Eastern Michigan University

Former EMU Coach Ben Braun and his family — ^{Former Eastern Michigan University Coach Ben Braun is photographed with his family, wife Jessica, son Joshua, and daughter Eliza, during the dedication of Ben Braun Court in 2023. (Photo by Jonathan Knight/The Eastern Echo)}

Nearly 40 years ago, I was was the beat writer for the ascendant Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball for EMU’s student newspaper, The Eastern Echo. The head coach, his first as without the interim title, was Ben Braun.

My second – and final – season on the beat ended in Lincoln, NE, of all places, where the 15th-seeded Hurons met 2nd-seeded and regular-season Big East Champion, Pitt, in the first round of the 1988 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The Panthers won that game, 108-90, but I’m not sure I cared too much. I was covering an NCAA Tournament game! And playing that night on the University of Nebraska’s campus was Kansas and a certain star named Danny Manning. The Jayhawks wound up winning it all in 1988.

I saw Coach Braun around in the coming years before I moved to Alaska and he to the University of California Berkeley, but our interactions were limited to, perhaps, a head nod or a hello.

So it was quite a bit of fun to – thanks to social media – reconnect and invite him onto Conversations with Sports Fans for a long overdue catch up. We talk about all things you’d expect a pair of fellas who haven’t spoken in going on 40 years talk about.

Here’s hoping you enjoy the Conversation as much as I did.

^{The Ben Braun Conversation.}

**^{Which Basketball Hall of Famer belongs to these lithe fingers? And what was this}**
**^{move dubbed?}**

George “The Iceman” Gervin made a living – for years! – utilizing the finger roll, a move he refined after seeing fellow legends such as Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins, and Julius Erving (Gervin’s teammate his rookie year with the ABA’s Virginia Squires) do something similar.

Gervin finished his NBA career having scored 20,708 points and add in another 5,887 from the ABA and his inclusion on the NBA’s Top 50 Players list back in 1996 was a no-brainer.

**^{George Gervin says he developed his finger roll by watching greats such as Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins, and Julius Erving. (Photo from the San Antonio Express-News)}**

Selfishly, Gervin holds a special place in this author’s heart for a pair of reasons. First, he attended Eastern Michigan University (the author’s alma mater) and was spoken about in reverent terms there (in fact, EMU’s arena now bears his name, the George Gervin Gameabove Center). Second, his Nike poster was brilliant! The track suit, the ice throne, the overall regalness; it hung on a wall in my room proudly for years!

Nike Poster — **^{Nike’s George Gervin poster circa 1982.}**

^{George Gervin explains the evolution of his finger roll to Jalen Rose during “An Evening of Black Excellence” that honored Gervin Friday night at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, MI.} ^{(Apologies to the awkward beginning to the video clip.)}

Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.

The Sports Fan Project

Conversations with Sports Fans – Ben Braun

The Fan Teaser: Week 70 Solution