1974?

[mujivitz06]

Yep, especially that first one.  Not even close to a charge.

Yes that was on Marcus Washington I think. What a joke of a call. The guy was so far under the basket he was actually on the other side of it.

[Gato78]

There is a story about Al during the 1977 Championship run--I think they were in Oklahoma, staying in a hotel shaped something like the Hyatt in Milwaukee with a big, open area on the first floor. They practiced and Hank ran the practice--no one knew where Al was, but that wasn't unusual. Some idiot shows up riding a motorcycle in the main area--taking a lap around the atrium. the guy stops, pops off his helmet, and it was Al. He then rode out.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Brad Palmer from Chicago media posted this in June.  Classic from 1972 Chicago Alumni Luncheon.

http://youtu.be/Ta08uVdRzck

[real chili 83]

Brad Palmer from Chicago media posted this in June.  Classic from 1972 Chicago Alumni Luncheon.

http://youtu.be/Ta08uVdRzck

Classic.  Thanks for sharing.

[77ncaachamps]

Great moment to plug it: 2014 Al's Run

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXgFge3l4Ug

I hear the mods are planning on organizing the fundraiser again.

[raul]

Does anyone remember if 76 was the year that the Russian BB team played both MU and Indiana in the preseason?

[79Warrior]

Does anyone remember if 76 was the year that the Russian BB team played both MU and Indiana in the preseason?

They actually played in November of 1975.

[Galway Eagle]

Here's a question: what if we had had won the 74 game and/or we won the OSU game and at least got to the Final four.  Would we be talked about as the clear runner up to UCLA back then? Would MU in the 80s never have happened?

[77ncaachamps]

Here's a question: what if we had had won the 74 game and/or we won the OSU game and at least got to the Final four.  Would we be talked about as the clear runner up to UCLA back then? Would MU in the 80s never have happened?

Possibly yes.

Al retired.
Hank replaced him then stepped away from the post.
Majerus took over and then departed.

If 77's title - much closer chronologically than 74 - couldn't positively affect the 80s, then the 74 title probably wouldn't do much either.

[dgies9156]

Here's a question: what if we had had won the 74 game and/or we won the OSU game and at least got to the Final four.  Would we be talked about as the clear runner up to UCLA back then? Would MU in the 80s never have happened?

Two separate questions. First, we were the runner-up to UCLA. Nobody had more victories in the 1970s than Marquette, except for UCLA.

Second, if we had defeated NC State and tOSU, would the 1980s never have happened? Honestly, I doubt anything would have changed. The 1980s happened because of a series of bad management mistakes by administration that, like many of us, believed the good times would never end.

I suspect a lot of us thought we could plug Donald Duck into the head coaching role and the combination of our legacy and Al's past would have made sure we won, well, forever. We chose a master tactician in Hank. He was a fine man and stood for many of the things Marquette stood for. He wasn't Al and he wasn't, unfortunately, the dynamic force necessary to continue a top-flite basketball program into the next decade.

We compounded our problems by prematurely hiring Rick Majerus and then stumbling into the Pianoman. Had we not found Kevin O'Neill, we'd be the Loyola of Chicago of the north!

P.S. -- Given the talent we had, if Jim Chones, Larry McNeill and Maurice Lucas all had stayed for four years at MU, we probably would have had a decent chance at hanging National Championship banners in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975 to go with 1977. When Jim Chones left in 1972, for example, we were undefeated and had cut through our schedule like a blazing knife through butter. And then the roof fell in. Sorry Bill Walton, we would have kicked you a*s! And I like Bill Walton!

[Galway Eagle]

Two separate questions. First, we were the runner-up to UCLA. Nobody had more victories in the 1970s than Marquette, except for UCLA.

Second, if we had defeated NC State and tOSU, would the 1980s never have happened? Honestly, I doubt anything would have changed. The 1980s happened because of a series of bad management mistakes by administration that, like many of us, believed the good times would never end.

I suspect a lot of us thought we could plug Donald Duck into the head coaching role and the combination of our legacy and Al's past would have made sure we won, well, forever. We chose a master tactician in Hank. He was a fine man and stood for many of the things Marquette stood for. He wasn't Al and he wasn't, unfortunately, the dynamic force necessary to continue a top-flite basketball program into the next decade.

We compounded our problems by prematurely hiring Rick Majerus and then stumbling into the Pianoman. Had we not found Kevin O'Neill, we'd be the Loyola of Chicago of the north!

P.S. -- Given the talent we had, if Jim Chones, Larry McNeill and Maurice Lucas all had stayed for four years at MU, we probably would have had a decent chance at hanging National Championship banners in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975 to go with 1977. When Jim Chones left in 1972, for example, we were undefeated and had cut through our schedule like a blazing knife through butter. And then the roof fell in. Sorry Bill Walton, we would have kicked you a*s! And I like Bill Walton!

I know we had the most victories, I meant be the obvious runner up.  Outside of avid basketball fans I doubt many would immediately say MU if you were to ask the second best team of that era.  I definitely agree about the Jim Chones situation, still don't understand why he left at such a weird time in the year.  Was that common back then? 

[The Love House]

Here's a question: what if we had had won the 74 game and/or we won the OSU game and at least got to the Final four.  Would we be talked about as the clear runner up to UCLA back then? Would MU in the 80s never have happened?

I was a freshman in 85-86 and even at that time, it seemed like the 77 championship had been a million years ago. So, no, it would NOT have made a difference if we had won in 74 or even 75. The reason the program went downhill so fast was a combination of three things.

First, Majerus left the cupboard bare when he took off for the NBA in 86. He didn't do a good job of recruiting in his last year, because, I believe, he knew he was gone and just didn’t really care. Dukiet had his back against the wall from day one.

Second, after Majerus left, the admins made the mistake of trying to resurrect the same formula that achieved so much success for them with McGuire; namely hiring a young, unproven guy from a small college on the east coast with the hope of re-establishing a pipeline to New York talent (cracked sidewalks). It didn't work. Dukiet was no McGuire and simply didn't have the charisma or street smarts to pull it off.

Third, lack of conference affiliation killed us. In the 60s and 70s, our independence worked to our advantage by offering so much scheduling flexibility. By the 80s, times had changed and you had to be in a conference to recruit. Realizing this too late, the admins compounded their mistake by leaping at the first offer and joining a crappy conference. I remember McGuire at the time saying they moved too quickly and should have tried to join the Big East.  Just imagine if we had in 1987!

[GGGG]

Well I am not sure the BE had any interest in Marquette back then.  But yeah, the MCC thing was bad.  Good think it was only a short term issue and the Great Midwest was developed just a few years later.

The other factor was that the University was struggling overall.  The campus was aging.  The neighborhood had really gotten bad (much worse than it is now), and enrollment was a problem.  (I was a freshman in '86-87)

[The Love House]

The neighborhood had really gotten bad (much worse than it is now)...

"I disagree. I had a great time living around Marquette in the 80's and met lots of friends!"

- J. Dahmer

[River rat]

recently watched the espn 30 for 30 on Bernie and Ernie

Was kind of surprised those two came out of NYC and went to Tennessee, when MU had the NYC pipeline.  does any one know if we were in on those guys?  Bernard seemed to have amiserable time in knoxville and was arrested and ruffed up by the cops on a few occassions , couldnt help but wonder how much more happy he would have bee at Mu and how much more happy we would of been to have him

[dgies9156]

recently watched the espn 30 for 30 on Bernie and Ernie

Was kind of surprised those two came out of NYC and went to Tennessee, when MU had the NYC pipeline.  does any one know if we were in on those guys?  Bernard seemed to have amiserable time in knoxville and was arrested and ruffed up by the cops on a few occassions , couldnt help but wonder how much more happy he would have bee at Mu and how much more happy we would of been to have him

We played the University of Tennessee in, I believe, 1972, which was the first year of the Ernie and Bernie show. The year before, Tennessee came to Milwaukee and had their heads (arms, legs, feet, hands, heart, eyes, nose and about everything else) handed to them in a game they never even were close to being in (kinda like tOSU last year for us).

In 1972, with Ernie and Bernie and playing at Stokley Athletic Center in Knoxville, we got out in double overtime with our lives. I believe Ernie was the first African American ever to play for the University of Tennessee's basketball team.

[GGGG]

We played the University of Tennessee in, I believe, 1972, which was the first year of the Ernie and Bernie show. The year before, Tennessee came to Milwaukee and had their heads (arms, legs, feet, hands, heart, eyes, nose and about everything else) handed to them in a game they never even were close to being in (kinda like tOSU last year for us).

In 1972, with Ernie and Bernie and playing at Stokley Athletic Center in Knoxville, we got out in double overtime with our lives. I believe Ernie was the first African American ever to play for the University of Tennessee's basketball team.

That would be Bernie.

I don't think Ernie Grunfeld was African American. 

[leever]

I know we had the most victories, I meant be the obvious runner up.  Outside of avid basketball fans I doubt many would immediately say MU if you were to ask the second best team of that era.  I definitely agree about the Jim Chones situation, still don't understand why he left at such a weird time in the year.  Was that common back then? 

Most fans probably would have had a hard time picking ANY team as second best in that era.  It was pretty much UCLA #1 and then everyone else.  Who knows what might have been if Chones stayed and we had beaten the mighty Bruins?

As far as Chones leaving, keep in mind that was when the ABA was trying to beat the NBA for top college players.  The ABA had no rules regarding waiting until a player graduated or finished a year.  They made him an offer that he had to accept right away, not after the season ended.  Al basically told him to take the sure money.  I think Chones' mother was still working as a cleaning lady.

[dgies9156]

That would be Bernie.

I don't think Ernie Grunfeld was African American. 

Yeup, you're right. I think Ernie was Jewish, making him the first Hebrew Volunteer.

[dgies9156]

I know we had the most victories, I meant be the obvious runner up.  Outside of avid basketball fans I doubt many would immediately say MU if you were to ask the second best team of that era.  I definitely agree about the Jim Chones situation, still don't understand why he left at such a weird time in the year.  Was that common back then?  

Keep in mind though the next year Larry McNeill turned pro (against everyone's better judgment) and then just before the 1974-1975 school year began (or shortly after it started), Maurice Lucas signed a contract with the ABA Spirit of St. Louis. In 1975, with Lucas, Ellis and Earl Tatum, along with Butch Lee and Lloyd Walton, we would have been dynamite. Lucas leaving left a huge hole in our team. We made the NCAA but lost to a tough Alabama team.

[oldwarrior81]

In 1975 MU ended the regular season at 23-3 and ranked 5th.   Once again it was Kentucky in the first round.  This time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Kentucky jumped out to an early 9 point lead but MU went on a 21-4 run late in the first half to build a 28-25 halftime lead.

UK using it's size to overpower Ellis, Homan and Tatum (Earl fouled out with more than 16 minutes left) inside erupted for 51 points in the second half and pulled away for a 22 point margin.
Kentucky went on to beat undefeated Indiana in the Regional final and eventually lost to UCLA in the championship game.


After seeing the depth, and size, of the Indiana and Kentucky teams, McGuire vowed to increase the number of scholarships (8) Marquette used.  No longer would the two scholarships per season and filling the remainder of the roster out with walkons be able to compete with the top squads.

[dgies9156]

In 1975 MU ended the regular season at 23-3 and ranked 5th.   Once again it was Kentucky in the first round.  This time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

I am really getting old. I should have remembered that.

I remember the day because I split my head open in an accident at McCormick Hall. I was bleeding all over the place and went to County General to get it fixed. Maybe that's why I don't remember who we played.

I feel dumb!

[GooooMarquette]

In 1975 MU ended the regular season at 23-3 and ranked 5th.   Once again it was Kentucky in the first round.  This time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Kentucky jumped out to an early 9 point lead but MU went on a 21-4 run late in the first half to build a 28-25 halftime lead.

UK using it's size to overpower Ellis, Homan and Tatum (Earl fouled out with more than 16 minutes left) inside erupted for 51 points in the second half and pulled away for a 22 point margin.

At 14, that was my first MU tournament game in person.  If I remember correctly, I think Earl even got his 4th foul late in the first half, right?

The Bama fans were ruthless - cheering for conference foe UK over that school from up north!  I recall that the MU band played the Alabama fight song, but that didn't do anything to sway the crowd.

[Galway Eagle]

Did we used to play an easier schedule or something? It just seams odd that we were putting up such great records and didn't make it far that often. Or were we just seeded poorly for our teams most years?

[keefe]

Did we used to play an easier schedule or something? It just seams odd that we were putting up such great records and didn't make it far that often. Or were we just seeded poorly for our teams most years?

One of the criticisms of Marquette was that as an independent we played a much easier schedule than did teams from the power conferences. Whether correct or not, that was the perception.