Hoosiers

[ORU40]

As I'm very frustrated with the Golden Eagles so far this year; and adhering to the old adage that if you don't have anything positive to say, don't say anything. I'm watching the Indiana Hoosiers play UNC, and I'm going to change the subject and bore you all with my Bobby Knight, Hoosier experience.

My 2nd college game as a very young 17-year-old freshman (with Cal, before transferring to ORU) was against Indiana, in the Hoosier Classic at Assembly Hall in Bloomington against Bobby Knight, Isaiah Thomas, Mike Woodson, Landon Turner, etc... and the absolutely loaded IU team that would go on that season to win the national championship. We got into Bloomington late and went to practice at assembly Hall, they had more managers there to meet us then we had altogether (as my career progressed, I learned that the top teams were by far the nicest) they were waiting for us, had dinner and could not have been nicer... at our practice!!

There is one play that stands out to me, despite playing a good overall game and earning a starting position after my 10-point, 10 rebound performance off the bench. We were playing a 2-3 zone defense (as they lit up our man to man), and a shot went up and I'm on the weak side on the back and I look to box out and everything looks good, and as I start to jump and grab the rebound off the rim Ray Tolbert who was about 6' 8" 225 lbs. flew in and had a monstruous follow up dunk on me. I mean he dunked it as hard as I've seen!! Thanks Ray, I still remember that play.

Despite my personal humiliation, the funny part of this story is that the Hoosiers beat us bad, like a 30-point a** whooping, and coach Bobby Knight argued every call and even in a 30-point win...still got ejected!! You can't say coach Knight wasn't consistent!!

   

[theeagleman5]

Great story, 40....gotta love Bobby Knight....did you play with Mark McNamara at Cal? He became a decent back up C to Moses on the last Sixers team to win the NBA title....Dr. J...Mo Cheeks...Bobby Jones and Andrew Toney....one of the best teams of all time.....

[ORU40]

16 minutes ago, theeagleman5 said:

Great story, 40....gotta love Bobby Knight....did you play with Mark McNamara at Cal? He became a decent back up C to Moses on the last Sixers team to win the NBA title....Dr. J...Mo Cheeks...Bobby Jones and Andrew Toney....one of the best teams of all time.....

Eagleman, I had the pleasure of playing 2 years with Mark "Mac" McNamara at Cal in the very same role I played with Mark Acres at ORU, my job was with both those great big men was to A-make the post pass into them and B- shoot the shot if they were doubled, which a lot of times I gave them the complimentary look and took the shot and told them the weak side was helping . 

Mac was an outstanding player drafted in the 1st round by the 76ers and won an NBA championship ring with Dr, J, Moses and truly one of the best teams of all time, as Moses put it " fo, fo.fo". As good a player as Mac was, he was a much more wonderful person, who went out of his way to help me as a young man in college and as a college basketball player.

Mac sadly passed away last year at the age of 61. He had a heart condition that is unfortunately somewhat common with big guys. 

On a lighter note, I had a friend who's daughter played volleyball with my daughter, he was my age and grew up in Brimingham AL. He told me about how he'd played basketball in high school and had played against Andre Toney. So, I asked him how he did... he says great... I held him to 56!!! 

 

 

[Old Titan]

13 minutes ago, ORU40 said:

...a lot of times I gave them the complimentary look and took the shot and told them the weak side was helping . 

LOL - well played; well played.

Nothing more equally frustrating and humbling as a post player than to to be working your a$$ off on the block, trying to get position and make a nice target for an entry pass from the wing, only to have your teammate outside with the ball look you right in the eye, decide for whatever reason you don't deserve the rock, and instead opt for lofting a long shot right over your head.

You could just see it in their eyes as they derisively passed judgement and fired away:  "REBOUNDER..."