Bazz basketball hero?

[Scot-e]

I was thinking of my all time favorite UCONN players and I keep going back to Bazz.

Not only did he bring home an unprecedented NC victory- he called out the NCAA on the biggest stage- with the president of the NCAA standing right next to him. I think I cheered nearly as loud when he did that as I did when we won the NC.

I am routing for him big time in the NBA and think all college basketball fans should be grateful he had the testies to say what he did.

 

[AtlantaHusky]

Shouldn't the post be titled "Bazzketball hero?"

 

[mauconnfan]

Tony Hanson

 

[amory]

I love Bazz but my favorite will always be the dude in my avatar.

 

[CL82]

Tough to argue with either choice or with Ray, Rip, Khalid, etc.

 

[chapwilvaug72]

yard should start taking donations for monument of BAZZ to be put outside gampel: this dude is beyond belief clutch, ray ray is not able to carry bazz clg gym bag, rray ray never came close in clg to what bazz did (only problem is would the bazz statue be 5-10 or 5-11 or 6-0 or 6-1?}

 

[uconnfan68]

Shouldn't the post be titled "Bazzketball hero?"

Shabazzketballs

 

[jleves]

I was thinking of my all time favorite UCONN players and I keep going back to Bazz.

Not only did he bring home an unprecedented NC victory- he called out the NCAA on the biggest stage- with the president of the NCAA standing right next to him. I think I cheered nearly as loud when he did that as I did when we won the NC.

I am routing for him big time in the NBA and think all college basketball fans should be grateful he had the testies to say what he did.

Based on the draft game we played (poorly) earlier in the year, it seems most people would take Kemba before Bazz as their starting PG and most people game Kemba more weight in determining outcome as well. But it's like deciding between a Corvette ZR1 or Porsche 911 Turbo. Both world class cars in terms of performance, but the Porsche is just a little more refined.

However you have to give Bazz extra points for staying with the program when he could have bailed twice - once for not being eligible for the tourny then coming back when he could have been drafted possibly in the first round. He's a huge part of the reason that UConn has remained relevant after a crumby break in conference realignment. He's made it so that even though we're stuck in the AAC for the foreseeable future, it's not as bad as it could have been. I think he also made UConn's brand a little more likely to hopefully get into a P5 conference. Football drives the bus, but having multiple Men's and Women's National Championships in basketball helps tip our value and maybe drags the football team kicking and screaming into a new conference. It certainly can't hurt and it would be a lot worse if not for Napier.

If we get into a P5 conference in the next couple years, you can thank Calhoun for making us a national power, Ollie for keeping us there and Napier more than any for not letting us slide into oblivion.

 

[intlzncster]

yard should start taking donations for monument of BAZZ to be put outside gampel: this dude is beyond belief clutch, ray ray is not able to carry bazz clg gym bag, rray ray never came close in clg to what bazz did (only problem is would the bazz statue be 5-10 or 5-11 or 6-0 or 6-1?}

Huh? Ray played in a much more difficult MCBB environment imo, against better players. And this was UCONN pre championships. The program was still learning how to win.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Huh? Ray played in a much more difficult MCBB environment imo, against better players. And this was UCONN pre championships. The program was still learning how to win.

But he had better talent to play with. Time will tell with the '14 team and how they pan out, but right now all three of Ray's team's arguably had more talent than the 2014 team, although I would take the top 3 players on 2014 (Bazz, Boat, and DeAndre) over the top 3 players on the '96 team, primarily because I think DeAndre is a good deal better than any forward on that team.

 

[intlzncster]

But he had better talent to play with. Time will tell with the '14 team and how they pan out, but right now all three of Ray's team's arguably had more talent than the 2014 team, although I would take the top 3 players on 2014 (Bazz, Boat, and DeAndre) over the top 3 players on the '96 team, primarily because I think DeAndre is a good deal better than any forward on that team.

Yes, but I think it's much harder to judge guys before JC and the program got over the hump, than it is after. UCONN is expected to do damage in the NCAA's these days. They "couldn't win the big one" in 1996.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Yes, but I think it's much harder to judge guys before JC and the program got over the hump, than it is after. UCONN is expected to do damage in the NCAA's these days. They "couldn't win the big one" in 1996.

I think that's mostly just BS that only fans and sportswriters care about. I don't think the players really care. It's the NCAA tournament, there's pressure on everyone no matter what.

 

[breezy]

My faith in Bazz's ability to will our team to win is the most "religious" inclination I've had in my adult life. He's absolutely not the best basketball player to come through here but he's a hero.

 

[Palatine]

Love Bazz too.

But....actually...bringing home a national championship to Storrs is not unprecedented

 

[Scot-e]

Calling out the NCAA with their yard gnome president standing next to him is though.

 

[Kitaman]

I was thinking of my all time favorite UCONN players and I keep going back to Bazz.

Not only did he bring home an unprecedented NC victory- he called out the NCAA on the biggest stage- with the president of the NCAA standing right next to him. I think I cheered nearly as loud when he did that as I did when we won the NC.

I am routing for him big time in the NBA and think all college basketball fans should be grateful he had the testies to say what he did.

I think you have to add that he stayed for 4 years in spite of the mess we were in. He turned lemons into lemonade and 'worked' himself into a first team AA player. It was his team and he willed marginal but good players into Champions. Yes the same could be said of Kemba but who expected it to be duplicated so soon, and under so much uncertainty (e.g. transfers, head coaching change, post season bans, conference changes, and NBA declarations). Oh and most importantly he graduated on time and helped changed the food program for college athletes.

I'm sure it wasn't easy, especially for a college kid.

Not sure anyone else could have accomplished sailing our boat through this recent terrible storm. Hell he may have extended his legacy if he helped recruit Jalen (i.e. Boston link) and of course schooled Boat effectively.

Major props to the two time Champion Bazz Man!

 

[James]

For some reason I favor kemba . The guy had this aura( still does in the league ) . He influenced bazz a lot .

 

[Scot-e]

Not a comparison - just a thread that gives props to Bazz. Kemba is Kemba. Bazz is Bazz.