Voting Station

Larry O'Brien

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Sports Executive

The Resume

    (July 7, 1917-September 28, 1990)
    Born in Springfield, Massachusetts
    White House Director of Legislative Affairs (1961-65)
    United States Postmaster General (1965-68)
    Chair of the Democratic National Committee (1968-69; 1970-72)
    Commissioner of the National Basketball Association (1975-84)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was heavily involved in politics, as his interest started at the age of 11.
    He had a beef with Lyndon B. Johnson, going as far as telling staffers he didn’t like or trust the latter.
    As Democratic Party chairman, he went as far as orchestrating party convention rule changes which prevented Eugene McCarthy‘s delegates by excluding them from participating in certain roles.
    He refused delegates to mention anything in regards to Hubert Humphrey’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
    He served as a central figure in both the Watergate and Eagleson scandals.
    As postmaster general, he oversaw the cancellation of the mail to rail services, which saw a significant drop in passenger train revenues, as well as a mass cancellation in passenger rail routes.
    While he was able to secure a television deal for the NBA, he was unable to land prime-time games as part of it.
    He oversaw a tanking problem during his tenure as NBA commissioner and did nothing to stop it.
    On top of it, he did nothing to control a rampant drug problem running through the league until it was too late.
    He oversaw the relocations of the Buffalo Braves to San Diego and the New Orleans Jazz to Salt Lake City.
    His contributions to the NBA don’t get as much recognition as those of his successor, David Stern‘s do.
    Most casual fans are familiar with his name as a result of being the namesake of the NBA’s championship trophy.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was a first-generation American, born to parents who emigrated from Ireland.
    He oversaw his family’s real estate business, along with working a public relations job prior to entering politics.
    He was credited with building the platform that got John F. Kennedy elected.
    He was riding in the motorcade in Dallas, Texas when JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, making him an eyewitness on the spot.
    He oversaw the ABA merger which saw the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs join the NBA.
    In addition to the four ABA teams, he also presided over an expansion that saw the Dallas Mavericks join the league prior to the 1980-81 season.
    In honor of his years of service, the NBA renamed their league championship trophy in his honor.
    He was credited with negotiating the NBA’s first cable television deal.
    He oversaw the implementation of both the three-point field goal and the salary cap.
    He saw the NBA’s financial health gradually improve as gate receipts doubled and television revenue tripled under his watch.
    He was credited with establishing the modern day free agency system in wake of the antitrust lawsuit involving Oscar Robertson.
    He negotiated an anti-drug agreement with the NBPA in wake of the drug scandal that was dominating the league.
    He was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1991).

Credit: Ricky


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Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 15 Votes: 73.33% Annoying