Scholarship table
Was chones drafted? Or signed as a free agent?
If Chones would have stayed, there could have possibly been a Marquette UCLA final matching two undefeated teams.
I was two years old living in Central America at the time, so I never got to experience him, but I spent two years as Executive Producer of Marquette Basketball TV network and Jim was our analyst for the broadcasts....Coach Al did a bunch of games, too. Mr. Chones was great, I love his daughter Kareeda...classy family through and through.As a kid I do remember him playing for the Lakers.
Thats nice, but what the heck does that have to do with what you responded to?
Gotta admit its kinda fun ta do dis name droppin' chit, hey?
Growing up in MKE, I knew of #22 throughout his high school career. But, got to meet him up close and personal during freshman orientation in August 1969 in the lobby of the Varsity Theater. I approached this tall, skinny kid, wearing a green Michigan State windbreaker, standing there alone. Later, he, I, Sugar, #45, John Cary, and Kurt Spychalla were all classmates in John Pick's English class together.
Like Dizzy Dean said " It aint braggin if you can back it up"
Eye 'member it tadey like it wuz yesterdey. Right afta beetin' Jacksonville at da Mecca. Woke up ta Jim Irwin at 620 WTMJ bustin' da news on the mornin' sports report. Any y'all 'member da NCAA declarin' Lackey ineligible for the Tourney? Sum weird chit happened only heer back in da dey, aina?
Nothing, but the Cheekmeister is a serial name dropper. No opening (however small or even imagined) is ignored.
great stories 4ever and cheeks! always good to hear that any one of us have had brushes with some of these stories that humanize them and bring 'em closer to reality
This was a thread about a defining moment in Marquette history. A poor black player was encouraged by his white coach to go pro during what was very possibly a championship season. 4ever's recollections of those times and some of the characters give added color to that moment. Chico using that moment to remind everyone for the umpteenth time that he knew and worked with Al (and Jim ) 25 years later is beside the point, A look at me moment, if you will.
The full story of Jimmy leaving MU appears in Chapter 10 (Dunkirk) of the Centennial Edition of my book "You Can Call Me Al: The Colorful Journey of College Basketball's Original Flower Child, Al McGuire." For more information about that book and my second book "Goin' Uptown: Marquette's March to Madness and Return to the Final Four," check out my website (www.jdmpress.net). I will also be blogging on that site for the balance of the season and postseason.Go Warriors!
I was a freshman, and actually wrote a very short letter to the Chicago Tribune sports section supporting Al - which they printed! I did not keep a copy, though.
So, I had a couple of credits to blow my senior year at MU. Took Nader's "Individual and Dual Sports" class. It covered tennis, bowling, and golf. Several basketball players were enrolled as well. My 4 person bowling team consisted of both George "Sugar" Frazier and Maurice Lucas and we bowled twice weekly at the Y on 9th and Wis. Truth be told, Sugar sucked major ass bowling and didn't have a fookin' clue. Don't know if he ever scored 100. Luke, on the other hand, was a natural athlete. After rollin' somethin' like a 164, he told me that was first game of bowling he ever participated in. I think the pins just fell down from fear as he stared at them. Anyway, enjoyed getting to know both and we had a hoot doing it.
Sorry, but I don't think the situations are the same. I also don't think anyone here knows what conversations have or haven't been had by Coach K and Zion.
Situations are not the same. I'm guessing it made more sense financially to hang around then than it does now.That said...examples like this are why I love Al. We don't know what Coach K has said to Zion...we do know what he said to guys that left early in the past. He has obviously changed his tune, as it was best for him to do so, but he was a sh1t head about guys leaving early long after he saw Al handle it the right way. I asked Al if he thought players should be paid...his answer was predictable.