starting lineup 77 ship

[dajudge]

Butch, Bo, Jerome, Jimmy Boylan and Bill Neary?
supposed to know this.  I was there.  but it was a long time ago!!

[4everwarriors]

Dat wuz it, hey?

[GooooMarquette]

Affirmative.

[94Warrior]

Butch, Bo, Jerome, Jimmy Boylan and Bill Neary?
supposed to know this.  I was there.  but it was a long time ago!!

Granted, this was a bit before my time, but McGuire was an absolute genius with the 4 corners in that game!
 
How does that starting lineup win a Natl Championship???  Jimmy Boylan and Bill Neary were just guys.  Jerome, solid, but unspectacular. 

I suppose if NC State could beat Phi Slamma Jamma, and Nova could beat the Hoyas in that generation...anything is possible.

[augoman]

oh man, you're wrong... Jerome had a long NBA career afterwards, and Boylan was a skilled transfer.  Neary was a perfect role player to fill the niche of garbage ball. And I mean that in a respectful way.

[Lennys Tap]

Granted, this was a bit before my time, but McGuire was an absolute genius with the 4 corners in that game!
 
How does that starting lineup win a Natl Championship???  Jimmy Boylan and Bill Neary were just guys.  Jerome, solid, but unspectacular. 

I suppose if NC State could beat Phi Slamma Jamma, and Nova could beat the Hoyas in that generation...anything is possible.

Bill Neary was just a guy, but by tournament time he was a starter in name only. Five star freshman Bernard Toone was playing the bulk of the minutes at SF. Jimmy Boylan was NOT just a guy. His first choice when he transferred from Assumption was N Carolina. Dean Smith (at that time) had his own rule against taking transfers but liked JB's game enough to recommend him to Al. He was at MU for two years, 60+ games -one a national championship, one a #2 ranking after the regular season - and was the starting PG for all of them. Whitehead was "solid" enough to play around a decade in the NBA. Bo and Butch were super studs. That team stumbled trying to deal with all the hoopla surrounding Al's retirement but played really well down the stretch and was awesome in the tournament. Not Al's best team but loaded nonetheless.

[94Warrior]

oh man, you're wrong... Jerome had a long NBA career afterwards, and Boylan was a skilled transfer.  Neary was a perfect role player to fill the niche of garbage ball. And I mean that in a respectful way.

You are probably right.  I have only viewed the semifinal and final games from that season. 

But, had we played Phil Ford and the Tarheels 10 times, how many times do we win that game?  2 or 3? 

[Lennys Tap]

But, had we played Phil Ford and the Tarheels 10 times, how many times do we win that game?  2 or 3?

Good question. I honestly think that by the end of the season we were the better team. In March, 1977 I think we win 7 of 10. In December or January they probably win 8 or 9 of 10.

[willie warrior]

Good question. I honestly think that by the end of the season we were the better team. In March, 1977 I think we win 7 of 10. In December or January they probably win 8 or 9 of 10.

Whatever critiques are out there on that team, they won it all, and that is the bottom line. Al was the man, and he had several great teams
Al really brought in huge talents during his tenure, and had a huge personality. MUs glory days, gone in the wink of an eye.

[4everwarriors]

I'm down with Augie, Lenny Man, and Warrior. End of discussion, aina?

[bilsu]

Good question. I honestly think that by the end of the season we were the better team. In March, 1977 I think we win 7 of 10. In December or January they probably win 8 or 9 of 10.

Dean Smith had a lot of great teams, but it took him almost to the end of his career to win an NCAA title.
I believe he retired as the all-time winningest coach with one NCAA tittle.

[Eye]

Two titles, 82 and 93.

[Nukem2]

I'm down with Augie, Lenny Man, and Warrior. End of discussion, aina?

Yup, that's the truth.

[Herman Cain]

I'm down with Augie, Lenny Man, and Warrior. End of discussion, aina?

I think one generally unrecognized element of the 76-77 squads success was that they played a strong schedule, including road games against very talented teams.  By the time MU got to the NCAA tournament the team was battled tested and ready.

MU had two All American players on the roster and the rest of the team embraced their roles to perfection. Net result National Championship.

[war1980rior]

I think (counting in my head) eight of them were also NBA draft picks.  That said, there were more rounds back then.  I can think of just Lee, Ellis, Whitehead and Toone that made rosters in the NBA, but most teams today (other than Blue Bloods) are not fortunate enough to have that much talent in one year.

Really a great team, and made me a fan for life!

[GooooMarquette]

Whatever critiques are out there on that team, they won it all, and that is the bottom line. Al was the man, and he had several great teams
Al really brought in huge talents during his tenure, and had a huge personality. MUs glory days, gone in the wink of an eye.

Agreed. The 1977 team may not have been Al's best, but they were damn good and finished it off, so they deserve their due. We also had legitimate Championship-caliber teams throughout most of the 70s, but most notably '71, '72 (until Chones left), '74 and '76. Any one of those teams could have taken it if the chips had fallen the right way.

I still occasionally think of the run we could have continued if Al had stayed and brought Chicago guys like Aguirre and Cummings and New York guys like the McCray brothers into the program.

[HouWarrior]

Sorry before I started a new thread topic when this should have gone here:

Typical AL:

I smiled when I ran across this old press photo for sale on ebay. It is an example why we old farts remain nostalgic for this guy's game antics.

During the 77 champ year, the great game coach Al McGuire apparently did not like the way a home game had started. So, of course,... he substituted for and pulled the entire starting five off the floor.

This picture shows the subdued starting 5 getting ready to sub back into the game.

Have we had a coach since then that ever did this?

[4everwarriors]

Nah, Al, above all else was a psychiatrist's psychiatrist and a motivator extraordinaire. He was so far ahead of his time, its scary, hey?

[Herman Cain]

Nah, Al, above all else was a psychiatrist's psychiatrist and a motivator extraordinaire. He was so far ahead of his time, its scary, hey?

Al used to kibitz with some of the opposing players during pregame drills and subtly get into their heads.