The Cage

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InnervisionsUMASS
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The Cage

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Wed Jan 21, 2004 8:22 pm

does anyone else here think that if UMASS had a better tradition in basketball in the years that they played in the cage that the cage would be considered as one of those places that was just an awesome place to play a game? it seems to me based on what everyone always says about it that it would fall into that relm of areans.... any comments?

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Post by Wiggum » Wed Jan 21, 2004 8:24 pm

God bless you, son. God bless you.

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Feato
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Post by Feato » Wed Jan 21, 2004 8:42 pm

when it happened, the Mullins was being built...:(
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Post by JD » Wed Jan 21, 2004 9:18 pm

Feato:

If you think the Cage suddenly became an awsome place to play and watch a game as the Mullins Center was being built, you need a little history lesson.

Jack Leaman was, I believe, 217-126 during his 13 year career, and his teams dominated at home.

When I was at UMass in the mid to late 70's they went 80-30 (.727 winning percentage) and there was a line forming at noon of game days to make sure you got in. The place was wild and rockin (those were the days the drinking age was 18, to add to the atmosphere). Guys like Al Skinner, Billy Endicott, John Murphy, Mark Donoghue...

It was a major event and a lot of fun. They almost NEVER lost at home.

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Post by Swampy » Wed Jan 21, 2004 10:02 pm

Mike Pyatt, when you mention UMass hoops in the 70s don't ever forget to mention Mike Pyatt and Boo Eldridge!

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Scott O
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Post by Scott O » Wed Jan 21, 2004 10:03 pm

The Cage is to the Mullins Center as the Garden is to the Fleece Center.
Retarded artistically. Idiotic in other respects.

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Post by 78 » Wed Jan 21, 2004 10:08 pm

Don't forget Derrick Claiborne, Eldridge's backcourt mate. That 77-78 team was a pretty good one.
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Post by econalum » Wed Jan 21, 2004 10:40 pm

Cagers Unite!!!!! Pitino to Skinner. for the "slam layup". Jack leaman yelling at Murphy "My way, Murphy, My way." Long waits in the snow to see UMASS beat BC - first time I heard "Sucks" used in public, as in "BC Sucks", circa '74. Billy Endicott from the corner. Fun Fun Fun - stands rocking, ceiling dripping back onto you - cramming 5000 into a 3800 seat place. 5 or 6 hour waits in the snow - standard. Garden/Fleet center analogy is perfect.

And, ironically, UM beating UMAINE 107-37, I think in '75. I was afraid that a lesser coach than Martelli tonight would have kept in his A team and beaten us by 70.

it hurt a lot to see the team collapse in the '80's, and it hurts just as much now as they slide from 1990's gold. Remember they were one of the top 5 winning team in the 90's.

I cannot even imagine how Jack Leaman feels these days.
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Post by harbo » Wed Jan 21, 2004 11:01 pm

The 108-38 drubbing was Senior night for Skinner & Pitino in '74.

If you need a tough rebound, let me recommend Jim Town. For a smooth move to the basket I'll take Greg Duarte. For instant energy off the bench, call on Joe Artime.

Did you all have your 'usual spot' for the games? Mine was second or third row along the baseline near the UMass bench.

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Post by 78 » Wed Jan 21, 2004 11:03 pm

Jim Town -- another key cog on that 77-78 team.
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MikeUMA
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Post by MikeUMA » Thu Jan 22, 2004 1:11 am

Inner, you'll hear a lot of good stories from our successes in the 70s, but you won't hear as many of the lean years in the 80s before Cal got us on track. No one would have said then that it was an awesome place to play. The squirrels might have said it was a fun place to run around. It was the successes that made the building come alive.

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Post by econalum » Thu Jan 22, 2004 8:24 am

My girlfriend, now wife, and I sat with a bunch of Brooks House folks right at mid-court about 2/3 of the way up - if we got in line soon enough. My wife tutored Duarte - nice fellow. Town was a force at power forward, and had a nice turnaround jumper from the post, as did Murphy.
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Post by AlPatino » Thu Jan 22, 2004 8:33 am

econalum wrote:Cagers Unite!!!!! Pitino to Skinner. for the "slam layup". Jack leaman yelling at Murphy "My way, Murphy, My way." Long waits in the snow to see UMASS beat BC - first time I heard "Sucks" used in public, as in "BC Sucks", circa '74. Billy Endicott from the corner. Fun Fun Fun - stands rocking, ceiling dripping back onto you - cramming 5000 into a 3800 seat place. 5 or 6 hour waits in the snow - standard. Garden/Fleet center analogy is perfect.

And, ironically, UM beating UMAINE 107-37, I think in '75. I was afraid that a lesser coach than Martelli tonight would have kept in his A team and beaten us by 70.

it hurt a lot to see the team collapse in the '80's, and it hurts just as much now as they slide from 1990's gold. Remember they were one of the top 5 winning team in the 90's.

I cannot even imagine how Jack Leaman feels these days.
Econalum, You bring back lots of nice memories. Unfortunately like the economy, most sports teams pro or college go through cycles and we have just gone from a long recession into a depression. Let's hope those of us from that era get to see the upward swing again!

Go UMASS

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Post by nale » Thu Jan 22, 2004 9:43 am

Scott O wrote:The Cage is to the Mullins Center as the Garden is to the Fleece Center.
Exactly right Scott O.

Syracuse 1971 Erving was just amazing 36 points 32 Rebounds!!

The Cage was a great place to watch hoops between 1970-75 when I
was lucky enough to be there.
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Post by krkess » Thu Jan 22, 2004 9:58 am

MikeUMA wrote:No one would have said then that it was an awesome place to play.
I disagree with this part. The Cage still had several exciting games even in the lean years. There was one game in particular win against nationally ranked St Joe's in the 83-84 season that was a packed sellout that still ranks up there with me. I didn't become a basketball fan until I came to UMass and I wouldn't have become one if it hadn't had some exciting games at the Cage.
Another point is that 2500 fans in the Cage was a lot louder than 2500 in the Mullins. The best part was that 75% the pereimeter seats were only 10 feet from the floor.
Last edited by krkess on Thu Jan 22, 2004 10:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

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