Charles Oakley, Bill Laimbeer Among The Top Enforcers From 1980, `90s Era
The subject of the ultimate bodyguards recently surfaced on the Come On, Now podcast.
It included the likes of James Johnson, Zach Randolph and Udonis Haslem, who are not from the 1980s and 1990s. That gave Back In The Day NBA the idea to think of some tough guys from that era. The role is pretty much a dying breed because of rule changes, different styles of play and less physicality.
There were many to choose from, ranging from Dennis Rodman, Robert Parrish and Maurice Lucas. All are worthy but here's a list of our Top Five in no particular order.
Anthony Mason
Not only was he fearless, he had the look of a player who refused to back down from anyone. Mason, who spent the largest portion of his career with the New York Knicks, was someone you didn't want to mess with. While most on the list got into a few skirmishes, he has a 30-minute YouTube video of his scuffles throughout his 13-year career. From Rodman to Manute Bol, Mason was already ready to throw down.
Charles Oakley
It's only natural to include Oakley on the list. He was Mason's teammate for years with the Knicks, giving them perhaps the best goon tandem in NBA history. Oakley went at it with Alonzo Mourning on several occasions. Same with Charles Barkley. He even challenged Shaquille O'Neal. His fight with Tyrone Hill drew a one-game suspension and $10,000 fine.
Xavier McDaniel
It was the best when two tough guys faced off against each other. None were better than when McDaniel, who played for the defunct Seattle Super Sonics, and Oakley got into fisticuffs at Madison Square Garden. It is widely considered among the greatest fights in NBA history.
Bill Laimbeer
Laimbeer, of the Detroit Pistons, may be most known for taking a roundhouse punch from Robert Parrish that left him on the ground. But Laimbeer got in his share of shots during his career. Among the most memorable was him taking down Cleveland Cavaliers center Brad Daugherty with a vicious punch. No player was off limits for Laimbeer, including Michael Jordan.
Rick Mahorn
Mahorn, another former Piston, is probably one of the few who could get into a fight with another player while also shoving the opposing coach to the ground. It happened when Mahorn got into it with Oakley, who was playing for the Chicago Bulls at the time. It ended with Bulls coach Doug Collins getting the worst of it. Mahorn also took on Atlanta Hawks forward Dominique Wilkins that nearly got out of hand.
We don't get as many moments as such these days but it's always great to take a trip down memory lane.
Shandel Richardson is the Publisher of Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
