Jeff Ruland appreciation thread

[RRR3]

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/637768/tumblr_lf9h6xnqhf1qay78vo1_400.jpg

This guy looked like a complete scrub, but he was actually a beast before injuries ruined his career.



1981-82 (rookie year): 14/9/2/1/1 on 56% FG and 75% FT in only 27 MPG. 17/9/1/0/1 on 48% FG and 77% FT in playoffs.

1982-83: 19/11/3/1/1 on 55% FG and 69% FT.

1983-84: 22/12/4/1/1 on 58% FG and 73% FT. :bowdown: 24/13/8/1/1 on 52% FG and 82% FT in playoffs :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

1984-85: only played 37 games, but still put up 19/11/4/1/1 on 57% FG and 69% FT. Put up 18/9/5/2/1 on 60% FG and 70% FT in playoffs.

1985-86: Limited to 30 games, but Jeff da GAWD still managed 19/11/5/1/1 on 55% FG and 73% FT. 14/6/5/0/1 on 50% FG and 82% FT in playoffs in just 27 MPG.



Sadly, Jeff barely played at all after that, as his chronic injuries to his feet effectively ended his career. Anyone here remember this guy? What was he like as a player? His stats look almost like a poor man's Charles Barkley though :eek: impressive :applause:

[chips93]

Jay-Rul >>> blake griffin

all day. every day.

[Noof]

Dat stache

[dirkdiggler41]

Could not jump at all. Great player, better then griffin

[millwad]

Tell Griffin to come back when scores 30 points, grabs 15 rebounds and dishes out 8 assists in the playoffs against the team who won it all that season, Boston Celtics..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjJe6I5auA

http://www.sportshollywood.com/images/draft/ruland_jeff_big.jpg

[BoutPractice]

The phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" was invented for that guy.

[L.Kizzle]

OF course he looked like a scrub in 1993,but back in his hey day ...

http://www.nba.com/wizards/photos/jeff_ruland.jpg

[BlueandGold]

24/13/8/1/1 on 52% FG and 82% FT in playoffs

wow really? how many games did he play that year?

[Niquesports]

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/637768/tumblr_lf9h6xnqhf1qay78vo1_400.jpg

This guy looked like a complete scrub, but he was actually a beast before injuries ruined his career.



1981-82 (rookie year): 14/9/2/1/1 on 56% FG and 75% FT in only 27 MPG. 17/9/1/0/1 on 48% FG and 77% FT in playoffs.

1982-83: 19/11/3/1/1 on 55% FG and 69% FT.

1983-84: 22/12/4/1/1 on 58% FG and 73% FT. :bowdown: 24/13/8/1/1 on 52% FG and 82% FT in playoffs :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

1984-85: only played 37 games, but still put up 19/11/4/1/1 on 57% FG and 69% FT. Put up 18/9/5/2/1 on 60% FG and 70% FT in playoffs.

1985-86: Limited to 30 games, but Jeff da GAWD still managed 19/11/5/1/1 on 55% FG and 73% FT. 14/6/5/0/1 on 50% FG and 82% FT in playoffs in just 27 MPG.



Sadly, Jeff barely played at all after that, as his chronic injuries to his feet effectively ended his career. Anyone here remember this guy? What was he like as a player? His stats look almost like a poor man's Charles Barkley though :eek: impressive :applause:


True Story.

I live in D.C. When Jeff was pick by the Bullets everyone Booed. I forget who else was available but no one wanted Jeff.It was a tradition that the Bullets would put all there Rookies and FA in the D.C. summer league games.SO Ruland played.
Here comes this big white guy in a gym filled with Blacks in a summer league basketball game. Talking about stinking up the gym. People were laughing at him.

His Rookie season ws decent but being use to Unseld and Hayes us Bullets fans were not impressed. How ever he got better every year. Until he finally won over the hearts of Bullets fans. With the addtion of him and Rick Mahorn . The 2 were called the Beef Brother.

The two never lead the Bullets back to the promise land and fall short to Unseld and Hayes however the Big Fella Jeff get mad respect from me.

[Psileas]

One of the 8 players to ever average 22/12/3.8/50% FG, after all.
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=275577

[TheMarkMadsen]

Ru Ru > Blake Griffin.

[Niquesports]

Ru Ru > Blake Griffin.

Ruland would have a hard time defending Blake . Griff is just too athletic for Ruland. Not taking anything away from Ruland

[DaHeezy]

What's with the comparisons to Blake Griffin?

[SonOfMattGeiger]

he went to my high school :cheers:

[L.Kizzle]

Ruland would have a hard time defending Blake . Griff is just too athletic for Ruland. Not taking anything away from Ruland
Lol, just put your weight on him and he can't use it.

[JellyBean]

he went to my high school :cheers:


Pretty cool. I just remember Jeff and Rick Mahorn forming that original "Bruise Brothers" pack back in the day. Jeff Ruland was pretty cool. :bowdown:

[Niquesports]

Pretty cool. I just remember Jeff and Rick Mahorn forming that original "Bruise Brothers" pack back in the day. Jeff Ruland was pretty cool. :bowdown:
Rick and Jeff were the Beef Brothers

[GOBB]

I still shake my head when Sixers signed this dude.

[TheMarkMadsen]

What's with the comparisons to Blake Griffin?


He shares an ELITE record with Bg for being one of the 8 players (including girffin) to put up 22 12 & 3.8 assist

[DKLaker]

He played hard all game long, no quit in the guy. He wasn't a great talent but you had to admire his heart.

[The_Yearning]

Check out the white supremacy in this thread.

[Niquesports]

Check out the white supremacy in this thread.
Im black and grew up in DC watching him play. Dude could ball GTFOH with that

[Lebron23]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjJe6I5auA

One of the underrated players of all time. He was really a good player.

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/637768/tumblr_lf9h6xnqhf1qay78vo1_400.jpg

[chocolatethunder]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjJe6I5auA

One of the underrated players of all time. He was really a good player.

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/637768/tumblr_lf9h6xnqhf1qay78vo1_400.jpg
In 1986 I think the Sixers traded Moses and I think Terry Catlege and two picks to Washington for Ruland and Cliff Robinson. They also traded the number one pick that year for Roy Hinson and that pick was used to select Brad Daughtery. Ruland could totally ball his ass off and was a great passer. He was big but he was really more of a power forward. He was plagued with foot injuries and it was a disaster for the Sixers. The card you have is from when he came back in the early 90s only to rupture his Achilles' tendon and retire believe. Barkley I think said that he was one of the toughest guys to guard ever. Take that with a grain of salt because Barkley says a lot of bullshit. My friend played under him at Iona. I'm pretty sure he was a jerk.

[Rake2204]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjJe6I5auA

One of the underrated players of all time. He was really a good player.

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/637768/tumblr_lf9h6xnqhf1qay78vo1_400.jpgThat video has an ending that I was not expecting.

And that card - 1993 Fleer - is exactly how I remember Jeff Ruland. I was in elementary school in '93 so I knew virtually nothing about his prime. I'd get cards like his and Kiki Vandeweghe and I just thought they looked like dads who were allowed to play basketball. It was quite the revelation when I finally got around to caring to enough to look at the back of Vandeweghe's card.

[iamgine]

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/637768/tumblr_lf9h6xnqhf1qay78vo1_400.jpg

This guy looked like a complete scrub, but he was actually a beast before injuries ruined his career.



1981-82 (rookie year): 14/9/2/1/1 on 56% FG and 75% FT in only 27 MPG. 17/9/1/0/1 on 48% FG and 77% FT in playoffs.

1982-83: 19/11/3/1/1 on 55% FG and 69% FT.

1983-84: 22/12/4/1/1 on 58% FG and 73% FT. :bowdown: 24/13/8/1/1 on 52% FG and 82% FT in playoffs :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

1984-85: only played 37 games, but still put up 19/11/4/1/1 on 57% FG and 69% FT. Put up 18/9/5/2/1 on 60% FG and 70% FT in playoffs.

1985-86: Limited to 30 games, but Jeff da GAWD still managed 19/11/5/1/1 on 55% FG and 73% FT. 14/6/5/0/1 on 50% FG and 82% FT in playoffs in just 27 MPG.



Sadly, Jeff barely played at all after that, as his chronic injuries to his feet effectively ended his career. Anyone here remember this guy? What was he like as a player? His stats look almost like a poor man's Charles Barkley though :eek: impressive :applause:
I thought he was a beast too when I browsed bballreference a few years ago.

But then I saw his TO #.

This guy turn the ball over almost 5 times a game.

That's terrible.

Downgrades his numbers from "beastly" to "just okay".

[lilandywiggins]

I only knew the scrub version of him.

[Shep]

Ruland was the league's best center and top 4 player overall in 1984

[Done_And_Done]

Not to mention a top 7 moustache in league history

[SHAQisGOAT]

Jeff could definitely play.

People never thought he would amount to much, I think he even spent some time in Europe before the NBA. Fact is that he had some pretty good years in the league, 2x all-star even.

Dude was not what you'd call very mobile but could play bully-ball on just about anybody down-low, very strong, very big, very physical. Had some very good skills under the rim, pretty good right-handed hook from the post, had footwork and post-game, a solid jumper too, up to 20 feet. Went to the line plenty and could shoot over 70%. Just a great rebounder on both sides. Decent passer as well, had that outlet game too; could turn it over a bit too much though. Not much on defense but definitely not bad.
He would be even better in today's league with the decline of the bigmen.

Him and Mahorn made a nice PF/C duo, McNasty and McFilthy, The Beef Brothers.
I think he was better as more of a PF, on the offensive end. Bball-reference lists him as a C and Mahorn as a PF but on the court it was more like the other way around, at least on offense.




Ruland was the league's best center and top 4 player overall in 1984

You're taking it way too far there, if serious.

[chocolatethunder]

Jeff could definitely play.

People never thought he would amount to much, I think he even spent some time in Europe before the NBA. Fact is that he had some pretty good years in the league, 2x all-star even.

Dude was not what you'd call very mobile but could play bully-ball on just about anybody down-low, very strong, very big, very physical. Had some very good skills under the rim, pretty good right-handed hook from the post, had footwork and post-game, a solid jumper too, up to 20 feet. Went to the line plenty and could shoot over 70%. Just a great rebounder on both sides. Decent passer as well, had that outlet game too; could turn it over a bit too much though. Not much on defense but definitely not bad.
He would be even better in today's league with the decline of the bigmen.

Him and Mahorn made a nice PF/C duo, McDirty and McFilthy, The Beef Brothers.
I think he was better as more of a PF, on the offensive end. Bball-reference lists him as a C and Mahorn as a PF but on the court it was more like the other way around, at least on offense.





You're taking it way too far there, if serious.
Def was better as a PF.

[Shep]

You're taking it way too far there, if serious.
what am I taking way too far

[chocolatethunder]

what am I taking way too far
I was guessing that you said top four player in the league. I think someone said something like that.

[Shep]

I was guessing that you said top four player in the league. I think someone said something like that.
Must have been a very educated person who said that