R.I.P. Jerome Whitehead

[ShannonSmith]

Can someone talk about the infamous play that Jerome Whitehead was involved in the following year?

RIP Jerome

[Dawson Rental]

Can someone talk about the infamous play that Jerome Whitehead was involved in the following year?

RIP Jerome

1977-78 was Hank Raymonds first year as head coach.  On February 21, 1978, Marquette was ranked #1 in the AP poll for the last time to date.  On February 26, Marquette lost at Notre Dame 65-59 and dropped to a #3 ranking where they stayed until the NCAA tournament which they entered with a 24 - 3 record.  As if to prove that they didn't screw Marquette with its previous tournament seedings just because Al was the head coach, the NCAA put Marquette in the Mideast Regional with #1 Kentucky and #6 Michigan State with MU slotted to play Kentucky in the second round, if the seedings held.  Marquette's first round game was against Miami of Ohio, and late in the game, MU seemed to be in control.  According to the Harvard Crimson this then happened.

“Miami University of Ohio made the best of an official's call and eliminated defending NCAA basketball champion Marquette, 84-81, in overtime Saturday.

The Warriors held a comfortable ten-point lead with 3:38 to go in regulation play, and looked like a sure bet to advance to the semifinals of the NCAA divisional championships, when a referee ejected Marquette's 6-ft., 10-in. center Jerome Whitehead from the game for a flagrant personal, a two-shot foul.

Marquette coach Hank Raymonds was slapped with a technical for his protest of the call, and Miami hit on three of the four free throws assessed on the play.”

I wouldn't be surprised to find that this was the only technical foul Raymonds ever received.  The details are that Jerome grabbed a rebound and a couple of Miami players immediately tried to strip the ball from him.  They only succeeded in slapping, scratching and poking him until one of them finally poked him in the eye at which point Jerome swung his elbows to protect himself resulting in the flagrant foul call.  To see Jerome getting mugged like he was, with no call, and then to see him called for a flagrant foul was for me the most frustrating moment I've ever had watching sports.

[Goose]

LittleMurs

I do believe that was Hank's one and only technical as MU head coach.

[ShannonSmith]

Thanks for the recap. I always wondered about that loss.

[Gato78]

Must add that J Whitehead was a very mild mannered guy and was the last person to react without legitimate provocation. One of the absolute worst calls I have ever seen in sports.

[Lennys Tap]

Must add that J Whitehead was a very mild mannered guy and was the last person to react without legitimate provocation. One of the absolute worst calls I have ever seen in sports.

Peter Pavia will rot in hell because of it.

[Tums Festival]

I remember the pictures from the Miami of Ohio game in Sports Illustrated.

[mu_hilltopper]

Great article written on Whitehead by a Warrior fan ..

http://voices.yahoo.com/over-rim-bathroom-floor-sad-untimely-11957780.html?cat=9

[ChicosBailBonds]

Great article written on Whitehead by a Warrior fan ..

http://voices.yahoo.com/over-rim-bathroom-floor-sad-untimely-11957780.html?cat=9

Thank you for sharing.  Good read.

[Goose]

Really is a solid piece. Think his passing hit home hard for many older fans. Just seemed way too young to die.

[Slim]

LittleMurs

I do believe that was Hank's one and only technical as MU head coach.

Thanks for the recap. That was my freshman year. Watched the game on the 11th floor lounge of McCormick with about 25 guys. I still throw up in my mouth a little when I think about that game. ... urp, there it goes again.