Tweet
Dave has a nice article about Mitchell Anderson's basketball camp this year and a few memories of Dana Davis, who was always a big part of this camp. Dick Versace also spoke today.
-
-
Dick had a couple really interesting things to say..
- he told the story of how the Memphis Grizzlies actually got their start with three guys sitting around a table in a Peoria coffee shop!!
-he also told the story of how his team manager (Dana Davis) in 1980 was able to secure the use of a military tank & several assault rifles along with fatigues & even a BAZOOKA - to use as posing for the official team promo photo (that went on the Media guide cover and the handout poster)..that I still have today hanging in my "cave"...
showing all the players "Defending the Title" - a photo that was taken by photographer Ron Whittaker - long time BU fan & father-in-law now to Brian Shouse..
I can't imagine in today's 'atmosphere' we will ever see that kind of photo again...in fact any kid posing with such guns would get expelled!
-then he also called on BU to embrace & employ Mitchell Anderson in the Athletic Dept. if for no other reason than promotional - since JJ was dumped by the current Grizzlies management.
BTW - that photo is a classic - is there someone who can scan it & post it - I'd love to even use it for an avatar -
I thought it was interesting what DV said about JJ too in regards to BU...
At the end of the day though I don't know what JJ would do promotionally for BU.....the people that remember JJ are already going.....and the younger ones really don't care...Comment
-
Here it is-Originally posted by tornado View Post
Cover of the 1980-81 media guide:
Cropped photo of the team on the tank:
Comment
-
Originally posted by Da Coach View PostHere it is-
Cover of the 1980-81 media guide:
Cropped photo of the team on the tank:
Those are great pictures. Rather, that is a great picture.Comment
-
I like the fact they are all outfitted in military uniforms and helmets, and armed with rifles and bazookas, but they all still have their basketball shoes and socks on.
Comment
-
OK here goes - trying to identify those players......anyone who wants please correct if wrong...
(I do not have that issue available to me currently but I do have it at home in my basement if we can't get them all identified.)
Left to Right - not seated - Eddie Mathews, Hasan Houston, ?, David Thirdkill, Mitchell Anderson, Donald Reese, Bobby Ford, ? Jeff Robinson
Left to Right - seated - Barney Mines, Rick Malnati, Gus Mason
Standing - ?, Eric DuhartComment
-
Ah, the good ole days when the Braves had a press guide for the fans to purchase.What part of illegal don't you understand?Comment
-
The Press guide has a caption inside the front cover-Originally posted by tornado View Post
The cover of the 1980-81 Bradley Braves Press Guide shows the newest edition of Dick Versace's team ready to defend their hard earned Missouri Valley Conference title. The players are positioned on a Patton M48A5 holding M-16 rifles and rocket launchers provided by the Galesburg (IL) Army Reserves. The fatigues were provided by the East Peoria Recruiting Station.
It does not identify the individual players.
The roster included these 13 players-
11 Mitchell Anderson
15 Eric Duhart
42 Bobby Ford
24 Hasan Houston
21 Rick Malnati
10 Eddie Matthews
32 Gus Mason
40 Barney Mines
50 Donald Reese
34 Jeff Robinson
44 Larry Roby
53 Dan Secli
35 David Thirdkill
From the pictures in the Press Guide, the 11 players across the top of the tank (L to R) appear to be Barney Mines, Eddie Matthews, Hasan Houston, Dan Secli, Rick Malnati, David Thirdkill, Mitchell Anderson, Donald Reese, Bobby Ford, Larry Roby, & Gus Mason. The 2 players standing in front of the tank are Jeff Robinson and Eric Duhart.Comment
-
That was a good team. Whatever happened to Jeff Robinson? He was one of the team leaders toward the end of his Bradley careerComment
-
Roby & Secli had no stats that season so both must have been injured, redshirted or left the teamComment
-
Dan Secli was a talented 6'10" kid from Toronto that Dick Versace was very high on, and felt would be a good big man for Bradley. However, he tore up his knee in an early practice and never was able to recover well enough to play. The technology of knee reconstructions then was not like it is today. Most kids then were never able to compete again after such an injury.
I think with Roby it was academics.Comment
-
Remember the "GOOD OL DAYS" when a fan could purchase the "Media Guide".....I have this one and about 15 others....really miss getting then!Originally posted by Da Coach View PostHere it is-
Cover of the 1980-81 media guide:
Cropped photo of the team on the tank:
Comment
-
I ran across an interesting comment by Bruce Weber -- FWIW...
and it's interesting that I actually heard a somewhat similar statement from TWO of Bradley's previous head coaches....
"..somebody when I was at Illinois .. say the worst thing I did was win too quick
because now you raise the expectations,” Weber said.."
Weber had a great year in his first season at Kansas State - just as he had great success early on at Illinois (Final Four team) that "set the bar" too high
and led to later fan impatience & dissatisfaction and claims that he only won because he had BS's players...Comment
-
Yes, Jim Molinari said something very similar, and I believe most coaches think likewise. That was why he was happy to clean house of nearly all the talent that was here when he arrived. We see a similar phenomenon at Illinois State.Originally posted by tornado View PostComment
Comment