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Post by motorcitysam on Oct 13, 2022 13:47:43 GMT -5
So who would be the four players you would pick for the Titan basketball Mount Rushmore? The Titans have a deep history of candidates, so I expect that there could be a lot of different combinations. Here is my personal entry: Dave Debusschere. Spencer Haywood. John Long. Terry Duerod. I recognize that the Titan basketball history is such that there could be combinations that don't include any of my picks and they would still be legit combinations. Feel free to share your picks in this thread. Dave and Spencer:
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Post by motorcitysam on Oct 13, 2022 13:50:09 GMT -5
Lightning and Sweeet Du.
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Post by ptctitan on Oct 13, 2022 14:51:00 GMT -5
I would go
Bob Calihan Dave DeBusschere John Long Rashad Phillips
People sometimes forget that Bob Calihan was our first All-American player who then had a pro career in the precursor to the NBA playing with George Mikan for the league champs. The next year that Chicago team was sold to Minneapolis owners who moved the team there and changed its nickname to the Lakers. Shortly after leaving pro ball, Calihan then became our coach who has the all-time school record for wins as a coach.
Rashad was the prototype of the modern player and was our all-time leading scorer until Antoine Davis. He has continued to support and publicize our school.
I did not include Spencer Haywood even though he is my contemporary because Spencer only played here one year. He was one great player who continues to support the school, but I would not put him on our Mt Rushmore.
Also, I view Long/Tyler/Duerod as a combination of great players. But I chose Long because his scoring for three years led those great teams. But Sweet Due and Terry were Long's peers.
Finally, with the passage of time, we may begin to accord Antoine the recognition he has earned for his accomplishments here. I understand a lot of the emotions about him now. But if he gets 3,000 points in about 125 games, that is quite a career.
But this is a great topic to start off this season with this debate and discussion. Thanks, sam.
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Post by 1975 SHJoe on Oct 13, 2022 15:14:22 GMT -5
I would go with Philips and Willie Green for their 2001 NIT Final Four Run, Dave D for all his NBA sucess and Long (and company) for making UD relevant
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Post by Commissioner on Oct 13, 2022 18:15:55 GMT -5
I'm going to be a bit biased here toward the pioneers. I think most everyone would agree on Dave DeBussschere. I like the Calihan idea, as our first All-American. And while I understand PTC's thinking, I have to include Spencer as our first and to date only First Team All-American. The last slot... Long? Tyler? Duerod? Rashad? What about two-time 2nd/3rd team All American Bill Ebben? Norm Swanson? Guy Sparrow? All deserving, but for my last choice, I'm going to go with Lloyd Brazil. Team captain as a player, then Coach, then AD, and the man who had the vision of Detroit as a national program, a vision largely realized for at least 30 and plausibly 50 years, through the Vitale/Gaines era or, more generously, Perry Watson's glory years. Brazil Calihan Debusschere Hayward
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Post by Commissioner on Oct 13, 2022 18:22:57 GMT -5
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Post by larrytitan on Oct 13, 2022 19:35:09 GMT -5
DeBusschere, Haywood, Long, Tyler
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Post by ptctitan on Oct 13, 2022 19:39:07 GMT -5
I'm going to be a bit biased here toward the pioneers. I think most everyone would agree on Dave DeBussschere. I like the Calihan idea, as our first All-American. And while I understand PTC's thinking, I have to include Spencer as our first and to date only First Team All-American. The last slot... Long? Tyler? Duerod? Rashad? What about two-time 2nd/3rd team All American Bill Ebben? Norm Swanson? Guy Sparrow? All deserving, but for my last choice, I'm going to go with Lloyd Brazil. Team captain as a player, then Coach, then AD, and the man who had the vision of Detroit as a national program, a vision largely realized for at least 30 and plausibly 50 years, through the Vitale/Gaines era or, more generously, Perry Watson's glory years. Brazil Calihan Debusschere Hayward Just to share a slightly different perspective here. The reason I didn't opt for Lloyd Brazil was that until 1963, U of D fans and alums thought of us as a football school and thought of Lloyd Brazil for football. I say this from having grown up in a U of D family and having been part of many gatherings in which U of D sports were discussed among the older family and friends in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Even after football was canceled, the older U of D crowd always spoke of Brazil in terms of football. I never heard him discussed when hoops were discussed. On the other hand, Bob Calihan was the person always mentioned as the father of the basketball team because he was there to bridge the gap after football. He built the program from the early 50's by bringing in Kirwan, Ebben, Swanson, Sparrow, then DeBusschere, and the strong teams of the 1960s, including Hayward. So, I share this perspective here. Certainly, Lloyd Brazil would be on the Mt. Rushmore of all U of D men's sports. But this is why I did not include him on my basketball Rushmore.
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Post by Commissioner on Oct 13, 2022 19:57:42 GMT -5
I'm going to be a bit biased here toward the pioneers. I think most everyone would agree on Dave DeBussschere. I like the Calihan idea, as our first All-American. And while I understand PTC's thinking, I have to include Spencer as our first and to date only First Team All-American. The last slot... Long? Tyler? Duerod? Rashad? What about two-time 2nd/3rd team All American Bill Ebben? Norm Swanson? Guy Sparrow? All deserving, but for my last choice, I'm going to go with Lloyd Brazil. Team captain as a player, then Coach, then AD, and the man who had the vision of Detroit as a national program, a vision largely realized for at least 30 and plausibly 50 years, through the Vitale/Gaines era or, more generously, Perry Watson's glory years. Brazil Calihan Debusschere Hayward Just to share a slightly different perspective here. The reason I didn't opt for Lloyd Brazil was that until 1963, U of D fans and alums thought of us as a football school and thought of Lloyd Brazil for football. I say this from having grown up in a U of D family and having been part of many gatherings in which U of D sports were discussed among the older family and friends in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Even after football was canceled, the older U of D crowd always spoke of Brazil in terms of football. I never heard him discussed when hoops were discussed. On the other hand, Bob Calihan was the person always mentioned as the father of the basketball team because he was there to bridge the gap after football. He built the program from the early 50's by bringing in Kirwan, Ebben, Swanson, Sparrow, then DeBusschere, and the strong teams of the 1960s, including Hayward. So, I share this perspective here. Certainly, Lloyd Brazil would be on the Mt. Rushmore of all U of D men's sports. But this is why I did not include him on my basketball Rushmore. I'm in no position to disagree with anything you say, nor do I wish to. That said, Brazil was captain of the basketball team; hoops coach for 16 years; he hired Calihan to coach the team; and he was instrumental in the building of Memorial (nee Calihan) Hall and joining the MVC. Of course, Sam's original post does talk about "four players," and purely as a player I wouldn't pick Brazil--football was clearly his #1 game as a player. I sorta figure him as the Thomas Jefferson of the bunch--good presidency (playing career) but it's Declaration of Independence (post-playing career) that assures him a spot on the Mount.
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Post by motorcitysam on Oct 13, 2022 21:47:43 GMT -5
It's interesting to see the different criteria that people are using to pick their Mount Rushmore. There are no wrong answers, and it says a lot about our history that we have so many worthy candidates.
I tried to base my picks on on the court accomplishments and impact on wins, along with a a bit of my personal favorites. :-)
Glad to see the responses and discussion here.
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Post by ptctitan on Oct 14, 2022 5:00:05 GMT -5
I agree. There are no right or wrong answers in this topic. I do find it interesting how the perspectives of the "younger" posters about our legends differ from the perspectives of those of us who experienced those players, coaches and discussions about them at a different point in history. In the cases of Haywood and Brazil, that's all I meant to convey by sharing why I did not include them on my U of D Men's Basketball Mount Rushmore. It's a fun topic.
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Post by fan on Oct 14, 2022 11:20:38 GMT -5
I guess it depends on the teams and years one was most involved with certain teams. I got hooked on the DV/Smokey teams so I have to go with who I think was the "strongest" player from those teams John Long. Being a big Knick fan from the 70"s I have to go with Dave DeBusschere. For fun to watch I have to go with Sweet Due. the last spot is tough there are so many really good, and contributing players, but Willie Green stands out. One player who gets very little love for some reason is Archie Tullos, Archie could really play basketball.
The interesting thing goes back to the U of D basketball tradition, the Mt Rushmore 4, could really be 20 or 25 players, the shame is to waste that tradition, and just throw it away, the "new" school, Detroit Mercy will never build the U of D tradition.
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Post by rbj on Oct 14, 2022 12:26:50 GMT -5
Dave DeBusschere-NBA 50 Greatest player, NBA champ 2X Spencer Haywood-Olympian, NBA champion, 5X All Star, Sued to institute NBA Hardship rule John Long-Star of the 70's teams, NBA Champ Willie Green-Horizon League Player of the year, NIT Final 4, and many more accolades to come.
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Post by uofdfan1983 on Oct 14, 2022 18:46:52 GMT -5
DeBusschere is of course automatic. #1 Long, would have scored many more pts with a 3 point line Tyler, heart, soul and glue of that team. My personal all-time favorite. Just seeing his smile after swatting another 7-footer put a smile on my face. Rashad, an unbelievable heart, the most fun Titan to watch (after Thunder) and a winner. What else could you ask of a guy who is really 5-9.
Can't put Spencer on my list. One year, no tourney bid, doesn't cut it.
If you add in what the player did at U-D after his playing career, I swap out Calihan for Long.
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