Most Off Beat incident/Event/Aspect in the Annals of Marquette Basketball

[warthog-driver]

Lenny and I have mentioned some colorful stories from MU's BB past, especially under Al. I know there are lots of stories in this naked city. I was overseas, pre-internet, for the Joe Nethen era. There must be a lot from Rick's Reign.

MU has one of the most fascinating histories. We were the Raiders before there was Raider Nation! It would be great to collect then archive that glorious past.

[warthog-driver]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1085704/1/index.htm


It was a game made not so much in heaven as in an emerald corner of hell; the coaches mean and hungry, the combatants bred on asphalt playgrounds and nurtured in the slinky, scar-tissue ways of the sport. All of the Irish gags were trotted out. The game should be played behind barbed wire somewhere in the shadows of Ulster. Sean O'Casey would throw up the first ball. Everyone would wear green, and how was the closed-circuit crowd in Belfast taking it, anyway?

But when the jokes and psychology were over, after the deception and the guile, it was time for the McGuires of college basketball to get right down there into the pit and slug it out in that fashion familiar only to alley fighters.

Along the sidelines it was as Frank, the older and perhaps wiser of the McGuires, had said it would be: "The shanty Irish against the lace-curtain crowd." When Al heard that, he roared. "Lace!" he said. "We lived in the back of a bar where drunks interrupted dinner looking for the men's room."

Whatever the case, when Marquette met South Carolina high atop the national standings, it was more than just the personalities of the coaches dominating the scene. It was, instead, everything that makes the college game bristle—region against region, style against style, speed against power and, yes, black against white.

[dgies9156]

Most of these are well-known but I will offer them anyway:

1) Al celebrating a win over Wisconsin in front of Old Man Hughes, who flipped him off.
2) Al taking on the NCAA in March 1977 after a narrow win against Cincinnati or Kansas State.
3) Al's two technicals in the Marquette/North Carolina State National Championship game in 1974.
4) Al responding to being called "son" by Adolph Rupp by calling Rupp "pops," demanding to be put in Rupp's will then storming off a live television show and going out and kicking Kentucky back to Lexington in 1968.
5) The South Carolina fight -- the moment that made Marquette the tough, nasty school it was.
6) Al telling Father Raynor at contract time, "you took the vow of poverty, Father... I didn't."
7) Buzz dancing at mid-court against West Virginia after beating the Huggie Bear.
8) Digger slipping Al a package of mustard when they shook hands (or vice versa).

The South Carolina fight was a fascinating game. Al's teams didn't take crap off of anyone and South Carolina was no exception. We were watching the game on a Sunday afternoon when my refined, elegant Mother called us all to dinner. The TV came in with us in one of the few times she allowed a television in HER dining room. Then the fight broke out and Mom was horrified. Dad and I were cheering on our guys as the fight broke out. After all, they were our guys and OUR Marquette -- even though I wasn't going to show up on campus for a couple of years.

The double technical fouls were probably the only time in NCAA Tournament history a coach ever had two technical fouls in the same game! Al's were seconds apart and there are some that think that might have cost us our first national title. But Al was Al and you rode the horse that got you there... oh and BTW, we lost because David Thompson was the first incaration of Michael Jordan.

I can only imagine what would happen on these boards if Buzz got two technical fouls in 30 seconds. For shame, for shame, for shame.... it'scarey what some of the folks here today would say. The good news -- I would love it, especially if Marquette ended up winning!!!!!

[Lennys Tap]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1085704/1/index.htm


It was a game made not so much in heaven as in an emerald corner of hell; the coaches mean and hungry, the combatants bred on asphalt playgrounds and nurtured in the slinky, scar-tissue ways of the sport. All of the Irish gags were trotted out. The game should be played behind barbed wire somewhere in the shadows of Ulster. Sean O'Casey would throw up the first ball. Everyone would wear green, and how was the closed-circuit crowd in Belfast taking it, anyway?

But when the jokes and psychology were over, after the deception and the guile, it was time for the McGuires of college basketball to get right down there into the pit and slug it out in that fashion familiar only to alley fighters.

Along the sidelines it was as Frank, the older and perhaps wiser of the McGuires, had said it would be: "The shanty Irish against the lace-curtain crowd." When Al heard that, he roared. "Lace!" he said. "We lived in the back of a bar where drunks interrupted dinner looking for the men's room."

Whatever the case, when Marquette met South Carolina high atop the national standings, it was more than just the personalities of the coaches dominating the scene. It was, instead, everything that makes the college game bristle—region against region, style against style, speed against power and, yes, black against white.

Terrific article from the pen of the legendary Curry Kirpatrick. SI was the undisputed champ of national sports media back then. The magazine hit the newstands (or arrived at your home) on Thursday and covered the top stories from the previous weekend - a day greatly anticipated from Sunday on by sports crazies like myself.

[Jim Sawdust]

5.1) After Pat Smith was ejected from a 1968 contest, DePaul coach Ray Meyer said Marquette had lost a player who "couldn't throw a ball in the ocean if he were standing on the beach." Al got a photographer to show Pat aiming a ball toward Lake Michigan. Al stands just to the north, pointing to the water. The picture is in Pat's 2007 obituary: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/29259894.html

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

What was the story with the Soviet game? Didn't we play them soon after we lost the Olympics, and beat them? 72 or something?

[MUMac]

NCAA changing rules due to MU.  Two with uniforms, one with the tournament.  First, the bumblee uniforms were outlawed, next the untucked uniforms became illegal and finally MU rejecting a bid to the NCAA Tournament to play in (and win) the NIT.

[bilsu]

I think somebody on Notre Dame's team gave the packet of musturd Gary "Goose" Brell. It may have been all the Notre Dame starters giving it to the MU starters when they shook hands. I did not think it was coach giving it to coach, but I could be wrong.

[warriorchick]

What was the story with the Soviet game? Didn't we play them soon after we lost the Olympics, and beat them? 72 or something?

I have always heard this game was the very first Midnight Madness.  It was at Midnight on Nov. 1 and all the kids wore their Halloween costumes to the game.

[Jim Sawdust]

6.1) I forget the date, but not the moment. Travis Diener had a one-and-one for which he was the only person who was truly ready. He missed the first, and the instant after it was clear that the other players were exhaling and turning their heads side-to-side, while the referees waited for the band to resume playing, he took one quick step, put the ball up and signalled to the table to "score it." The refs and opposing players dropped their jaws. I laughed and applauded for the next minute.

[real chili 83]

Is anyone aware of any video from the USC game?

[tower912]

Al fighting Bernard Toone?    My two favorite Al stories are  1. Giving the figurative finger to the NCAA and going to the NIT because he didn't like his regional.  2.    Throwing the game on the overseas trip because he feared for the safety of his team. 

[WI inferiority Complexes]

The brother of a Providence player calling a 20-second timeout before he walked from the stands onto the court to protest a call.

[Bocephys]

The brother of a Providence player calling a 20-second timeout before he walked from the stands onto the court to protest a call.

While wearing a fur lined parka

[warriorchick]

Most of these are well-known but I will offer them anyway:

1) Al celebrating a win over Wisconsin in front of Old Man Hughes, who flipped him off.
2) Al taking on the NCAA in March 1977 after a narrow win against Cincinnati or Kansas State.
3) Al's two technicals in the Marquette/North Carolina State National Championship game in 1974.
4) Al responding to being called "son" by Adolph Rupp by calling Rupp "pops," demanding to be put in Rupp's will then storming off a live television show and going out and kicking Kentucky back to Lexington in 1968.
5) The South Carolina fight -- the moment that made Marquette the tough, nasty school it was.
6) Al telling Father Raynor at contract time, "you took the vow of poverty, Father... I didn't."
7) Buzz dancing at mid-court against West Virginia after beating the Huggie Bear.
8) Digger slipping Al a package of mustard when they shook hands (or vice versa).

I only know it from legend, but wasn't there a time when MU was playing DePaul in the Snake Pit and he was so disgusted by the Warriors' play that he walked off the court and through the doors that were behind one of the baskets?  I am sure y'all can embellish.

[Norm]

7) Buzz dancing at mid-court against West Virginia after beating the Huggie Bear.

Buzz's little jig at WVU was nothing compared to Mike Deane's fist pump at center court at Louisville after Brian Wardle drained a 3 at the buzzer to beat the Cardinals. Louisville fans booed him all the way to the locker room and an assistant coach got into a screaming match just off the floor with a LU fan.

[Goose]

The game against the Soviets was one of my favorites. Game was played at midnight, because preseason games could not start until certain date and only way it could happen was a midnight start. I was in grade school and remember how drunk every student was and knew that day I was going to MU. Al invented midnight madness but never got the credit due.

[Marqevans]

Al calling a time out so Larry McNeil could go up into the stands to stop a fight between his wife and a fan who was heckling Larry.

[Goose]

Remember Larry leaving after his wife's fight with a great leather overcoat over his uniform. It was a great day to be Warrior fan.

[jsglow]

The game against the Soviets was one of my favorites. Game was played at midnight, because preseason games could not start until certain date and only way it could happen was a midnight start. I was in grade school and remember how drunk every student was and knew that day I was going to MU. Al invented midnight madness but never got the credit due.

The game was played on 11/1/76 at 12:01 am.  The background story is that the dreaded Soviet team was beginning a post-Olympic North American tour of 4-6 big time college programs.  The tight schedule called for them to open the series against MU on Halloween night but by NCAA rules MU was prohibited from playing until November, hence the midnight start 'the next day'.  I was 15 years old and in attendance with my late father, himself a '57 grad.  At the other end of the Milwaukee Arena, thousands of MU kids were in costume, having spent the entire evening pre-gaming.  It was a sight to behold.  I know current university administrators who were part of that throng but will protect their anonymity now that they are Dr. WhatsTheirName.

At that moment, I KNEW where I was going to school.  The image remains crystal clear.

And MU won that not so friendly exhibition and went on to capture the national championship later that season.  And the first ever Midnight Madness had occurred thanks to Coach Al.

[jsglow]

Al calling a time out so Larry McNeil could go up into the stands to stop a fight between his wife and a fan who was heckling Larry.

Another absolutely true story.

[Goose]

Jsglow
Thanks for adding to the Soviet game. I was 13 at the time and never will forget that memory. I remember being a small time celebrity in my 7th grade glass at St. Jude for being at that game. Best part was St. Jude was big time MU school and I was only kid from my grade at the game.

[jsglow]

Jsglow
Thanks for adding to the Soviet game. I was 13 at the time and never will forget that memory. I remember being a small time celebrity in my 7th grade glass at St. Jude for being at that game. Best part was St. Jude was big time MU school and I was only kid from my grade at the game.

Way past my bedtime too.  Wish I could thank dad for scoring us 2 tickets.  Don't specifically recall but I'll bet he took me to Chili too.

[Lennys Tap]

Way past my bedtime too.  Wish I could thank dad for scoring us 2 tickets.  Don't specifically recall but I'll bet he took me to Chili too.

Sounds like a great Dad with impeccable taste.

[jsglow]

I only know it from legend, but wasn't there a time when MU was playing DePaul in the Snake Pit and he was so disgusted by the Warriors' play that he walked off the court and through the doors that were behind one of the baskets?  I am sure y'all can embellish.

Took place at old Alumni Hall.  Al walked out past his entire bench with about 2 minutes to go in the half to the absolute shock of all in attendance, including the MU players then in the game.  They had played poorly up to that point and Coach decided to wait for them in the locker room.  During the second half our Warriors answered any questions about which team was superior.  Can't peg an exact year but it was the early 70s.