Personal Experience With MU Basketball Player

[Galway Eagle]

Dwight buycks and I had a shared experience of looking at my notebook on the floor during a pop quiz that was nice.

Acker gave my friend the clap that was less nice.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I've had interactions with a handful of players.

Ooze was actually one of the most engaging, specifically at an alumni function. Very bright and very outgoing with a bunch of crusty alumni he didn't know.

When I was in school, Jon Harris was a really nice kid. Looked terrifying, but was really nice. Same for Marcus Jackson. That dude is SCARY, but is a very nice guy.

[MU82]

Rivers for sure.

Others in the "team picture": Wilson, Byrd, Hatchett, Marotta, Schlundt.

[Tugg Speedman]

Doc Rivers ... My freshman year (his too) they had a few days off at the end of the semester, he gave me a ride home to the Chicago suburbs, and came in and met my parents, before continuing to his home in Maywood.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Mo Aker and Jerel.

So you  like the reefer, aina?

[Benny B]

Acker gave my friend the clap that was less nice.

This thread is about personal experiences... unless your friend then proceeded to give you the clap.

Not a basketball player, but during the 07-08 season, I often crossed paths with I4 in the mornings as he was walking from his Escalade into the Al (and I was walking from the Wells St structure to Straz Hall)... we would always exchange a brief "hello" or "how's it going."  Seemed like a genuinely nice guy at the time.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Jamil and Juan. Complete goofballs but genuinely nice guys. My sister was moving into campustown and they saw her struggling with a couch, they both offered to help and carried it up to the third floor!

[Tums Festival]

Pops Sims. We are from the west side of Michigan and first met him at an all-star game in Kalamazoo after he committed to Marquette. Talked to him a few times during our student years and then saw him a few years after Marquette at Summerfest and he came up to me and said hello.

[TallTitan34]

I'd have to go with Lazar, Jimmy, Cubillan, and Wes.

While not a player at the time, Jimmy Mac was always nice as well.

Not a player but the biggest punk I encountered: Riley Crean

Favorite Lazar story:  Before the 2008 Big East Tournament game against Notre Dame, the players were warming up in a little area in the back at MSG.  Lazar borrowed the Eagle head and warmed up in it for a bit, messing around with other players while wearing it.

[wadesworld]

This thread is about personal experiences... unless your friend then proceeded to give you the clap.

Not a basketball player, but during the 07-08 season, I often crossed paths with I4 in the mornings as he was walking from his Escalade into the Al (and I was walking from the Wells St structure to Straz Hall)... we would always exchange a brief "hello" or "how's it going."  Seemed like a genuinely nice guy at the time.

This has nothing to do with MU but your story about Crean reminded me of another story about running into a coach.  3 friends of mine and I went down to Cincinnati during a weekend Brewers series against the Reds (the Friday night game that we did not go to was the 1 where Fielder went after Parra in the dugout).  We left on Saturday morning to see the Saturday night game and then Sunday afternoon game before returning to Milwaukee Sunday night.  We got into Cinci mid-afternoon so we had some time to kill and decided to go to Xavier's campus.  This was during the coaching search after Crean had left, and Sean Miller was one of the names we had heard come up.  We just walked right into the Cintas Center no problem and while we were just walking around when low and behold there's Sean Miller walking right down the hallway by himself towards us.  Really nice guy, said something along the lines of "Hey guys how ya doin'?  Happy to see ya here."  Nobody said anything about MU, but my friend was wearing an MU shirt.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Jamail Jones when he was here. On the current team probably Steve. Both really good guys. Got Teve and Davante to come to our party once.

[swoopem]

So you  like the reefer, aina?

big time

[WellsstreetWanderer]

This is going to date me but we used to play poker frequently at our house with George Thompson, Blanton Simmons and guys on the team. Strictly low stakes and the winners usually bought the dinner afterward.
Also had the good fortune to sit next to Lazar in Annaheim last year and found him to be a real gentleman, very friendly and open.  I am proud to say that from my experiences MUBB has recruited good people that reflect well on the program and the school.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

I drank with Mike Deane in a near-empty Hegarty's on two separate Wednesday afternoons in 97-98.  I'm sure he was nice.

[WarriorInNYC]

I had classes with several of the players, Wes, Jerel, annd Ooze.  All of them were nice and approachable, but Wes stood out for some reason.

Funny story, sophomore year a few friends and I went wandering off to Taco Bell from Schroeder on a Thursday night.  On our way back an SUV pulls to the side of the street on Wisconsin Ave and Lawrence Blackledge pokes his head out the window in the back and yells to us "Yo, where the party at?".  This was also, during the time he was academically ineligible.

[chapman]

Wes 

[Lennys Tap]

Not a player but the biggest punk I encountered: Riley Crean

Apple don't drop far from the tree, aina?

[mikekinsellaMVP]

I was on a plane from Milwaukee to Houston and happened to be seated across the aisle from Jimmy Butler.  He was sitting next to a girl I recognized as another student and you could tell she was absolutely star-struck.  So to cut the tension, Jimmy proceded to talk to her.  For three hours.  At one point he looked across at me in my MU sweatshirt and hat and asked, "You a big fan, too?"  Like an ass, I replied, "You're pretty good."  To which he said with absolute sincerety, "Thanks.  I really appreciate it."

It was a nice departure from my Dominic James encounter:  "I'll be making millions, motherf-----!"  (Granted, my buddy had just told him he was overrated.)

I also sold Crean a Jimmy V bracelet.  In return I got a story of him hamming it up with Dick Vitale at a Jimmy V fundraiser.  I was just amazed he gave me the time of day, let alone five minutes.

[Knight Commission]

Pops Sims. We are from the west side of Michigan and first met him at an all-star game in Kalamazoo after he committed to Marquette. Talked to him a few times during our student years and then saw him a few years after Marquette at Summerfest and he came up to me and said hello.

I didn't know him at school but met him a few years ago, at a free basketball camp he was hosting for primarily under privileged kids.  Very nice, engaging, and humble based on my interactions there.  John Luerck was a good guy.  Joe Nethen was great after leaving the program.

[wadesworld]

I was on a plane from Milwaukee to Houston and happened to be seated across the aisle from Jimmy Butler.  He was sitting next to a girl I recognized as another student and you could tell she was absolutely star-struck.  So to cut the tension, Jimmy proceded to talk to her.  For three hours.  At one point he looked across at me in my MU sweatshirt and hat and asked, "You a big fan, too?"  Like an ass, I replied, "You're pretty good."  To which he said with absolute sincerety, "Thanks.  I really appreciate it."

It was a nice departure from my Dominic James encounter:  "I'll be making millions, motherf-----!"  (Granted, my buddy had just told him he was overrated.)

I also sold Crean a Jimmy V bracelet.  In return I got a story of him hamming it up with Dick Vitale at a Jimmy V fundraiser.  I was just amazed he gave me the time of day, let alone five minutes.

I know it's supposed to be personal stories but my friend's story about his encounter with James is too good not to tell.  After bar close a friend of mine goes into Marquette Gyros during James's senior year and Dominic is standing in there with Trend.  My friend walks up to Dominic and puts his hand on his shoulder and says, "Yo Dom, I gotta talk to you."  Dominic tells him to give him a minute and my friend says, "No, now!  I love you, man, but you better start studying your Italian."  Trend then replied, "What'd this m'fer say?!" as my friend walked out of MU Gyros.

[keefe]

 I heard an "unnnnnngggg" and my life flashed before my eyes, so I just jumped off the elevator immediately and lived to talk about it.

Was this before or after you served in the French Army?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Lot of good stories with the team. I was in the rec center 2 years ago and happened to get in a game with Vander, Steve, Juan and Davante. I think I took one shot the entire game I was wide open from 3 and I missed. Davante then proceeded to tell me "You white, you supposed to hit those" Dont think I got the ball passed to me for the rest of the game. Also I remember getting switched onto Vander one time while playing defense. That didnt end well...

[Lennys Tap]

My freshman year Jimmy Burke and Brian Brunkhorst (juniors) lived two doors down from me (4S Schroeder). Great guys, even played intramural softball with us (likely against team rules). Ron Rahn and Jackie Burke were in my class and became friends. In those days you knew all the guys at least a little and I don't recall any dicks.

As a fan/old man I've been pretty impressed with the players I've met. Wesley, JFB and Jamil Wilson stand out.

[MerrittsMustache]

I know it's supposed to be personal stories but my friend's story about his encounter with James is too good not to tell.  After bar close a friend of mine goes into Marquette Gyros during James's senior year and Dominic is standing in there with Trend.  My friend walks up to Dominic and puts his hand on his shoulder and says, "Yo Dom, I gotta talk to you."  Dominic tells him to give him a minute and my friend says, "No, now!  I love you, man, but you better start studying your Italian."  Trend then replied, "What'd this m'fer say?!" as my friend walked out of MU Gyros.

Flexing his beer muscles then leaving. Tells us a lot about your friend...probably a good move though so he didn't end up getting "Vander Orange'd" by DJ.

[Class71]

Clearly Spiderman. Great guy and family.