ESPN

Buzzmaster

  (12:27 PM)

We're expecting Earl real soon!

Buzzmaster

  (12:30 PM)

Earl is here!

Connie (Birmingham Alabama)

With you being virtually impossible to stop one on one, who would compare your game to today skill wise?

Earl Monroe

  (12:31 PM)

Ooh. I would go with Dwayne Wade. He's a slasher. He can shoot the jumper too.

paul (pa)

Earl, how satisfying was it to make this movie and get this story told?

Earl Monroe

  (12:32 PM)

Very satisfying, since I came from a historically black institution and knowing that the recognition from those institutions had not been acknowledegd. It was veyr important in that aspect. And the eductional part of things that was depicted in this film that they just didn't know about or had pushed from their minds.

Matthew (Roswell Ga)

Earl Monroe your one of the greats....who do you believe are the greats of today?

Earl Monroe

  (12:34 PM)

Hmmm. Well, Kobe, Duncan, LeBron will eventually be one of those. Chris Paul and because he won this year, Kevin Garnett. Unfortunately there are a lot of guys and they all fit into the same category. That's a great thing for th eNBA because they have a great nucleus of young ball players.

Will, NYC

Earl, What's happened to the Knicks? Wish you could suit up and show them a thing or two. What can help them at this point?

Earl Monroe

  (12:34 PM)

I wish I could too! Hopefully this season they'll show a lot of improvement over last year.

Baltimore, MD

Being from Baltimore and knowing of your legend in my city, I know you had success in college in NC and more...but where do you feel is home to you in the sense of basketball?

Earl Monroe

  (12:35 PM)

Being that I'm from Philly I consider that my home in Philly. But the place that I like as well is Winston Salem and Baltimore.

Mike (Santa Monica, CA)

Earl - I loved watching you when I was a kid. If you were a coach on an opposing team, how would you try and defend against you as a player?

Earl Monroe

  (12:36 PM)

Be as physical as they can and try to keep me out of hte middle.

Parth (NJ)

Since you're from Philly, how do you think the sixers are going to do this year. Contenders?

Earl Monroe

  (12:37 PM)

Yeah, I feel as though with the acquisition of Brand, that they will be contenders in the East, especially since they played the later part of last season as they did.

Landre (Los Angeles, California)

Earl would the likes of Kobe or LeBron be dominant in your era?

Earl Monroe

  (12:38 PM)

I think they would be good players in my era. I think that because we played a diferent style of ball - trying to eliminate the high scorers - I don't know if they'd be as effective. But they'd be good players of that time.

Cris Gomez Boston MA

Earl the Pearl!! gotta give love to the old school. I model my game after the old school! Now here's the question, of all the moves you used to make on the court, which was your favorite, or Go-to move?

Earl Monroe

  (12:38 PM)

The spin to the middle and faking the jumper.

CAL (St. Paul, MN)

Who was the greatest player you ever competed against?

Earl Monroe

  (12:39 PM)

The greatest player I have competed against would probably be Oscar Robertson, especially since I didn't have to play against the big forwards or the centers.

luis (berlin, germany)

Earl - who do you think will win this years mvp award and why?

Earl Monroe

  (12:40 PM)

I would think Kobe could win back to back if they go to win the championship. However, one year, LeBron James is going to have to win it.

Steve (Baltimore, Maryland)

two questions pearl: first how likely is it that kobe bryant gets all three mvp's this year and second my uncle james mcelroy played in the nba for a number of years as a guard for the pistons, jazz, and hawks. you remember him?

Earl Monroe

  (12:40 PM)

Yeah, I remember him. Tough player. Nice jumpshot. Very nice game.

Reggie Newsome Ft. Washington, MD

At what age did you know you where a special basketball player?

Earl Monroe

  (12:41 PM)

Probably 17-18. I started playing when I was 14, so, yeah, probably 17-18. So much so thta I didn't want to go to college, I wanted to play professional basketball in the ABL. Fortunately, the ABL folded the year I came out of high school.

Jey

Hello Mr. Monroe. Do you see any players today with new or unique approaches to scoring, much in the way you would score?

Earl Monroe

  (12:42 PM)

Well, I look at Chris Paul, with the floaters in the lane. I think that's really a new shot that most of the guards will start shooting a lot more. They can bring the bigger men out further and even if they miss the shot, they're so far out on the floor, their teammate has a clean shot at the basket for the rebound or put back.

Josh (Oklahoma)

Watching the game today, what would you say the biggest difference between then and now is?

Earl Monroe

  (12:43 PM)

Much more mobil big men are in the league and hte advent of not having to have a legit center because of the mobile big men.

chris (chicago)

earl have you seen derrick rose play yet? what are your thoughts?

Earl Monroe

  (12:44 PM)

I've seen him play. I like his game. He's acclimated himself to the NBA style already. I look for big tihngs from him.

chauncey (teaneck)

what are your feelings on the state of the knicks?

Earl Monroe

  (12:44 PM)

Well, I don't think we can stand another year like we had last year. I think they made a good choice in what they're trying to do this year, temp wise and organization wise. I feel that this is just the beginning of something for New York and the New York fans.

Matt (IN)

Mr Monroe, thanks so much for being here. You are a true legend. My question is, what was it like playing for Coach Gaines? Any funny stories you can share with us? Thanks

Earl Monroe

  (12:46 PM)

Coach Gaines used to determine his players by how they could shoot from the key. By that, I mean, out of 10 shots if you made 6 or 7 you were a shooter on his team. If you made 4, you were a rebounder, if you made less, you were a defensive player.

Earl Monroe

  (12:46 PM)

And, in layup drills, you could either shoot the layup of the jumper. If you missed the shot, you had to climb the ropes. He determined who were his clutch players by who woudl shoot the jumper, because you had to have confience to shoot the jumper.

Dennis (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Who was the toughest player to guard when you played?

Earl Monroe

  (12:47 PM)

Two - Oscar Robertson and Tiny Archibald.

David (STL)

Who would you say is the most underrated player of your generation?

Earl Monroe

  (12:48 PM)

Hmmmm. I would say Nate Thurmond.

Earl Monroe

  (12:48 PM)

Good rebounder, great defensive player and very adequate offensive player. Never got his real due even though he's in the Hall of Fame.

Gary (Phoenix)

how much influence did you have in Black Magic?

Earl Monroe

  (12:49 PM)

Well, I was one of the producers and I kind of made sure the integrity of what was done was on par.

luis (berlin, germany)

do you think that a player could ever again average a triple double for a season like oscar robertson did? do you think lebron james could average those numbers?

Earl Monroe

  (12:49 PM)

I think it can be done, but I Don't think it will be done, because the game has changed so much. The guys expectations and teams expectations are a little different than in Oscar's time.

Donald (Williamsville,Mo)

Is K-G a first ballot hall of famer in your opinon?

Earl Monroe

  (12:50 PM)

Yeah.

Ryan (Wilmington, De)

Greatest player ever? Present or past.

Earl Monroe

  (12:50 PM)

Wilt Chamberlain.

Dimitrius (Oakland, CA.)

Earl, huge fan here. Just wondering, did you have more fun playing in Baltimore, where they relied on you more, or in New York?

Earl Monroe

  (12:52 PM)

I enjoyed playing more in Baltimore, because in Baltimore it was more or less my team. When I got to New York, everything was shared. BUt we also had great players in Baltimore, Wes Unseld, etc. The teams in Baltimore and New York pretty much mirroed each other. Willis Reed-Wes Unseld, ect. We basically had the same team, except Baltimore was a little more exciting.

Earl Monroe

  (12:52 PM)

Go out and buy the DVD Black Magic. You get to learn a litlte bit about the history of black college basketball and civil righgts. Enjoy it because it's a history lesson.