Sad news - Cliff Robinson has passed away

[jdb50]

I was deeply saddened hearing of Cliffs passing. He should still be here as a person of that age would expect to be. Back in the day as UConn struggled to be relevant in the Big East recruiting was so key to getting better and I would read the Journal Inquirer for Phil Chardis's reports on how we were doing with different players. When Cliff signed it was a huge deal as he was obviously on a different level talent wise. You could feel Cliffs frustration his freshman year. When Calhoun took over one game stuck out to me. We were playing Central Conn. and Cliff was going against Tyronne Canino. It got real chippy. There was a situation on the court and there may have been a technical foul (maybe someone else remembers) but Calhoun kept Cliff on the bench after that and Cliff was really upset. He wanted to get back in the game and compete. He looked to be close to tears. Calhoun must have known things could go real sour so he kept Cliff out. The attitude that made Cliff a long time NBA player at a high level was there that night. He did not want to be shown up. I was thrilled when he played so well in that NIT run.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Just finished watching tcf's 24 minute UConn Cliff Robinson highlights and I HIGHLY recommend it. The ending is sad, but Cliff's NBA career exceeded everyone's expectations.
For me and I'd guess so many of us that knew Cliff a little bit, a great thing that comes out of those highlights and watching a young Cliff is that he was one of us. Cliff Robinson was a UConn student that grew into a BE basketball star and then an NBA player. Cliff's initially shy personality is visible on the court, you can see him being unsure at first then becoming better, more and more assertive & confident yet with a glimmer of youth still in his eyes. He is excited to be excelling & gradually realizing that he can be a very bad man on the basketball court. Cliff never lost that humanity and appreciation for his gifts, understanding that he was still a kid from Buffalo, a UConn student, a representative of his family, the school, his town. What a gift that we got to see him prosper, grow and live such an incredible life.

 

[Waquoit]

I know John Stashower did a season around there, then Bob Heussler. I think it was of those two.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I was deeply saddened hearing of Cliffs passing. He should still be here as a person of that age would expect to be. Back in the day as UConn struggled to be relevant in the Big East recruiting was so key to getting better and I would read the Journal Inquirer for Phil Chardis's reports on how we were doing with different players. When Cliff signed it was a huge deal as he was obviously on a different level talent wise. You could feel Cliffs frustration his freshman year. When Calhoun took over one game stuck out to me. We were playing Central Conn. and Cliff was going against Tyronne Canino. It got real chippy. There was a situation on the court and there may have been a technical foul (maybe someone else remembers) but Calhoun kept Cliff on the bench after that and Cliff was really upset. He wanted to get back in the game and compete. He looked to be close to tears. Calhoun must have known things could go real sour so he kept Cliff out. The attitude that made Cliff a long time NBA player at a high level was there than night. He did not want to be shown up. I was thrilled when he played well in that NIT run

Are you certain that Central game was yr 2 and under Calhoun?
I remember a similar game & incident from Cliff's freshman year. Cliff was playing very limited minutes and just as he was starting to assert himself Cliff got into a scuffle (that was probably 50% his own fault), I think T's were called on both sides and Perno sent Cliff to the end of the bench. Cliff went to his spot and stood there, all 6'11" of him. This was in the fieldhouse, I was sitting on the North side opposite the bench and the crowd of UConn fans in the front row had their view blocked. They starting getting annoyed with Cliff and pleaded possibly even chanted for him to sit down, but the stubborn belief in himself that served him well later caused Cliff to remain standing until the buzzer.
Later I wrote a manifesto style letter (not published but I used it in English class to the Daily Campus & this was #1 or 2 on why UConn needed a regime change - the best player on the team's vast potential was untapped and that collective frustration resulted in UConn fans booing their own player.

 

[dvegas]

Buffalo and NBA basketball great Cliff Robinson dies at age 53

It seems incongruous to suggest a player who scored almost 20,000 points in the NBA somehow was underappreciated in his career.

buffalonews.com

Love the Bob Lanier and Christian Laettner references.....

 

[jdb50]

Are you certain that Central game was yr 2 and under Calhoun? I remember a similar game & incident from Cliff's freshman year. Cliff was playing very limited minutes and just as he was starting to assert himself Cliff got into a scuffle (that was probably 50% his own fault), I think T's were called on both sides and Perno sent Cliff to the end of the bench. Cliff went to his spot and stood there, all 6'11" of him. This was in the fieldhouse, I was sitting on the North side opposite the bench and the crowd of UConn fans in the front row had their view blocked. They starting getting annoyed with Cliff and pleaded possibly even chanted for him to sit down, but the stubborn belief in himself that served him well later caused Cliff to remain standing until the buzzer. Later I wrote a manifesto style letter (not published but I used it in English class to the Daily Campus & this was #1 or 2 on why UConn needed a regime change - the best player on the team's vast potential was untapped and that collective frustration resulted in UConn fans booing their own player.

 

[jdb50]

Are you certain that Central game was yr 2 and under Calhoun? I remember a similar game & incident from Cliff's freshman year. Cliff was playing very limited minutes and just as he was starting to assert himself Cliff got into a scuffle (that was probably 50% his own fault), I think T's were called on both sides and Perno sent Cliff to the end of the bench. Cliff went to his spot and stood there, all 6'11" of him. This was in the fieldhouse, I was sitting on the North side opposite the bench and the crowd of UConn fans in the front row had their view blocked. They starting getting annoyed with Cliff and pleaded possibly even chanted for him to sit down, but the stubborn belief in himself that served him well later caused Cliff to remain standing until the buzzer. Later I wrote a manifesto style letter (not published but I used it in English class to the Daily Campus & this was #1 or 2 on why UConn needed a regime change - the best player on the team's vast potential was untapped and that collective frustration resulted in UConn fans booing their own player.

Are you certain that Central game was yr 2 and under Calhoun? I remember a similar game & incident from Cliff's freshman year. Cliff was playing very limited minutes and just as he was starting to assert himself Cliff got into a scuffle (that was probably 50% his own fault), I think T's were called on both sides and Perno sent Cliff to the end of the bench. Cliff went to his spot and stood there, all 6'11" of him. This was in the fieldhouse, I was sitting on the North side opposite the bench and the crowd of UConn fans in the front row had their view blocked. They starting getting annoyed with Cliff and pleaded possibly even chanted for him to sit down, but the stubborn belief in himself that served him well later caused Cliff to remain standing until the buzzer. Later I wrote a manifesto style letter (not published but I used it in English class to the Daily Campus & this was #1 or 2 on why UConn needed a regime change - the best player on the team's vast potential was untapped and that collective frustration resulted in UConn fans booing their own player.

Are you certain that Central game was yr 2 and under Calhoun?
I remember a similar game & incident from Cliff's freshman year. Cliff was playing very limited minutes and just as he was starting to assert himself Cliff got into a scuffle (that was probably 50% his own fault), I think T's were called on both sides and Perno sent Cliff to the end of the bench. Cliff went to his spot and stood there, all 6'11" of him. This was in the fieldhouse, I was sitting on the North side opposite the bench and the crowd of UConn fans in the front row had their view blocked. They starting getting annoyed with Cliff and pleaded possibly even chanted for him to sit down, but the stubborn belief in himself that served him well later caused Cliff to remain standing until the buzzer.
Later I wrote a manifesto style letter (not published but I used it in English class to the Daily Campus & this was #1 or 2 on why UConn needed a regime change - the best player on the team's vast potential was untapped and that collective frustration resulted in UConn fans booing their own player.

That was the game Dogdeacon. I tried to go back in the archives and it showed games at the HCC after Dom was fired. But I remember it at the Fieldhouse with Dom putting him on the bench. So my bad for putting this on JC. I was trying to check things as it was a while ago and did not see a Central game listed for Dom's last year.

 

[Dogdeacon]

That was the game Dogdeacon. I tried to go back in the archives and it showed games at the HCC after Dom was fired. But I remember it at the Fieldhouse with Dom putting him on the bench. So my bad for putting this on JC. I was trying to check things as it was a while ago and did not see a Central game listed for Dom's last year.

If you go into the UConn archives it shows the game vs. Central in Storrs on January something which matches my recollection that it was into the 2nd part of the season & Cliff was extremely frustrated even before the incident. The schedule shows they played Central again in Storrs in December of Calhoun's first year - my bet is Cliff had a big game.