MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

Ralph Turner · March 22, 2006, 08:49:04 PM

Quote from: bluemom on March 21, 2006, 11:07:11 PM
Ralph, Warren...... the age of those of us who remember the SWC real days....basketball, what was that?

For me, it was SMU basketball and Doc Hayes whose career saw 299 victories in an era of no more than 25 games in the regular season and no post-season conference tourneys. SMU lost in the 1956 playoffs to Bill Russell and KC Jones on the U San Francisco team in the National Semis and then to Wilt Chamberlain at Kansas in the Midwest Regionals in 1957. Fast forward a decade to the 1967 team, SMU defeated Wes Unseld's Louisville team in the Midwest Regional Semi-Finals, only to lose to Elvin Hayes UHouston team in the Midwest Region Finals (Elite 8 in the 16-team format that was used then.)

Some say it was the bladder of a football after an Aggie-UT game! Cut the Arkansas connection, r u kidding!....... when Arkansas and Texas played whether it was in Fayetteville or Austin, commerce stopped completely in Arkansas. Not to date myself but I do recall the 14-13 1963 UT-UA game in Austin at nite (I think that was before television sports, but the radio did just fine!) Couple that with the 15-14 UT win at Fayetteville in 1969, and there were some good Arkansas games sprinkled in conference play. Being Baptist, and with Arkansas kin, it really stung when Baylor would get the best of the Hogs, but rather enjoyable the few times they stole one, (and probably only one) from Texas. (The 1974 Baylor game in which McMurry ex and Baylor Head Coach Grant Teaff motivated his team with the worm story!****)

One more radio football story...Kern Tips, the premier broadcaster on the Humble/Enco/Exxon Southwest Conference Radio Network. His mellifluous voice just painted word pictures that brought the game to life.

Since the bonfire problems at A & M, and a few swords drawn from the sabres while protecting the field at Aggieland---and the aftermath of those events, I wonder if the buildup for UT=A&M is filled with the intensity that it used to have? But here I go, in my rocking chair and afghan around my shoulders, thinking of ole' SWC football....... (and to tell the truth.....baseball in there a little too!)

But I do digress: THIS IS A BASKETBALL BOARD! I KNOW...I KNOW!

It would be a head-to-head race to determine the more obnoxious, provincial, opinionated fans: Texas Football or CCIW basketball.

**** I couldn't find a hyperlink to the true earthworm story. In the 1974 season, Baylor and Texas were playing for the Southwest Conference Championship. Coach Teaff was trying to motivate his players to give the extra sacrifice.

He told a story of 2 ice-fishermen. One guy wasn't catching anything. The other was pulling big ones out of the cold water.

The first guy asked him was he secret was...the lure, the reel, a special bait?

The second guy just smiled and said, "Just worms."

He reached into his mouth, pulled out a big worm, and said, "But you gotta keep your worms warm!"

Baylor defeated Texas and won the conference title for the first time in 50 years and their first appearnace ever in the Cotton Bowl.

Jim Matson · March 22, 2006, 09:54:24 PM

Other than what I've read about Zach Kelly and heard about a Texas kid that Wheaton is going after, I haven't much at all about recruiting. We'll probably start hearing more in late April/early May.

Greek Tragedy · March 22, 2006, 10:11:32 PM

Titan Q,

Any copies of the IWU/Lawrence game available?

bluemom · March 23, 2006, 04:49:22 AM

Ralph, some of the best SWC Cotton Bowls were with Notre Dame. I saw two of those myself. Texas, and the next year the rematch. One trivia question about the Cotton Bowl I can;t remember who: Was it Bama, A & M or Penn State that scored a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl off an on-side kick. No one even put a hand on the guy!

It is really too bad that the Cotton Bowl has been out of the BCS, not a sight for the National Championship! Probably the size of the stadium. I don't know. I will say this though. Got to see some great OU-UT games in Dallas. After it was a sell-out, a good five bucks would get you in, as long as you didn't sit down. When I was younger, you and your friend wore your red in and walked in next to one of the coaches with an OU hat...it was so crowded you could grab hold of the hand of one of the coaches, and asked him if you could walk in so you didn't get stepped on until you got to your dad.... You held on to the coach with one hand, and your girlfriend with the other......Got to see many a game on the field... You could do that then as long as you knew where the car was when the game was over..... When I tell stories like that now, my own kids say...sure......totally in disbelief...different world, different time......

Grant Teaff was a good man. In my young adult hood, He was Baylor football for me. A great speaker.

The years are catching up with me......this is not SWC basketball but the UCLA-Houston matchup....I can remember laying in bed on that night, and listening to that play by play.....we may have been poor, but that only added to the experience. Kids today wouldn't understand that...but radio back then, you could see everything that happened......

Whomever the announcer was had the ability to describe a play, and build it up, and have you screaming, what? what? and then he would stun you and bring you up to date! You felt like you were right there......

well, I won't bore you or any other young'um with such stories ..... still wish I had a pair of canvas basketball shoes! Got any laying around?

In the words of Bob Hope and I will bore people no more with such stories but Ralph, "Thanks for the memories!"

Gregory Sager · March 23, 2006, 07:38:49 AM

Quote from: augiedad on March 22, 2006, 08:18:16 PM
Anyone know where Hersey H.S. point-guard Sean Dwyer is going? I've seen him play quite a few games and I think he'd start for every CCIW team at the point next year, except maybe Augie which has a returning all-CCIW point, but he is way better than Wessels. I recently heard Scott Trost and IWU are all over him. Augie too. This kid is fantastic and would be a great D3 point-guard. Dwyer has outstanding grades I guess which would seem to favor Illinois Wesleyan.

According to the Daily Herald, DePauw is after Dwyer as well, and he's gotten some interest from D2 schools.

emeritusprof · March 23, 2006, 11:42:13 AM

Any significance to the fact three of the top five ranked D3 schools for difficulty of schedule are ELCA Lutheran?

LU_nut · March 23, 2006, 02:07:30 PM

augie dad

I saw Callahan from seneca play this past summer. He is absolutely the real deal. If he ends up in d3, he will dominate. I really think Seneca could have pushed for the large school title in Illinois this year.

playinghoopsisgame · March 23, 2006, 06:39:29 PM

i too have seen Sean Dwyer play and his is the toughest pure point guard i have seen and would be a perfect fit for any D3 program especially in the CCIW because they play hard. Whatever school he chooses, that school will benefit from not only his play but his ability to pull in those that do not want to buy into a program....i would say that he is better than alot of the D1 guard recuits at his size

augiedogie · March 23, 2006, 10:39:40 PM

emeritusprof:

I think you are mistaken about no Big 10 teams left in either the NCAA tournament or NIT.

Michigan is in the quater finals of the NIT after a come from behind 2OT victory over ND Tuesday night.

Mr. Ypsi · March 23, 2006, 10:45:41 PM

Quote from: augiedogie on March 23, 2006, 10:39:40 PM
emeritusprof:

I think you are mistaken about no Big 10 teams left in either the NCAA tournament or NIT.

Michigan is in the quater finals of the NIT after a come from behind 2OT victory over ND Tuesday night.

And now in the Final Four after downing Miami (FL).

augiedogie · March 23, 2006, 10:59:35 PM

Thanks Mr. Ypsi:

I accidently said quater finals eventhough I knew there were 4 teams left. Hopefully Michigan will win.

Jim Matson · March 23, 2006, 11:04:59 PM

Looks like they could have used some D3 players in the Memphis/Bradley game tonight - these guys can't shoot an FT to save their life.

Gregory Sager · March 24, 2006, 01:11:08 AM

Quote from: emeritusprof on March 23, 2006, 11:42:13 AM
Any significance to the fact three of the top five ranked D3 schools for difficulty of schedule are ELCA Lutheran?

Yes, I believe that there is a thesis in the Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord (1577) that requires all faithful Lutherans to schedule as many difficult basketball games as possible.

Quote from: playinghoopsisgame on March 23, 2006, 06:39:29 PMi would say that he is better than alot of the D1 guard recuits at his size

Dwyer's listed at 5'11", so there aren't a lot of D1 recruits that are his size.

emeritusprof · March 24, 2006, 05:00:33 AM

Worm diets do strange things to those Lutherans.

emeritusprof · March 24, 2006, 05:05:35 AM

Sorry about having missed Michigan's win over ND a couple days back. Small consolation, but at least one Big Ten team managed to stay alive, albeit an NIT survivor.

News in the Twin Cities following the Cinci loss had Dan Monson being fired with the Univ of Minn picking up almost $1.5 million to see him go. Front page on the StarTribune.

As it turns out, it appears he stays. Quite a media frenzy for a couple days.