Gopher Basketball
-I became a Gopher in 1951, or 60 years ago. That in itself is an awesome honor. To be recognized for that is just an honor.
-No three point shot, no dunk. I don’t remember playing in a game that anyone would dunk. At one time, 6’6′ was tall”¦now you’ve got 6’9″ point guards
-African Americans weren’t getting the opportunities. Iowa had two, but that was about it.
-I would have loved to have been able to dribble like these guys do. At that time, you couldn’t do anything other than put your hand on the top of the ball
-Television has changed everything, because now everyone could watch, and now kids can watch any game they want
-We only had two coaches, now they’ve got six. Think of the intense training and things that they can do now
-I got to play at a great university with some great guys in a great conference. I got a great education. I can’t imagine my life being any better than after the decision I made in July of 1951.
-There was no march madness at the time
-We only got to play 21 games at that time. I could have played another 40 games as a Gopher!
-(On the 1955 tournament) Only 8 teams played in the NCAA tournament time. Iowa beat us by 1 point in 1955, and if we had won, we would have gone to the tournament. (Iowa went to the Final Four that year…Only conference champions went to the tournament at that time.)
-(On the Barn”¦)It’s the Barn! It doesn’t change. In 1955 when we played Iowa here, we had the biggest crowd to ever see a basketball game in the United States, before they build the Astrodome. (18,000+ were in the Barn, along with 4,500 watching the game in what’s now the Sports Pavilion watching on closed-circuit television.)
-(On himself) I was a lot like Devoe Joseph. I was the point guard, and I was always looking for a shot.
-On who were the toughest opponents he faced, Mencel said that Indiana was the toughest and best team that he played over the course of my four years. (Indiana won the NCAA Title in 1953, and went 17-1 in the Big Ten. Minnesota was the only team to beat them, downing them 65-63 on a last-second shot in the final Big Ten game of the year.) Kentucky came here his freshman year, and the Gophers beat them 61-57. (Kentucky had won the NCAA Championship at Williams Arena in March of 1951). Iowa in 1955 as well. (Iowa went to the Final Four in 1955)
-(On Tonight’s Game) We’re going to win!