ESPN.com and Bruiser

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chapter 11
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ESPN.com and Bruiser

Post by chapter 11 » Tue Oct 05, 2004 6:31 pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/s ... id=1895556


I realize some might be a bit ticked off with another Bruiser thread and
I know he is but a memory, but in all fairness the article is connected to UMASS Hoops and contains much references to our University. Besides I still wish him success and will always recognize his contributions to the tradition of UMASS b-ball.

BTW, Andy Katz who I believe is an alum does not exactly gush over our program.

Edit: Sorry, not an alum. Proof that you can't always believe what you hear.
Last edited by chapter 11 on Wed Oct 06, 2004 8:48 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Old Cage » Tue Oct 05, 2004 7:03 pm

11 - Thank you. Nice find. Bruiser was an integral part of our fantasy years and will always be "family".

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Post by DrG » Tue Oct 05, 2004 8:03 pm

I don't believe Andy Katz is an alum, but it was a very nice piece about a class guy.

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Post by MikeUMA » Tue Oct 05, 2004 9:03 pm

This Katz paragraph is great...
Flint is one of the "good guys" in the business. He is a bit wacky on the sidelines, sometimes standing inside the strip of court between the 3-point line and the sideline so much that during one game at the Palestra, a player had to run behind him, using him as a pick.

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Post by Dewey » Tue Oct 05, 2004 9:23 pm

Katz is not an alum.

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Post by Feato » Tue Oct 05, 2004 9:39 pm

still imho one of the coolest guys I've ever talked to...takes everything in stride...and definitely has a voice suitable for the headset when he decides to leave the sidelines.
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Post by Used to be VOR » Tue Oct 05, 2004 9:57 pm

Feato wrote:still imho one of the coolest guys I've ever talked to...takes everything in stride...and definitely has a voice suitable for the headset when he decides to leave the sidelines.
Are you talking about Bruiser's voice????

I love the guy, he was always very nice to me. But his voice on a good day sounds like he is gargling gravel. His personality would be great on TV, but his voice might be a little challenging.

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Post by Rocks22 » Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:01 pm

Two words:

Johnny Most

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Post by Feato » Wed Oct 06, 2004 5:07 am

^^bingo
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Post by Used to be VOR » Wed Oct 06, 2004 7:31 am

Rocks22 wrote:Two words:

Johnny Most
Very true...I almost forgot about Most. I could see that.

I always felt Bad fpr Bru after games. It sounded like it actually was painful for him to talk after 2 hours of yelling on the sidelines. I would love to see him come back to UMass someday a la Coach Leaman, but I think he prefers Philly.

Plus I think he has a lot of coaching years still a head of him.

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Post by Swampy » Wed Oct 06, 2004 9:13 am

You sir are SUCH a fraud! The only thing worse than having YOU try to spit out a compliment for Flint would be your buddy Voxy doing it!

Let's be honest, you didn't "almost" forget Johnny Most, he NEVER entered your mind. And, you NEVER truly "felt bad" for Bru after ANY game. You wanted his arse out of town for the better part of three years. You were simply looking for ANYTHING to pick at in this story.

"I would love to see him come back to UMass someday a la Coach Leaman"
Yeah, as long as he was NEVER on the sidelines again, right?

"Plus I think he has a lot of coaching years still a head of him."

No shite Sherlock. Much to the chagrin of you and Voxy!

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Post by Used to be VOR » Wed Oct 06, 2004 9:23 am

Wow, time to take the prozak.

I freely admit I thought it was time for Bru to move on when he did. However, if facing a choice between Bru and what eventually happened with Lappas I would take Bru every time. My opinion about Bru leaving had nothing to do with him personally. I still had Final Four dreams in my eyes. As Andy Katz put it in his article, Bru was in a "can't win" position when he took over for Cal.

I had the chance to work with Bru on several occasions, and I always liked and respected him. Never in all my years posting on this board have I ever said anything bad about Bru as a person. I simply hoped for better results as a coach. In hindsight I would have been thrilled to have Bru's results over the last few years as compared to Lappas.

As far as the Johnny Most comment goes, I never thought of most because I never listened to him. I never listened to Celtics games on the radio. So, if you are trying to imply some "larger" reason for the omisssion than you are wrong and irresponsible.

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Post by Swampy » Wed Oct 06, 2004 10:05 am

Thanks for clearing that up for me so quickly. Quite a change from what I was used to seeing you post when he was coaching here. Now I guess I should wait for your buddy Voxy to plead his innocence too.

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Post by philosopher » Wed Oct 06, 2004 10:37 am

Any comparison of Bruiser to Most is inconsiderate to Bruiser. Bruiser has class, is well-mannered, and is more about his team than self promotion. All antithetical to my former neighbor in Natick.

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Post by Used to be VOR » Wed Oct 06, 2004 10:47 am

Swampy wrote:Thanks for clearing that up for me so quickly. Quite a change from what I was used to seeing you post when he was coaching here. Now I guess I should wait for your buddy Voxy to plead his innocence too.
You can insinuate all you want. I was very critical of Bruiser's coaching at many points. I never denied that. I also do not deny I wanted him gone. In hindsight, with Lappas as the other option, that was a bad choice as of right now.

I never was critical of Bru as a person or in any other aspect of his life. I do not know him enough to comment on anything other than my few work interactions with him, and his coaching.

I stand by what I said, and I am happy to admit my mistakes.

As I said earlier, I wish him well and I am happy he is doing well back in his home. As it turns out with his father, maybe it was for the best he was back in Philly so he could be there for his Dad.

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