Dave Corzine surveyed the rag-tag scene at the airport here and shook his head.
”What`s happening to us?” the Bulls` center said. ”What a nightmare.” Teammates Michael Holton and Charles Oakley and assistant coach Tex Winters were fast asleep on airport chairs. Kyle Macy and John Paxson were teaming up on a crossword puzzle while George ”the Iceman” Gervin and Sidney Green were just waiting.
After ending a seven-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 99-96 victory over the New Jersey Nets, the Bulls woke up at 6 a.m. Thursday to head straight home for a 6 p.m. game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
But life in the NBA is full of the unexpected. The delays in getting home were so lengthy that the club postponed the game until 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The day started routinely enough as the players boarded their 7:45 a.m. flight only to have it canceled an hour later. The routine was repeated three hours later. A dense fog engulfing Chicago`s O`Hare Airport had knocked out incoming flights for most of the afternoon.
Finally, the Bulls trudged to another terminal and were booked on a 2 p.m. flight to Indianapolis, hoping to bus into Chicago in time for the game. That flight was delayed for an hour because of mechanical repairs, but finally the Bulls were in the air. Word of the postponement greeted them in Indianapolis.
Stuck in Philadelphia, the Trail Blazers chartered an 18-passenger plane and flew to O`Hare, arriving at 2 p.m. When the same idea was discussed by Bulls` traveling secretary/trainer Mark Pfeil and coach Stan Albeck, several players expressed displeasure at bucking bad weather conditions in a tiny plane.
Throughout the ordeal, Albeck scurried about, encouraging his troops.
”Heck, we`re going to roll right into the Stadium just before gametime, put on our uniforms and go out and fastbreak the Blazers to death,” Albeck said with a laugh.
Gervin appreciated Albeck`s devil-may-care attitude.
”Stan`s a good leader,” the Iceman said. ”We have a lot of confidence in Stan. He always treats us like men. With that kind of respect, we can`t do anything but give it back.”
The team`s elder statesman at age 33, Gervin just sat back patiently and waited it out.
”This is all part of the game. You can`t defeat Mother Nature.”
Younger players like Green and Holton gravitated toward the future Hall of Famer.
”What`s the most points you ever scored in a game?” Holton asked.
”I got 63 once, 53 by halftime,” Gervin replied. ”I didn`t play the fourth quarter because I got tired of scoring.”
”What`s the most you ever scored in any game, summer league or anything?” Holton said.
”I got a hundred a couple of times, young fella,” Gervin responded. Holton just shook his head.
”Ice is my man,” Green said. ”He is one of a kind.”
