Statue Dedication

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tom mclaughlin
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Statue Dedication

Post by tom mclaughlin » Wed Sep 08, 2021 1:27 pm

Friday is a big day for the UMass Basketball Program and it’s a day that means a lot to so many people. It’s a day where we’re
honoring great men who were all proud to be such a big part of UMass athletics. Guys who gave blood, sweat and tears and left
everything out on the floor and provided us with some great memories that carry on for a life time. Like the time Julius Erving had 36 points and 32 rebounds vs a nationally ranked Syracuse team and the jammed pack crowd in the Cage sang Happy Birthday, or the time Jack Leaman took his 12 win in a row team with Al Skinner, Charlie Peters, Tommy Austin, John Murphy, Peter Trow, Jimmy Burke, Billy Endicott, Rick Pitino and others into Madison Square Garden and beat a nationally #12 ranked (24 - 4) Missouri team, or the time a young John Calipari got the better of legendary Temple coach John Chaney and beat Temple and Coach Chaney went nuts or the time Marcus Camby led a great UMass team to beat Tim Duncan and Wake Forest in a sold out Mullins Center and go on to beat teams like North Carolina.
The older players from those 70’s team keep in constant contact and we are all part of one another’s lives and we care deeply not only about one another but our University UMass. Like I told Charlie Peters and Peter Trow every team needs a Rick Vogeley. Rick is one of a kind and he will be front and center telling endless stories. He is guaranteed to even get some funny shots in on Julius Erving. It was a special place and Jack Leaman and his staff of Ray Wilson and Peter Broaca worked 24/7 building a team that could not only take on Providence, BC, UConn, Syracuse, Penn and URI but beat them regularly. Those traditional New England powers didn’t know what to do when all of sudden UMass had guys like Julius Erving and Al Skinner that were better then their best players. Jack Leaman had an uphill battle but he was up to the task. Friday is a well deserved day for Jack Leaman and more importantly for Rita and Laurie who helped build the program.
In speaking to Peter Trow today he thanked me for always being loyal to UMass and remembering all the players. Yes we need to remember all those blue collar guys like Ray Ellerbrook RIP, John Murphy RIP, Tommy Austin RIP, Alex Eldridge RIP, Mike Flanagan RIP and all the others that put on a UMass uniform proudly and gave it everything they had and to all the fans that packed the Cage night in night out in all kinds of weather and stood out in the bitter cold to cheers us on. You made playing in the Cage a tremendous experience. We were a no frills program and had some really tough guys who loved to compete. Looking back all these years later I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I look at it from a different angle because I transferred in from a nationally ranked Tennessee basketball team and truth be told playing in the Cage before 5,000 screaming fans beat Tennessee’s 15,000 fans any day of the week.
Peter Trow also pointed out to me some historical facts that made me think wow we had some good teams. Of the 6 top teams in UMass Basketball History Jack Leaman in the 70’s coached 3 of them and in the 90’s John Calipari 3 of them. The thing about Jack’s teams were they all shot over 50 percent from the field and 80 percent from the line. Also we would regularly have several games where we would score over 100. In essence, we played together and we took high percentage shots. Even Julius Erving played team basketball and ran set plays every time down the court. You did it that way or you didn’t play - it was that simple.
So congratulations to Jack Leaman and especially Rita and Laurie and to Julius Erving a tremendous human being and a life long friend and to Marcus Camby for taking UMass with some great teammates to new heights and to John Calipari for always being loyal to UMass and showing us that UMass can be big time. UMass has a great basketball history made by kids who were just happy to play the game they love in front of the best fans in New England and there is nothing that can compare to a packed Cage on a cold February night. Friday is a great day for our University - it didn’t just happen - four totally dedicated men went out and earned it - they gave their hearts and souls for Mass Basketball. Friday is a day to be proud of our great basketball history!

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InnervisionsUMASS
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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Wed Sep 08, 2021 1:47 pm

Looking forward to it!
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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by tdmass » Wed Sep 08, 2021 2:30 pm

^^ Very well said Tom. It made me appreciate UMass basketball again when you tracked back to the "good old days" and then to onto the Cal years and that unbelievable run to the '96 Final Four and all those great times . . . Thank You Tom!

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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by 69MG » Wed Sep 08, 2021 3:18 pm

Can't wait. Just saw this tweet from a UK radio personality. Gotta love Cal:
Vaughts' Views
@vaughtsviews
·
25m
John Calipari on UMass unveiling statue of him Friday: "It's kind of neat. I tried to get (my wife) Ellen to come. She says, 'I see you enough. I'm not looking at you in a statue.' So, she's not going to go, I don't think."

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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by Steve81 » Wed Sep 08, 2021 4:12 pm

This is great!! :D
Go UMass!!

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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by MikeUMA » Thu Sep 09, 2021 3:41 pm

tom mclaughlin wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 1:27 pm Friday is a big day for the UMass Basketball Program and it’s a day that means a lot to so many people...
You always lead the league in quality posts. Thanks for contributing.

Are you going tomorrow? I'd love to say hello if you have a free moment.

tom mclaughlin
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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by tom mclaughlin » Thu Sep 09, 2021 3:49 pm

Yes I’m going with my wife Debbie who I met @ UMass. I have organized a lunch with 10 former players and we will be going over together for the ceremony. I would love to meet you and I’ll be easy to find I’ll be one of the old guys hanging near Julius Erving. Once you play @ UMass you are teammates for life.it’s a tribute to Julius that 10 of his teammates from 50 years ago will be there coming from all over. UMass was good to all of us and we care about the university.

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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by Floyd » Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:39 pm

Tom, I love your posts about those old UMass teams and your love for Coach Leaman and the university is unbelieveable. As a student when you came back to coach, I got hooked on UMass basketball and never looked back. As a kid, I lived next to John Murphy, so when you speak so highly of him, it all sounds like a big huge family. The Doctor has always been my #1 athlete, and to think he also roamed the campus that I did, is almost surreal. I still have that Converse poster of "The Doctor" that I had in my dorm room, and its on my home office wall. As much as I'd love to be there tomorrow, I'd probably shit myself if I was to meet or shake the guys hand. And the fact that he still loves UMass is fantastic

Everyone in attendance, enjoy the day. I hope they video the events and post so we can all view it
Time to Win

tom mclaughlin
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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by tom mclaughlin » Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:58 pm

Thanks for being a fan through both the good and bad years. The Murphy’s and the great people of Clinton are dear to my heart. Spent time there running in the John Murphy Road Race and also brought the Patriot players to Clinton for a charity basketball game. I had agreed to pay the Patriot players for appearing and after the game they were so touched by the outpouring of love by the town of Clinton they refused any money and even took time to go to the local bar and have a drink. Steve Nelson was the guy who handed me the money back.
The Murphy’s are an incredible family and I’m proud to say I played with John Murphy. God took him way too early and May he RIP! He is one of the guys back in the 70’s that helped build the program. He would have loved being part of tomorrow. If you’re unable to attend here’s what I just texted Billy Endicott - I texted him in honor of Jack Leaman have a jelly donut. There is a funny story behind that - Billy was being recruited by Georgia and was leaning that way - Jack calls and says meet with me tomorrow morning at a donut shop in Somerville to talk - Billy told me Jack is having a cup of coffee and a jelly donut and the bill comes and Jack had forgotten his wallet. Here is Billy then having to pull $10 from his own pocket and pay. Billy said this was Jack and he felt sorry for him and ultimately decided on UMass. You gotta love that Coach Leaman was just so real. May he RIP!

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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by Floyd » Thu Sep 09, 2021 5:14 pm

Wow, I was at that Patriots fundraiser basketball game with my father, that was great.

No shortage of bars in Clinton to have a drink :)

Great stories Tom, thanks again.
Enjoy the day
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tom mclaughlin
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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by tom mclaughlin » Thu Sep 09, 2021 5:21 pm

Here’s another good one. Well we’re at this local bar If I recall it was something like Augie’s. I had about 10 Patriot player’s there and Steve Nelson gets up and leaves in his pick up truck. Next day he told me that he’s pulling away and about 3 blocks down he sees the flashing police lights behind him. He’s in a panic and imaging his picture on the front page of the papers. Two officers come up to the truck and start laughing - they were intentionally pranking him. They all had a good laugh and sent a relieved Steve Nelson on his merry way.

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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by Floyd » Thu Sep 09, 2021 5:32 pm

Angie's Pub

I was just a little kid, but I can remember thinking what great athletes these football players are. They were great, they all hung around for autographs and talked to everyone. Wow, that was a long time ago
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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by 69MG » Thu Sep 09, 2021 5:35 pm

tom mclaughlin wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 3:49 pm Yes I’m going with my wife Debbie who I met @ UMass. I have organized a lunch with 10 former players and we will be going over together for the ceremony. I would love to meet you and I’ll be easy to find I’ll be one of the old guys hanging near Julius Erving. Once you play @ UMass you are teammates for life.it’s a tribute to Julius that 10 of his teammates from 50 years ago will be there coming from all over. UMass was good to all of us and we care about the university.
Tom, I was a senior when Julius was a freshman and I was one of many who stood out in the rain to make sure I could get a seat. It will be such a thrill to finally get to meet him tomorrow. When I think if his career at UMass, I always wondered what his career stats would have been if:

1. Freshman were able to play on the varsity at that time
2. Dunking was allowed

He had an amazing career with two rules going against him. I'll try to find you tomorrow and say hello.

tom mclaughlin
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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by tom mclaughlin » Thu Sep 09, 2021 6:13 pm

Please do say hello. We are all UMass people and we need to stick together. When I transferred I looked at BC and UConn but when I visited UMass I spent time with Julius, Rick Vogeley and Jack Leaman and it was a simple choice after that. Then I met Debbie diving after a loose ball in the jammed packed Cage and 4 kids and 10 grandkids later
I couldn’t be happier. UMass will always be a special place and the fans made it so special - standing in line for hours in snow. sleet and the cold rain. All these years later I know all the 70’s players appreciate it and point to our years together with utmost PRIDE. Julius was a once in a generation player and he played in the Cage and we all
Got to see him grow. He is as genuine now as when he graced our campus.
The sad thing and I told Julius this on our last Zoom
Call why did he leave and if he stayed with he and Al Skinner we would have had the best and most athletic duo in the entire NCAA field. Oh what could have been!
Last edited by tom mclaughlin on Thu Sep 09, 2021 6:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Statue Dedication

Post by Floyd » Thu Sep 09, 2021 6:30 pm

Just like Cal, I'm sure the offer was just too much to turn down. I never got the hard feelings people had towards Calipari when he left for NJ. Life altering money and a chance at the highest level. Great for him is what I say. After what he did here, how can you harbor any bad feelings for him taking that opportunity. The way he continually mentions UMass, Amherst, Coach Leaman is testament to his love for the place. I'm just grateful that I was a UMass fan and got to witness that meteoric rise of the program, and attend games to see Marcus, Lou, Dingle, Bright and the rest and thats some stuff I'll never forget. It was freakin EPIC!

Great day tomorrow for the legacy these 4 have created for everyone UMass!
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