How long have you been a UCMBB fan? | Page 4 | The Boneyard

How long have you been a UCMBB fan?

How long have you been a UCMBB fan?

  • Pre-Perno

    Votes: 65 31.4%

  • Since the Perno era

    Votes: 43 20.8%

  • Since Calhoun came aboard

    Votes: 59 28.5%

  • Since we became a national power

    Votes: 35 16.9%

  • Recently (Ollie era)

    Votes: 5 2.4%
  • Total voters
    207
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shakes65 said:
Started to listen to Floyd Richards and George Ehrlich in late 50s when I was in high school in Poughkeepsie. Huskies featured Jack Rose, Al Cooper, Wayne Davis, John Pipczynski, Pete Kelly, Joe Uhl, Rollie Sheldon, Bob Countryman, et al. Consistently won the YanCon and was solid across the schedule.

Arrived at Uconn in 1960 with Dom Perno, Ed Slomcenski, Al Ritter and Billy Della Sala. Great years followed and I stayed through June '65 to watch my fellow Poughkeepsian, the late Wonderful Wes Bialoksunia, Toby Kimball, Spider Hesford, Billy Holowaty, Ronnie Ritter, PJ Curran, Dickie Thompson and Tommy Penders.

Last game I saw as a student was 67-61 loss to third-ranked St. Joe's in NCAA regional game in Palestra which was St. Joe's home court. Made no difference back then. Had them at the half, but Matty Guokas and Cliff Anderson were too much in second half. Toby pulled down 29 REBOUNDS and 21 points, but Wes was tied up pretty well by Guokas and only scored 13 points.

Year before Perno stole ball from Bill Bradley and we knocked off Princeton in second round of NCAAs, only to fall to powerful Dukw squad in Raleigh. UConn showed both games at Jorgenson Auditorium on big screen. This team was not nearly as strong as 64-65 squad, but had best NCAA run until 1990s.

Still going strong as big fan in Schenectady where I proudly wear my blue/white colors in a sea of Orange. Remain hopeful that present team will develop in California and Maui. Team needs to play aggresively, but stay loose and gain its confidence. And somewhere, there have to be some outside shooters, and REBOUND. And, I will be at MSG on December 5.
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If you are from the Capital District during those days do your remember a player on Troy H.S. Named Roosevelt Phillips, same years that Lew Alcindor played on Power Memorial?
 
Late 70's for me...started in maybe 78-79? McKay, Bailey, Corny, Chuck A....those guys. Used to watch on TV (when televised) and also went to several of the Civic Center games with my dad. We lived in Manchester.
 
I was 6 during the 1989-90 season so wasn't really a fan yet -- I was aware of the team and the top players, and even met Tate George at an event in Willimantic after the season ended. Didn't see the shot vs Clemson in real time, but wore out my dad's Huskymania VHS tape a few years later when I started following the team. The first season I really got obsessed was 1994-95.
 
Started paying attention in the year of the NIT championship. First game was against Syracuse in 1988. Tie game with 8 seconds left. Jeff King can't get the ball in bounds, and throws it up for grabs. Steven Thompson intercepts and gets a breakaway dunk to win the game. I was 11.
 
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Fun to see the poll numbers change. Looks like Pre-Perno is in the lead right now.
 
1967...I clearly remember my dad taking me to the old Fieldhouse to see the 14th ranked University of Hawaii Rainbows. They had really cool uniforms. My serious fandom started in the Corny Thompson/Mike Mckay era.
 
UConnFranklin said:
I've been a UConn basketball fan since I can remember. My father and I used to sit at the kitchen table and listen to games on WTIC. He would keep score, marking rebounds and points scored by individual players. The coach was Hugh Greer. I remember Toby Kimball, Ed Slomshinski (sp), Spider Hesford, Dom Perno and of course the greatest UConn shooter of all time, Wes Bialisuknia (sp). I remember the sad death of Hugh Greer and the transfer of coaching to Fred Shabels. Wonderful memories. UConn is in my blood. I'll never leave them.
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Wasn't there a player during the Wes B years that was even better but got hurt? I am think he was a year or two older?
 
Sky ball said:
1967...I clearly remember my dad taking me to the old Fieldhouse to see the 14th ranked University of Hawaii Rainbows. They had really cool uniforms. My serious fandom started in the Corny Thompson/Mike Mckay era.
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Hey Sky
I was there too and all the students were talking about the uniforms and "how cool and far out" they were
My father thought they were hideous
 
1966 left NHS and Calvin Murphy moved to UConn in Storrs. Original plan was one year at UConn then to Air Force Academy for which I had a congressional appt. But things were pretty political then, I became educated, changed my world view and decided to remain at UConn, graduating in Spring of 1971.
 
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Started listening and going to games when I was in high school, 1963-65. Loved listening to WTIC but it was like fingernails on a chalkboard whenever George Erlick (SP) referred to the team as "the UConn's" instead of "the Huskies"
 
Sky ball said:
Wasn't there a player during the Wes B years that was even better but got hurt? I am think he was a year or two older?
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Billy Holowaty was an outstanding player as a freshman, but suffered a serious knee injury before his sophomore year and did not play until junior year. It seemed he never regained his form and while he played two years and contributed, he was not able to achieve the stardom he seemed destined for as a frosh. And, yes, many thought he was a better player as a frosh than Wonderful Wes.
 
jdb50 said:
My Dad brought me to the New Hampshire game in 67 for my first live game when Wes hit for 42. Had big dreams about being nationally relevant in hoops some day which was nice to see happen. Sometimes one step forward, two steps back but we got there. The day JC took the job is still one of the greatest in Husky history.
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Wow, pretty sure that was my first game also!
 
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75-76, just before end of the Dee Rowe era. Many games at the Fieldhouse watching Hanson, Wheldon, Thomas & Co.
 
Sky ball said:
Wasn't there a player during the Wes B years that was even better but got hurt? I am think he was a year or two older?
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Toby Kimball and Wes B usually get mentioned in the same breath. My parents were at UConn then and they always mention both at the same time. Toby was older by 2-3 years.
 
Sky ball said:
Wasn't there a player during the Wes B years that was even better but got hurt? I am think he was a year or two older?
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As Shakes and Hoopbound said, Toby Kimball and Bill Holowaty were the two that came to my mind. But Kimball never really got hurt so I think you're referring to Holowaty. Toby Kimball and Ed Slomcenski were the "big" inside presence for UConn. I believe Kimball was only 6'8" and went on to a fairly long and successful NBA career primarily as a back up center while Slomcenski at 6' 10" never really had an NBA career. Along with these three I believe Perno and Hesford made up the remainder to the starting five that beat Princeton with Bill Bradley to move into the Regional Finals against a Duke team that blew them out. But it was a quality team. Just didn't have enough firepower for really good Duke team.
 
UConnFranklin said:
As Shakes and Hoopbound said, Toby Kimball and Bill Holowaty were the two that came to my mind. But Kimball never really got hurt so I think you're referring to Holowaty. Toby Kimball and Ed Slomcenski were the "big" inside presence for UConn. I believe Kimball was only 6'8" and went on to a fairly long and successful NBA career primarily as a back up center while Slomcenski at 6' 10" never really had an NBA career. Along with these three I believe Perno and Hesford made up the remainder to the starting five that beat Princeton with Bill Bradley to move into the Regional Finals against a Duke team that blew them out. But it was a quality team. Just didn't have enough firepower for really good Duke team.
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Oops, I forgot to add the great Wes Bialiasuknia, "the Poughkeepsie Popper" to the starting five (six). A layup to Wes was a shot from the top of the key. I remember listening on WTIC as he played Maine and scored 52points. The second he stepped over the half court line he could stop and pop. Usually making the shot. If he had the advantage of a 3 point line he could have scored 75 to 80 points.
 
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jdb50 said:
My Dad brought me to the New Hampshire game in 67 for my first live game when Wes hit for 42. Had big dreams about being nationally relevant in hoops some day which was nice to see happen. Sometimes one step forward, two steps back but we got there. The day JC took the job is still one of the greatest in Husky history.
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Hey jdb 50. Did you see my earlier post? That was my first game also! I think I could tell you the numbers worn by every player since 1963. I have lived and died with every game since then. The most emotional moment I have had after a game was after beating Gonzaga in 1999 to make the final 4. I cried like a baby.
 
UConnFranklin said:
Oops, I forgot to add the great Wes Bialiasuknia, "the Poughkeepsie Popper" to the starting five (six). A layup to Wes was a shot from the top of the key. I remember listening on WTIC as he played Maine and scored 52points. The second he stepped over the half court line he could stop and pop. Usually making the shot. If he had the advantage of a 3 point line he could have scored 75 to 80 points.
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Bialosknia's career high was 50. Only lasted 1 year as the all time single game record only to be broken by Bill Corley's 51. Was I ever ticked about that!
 
I applied to go to UConn in the fall of 1986 and knew it was my #1 choice. I grew up in western Mass so I was able to follow UConn hoops pretty easily in the newspapers, radio and some local TV. That also just happened to be JC's first year. I was a freshman in the fall of 1987 and have been hooked ever since. Went to games at Syracuse, PC, Nova, and UNC during my time as a student and ran on to MSG court when we won our first BET championship in 1990 and celebrated with the players. Great freaking memories.

I never missed a home game in 4 years there and it hurts to see the apathetic student sections when I go to Gampel the last few years - half empty is inexcusable.
 
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