Jerseys Retired

[martyconlonontherun]

Different situation, in engineering you'd likely be replaceable and the job wouldn't wait.  In basketball the draft was still going to be there at the end of the year and he had an opportunity to up his stock in the draft. 

Ill give you that the engineer is more replaceable but you honestly think he could've raise his stock? He was a dominant 20/10 guy leading a 21-0 team. Not sure how it could have gone higher. I could be wrong but I assume he was a second round pick in the NBA since he was already under contract with an aba team.

[dgies9156]

LOL

I don't begrudge a guy for doing what he has to do, but let's not get carried away here. He left for big bucks, plain and simple. It might have been the right decision for him, but let's not act like he was taking up a cross or something by leaving MU.

I was referring to Al in encouraging Mr. Chones to take the money.

Look, we were on track for a national title. Mr. Chones was an integral part of that effort and our team was, before Mr. Chones departed, probably the best team we ever had.

Al could have told Mr. Chones to stick around and win a national title. But the reality was that Al looked out for his players first. If Mr. Chones had been injured playing for Marquette, he would have lost it all and God knows what would have happened. Al did the right thing, sacrificing Marquette's interest for those of the player.

That said, Jimmy Chones deserves to be in the ring of honor for the impact he had on marquette while he was here

[martyconlonontherun]

It's probably easier to do the right thing when you know it's gonna happen anyways. I having a feeling Al knew Chones was leaving either way and was smart enough to encourage him instead of being bitter.

[Brewtown Andy]

The ABA's draft was in February. They reportedly offered Chones $1.5 million over 5 years.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19720218&id=HjYdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mCgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7042,4771038

[Galway Eagle]

Ill give you that the engineer is more replaceable but you honestly think he could've raise his stock? He was a dominant 20/10 guy leading a 21-0 team. Not sure how it could have gone higher. I could be wrong but I assume he was a second round pick in the NBA since he was already under contract with an aba team.

Yes I do, but I wasn't around back then so I mean that whole ABA team angle could be true I don't really know. 

[jsglow]

The ABA's draft was in February. They reportedly offered Chones $1.5 million over 5 years.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19720218&id=HjYdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mCgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7042,4771038

Thanks for digging that up.  Great article.  Chones had no real choice as he and his family were quite poor.  My personal memory is that Coach Al was fully supportive of the decision.  I'd personally support retiring his number.  He just might be the greatest player in MU's history

[swoopem]

What number was he?

[dgies9156]

Thanks for digging that up.  Great article.  Chones had no real choice as he and his family were quite poor.  My personal memory is that Coach Al was fully supportive of the decision.  I'd personally support retiring his number.  He just might be the greatest player in MU's history

Excellent article. Should also note that Chones didn't try to hide what he was doing, like Howard Porter at Villanova did the year prior. The guy was a stud!

Retire the guy's number -- NOW!!!!!

Say hi to Warriorchick!

[martyconlonontherun]

Yes I do, but I wasn't around back then so I mean that whole ABA team angle could be true I don't really know.  

Well, you should click on the link. It said the NYK were looking to get the number 1 spot in the NBA draft to pick him but failed. It also said he wanted to play in the NY area it was less likely he would've ever played with Portland or Cleveland, especially after signing a 3-year deal (which shows his stock would've been as the top pick). And finally, it said it was a take it or leave it offer so he most likely would've ended up in the less desirable Portland. It turns out the Nets thought he was replaceable. Which goes back to my point, should college student give up his dream job to finish the season?

[leever]

He just might be the greatest player in MU's history

All due respect to Jimmy Chones, who had a great Marquette career and a fairly good ABA/NBA career as well, but he was NOT the greatest player in MU's history.  Top 5 for sure, not the greatest. 

[Brewtown Andy]

What number was he?

22. He was the choice to represent the bumblebee unis when MU put out the throwback uni T shirts recently.

[Galway Eagle]

Well, you should click on the link. It said the NYK were looking to get the number 1 spot in the NBA draft to pick him but failed. It also said he wanted to play in the NY area it was less likely he would've ever played with Portland or Cleveland, especially after signing a 3-year deal (which shows his stock would've been as the top pick). And finally, it said it was a take it or leave it offer so he most likely would've ended up in the less desirable Portland. It turns out the Nets thought he was replaceable. Which goes back to my point, should college student give up his dream job to finish the season?

Which link? A few have been posted because I don't know why but for whatever reason I'm not following your post.  I will say this though if you're going to be a pro I don't feel like it should be up to coming out of college to play where you want and because he was picky he left a team that he was irreplaceable for. 

[GGGG]

Which link? A few have been posted because I don't know why but for whatever reason I'm not following your post.  I will say this though if you're going to be a pro I don't feel like it should be up to coming out of college to play where you want and because he was picky he left a team that he was irreplaceable for. 

There has been one link posted in this thread and it links to an old Milwaukee Journal article that talks about why he chose to leave.

[Brewtown Andy]

Which link? A few have been posted because I don't know why but for whatever reason I'm not following your post.  I will say this though if you're going to be a pro I don't feel like it should be up to coming out of college to play where you want and because he was picky he left a team that he was irreplaceable for.  

I think they were referring to my Google archive link to a column from the Milwaukee Journal.

Chones was offered a $1.5 million contract in 1972. He took it because his family needed the money at Al's insistence. If the ABA draft had been in April, he would have stayed in school. End of story.

[Galway Eagle]

There has been one link posted in this thread and it links to an old Milwaukee Journal article that talks about why he chose to leave.

Found it.  Very interesting. 

[martyconlonontherun]

Which link? A few have been posted because I don't know why but for whatever reason I'm not following your post.  I will say this though if you're going to be a pro I don't feel like it should be up to coming out of college to play where you want and because he was picky he left a team that he was irreplaceable for. 

Chones was "picky" because only a few teams were stable enough to get him money right away. He got close to a million cash, which is life-changing for a poor-black family of 6 with no dad alive to earn income.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19720218&id=trkqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h2YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1661,1131919

It wasn't a loophole where he bullied his way on one team over another. You are having a real hard time understanding the market back then. There were two leagues that year and they were competing within the same market. All the players made choices on what league they wanted to play in. The teams also were very flaky and short on cash. You wanted to make sure you were on a stable team. It's not like today where there is one league with a firm CBA that highly compensates draft picks and organizes contracts to allow players freedom. It was a lot more of a free-for-all back then and a lot of players got screwed.

If you have your dream job in your dream city and it is best for you and your family, you take it. Why should athletes be held to a higher standard because we want them to stay selfishly? I was in many different clubs where friends were elected officers and expected to play a huge role in the organization that abruptly resigned due to job offers or internships.  We all wished them luck and understood getting the job was more important than anything you did in college. Yeah MU basketball is important, but if a player has a better opportunity for a better life, best of luck.

Unless I'm mistaken, but his record was 49-1 at Marquette? That's crazy.

[Marqevans]

All due respect to Jimmy Chones, who had a great Marquette career and a fairly good ABA/NBA career as well, but he was NOT the greatest player in MU's history.  Top 5 for sure, not the greatest. 

He easily could have been had he stayed another year. he effectively only played less than 2 years on the varsity.

[martyconlonontherun]

He easily could have been had he stayed another year. he effectively only played less than 2 years on the varsity.

Not to mention the seasons were shorter. Less than 30 compared to 35 lately. If he had played three full seasons, he probably would be sitting number 1 on points.

[dgies9156]

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this discussion is the passion that Mr. Chones' leaving still has after 40 years. I was in high school at the time in the southeast and the Chones departure was a shockwave through college basketball. There was a lot of anger among the faithful because most of us believed we had a really, really strong chance of winning the national title. I'm actually shocked that after 40 years, the anger is still there!

Less avid fans were looking forward to the down-the-road, titanic match-up between Marquette and UCLA in the NCAA tournament.
 
It didn't help any that we were undefeated that year at the time Mr. Chones left. The following Saturday we played Detroit and lost 70-49. We had a good team, but losing Mr. Chones cut out our heart and soul.

I think it is time to let go. Mr. Chones was among our great ballplayers and he's a great representative for what Marquette stands for. It's time to honor him, precisely because of the emotion that this name brings. The emotion is a sign of what he stood for at Marquette.

We might want to think about honoring Jerome Whitehead while we're at it!

[6746jonesr]

Jim Chones did return to MU to earn his degree, but long after his playing days were over. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Jim Chones did return to MU to earn his degree, but long after his playing days were over. 

Correct.  His family is doing well.  I still talk to Kareeda once in a blue moon via Facebook.  Great lady and a solid player in her own right for the Lady Warriors back in the day.

[Marqevans]

Jim Chones did return to MU to earn his degree, but long after his playing days were over. 

Doesn't surprise me.  He sat right behind me in Micro-Economics.  Not exactly an easy course while you are playing basketball on the number 2 team in the nation.

[dgies9156]

Doesn't surprise me.  He sat right behind me in Micro-Economics.  Not exactly an easy course while you are playing basketball on the number 2 team in the nation.

In those days, Marquette was very proud of its "right of return." The university was committed to doing all it possibly could to help its basketball players get degrees. Some, like Mr. Chones, got them years later, but they got 'em.

In the Al era, I think there was only one or two players that never got their degrees. If there is a testament to Al and what Marquette stood for in our days, that was it! We didn't need an NCAA edict to tell us what was the right thing to do.

[MerrittsMustache]

Marquette needs higher standards for jersey retirement.

Retire a player's number only if...
1. He is a Consensus First Team All-American or National POY*
2. He completes his degree.


Honor# a player's number if...
1. He is a Consensus Second or Third Team All-American
or
2. Conference POY
or
3. Consensus First Team All-American or National POY who has not yet completed his degree^


* - NPOY should be 1st team but you never know
# - include his number on a banner with other honored numbers
^ - allows some wiggle room to include Wade on a banner

[Bocephys]

Marquette needs higher standards for jersey retirement.

Retire a player's number only if...
1. He is a Consensus First Team All-American or National POY*
2. He completes his degree.


Honor# a player's number if...
1. He is a Consensus Second or Third Team All-American
or
2. Conference POY
or
3. Consensus First Team All-American or National POY who has not yet completed his degree^


* - NPOY should be 1st team but you never know
# - include his number on a banner with other honored numbers
^ - allows some wiggle room to include Wade on a banner

Awww, how cute that you think academics should matter.