay1
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5:33p, 3/11/21
On a somewhat more sobering note, you will notice that Fox did not start Bradley. He then inserted him into the game after only 55 seconds had elapsed' When asked about it after the game, Fox said, " it[s no big deal." " Well....yes it is...He was obviously sending a'message" to Bradley and the team. Fine...Message received. Or, as the lawyers like to say, " duly noted." But, what kind of message was sent when Bradley appeared after only 55 seconds? If you are going to send a 'message'[, send a message." Or, as a military historian said, " if you are going to take Vienna, take Vienna." In other words, don't do something half-hearted. It sends the message that you are not serious. Mixed messages usually do not work out well. Since this happened so late in the season ( possible final game) I am somewhat concerned. Mods??
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helltopay1
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5:45p, 3/11/21
To help balance the above post, the preposterous Walton did say, " I have tremendous respect for coach Fox." Nothing like mitigation to balance things out. OTOH, Walton was a three-time academic all-American while at UCLA????We are supposed to believe that in between chasing co-eds and devouring all drugs known to mankind as well as marching to orders laid down by Coach Wooden, this space cadet was a towering academic genius????sorry...no sale. My Dentist told me that he never worked harder in his life for a B+ grade in Bio-Chemistry while at UCLA. It so happened that Curtis Rowe and another all-American who went to UCLA at the time both took the same class as my Dentist. According to my Dentist ( a straight arrow) they never went to class one day and yet both received A's . Just thought you'd like to know..
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joe amos yaks
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In reply to helltopay1 • 5:53p, 3/11/21
helltopay1 said:
On a somewhat more sobering note, you will notice that Fox did not start Bradley. He then inserted him into the game after only 55 seconds had elapsed' When asked about it after the game, Fox said, " it[s no big deal." " Well....yes it is...He was obviously sending a'message" to Bradley and the team. Fine...Message received. Or, as the lawyers like to say, " duly noted." But, what kind of message was sent when Bradley appeared after only 55 seconds? If you are going to send a 'message'[, send a message." Or, as a military historian said, " if you are going to take Vienna, take Vienna." In other words, don't do something half-hearted. It sends the message that you are not serious. Mixed messages usually do not work out well. Since this happened so late in the season ( possible final game) I am somewhat concerned. Mods??
Well, more like Grant took Richmond or Sears took Roebuck?
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joe amos yaks
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In reply to helltopay1 • 6:02p, 3/11/21
helltopay1 said:
To help balance the above post, the preposterous Walton did say, " I have tremendous respect for coach Fox." Nothing like mitigation to balance things out. OTOH, Walton was a three-time academic all-American while at UCLA????We are supposed to believe that in between chasing co-eds and devouring all drugs known to mankind as well as marching to orders laid down by Coach Wooden, this space cadet was a towering academic genius????sorry...no sale. My Dentist told me that he never worked harder in his life for a B+ grade in Bio-Chemistry while at UCLA. It so happened that Curtis Rowe and another all-American who went to UCLA at the time both took the same class as my Dentist. According to my Dentist ( a straight arrow) they never went to class one day and yet both received A's . Just thought you'd like to know..
Yes, but Walton had his nose broken 10x during his career, and knee surgery 14x.
If he was the "other A-A" with Rowe he shoulda' been a rhinoplastist or an orthopedist and skipped basketball.
He's not anti-dentite.
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HoopDreams
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6:30p, 3/11/21
this thread deserves a video of THE BLOCK



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