Bob Dukiet dead at 61

[ecompt]

story doesn't say what the cause of death was.
R.I.P.

[ChicosBailBonds]

story doesn't say what the cause of death was.
R.I.P.

Wow, that's awfully young (almost the same age as my dad passing).  RIP.


http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090530/BASKETBALL03/905309962/-1/NEWS


He was there at MU for my first two years.

[77ncaachamps]

Did a search for more info...got this as a hit:

"Bob Dukiet was dismissed yesterday as Marquette University's coach after two consecutive losing seasons and several conflicts with players. Athletic Director Bill Cords said in a news release that Dukiet had been offered the position of assistant to the athletic director for the remaining three years of his contract.

Dukiet, who could not be reached for comment, is 41 years old and a former coach at St. Peter's. He was hired by Marquette in 1986. In three seasons, he compiled a 39-46 record, including 10-18 two years ago, the university's worst in 23 years. The Warriors were 13-15 this season.(AP)"

EDIT: Dukiet had five 20+ win seasons at Gannon (PA) after leaving MU. Interestingly, Rollie Massimino interviewed for his position after Dukiet was fired there.

[VegasWarrior77]

Time really does fly!  RIP Bob.

[MR.HAYWARD]

wow that is too bad.. iwas there for the "Bob Dukiet Farewell Tour"

[mviale]

RIP Bob Dukiet.  I lived through the 3 years and despite being painful, it was a blast.

[Knight Commission]

Attached is a piece about him from the NY Post. I recall they interviewed him when MU went to the Final 4. He was a great personality. I'd love to hear T Smith's or Joe Nethen's perspective.


http://www.nypost.com/seven/05312009/sports/moresports/piano_playing_coach_went_out_on_happy_no_171841.htm

[ecompt]

I covered him when he coached at St. Peter's. A very very nice guy but someone who was incredibly out of his league at MU. He recruited the same type of kids he did at St. Pete's and it just didn't work. The low points were when he brought the team back to NY and lost blowouts to Fordham and Iona.

[TVDirector]

RIP piano man.

I hear he retired to FL to pursue that passion in his life.

so sad to hear-

[MarquetteDano]

I still can remember him playing piano at McCormick for our floor.  Seemed to have a zest for life.  Too young to pass.

RIP

[tower912]

He was the coach during my final 2 years at MU.  Lots of energy and passion then.  It just didn't quite work out on the floor.   Go with God and rest in peace, coach. 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Glad to see that this board isn't taking potshots at Bob Dukiet after his passing. I'm sorry the same can't be said for the classy posters on the other board. Nothing like rehashing a man's shortcomings after he's dead. That sounds exactly what being a good Catholic is all about.

Having met him a couple times around campus, I found Dukiet to be a very friendly guy. I'm sorry to hear of his passing at such a relatively young age.

[77fan88warrior]

I can't believe this wasn't Crean's fault?

I still loved the guy for telling Digger to go f himself.

[GGGG]

Glad to see that this board isn't taking potshots at Bob Dukiet after his passing. I'm sorry the same can't be said for the classy posters on the other board. Nothing like rehashing a man's shortcomings after he's dead. That sounds exactly what being a good Catholic is all about.

Having met him a couple times around campus, I found Dukiet to be a very friendly guy. I'm sorry to hear of his passing at such a relatively young age.

The only shortcoming was that he was overmatched as a D1 coach.  He clearly was a very good small school coach, and I shared two conversations with him as a student that lead me to believe he was a quality individual.  (As opposed to his predecessor.) 

[Gsemler]

To all, please forgive me, but as a fellow Jesuit alumni i.e., Canisius College, please let me also share about Bob Dukiet.  I lived up the street from Bob Dukiet in Livingston, NJ.  He was a Parade HS All American, All State in basketball for NJ and excelled at baseball i.e., played that too at Boston College, and tennis.  He was one of the first of our towns notible athletes as all towns in America have.  He was very reserved and never called any undue attention to himself despite his success. 

Whitey was his nickname due to the blonde hair suffered from stomach cancer for over a year.  He also had diabetes.  Whitey was two years older than myself, but we both play b-ball for Livingston HS.  I scrimmaged a great deal against him as the practice was for our JV to scrimmage the varsity on a regular basis.  Later I played against him in college as my school Canisius College played Boston College.  But, this was after Bob Cousy who recruited Whitey had left after Whitey's sophomore year and also after Whitey had torn up his knee.  Canisius played at BC and we got the crap homed out of us.  They called 23 fouls against us to 3 against BC.  We didn't have a chance.  I was only a sophmore at the time and now Whitey was a senior at BC, but regulated to a non-starter role due to his injured knee.  We both got in the game at mop up time, myself at guard and Whitey at small forward.  I never got a chance to speak with him at the game, but sometimes that is how it goes.  I do remember as a senior in HS watching him drop 30 against Holy Cross on national television when he was a sophmore.  Holy Cross at the time was their arch rival.  This was back in the day when all of the powers or at least most of them played as independents.  A far simpler time then today.  As you have indicated his time at Marquette was less then desireable.  We all wish it could have been better.  But please let me share with you.  He was and always will be a first class guy.  Despite the setbacks at Marquette, I never ever read or head him badmouth the school or anyone connected with your fine university.  I would hope you all remember him for that.  He stood for the ideals and character you'd want you son to have as a person of success or role model.  You can't find fault with that.  61 years of age is too soon.  Also he departed from us almost as quietly as he lived amongst us.  All I can say growing up in the same neighborhood and having played against him in HS and in college, when he played, nobody played better.  I will retire from you board, because I don't belong here.  Marquette is first class in my book and always will be.  I'm glad just to be part of the Jesuit family of institutions.  I only ask that you remember Whitey as a class guy who wanted nothing but the best for your university. 

[GGGG]

Wow Gsemler...thank you so much for sharing your story.  A class act no doubt!

[Warriors4ever]

Thanks  for posting.  None of  us knew about the stomach cancer, as you say he left us quietly. I wondered what had happened. You are welcome on our board anytime. Condolences to you and all his friends.

[ChicosBailBonds]

To all, please forgive me, but as a fellow Jesuit alumni i.e., Canisius College, please let me also share about Bob Dukiet.  I lived up the street from Bob Dukiet in Livingston, NJ.  He was a Parade HS All American, All State in basketball for NJ and excelled at baseball i.e., played that too at Boston College, and tennis.  He was one of the first of our towns notible athletes as all towns in America have.  He was very reserved and never called any undue attention to himself despite his success. 

Whitey was his nickname due to the blonde hair suffered from stomach cancer for over a year.  He also had diabetes.  Whitey was two years older than myself, but we both play b-ball for Livingston HS.  I scrimmaged a great deal against him as the practice was for our JV to scrimmage the varsity on a regular basis.  Later I played against him in college as my school Canisius College played Boston College.  But, this was after Bob Cousy who recruited Whitey had left after Whitey's sophomore year and also after Whitey had torn up his knee.  Canisius played at BC and we got the crap homed out of us.  They called 23 fouls against us to 3 against BC.  We didn't have a chance.  I was only a sophmore at the time and now Whitey was a senior at BC, but regulated to a non-starter role due to his injured knee.  We both got in the game at mop up time, myself at guard and Whitey at small forward.  I never got a chance to speak with him at the game, but sometimes that is how it goes.  I do remember as a senior in HS watching him drop 30 against Holy Cross on national television when he was a sophmore.  Holy Cross at the time was their arch rival.  This was back in the day when all of the powers or at least most of them played as independents.  A far simpler time then today.  As you have indicated his time at Marquette was less then desireable.  We all wish it could have been better.  But please let me share with you.  He was and always will be a first class guy.  Despite the setbacks at Marquette, I never ever read or head him badmouth the school or anyone connected with your fine university.  I would hope you all remember him for that.  He stood for the ideals and character you'd want you son to have as a person of success or role model.  You can't find fault with that.  61 years of age is too soon.  Also he departed from us almost as quietly as he lived amongst us.  All I can say growing up in the same neighborhood and having played against him in HS and in college, when he played, nobody played better.  I will retire from you board, because I don't belong here.  Marquette is first class in my book and always will be.  I'm glad just to be part of the Jesuit family of institutions.  I only ask that you remember Whitey as a class guy who wanted nothing but the best for your university. 

Appreciate your insights.  I always cheer for Canisius, Fordham and the other Jesuit schools when I can.

J

[Avenue Commons]

Wow Gsemler...thank you so much for sharing your story.  A class act no doubt!

+1. RIP, Coach Dukiet.

[jt92]

Wasn't one of the resons he was hired was because his name rhymed with Marquette?  The guy was awful and set MU's basketball program back so far that we are lucky the program was able to recover.   It's sad that he died, but boy was he a horrible coach!

[GGGG]

Wasn't one of the resons he was hired was because his name rhymed with Marquette?  The guy was awful and set MU's basketball program back so far that we are lucky the program was able to recover.   It's sad that he died, but boy was he a horrible coach!

He wasn't the greatest of coaches, but a lot of Marquette's problems at the time were systemic.  The fact that we were soon headed to the MCC says a lot more about the state of Marquette basketball at the time than it does the coaching.

[augoman]

Wasn't one of the resons he was hired was because his name rhymed with Marquette?  The guy was awful and set MU's basketball program back so far that we are lucky the program was able to recover.   It's sad that he died, but boy was he a horrible coach!

Hardly the reason for the hire..., we had another coach hired after his surprising success in the NCAA's, and he was excited to come.  Apparently his existing contract had some strong exit prevention which his school decided to enforce- he then  held a presser wherein he (through his tears) stated he had decided to stay put.  As things would happen, Coach Dukiet was hired relatively late-season.
While he was not a strong recruiter, he was not a bad coach.  If you had been there, you would know this.  Further, he was not flamboyant, nor flip, and didn't fare well with the alumni or press.  That's why he failed at MU.

[GGGG]

Hardly the reason for the hire..., we had another coach hired after his surprising success in the NCAA's, and he was excited to come.  Apparently his existing contract had some strong exit prevention which his school decided to enforce- he then  held a presser wherein he (through his tears) stated he had decided to stay put.  

Who was that?

[4everwarriors]

Mike Newell from Arkansas-Little Rock.

[GGGG]

Mike Newell from Arkansas-Little Rock.

Thank you.  I didn't know that.  I do remember that Majerus left to join the Bucks pretty late in the year.  I believe it was summer already.

I just had to look up Mike Newell.  He looked like he was doing good things, but then left UALR to go to Lamar.  Strange career move.  He's now at Arkansas - Monticello.