The Ghost Of Al Will Be In The House

[Always Learning]

You can bet he’ll be roaming around Cintas, probably edging on the students which he loved to do “back in the Day” at Schmidt.

He loved Xavier, and Xavier loved him. He told me once sitting on the steps facing the tennis courts, “I’d love to coach here, on a campus with all this grass, and football in the fall.” I said, “yeah, but not for our pay, eh?” He shook his head no. Word was Al got a bonus of a dime for every ticket sold in the Milwaukee Arena (14,000 seats) and in the sixties and seventies that came to $1,400 every home game.

Y’all remember the game when we won, and Al ran up into the stands to kiss Carol Krajack?

Al could really work the officials. And he really knew when to get a tech, almost one every game.

I recall one evening when we were winning by a few in the second half and Al called a TO, walked up to the officials at the table and said, “Hey, we’re the guys going to the NCAA, and they ain’t going nowhere, so start calling this game better.” Marquette won going away.
True story.

He once said to Tom Ballaban, (and for you all who never knew Tom, you missed out on a helluva XU guy in every way imaginable) who was a Big Ten official before a game and said, “this is a big game, you good enough to call it? Tom said, “Hell, if you are good enough to coach it, I’m good enough to call it, ” and Al just roared.

The media at the 1972 Final Four had a pool at what point in the game would Al get a tech. The poll was worth a couple hundred.

My fav though was the year he told the NCAA to take a hike and went to the NIT and won it.

It was near the end of the season and sitting in the Gibson Girl Lounge at the Sinton, Al asked me where they (the NCAA) was going to place him. I was close then to the goings on in Kansas City, and I said they will be putting you in the mid-west regional. He said he wouldn’t go, he wanted the Mid-east regional and Kentucky, and besides, they are putting Notre Dame there. Let ‘em put Notre Dame in the Mid-west.

I explained to him, “Al, y’all are a cinch in the Mid-west to get to the Final Four.” He said he didn’t care, he wanted Kentucky.

The next day I told the folks in KC that Al wasn’t going to accept a Mid-west slot.
In their usual arrogant manner, they said “we’ll see about that. The President of Marquette will tell him what to do.” They put him in the Mid-west, and he (and the President of Marquette) told them no and went to New York and won the NIT.

I loved that guy, and his TV gigs when he’d say, “pick up the hymm books, Mass is over,” even before it was over.

[Masterofreality]

As you know, A.L., I was a student at XU back in your days and remember the epic battles with Marquette at Schmidt. I do remember that game where Bob "Cobra" Quick scored 40 and XU won..and also beat UC back to back with Cobra scoring another 40. Maybe the two greatest consecutive performances ever by an XU basketball player. Too bad it took George Krajack all season to just go with the "Cobra Offense".

Al loved the XU students too. He knew it was a show and he played to it. And while we gave it to him in spades, we deep down liked him too. What a difference from today with jerks like the Yellow Toothed Gnome who are so full of themselves, so arrogant and so insecure that they think that they have to demean the other side.

I was lucky enough to have Final 4 tickets in the Atlanta Omni in 1977 to witness Al's National Championship, after which he retired immediately and went into TV. He was Dickie V before anyone knew who Vitale was other than a former U of Detroit and failed Detroit Pistons coach. Al coined terms like "Aircraft Carrier" which would be applied to a guy like Matt Stainbrook. He was one of a kind and is missed.

That being said, I have a lot of ill feelings toward Marquette going back to DiUlio and his undermining of the MCC. No love for Crean or Buzz Williams. I hope we smoke their sorry asses by 65 points Thursday night.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

I totally remember Al, much more than any other opponent coaches. Our BB program wasn't that good then, but we were loud and nasty. We threw insults at Al non-stop, even before the game started. I am still not sure whether that was due to our dislike of him or just pure fun, probably both. That's like 40 years ago.

[vee4xu]

I saw X get crushed by Marquette at both Schmidt and the Gardens during my time at X. One memorable moment was at Schmidt when Sergio (I can't remember his last name) chucked a can a beer from the stands, across the court and at Al. I don't remember exactly what happened at that point, but think Sergio was never ID'd by any of us as the can chucker.

I am going to enlist my classmates, bourbonman and XUDash to help me recollect this momentous event in Schmidt Fieldhouse lore. Anyone else at X circa 1977 is welcome to chime in any memory of the event. Of course, X got crushed something like 94-57. We were used to that in those days.

[94GRAD]

I saw X get crushed by Marquette at both Schmidt and the Gardens during my time at X. One memorable moment was at Schmidt when Sergio (I can't remember his last name) chucked a can a beer from the stands, across the court and at Al. I don't remember exactly what happened at that point, but think Sergio was never ID'd by any of us as the can chucker.

I am going to enlist my classmates, bourbonman and XUDash to help me recollect this momentous event in Schmidt Fieldhouse lore. Anyone else at X circa 1977 is welcome to chime in any memory of the event. Of course, X got crushed something like 94-57. We were used to that in those days.

If it's the one that Billy Ray Studer tells at Dana's, the reason he wasn't ID'd was because he had a beer in each hand. He said it couldn't be him because he was still holding a beer.

[bourbonman]

I saw X get crushed by Marquette at both Schmidt and the Gardens during my time at X. One memorable moment was at Schmidt when Sergio (I can't remember his last name) chucked a can a beer from the stands, across the court and at Al. I don't remember exactly what happened at that point, but think Sergio was never ID'd by any of us as the can chucker.

I am going to enlist my classmates, bourbonman and XUDash to help me recollect this momentous event in Schmidt Fieldhouse lore. Anyone else at X circa 1977 is welcome to chime in any memory of the event. Of course, X got crushed something like 94-57. We were used to that in those days.

I saw nothing of the beer toss but remember being quizzed after the game. Ignorance assisted me in not IDing the culprit. That being said, wasn't that the game Al disappeared behind the curtain that covered the cage over not liking some call?

[Frambo]

I saw nothing of the beer toss but remember being quizzed after the game. Ignorance assisted me in not IDing the culprit. That being said, wasn't that the game Al disappeared behind the curtain that covered the cage over not liking some call?

I was sitting right behind Al at that game with a very drunk friend who was all over Al. Al gave some of it back to us and when there was a really bad call....he got up walked up to us, said something like "I can't watch much more of this shit" and walked behind the curtain. Fuzzy memory, but he either came back with a few minutes left or right after the game and gave us a high five laughing about his leaving.

Also saw Al at a high school coaches clinic. He was the headliner at 9:00 PM, I believe. 9:15 still no Al. Around 9:25, he came in to the room, apologized...saying that he had the high score going on space invaders in the lounge and couldn't leave. A nearby coach ran out to check....his initials were at the top of the list. Al continued on with one of the best clinic talks I ever saw. Not a lot of x's and o's.....but a lot about dealing with personalities, team concept etc...and very funny.

[Emp]

Al was a great character, but also had plenty of plays in his pocket. I recall a close game ending on a misdirection that left them with an uncontested layup as X pressed out higher on defense.

The Cobra Game was also the Schmidt FH debut of Dean Meminger, the Dream, who could jump out of the gym. Is that the Curtain Incident game of '68?

For DiUlio haters, my favorite game was in Milwaukee the season after he had left us in the lurch. My "Et tuy, DiUlio?" sign was confiscated before I could get up close to him. It snowed about a foot during the game, leaving Bradley was quite the experience. Best comeback in Xavier history I say.....down 8 with :51 left and Marquette at the line, O'Neill high fiving his players. Three baskets and two steals later, regulation tie, X wins in OT.

[mid major]

Al was a great character, but also had plenty of plays in his pocket. I recall a close game ending on a misdirection that left them with an uncontested layup as X pressed out higher on defense.

The Cobra Game was also the Schmidt FH debut of Dean Meminger, the Dream, who could jump out of the gym. Is that the Curtain Incident game of '68?

For DiUlio haters, my favorite game was in Milwaukee the season after he had left us in the lurch. My "Et tuy, DiUlio?" sign was confiscated before I could get up close to him. It snowed about a foot during the game, leaving Bradley was quite the experience. Best comeback in Xavier history I say.....down 8 with :51 left and Marquette at the line, O'Neill high fiving his players. Three baskets and two steals later, regulation tie, X wins in OT.
Another important note is the shot clock didn't stop with a made basket. What an improbable comeback.

[vee4xu]

On second thought, it may have been Tim Rannigan who chucked the beer at Al, and Sergio was a case of mistaken identity. For those of us who know both Tim and Sergio, looking at both of them it seemed unlikely that it was Tim and not Sergio.

[XUFan09]

I saw X get crushed by Marquette at both Schmidt and the Gardens during my time at X. One memorable moment was at Schmidt when Sergio (I can't remember his last name) chucked a can a beer from the stands, across the court and at Al. I don't remember exactly what happened at that point, but think Sergio was never ID'd by any of us as the can chucker.

I am going to enlist my classmates, bourbonman and XUDash to help me recollect this momentous event in Schmidt Fieldhouse lore. Anyone else at X circa 1977 is welcome to chime in any memory of the event. Of course, X got crushed something like 94-57. We were used to that in those days.

You're my parents' age...but they went to Dayton.

[vee4xu]

You're my parents' age...but they went to Dayton.

By your poster name, I assume you are a 2009 grad? I had sons graduate from X in 2008 and 2011.

[XUFan09]

By your poster name, I assume you are a 2009 grad? I had sons graduate from X in 2008 and 2011.

Yup, class of 2009. I might have known them lol.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[xudash]

On second thought, it may have been Tim Rannigan who chucked the beer at Al, and Sergio was a case of mistaken identity. For those of us who know both Tim and Sergio, looking at both of them it seemed unlikely that it was Tim and not Sergio.

Now your memory is coming back. Sergio, what a piece of Latin work that nut was, and is probably still.

I loved Al. Imagine a broadcast team of Al, Dick Enberg and Billy Packer before Packer went A-1-Ahole.

The curtain game was in the 70's, because vee and a few others here were there to see it.

[Strange Brew]

You can bet he’ll be roaming around Cintas, probably edging on the students which he loved to do “back in the Day” at Schmidt.

He loved Xavier, and Xavier loved him. He told me once sitting on the steps facing the tennis courts, “I’d love to coach here, on a campus with all this grass, and football in the fall.” I said, “yeah, but not for our pay, eh?” He shook his head no. Word was Al got a bonus of a dime for every ticket sold in the Milwaukee Arena (14,000 seats) and in the sixties and seventies that came to $1,400 every home game.

Y’all remember the game when we won, and Al ran up into the stands to kiss Carol Krajack?

Al could really work the officials. And he really knew when to get a tech, almost one every game.

I recall one evening when we were winning by a few in the second half and Al called a TO, walked up to the officials at the table and said, “Hey, we’re the guys going to the NCAA, and they ain’t going nowhere, so start calling this game better.” Marquette won going away.
True story.

He once said to Tom Ballaban, (and for you all who never knew Tom, you missed out on a helluva XU guy in every way imaginable) who was a Big Ten official before a game and said, “this is a big game, you good enough to call it? Tom said, “Hell, if you are good enough to coach it, I’m good enough to call it, ” and Al just roared.

The media at the 1972 Final Four had a pool at what point in the game would Al get a tech. The poll was worth a couple hundred.

My fav though was the year he told the NCAA to take a hike and went to the NIT and won it.

It was near the end of the season and sitting in the Gibson Girl Lounge at the Sinton, Al asked me where they (the NCAA) was going to place him. I was close then to the goings on in Kansas City, and I said they will be putting you in the mid-west regional. He said he wouldn’t go, he wanted the Mid-east regional and Kentucky, and besides, they are putting Notre Dame there. Let ‘em put Notre Dame in the Mid-west.

I explained to him, “Al, y’all are a cinch in the Mid-west to get to the Final Four.” He said he didn’t care, he wanted Kentucky.

The next day I told the folks in KC that Al wasn’t going to accept a Mid-west slot.
In their usual arrogant manner, they said “we’ll see about that. The President of Marquette will tell him what to do.” They put him in the Mid-west, and he (and the President of Marquette) told them no and went to New York and won the NIT.

I loved that guy, and his TV gigs when he’d say, “pick up the hymm books, Mass is over,” even before it was over.

Interesting, I knew of the friction between X and ND hoops but I didn't know about Marquette. If this is true, this story makes Thurs a lot more interesting and fun.

[cutterX]

I was at the Gardens for Marquette's last game before they departed the MCC leaving X high and dry. The entire place booed as the marquette players were introduced. I know it wasn't the players fault but it felt good as fans to voice our displeasure in Marquette cutting and running.
Would love to see the Cintas fans welcome these players in similar fashion Thursday night.

[chowertime]

While I was never around to see Al coach, I found a pretty cool article from back in the Gillen days hoping that we could elevate our program, a la Marquette. Seems timely now that we're finally into the BEAST. (Note: I absolutely can't stand P Doc, but I'll give him this one)

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-02-18/sports/9001150112_1_xavier-pete-gillen-al-mcguire

[Mel Cooley XU'81]

On second thought, it may have been Tim Rannigan who chucked the beer at Al

I only know Tim . . . and consider that highly unlikely.

Have thrown some beers back with Tim, but never seen him throw one, per se.

He'd consider that a shameful waste.

[Mel Cooley XU'81]

Saw Al in the cafeteria when Dr. Bill Daly brought him in as "consultant" for the search that landed Staak and set The Flagship to sail.

Very cordial and genuine.

I cried when he died.

[Cheesehead]

As a guy who grew up a big Marquette fan, I am really enjoying these Al stories. My Dad tuaght at Marquette for 27 years and my folks had season tcikets for 20 years. I was 8 when the Warriors won the big one in '77. Still recall watching the game on a 19 inch Panasonic TV in our living room with the Marquette radio team on (Dad couldn't stand the TV guys).

I was youngest of 4 and as my parent's got older and my siblings were out of the house, those season tickets were pretty much mine. I saw a lot of games in the MECCA Arena and the Bradley Center, especially during my HS years.

My Dad was not a big fan of Father Al. He called his inaugaration at MU the "Coronation", as it reportedly cost a million dollars.

For the record, I still follow Marquette but I root for X when they play. Go X!!!!

[Masterofreality]

While I was never around to see Al coach, I found a pretty cool article from back in the Gillen days hoping that we could elevate our program, a la Marquette. Seems timely now that we're finally into the BEAST. (Note: I absolutely can't stand P Doc, but I'll give him this one)

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-02-18/sports/9001150112_1_xavier-pete-gillen-al-mcguire

I won't give PDoc this. It was more of the same pap that "this is the best Xavier will ever do". This was pre Sweet 16, pre A-10, pre Cintas, pre Elite 8's pre Big East. It was more of the "let's pat little Xavier on the head, tell him good job, and tell him to run back to his little back yard so the Big Boys like SucKS can play.

Thank Gawd Father Hoff, the Athletic Board, Alumni and others thought differently.

"....and Father Hoff put his hand in the shape of a gliding plane and moved it slowly upward, then said "The sky's the limit"......

[Always Learning]

And then Pete left, much to the delight of, as MOR puts it, the SucKs folks, 'cause then Huggy Bear can start beating whoever XU hires.
Yeah.
Skip, Whatshisname, Sean, and now Mack.
SucKs has a really good program, playing before a half filled house against patsies, and a power conference like the American who after losing Louisville and Pittsburgh, will be relegated to the famous "Mid-Major" status.
Meanwhile Paul's "pat on the head" to Xavier have the Musketeers playing every game on National TV, a sellout for every home game, recruiting on a plane with any program in the country (see recruits listed on McDonald's AA list) taking their program into DC, NYC, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia.
"Perhaps no program in history has risen so high while its competitor has fallen so low."

[xudash]

While I was never around to see Al coach, I found a pretty cool article from back in the Gillen days hoping that we could elevate our program, a la Marquette. Seems timely now that we're finally into the BEAST. (Note: I absolutely can't stand P Doc, but I'll give him this one)

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-02-18/sports/9001150112_1_xavier-pete-gillen-al-mcguire

A problem with predicting the future is that you can be made to look foolish when it finally shows up.

[waggy]

Too bad for Daugherty that the Trib keeps their old articles available.

Some of the stories in the old stories in the sidebar are pretty cool.

[fellahmuskie]

Doc is a very strange writer. The first third of that article he was suggesting Xavier could win a national championship, then he spent the rest just railing on what a joke of a program it had. That this guy was ever allowed to write about Cincinnati sports is a huge embarrassment to the city and the Enquirer.

[XUFan09]

I won't give PDoc this. It was more of the same pap that "this is the best Xavier will ever do". This was pre Sweet 16, pre A-10, pre Cintas, pre Elite 8's pre Big East. It was more of the "let's pat little Xavier on the head, tell him good job, and tell him to run back to his little back yard so the Big Boys like SucKS can play.

Thank Gawd Father Hoff, the Athletic Board, Alumni and others thought differently.

"....and Father Hoff put his hand in the shape of a gliding plane and moved it slowly upward, then said "The sky's the limit"......

Gotta go with MOR on this one. That was a pretty awful take.

[Masterofreality]

Doc is a very strange writer. The first third of that article he was suggesting Xavier could win a national championship, then he spent the rest just railing on what a joke of a program it had. That this guy was ever allowed to write about Cincinnati sports is a huge embarrassment to the city and the Enquirer.

It was almost like he started to write a fully complimentary column, then he remembered that he was in the land of SucK. He then had to make sure that he said other stuff to reinforce the subservience that XU would always have to play to the Borecats.

See, you young whippersnappers that have not been around more than 35 years, do not understand the way that Xavier was demeaned/ignored in the City by the media and most fans. Hence the importance that People like Andy MacWilliams and The Great Q have in history to be willing to fight, what at times, had to feel like an unwinnable battle. Add to that the vision of folks like Dr. Bill Daly. Dr. Daly is at every X game in Cintas in Section 103, I believe. Every time I see him, I make sure I thank him for his great work. I encourage others to do as well. We would not be where we are today.

Oh, and a prop to someone else who never gave up the vision..."Bob from Finneytown", "Xavier Bob", whatever you want to call him by. Bob, before the Internet, would always call in to WLW, Sportstalk with Trumpy, Collinsworth, Furrball, or whoever and defend XU against their continual slanders. The man stands as a brave beacon through the airwaves. Well done, Robert.

Never forget.

[chowertime]

It was almost like he started to write a fully complimentary column, then he remembered that he was in the land of SucK. He then had to make sure that he said other stuff to reinforce the subservience that XU would always have to play to the Borecats.

See, you young whippersnappers that have not been around more than 35 years, do not understand the way that Xavier was demeaned/ignored in the City by the media and most fans. Hence the importance that People like Andy MacWilliams and The Great Q have in history to be willing to fight, what at times, had to feel like an unwinnable battle. Add to that the vision of folks like Dr. Bill Daly. Dr. Daly is at every X game in Cintas in Section 103, I believe. Every time I see him, I make sure I thank him for his great work. I encourage others to do as well. We would not be where we are today.

Oh, and a prop to someone else who never gave up the vision..."Bob from Finneytown", "Xavier Bob", whatever you want to call him by. Bob, before the Internet, would always call in to WLW, Sportstalk with Trumpy, Collinsworth, Furrball, or whoever and defend XU against their continual slanders. The man stands as a brave beacon through the airwaves. Well done, Robert.

Never forget.

Fair enough. I am most certainly one of those young whippersnappers of which you speak. Thats why having these posts and this entire message board is so much fun. I love learning X history from everybody elses stories.

Having grown up in MI and not really knowing Cincy until I moved their for school starting on '06, I could still see the bias in news reporting. I started when Dustin Dow was the beat writer and I thought he did a fairly good job. I think Shannon does an incredible job for the lack of resources and furloughs that she has. What's really cool now though is all the different blogs. I know bluexu.com and D&V are no longer with us, but BoP and some of the other BEAST team blogs are pretty good too.

On a side note: MOR, I just moved to Cleveland (actually Akron, but whatever) and am still looking for the perfect place to watch X games. Any thoughts on any good pubs?