Time for a Dr. J Statue?

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UMass'96
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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by UMass'96 » Mon Jun 14, 2021 6:49 pm

PintOGuinness wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 5:02 pm Lets take a wild guess as to which sanctimonious, increasingly irrelevant, Boston sportswriter hates this idea:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/06/14/ ... ook-umass/
I can't believe that some of you pay a subscription for this fish wrapper....
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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by JoleonLescottsHair » Mon Jun 14, 2021 7:27 pm

If they are honoring Camby (which is perfectly fine) than there should be 5, and Lou Roe should be the 5th.

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by TruBluMaroon » Mon Jun 14, 2021 7:35 pm

^ And not Al Skinner?
Just curious, how many times did you see Al play?

Al had better career numbers in scoring, field goal percent, assists, Rebounding , too... Al’s lowest season average was higher than Lou’s career average.

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by tom mclaughlin » Mon Jun 14, 2021 8:15 pm

It would be nearly impossible to select that 5th person and Al Skinner was a great player as well as an outstanding human being but my feeling is the UMass Basketball program was built by hard working overachieving blue collar type players - players that played together and played the right way starting with tough defense and setting hard screens and running back on defense and boxing out and taking good shots. When teams came to Amherst they knew they were in for a battle. We were a blue collar lunch pail group of tough kids with a great fan base that came ready every game. That 5th statue needs to be a symbol for all those blue collar lunch pail guys who wore a UMass uniform and came thru the program the Jim Towns, John Murphys, Harper Williams, Will Hermdons, Chaz Williams, Billy Endicotts , Charlie Peters, Dana Dingles, Monty Macks, Tony Barbees and all those other overachievers that played with heart. To name a 5th guy is great but there are so many guys that played with pride to represent the University the right way. Today was a good day and I spoke to Rite Leaman and Pete Broaca and you could feel the appreciation in their voices. UMass did a good thing and in heaven Fr Quigley, Dick Bresciani. Jim Mulchaly, Ray Ellerbrook, Ray Wilson,John Murphy, Tommy Austin and Bob Powers are congratulating Jack Leaman on a well deserved honor. The old timers will know what I’m talking about because the fans as well as the players and coaches were always a family in the confines of the Old Cage with its dirt floor, ancient grey bleachers, pigeons and squirrels and glass ceiling that would leak water onto the floor and students with towels would dry up during time outs. Yes those were the days when blue collar kids accepted the drawbacks but they played with pride or Coach Leaman wouldn’t play them no matter how good they were. We were all equal and that’s why 50 years later we are still teammates and respect one another - we were all treated the same whether we were Julius, Al or the even the manager. We were proud to be on the UMass Basketball Team.
Last edited by tom mclaughlin on Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:23 am, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by UMassfan_19 » Mon Jun 14, 2021 8:25 pm

InnervisionsUMASS wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 2:23 pm
Quann wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 2:00 pm Great to see this getting done! Only complaint is this is before basketball season begins and it’s also the 20th anniversary of 9/11. I get it coincides with the hall of fame stuff but maybe there could have been a better date to unveil?

Nope. Football plays BC that day and the place will be packed because of it. Makes perfect sense to do it that day and maximize the crowd already in town. I'd say this also clinches that Cal and Camby will be in attendance, so factor in the scheduling associated with that (and likely Dr. J too).
Basketball team is getting inducted into hall as well plus Boston media because of BC

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by JoleonLescottsHair » Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:44 pm

TruBluMaroon wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 7:35 pm ^ And not Al Skinner?
Just curious, how many times did you see Al play?

Al had better career numbers in scoring, field goal percent, assists, Rebounding , too... Al’s lowest season average was higher than Lou’s career average.
None. I never saw Al Skinner play in person. What is your point? And, I never missed a game Lou played. Not one. I have no interest in comparing stats, but I will offer that Lou played on 4 NCAA teams. I respect Skinner to no end. Amazing part of our history. But my point remains.

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by SignMan » Mon Jun 14, 2021 11:05 pm

IMHO...

This is a time, a special time...
to honor the four recipients of these soon-to-be dedicated first UMass athletic statues.

It's not a time to start comparing others to them, them to others, as if this is a competition for more attention to a specific player, team manager, other person involved with UMass basketball history, or a group of players for various four-year time segments.

Coach Jack Leaman, Dr. J, Coach Cal, Marcus Camby.

May I suggest to the posters here...
reflect on what is important to you about these four UMass basketball greats. Post about them, just them...
what you remember the best about them...an experience, an observation or an interaction with them.

Tell us about a one-time best for you that reflects well on the quality, the character of these excellent people.


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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by inthescoop » Tue Jun 15, 2021 1:09 am

The 4 selected are the correct 4, no need to add a 5th.

Jack Leaman, Julius Erving, John Calipari, and Marcus Camby are the 4 individuals who gave UMass Basketball an identity; this is our Mount Rushmore.

I can’t wait to see the statues completed and presented, it will be a special day for all UMass folks.

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by capezona » Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:17 am

SignMan wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 11:05 pm IMHO...

This is a time, a special time...
to honor the four recipients of these soon-to-be dedicated first UMass athletic statues.

It's not a time to start comparing others to them, them to others, as if this is a competition for more attention to a specific player, team manager, other person involved with UMass basketball history, or a group of players for various four-year time segments.

Coach Jack Leaman, Dr. J, Coach Cal, Marcus Camby.

May I suggest to the posters here...
reflect on what is important to you about these four UMass basketball greats. Post about them, just them...
what you remember the best about them...an experience, an observation or an interaction with them.

Tell us about a one-time best for you that reflects well on the quality, the character of these excellent people.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UMass_Min ... basketball
Agree 100%.

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:20 am

We only needed 1, but we got 4 and we're still complaining? Yikes.


Also, I realized late yesterday that this isn't a bad look for UMass, it's a bad look for Shank. He continues to bang this drum every year and fewer and fewer people listen to him, ESPECIALLY the University itself. It must drive him insane knowing how irrelevant he is becoming.
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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by KahunaK » Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:40 am

Count me less than thrilled with four statues. The Dr. J statue is a must. He is an iconic figure in the sport of basketball- he changed how the game was played (similar to Bobby Orr's impact). Having three more statues lessens the importance of Dr. J's tribute. UMASS has the Leaman Court already and the Camby and Cal have their "numbers" retired. No disrespect to the other three but Dr. J is in a class of his own.

I think the right way to go would have been to have a Dr. J statue in front of the Mullins Center and busts of the other three inside. Then you could add more busts as time goes on including Skinner, Lou Roe and Jim McCoy as well as others.

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by Juice Stand » Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:54 am

Well, maybe the sculptor will see the light and make a "Thing-like" multi-player/coach statue that embodies all the greatness of each. We can dream, can't we?

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by UMassfan_19 » Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:55 am

KahunaK wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:40 am Count me less than thrilled with four statues. The Dr. J statue is a must. He is an iconic figure in the sport of basketball- he changed how the game was played (similar to Bobby Orr's impact). Having three more statues lessens the importance of Dr. J's tribute. UMASS has the Leaman Court already and the Camby and Cal have their "numbers" retired. No disrespect to the other three but Dr. J is in a class of his own.

I think the right way to go would have been to have a Dr. J statue in front of the Mullins Center and busts of the other three inside. Then you could add more busts as time goes on including Skinner, Lou Roe and Jim McCoy as well as others.
I expect it to be one big statue not 4 individual statues. Believe the goal is to honor the best 2 eras of Umass basketball with the coach and best player

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by Not Trigger » Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:04 am

One Calipari story that maybe few know but that speaks to the character of the man. During the Cal heydays, Milt Cole followed the program for the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Milt passed away during Cal's first year with the Nets. Cole's funeral occurred while Cal was on a West Coast swing between games. Cal took it upon himself to fly to Western Mass to attend the funeral, turned around and flew back to the West Coast in time to make his team's game the next day. Of course we'll never hear those stories from Shank or anyone else at the Globe. Coach Cal is and always has been a class act. Ask anyone of his previous players about the loyalty he has shown all of them throughout the years.

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Re: Time for a Dr. J Statue?

Post by tom mclaughlin » Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:44 am

I never told anyone this story but it again shows what type of person he is. The NE Basketball Hall of Fame was having an induction ceremony in Worcester and were honoring Coach Leaman teams and They called me and asked if I could contact Cal and get him to come. Of course they would pay for his travel, hotel and give him a few thousand to appear. I call John and he says “I will be there” and he doesn’t want a single thing. Now I have represented athletes and entertainers for over 20 years and this is the absolute 1st time someone hasn’t wanted or demanded something. I am floored and true to his word John shows up and the 1st words out of his mouth are “where is Rita Leaman I want to say hello.” Then after affectionately greeting Rita he turns to me and says “Tom can you take me over and meet all the guys Jack coached and tell me who each one is.”
To this day John is a friend and his loyalty to UMass is unmatched. His actions speak louder then words and in my book it’s an honor to call him a friend and UMass was lucky to have him coach there.

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