When Chones Went Pro; Al>Krzyzewski

[Cheeks]

yes to this-i remember it seeming as though it was MU & al against everyone else.  the refs & the ncaa.  were we victims, hell no,  it played right into our push back and our resolve.  many examples showing this, but the most emblematic one was al showing the big middle finger to the ncaa in 1970, boycotting their tourney, opting for the nit and winning the mofo by destroying massachusetts, utah, lsu and st johnnies
    i forgot about this one-

  "# In March of 1968, McGuire refused to appear on Adolph Rupp's TV show before the NCAA Tournament, instigating a persistent feud with the bombastic Baron of the Bluegrass. McGuire thought was Rupp was too stubbornly Old South in ways that hindered social progress ... racist, in other words. Playing on their home floor, Rupp's Kentucky Wildcats bombed Marquette out of the tournament, but the Warriors avenged the loss in Madison, Wis., one year later."

and this one-

   "   In 1971, one of the best teams in Marquette history went 26-0 in the regular season, only to lose to Ohio State in the regional semifinals in Athens, Ga. In his next-to-last game as a Warrior, All-America guard Dean Meminger fouled out for the only time in his college career. The Warriors put the game officials on their all-opponent team at the season-ending banquet."

and this one-

  "# In March of 1974, Marquette stormed through the NCAA tournament and reached the Final Four for the first time in school history. In the title game, an overheated McGuire drew two technical fouls from "television ref" Irv Brown as North Carolina State pulled away to a 12-point victory. He later blamed himself for losing the game."

    i've got this iconic picture hanging in my office-a black n white of al walking past rick and raymond with looks on their faces that told ya all ya needed to know

i just remember we always seemed to be pushing back.  we were an independent & catholic.  if al would have done today, what he did in 1968 with kentucky/adolff hitl...rupp, he would have been looked upon as the white mlk and rightly so.

al was his own man

Vital just spoke about Irv Brown, apparently he died in past few days.

[Lennys Tap]

Did you hear MU82 coaches a girl's basketball team.....did you know that?  Some will say 2X umpteenth time....know what...who cares.  Good for him.  If it bothered me, I'd put him on ignore.

Actually I'm guessing 0% of people here had a chance to work with Jim for two years, so I thought I would share what a wonderful guy he was.  Didn't realize that was so far off the beaten path, especially for the newbies here that didn't know it.....we have guys in the last few days asking who George Thompson is for example.  Easiest solution Lenny is put me on ignore.  Super easy

Has Mike been braggin' on all the famous girls he's coached? Must have missed that.

I would never put any Warrior fan on ignore - it's not my way. And sometimes you bring insights and information to Scoop that I find worthwhile and valuable.

But the name dropping and lack of awareness about it I think is annoying. Sorry.

[warriorjoe]

Rocket:

The Centennial Edition of "Goin' Uptown: Marquette's March to Madness and Return to the Final Four," the only book about MU's 2003 Final Four, is available at the Spirit Shop and on my website (www.jdmpress.net).

The Centennial Edition of "You Can Call Me Al" is in the final editing stages and I hope that it gets printed in the next month. It includes a photo page of every MU basketball coach as well as photos from Al's funeral. The added Introduction covers the beginnings of the basketball program in 1916-17 season all the way through Eddie Hickey's time at MU. The rest of the book is Al's first and complete biography.

The website includes the forewords for both books (Bobby Knight did the foreword for Al's book; the late Rick Majerus did the foreword for "Goin' Uptown."), photos, comments, newspaper reviews, my blog which will cover the rest of the year and my biography.

Go Warriors!

[Cheeks]

But the name dropping and lack of awareness about it I think is annoying. Sorry.

Sorry, but I just share stories...it is part of my life, part of my every day world.  Is what it is.

[rocket surgeon]

Sorry, but I just share stories...it is part of my life, part of my every day world.  Is what it is.

keep 'em coming jam-man  as i've said, it's always good to see our MU people doing well.  us "unwashed" love to hear this stuff.  actually, it humanizes them a little.  btw, the pic you sent me of you walking down the red carpet with kobe and charles at the espys was an "i'm not worthy" moment. kinda like the episode in the league where the "fear boner" evolved...i guess we could call this the "peer boner"  ey ey eyn'a?


hey w'joe-sent ya a pm

[Herman Cain]

Sorry, but I just share stories...it is part of my life, part of my every day world.  Is what it is.

Enjoy your stories . Keep them coming. Having traveled in similar circles I find them spot on. 

[avid1010]

Enjoy your stories . Keep them coming. Having traveled in similar circles I find them spot on.

This is the best post ever! 

[MUfan12]

Enjoy your stories . Keep them coming. Having traveled in similar circles I find them spot on.

Hermaloop!

[Cheeks]

Enjoy your stories . Keep them coming. Having traveled in similar circles I find them spot on.

Thanks.  And yes, they are....not sure why they wouldn't be as they are simply life stories of what happened.  It is a crazy industry of sports, that is for sure.

[Marqevans]

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.

Jim Chones sat behind me in Micro Economics with Mr. Chung.  This was no easy class. It was even more difficult with the heavy Asian accent.  A number of times I got the tap on the shoulder "Let me see your homework" which I gladly handed over.  Too bad he had to waste a year playing on the freshman team.

[MU62]

Clones got some kind of loan his junior year and lived in the Catholic Knights Tower on Wells.  A nun MU librarian lived there at the time and helped him find his dog that got loose.

[MU62]

Imagine a front wall of Chones, McNeil and Lucas!  It would have been nice. 

[WarriorDad]

Imagine a front wall of Chones, McNeil and Lucas!  It would have been nice.

Unstoppable

[Cheeks]

In case you haven't read this from Dodds site, more than 10 years ago, but some great comments from Chones.  He addresses if there were inducements to come play at MU, the game in South Carolina, the ABA, why he went to MU, etc.

https://247sports.com/college/marquette/Article/Celebrating-Alumni-Jim-Chones-104334451/

[Heisenberg]

Imagine a front wall of Chones, McNeil and Lucas!  It would have been nice.

Speaking of the late (great) Maurice Lucas (he died of bladder cancer in 2010).

In game two of the 1977 NBA finals, he had one of the great moments in NBA history when he fought Darryl Dawkins.



This video shows Dawkins body slamming Bobby Gross to the ground and the ref unbelievably called it a jump ball.  Gross then gave Dawkins the finger (goes by fast) and then all hell broke loose.  Mo Lucas jumped in to fight with the 6' 11' 300 pound Dawkins.  Portland was down 0-2 in the series at the time.  After Lucas took on Dawkins, he was a non-factor and Portland won the 1977 series.  Bill Walton was the MVP, it should have been Lucas.

Side note, I feel this board does not give Lucas enough love.  He was not just an MU great, he is one of the great players in the history of all basketball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izyLLQ-jduQ

[The Sultan]

I agree that Lucas is overlooked. Probably because he was only here two years. But one of the best overall all time? That's a little much.

BTW that fight with Dawkins was late in game 2 of the series. They ended up losing that game then winning four straight.

[4everwarriors]

Luke Walton is named after #20

[Herman Cain]

Luke Walton is named after #20

Lucas on the Mt Rushmore of MU Basketball

[Heisenberg]

I agree that Lucas is overlooked. Probably because he was only here two years. But one of the best overall all time? That's a little much.

BTW that fight with Dawkins was late in game 2 of the series. They ended up losing that game then winning four straight.

Al said it was Lucas that caused him to coin the term "Aircraft Carrier" and it was Lucas that was the prototype enforcer/power forward in the 1970s/1980s.

His #20 was retired by the Trailblazers and he was named to the all-time ABA team. 

He was an important player than transcended his stats and wins.  And it is a travesty every time we talk about the greatest MU players of all time that his name is not immediately mentioned. George Thompson is the other player that also does not get his due.

(Lucas played all forty minutes of the 1974 national championship game scoring 21 points and 13 rebounds.)

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

He was an important player than transcended his stats and wins.  And it is a travesty every time we talk about the greatest MU players of all time that his name is not immediately mentioned. George Thompson is the other player that also does not get his due.

I agree 100% on your thoughts about Lucas.  I don't get the perception of slights though.  I feel like Lucas is talked about in a positive way on here frequently.

[dgies9156]

Lucas on the Mt Rushmore of MU Basketball

If Lucas had not left in 1974, we probably would have been a strong contender for a repeat appearance in the NatChamp game. He was THAT good. Our starting line-up would have been Bo, Lucas, Earl Tatum, Butch Lee and Lloyd Walton. Lucas would have given us the inside presence to kick butt.

At one point, Marquette was prepared to go to court to get Luke back. After about a month, Lucas said "forget it" and went pro.

[Cheeks]

If Lucas had not left in 1974, we probably would have been a strong contender for a repeat appearance in the NatChamp game. He was THAT good. Our starting line-up would have been Bo, Lucas, Earl Tatum, Butch Lee and Lloyd Walton. Lucas would have given us the inside presence to kick butt.

At one point, Marquette was prepared to go to court to get Luke back. After about a month, Lucas said "forget it" and went pro.

Al didn't think he was ready, didn't think Lucas was that good.  Lucas was ready

http://archive.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/106646423.html

[79Warrior]

Al didn't think he was ready, didn't think Lucas was that good.  Lucas was ready

http://archive.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/106646423.html

Al was wrong.