Sad news - Cliff Robinson has passed away

[BugsyCT]

 

[huskymedic]

@JohnFSilver/Zach Boyer's UConn Daily take: Cliff Robinson Dies At 53

 

[Taco]

Cliff Robinson might be the most important player to have played for UCONN! IMO, he's the first important recruit we had that's linked to the program's national success. He was the best player the UCONN team that won an NIT championship & then he had considerable success in the NBA - despite not being drafted until well into the 2nd round. Before Cliff came, we were just another bottom dweller in the Big East (think BC,PC, Seton Hall). Without him, does Chris Smith come here (huge get) and after that Scott Burrell. UCONN back then was not a national or even regional program.

Once UCONN became a serious consideration for the top in-state players, they were then able to go nation/world-wide and it's debatable that if JC didn't have Cliff when he arrived that this would have been possible.

 

[Scoe]

These stories you guys are telling about Cliff are a fascinating read on a sad day and a tough year in general.

This is the guy who got it all started in the Calhoun era and was our first known NBA guy. 53 Is just way too young, sadly 3 of our guys on the NIT team have passed and 3 of the guys on the Blazers have as well. A huge loss for this program the Blazers and the NBA. RIP Uncle Cliff

 

[Blueballer]

Man these guys are dying WAY too young! Sticks, Cliff and yesterday Chad Boseman. WTF! RIP

 

[dvegas]

I lived in Manhattan in 1988. After the hard fought loss to Pittsburgh (#1 seed, ranked #5 at the time, game was closer than 75-58 final) in the Big East quarterfinals, after finally winning an 8-9 game vs Providence, I made my way down to courtside. Managed to get up to Cliff. Told him "See you back here in 3 weeks". While nothing will ever replace the 1999 championship as the best UConn game of my lifetime, the 1988 NIT championship is 1a. Rest easy Uncle Spliffy

 

[Milo65]

Cliff was a fixture at the Student Union Arcade Game and all around good guy.

 

[Skiblets]

True story. I was in Philly on business way back and sitting at the bar at Smith and Wollenskys in Rittenhouse Square. Tall guy sits next to me and wasn’t it Uncle Cliffy in town for a game against the Sixers. Introduced myself and thanked him for his role in Husky Mania. We talked for the next 90 minutes until we had both eaten dinner. He picked up my tab an unnecessary move since I could have expensed it and then left me two tickets at Will Call for the following nights game. He was chill and super cool talk to

 

[huskymedic]

>>Alternate access link<<

 

[ZenConn]

 

[B1GEast]

RIP Uncle Cliffy, man this is really sad

 

[TheChamps990411]

Sadly you have to be almost 40 or older to remember him playing at UConn.

Perno's last big time recruit and the key player to starting turnaround under JC.

19,9k+ points in NBA, 6k rebounds and over 1000 3's made in his career.

I never got to see him in college but i saw him play in the NBA and remember being so excited that he was a Uconn guy. RIP Cliffy.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

He was a trail-blazer in many ways.
now, he belongs to the ages.

great guy, great man, great Huskie.

 

[husky8273]

Compliments of @tcf15 on YouTube.

awesome memories - Cliff, the Field House, VCU, future NBA opponents!!

 

[JB75]

Rip Cliffy. He was one of my first UConn memories as a young kid loved that squad when I was in 5th grade with Gamble and Tate and him. Too bad he missed the dream season by a year and what an underrated career in Portland. God , I’m gonna party like it’s 1999 this New Year’s Eve. Can we just end this year already? Rip Cliff. Sad

 

[Marat]

Unfortunate to hear of our second Robinson pass away in 2020.

RIP to Uncle Cliffy.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

“A great Dad. Laughed every day.”

RIP Cliff

 

[David 76]

Oh Uncle Cliffy.
Thank you for all you did during a dark time and for helping turn us around.

 

[superjohn]

Cliff Robinson is one of those rare college athletes that changes the trajectory of an entire program, and in our case, an entire university. UConn was a doormat in the Big East and a nonentity on the national stage when Cliff committed to our school. The school not only won 4 national championships on the foundation Cliff built, but also raised billions through UConn 2000, other state funding, and private fundraising leveraging the popularity of the basketball programs.

Many coaches, administrators and players were instrumental in making that happen, but few were as important as Cliff Robinson.

Rest in peace.

Great post.

 

[gtcam]

RIP Uncle Cliffy
Enjoy a Spliffy and do your dance
You are the headband
Thanks for the memories

 

[superjohn]

Cliff didn't get enough credit for how good he was but he's certainly getting it today from former and current players around the league. A lot of players around the league wearing the headband to honor him and some beautiful words just now by Chris Webber about how good Cliff was, what a great guy he was, how good he would've been in today's era, and about the special bond the Connecticut basketball family has. All really cool to hear.

 

[formerlurker]

Shout out to Unc from Chris Webber just now during the Lakers-Portland game on TNT. They also pointed out multiple players wearing head bands in honor of Cliff.

Is it weird to smile that Cliff's death has gotten so much National/Global press? His good vibe spread so much further than I thought.

 

[nomar]

I’ll never forget watching him in the green room on draft night get passed over again and again. Nor will I ever forget watching him proving everyone wrong.

If Twitter was Rotten Tomatoes, he’d be 100 Fresh. Nobody’s got anything but incredibly nice things to say about him.

RIP Uncle Cliffy

 

[Mr. French]

The PAL league in the city of Buffalo that I played in through my grade school-high school years was run by Cliff, the Cliff Robinson league with his name on the T-shirts.

Was one of the best summer leagues around and I still have a few of my shirts.

Every baller had a couple Cliff Robinson PAL T-shirts.

He’s a city legend.

 

[olehead]

I can attest to Cliff's good nature. I took an unofficial recruiting visit to UConn and had none other than Uncle Cliffy and Phil Gamble as my hosts. This was one of my stranger visits and if I'm not mistaken those two had a bird or some type of pet in their dorm that loved to puff. Both were comedians and one seemed to crack the other up. I ended up having a ball. Those guys showed me a great time over that weekend from what I can recall.
Husky Nation has lost a great one. Prayers to his family.