[nfrine]

Interesting read on Orr's history in Ann Arbor.

http://hoopraker.com/2007/04/03/orr-in-the-arbor/

Interesting quote on his move to ISU...

“I had a full career at Michigan, I loved it but I was ready to make a change. This opportunity came, and I was excited for it. The facilities were awesome — beautiful dorms and a beautiful campus. It was a great school that had everything, but just didn’t do well in basketball. This was a chance to do something that other people failed to do.”
“We’d been in the top 10 something like six years in a row. Romie, my wife, said to me, ‘You’re not going to have that now. You think you can do that?’ Can you handle that? I said, ‘I think I can. I know I can.’ ”
“I can’t say I never regretted it. That first day of practice I regretted it. But I got over that.”




Hoopraker Blog Archive Orr In The Arbor

[cyclonenum1]

What a GREAT read...THANK YOU FOR FINDING THIS ARTICLE. It is a couple of years old but any true Cyclone fan should read this article.

The article talks about how Michigan's BB program has been in a "twenty-six year reverse evolution" since the leaving of JO. It talks of JO leading Michigan to "twelve of the richest years (1968-80) of Michigan basketball" calling him a "sterling benchmark". Detailing that "Orr remains the all-time winningest coach at Michigan (209-113), a record that included:
4 NCAA appearances
2 NIT appearances
2 Elite Eights (1974, 1977)
1 NCAA Runner-Up (1976)
2 Big Ten Titles (1977, 1978)
Big Ten Coach of the Year (1974, 1977)
NABC Coach of the Year (1976)"

It further discusses his "record as a smart recruiter and developer of talent" that "mentored six All-Americans in his twelve year tenure (Rudy Tomjanovich, Henry Willmore, Campy Russell, C.J. Kupec, Rickey Green, Phil Hubbard)". It notes JO was a "savvy evaluator of talent who, unlike more than a few coaches today who seem to rely solely on recruiting service ratings". It details the coaching he did in 1976 to take his team to the NCAA final with "his tallest starter 6′7″ reed skinny frosh Hubbard, a host of similarly slim tweeners, and a bird bath deep bench". Johnny knew how to adapt to get the most out of what he had on his team!

The article gives JO credit for being "the nudge that made the Big Eight and what was then a complete basketball hinterland in Ames an attractive escape hatch". And here is their accounting of JO's 14 years at ISU: "Orr’s fourteen years at Iowa State were similarly success laden and in relatively short order he took a program from nowhere to great respectability. By 1984 he had the Cyclones in the NIT, he coached six teams to the NCAA, picked up a Sweet Sixteen in 1986, developed several under the radar recruits into collegiate superstars such as Jeff Hornacek and Jeff Grayer, and went 218-200 before he retired in 1994. Throughout his stint in Ames he stewarded basketball that was profitable and consistently tournament bound. He left the most popular man in Iowa."

I wish some of our fans would show the requisite respect that JO deserves like the person from Michigan that wrote this article. Anyone that attempts to lessen the impact of the JO tenure at ISU is sadly, sadly mistaken.


It is time to honor JO for what he did for Cyclone BB by both putting his name on the court at Hilton as well as erecting a statue in front of Hilton with his trademark fist pump. DO IT NOW!

[bos]

Originally Posted by cyclonenum1

What a GREAT read...THANK YOU FOR FINDING THIS ARTICLE. It is a couple of years old but any true Cyclone fan should read this article.

The article talks about how Michigan's BB program has been in a "twenty-six year reverse evolution" since the leaving of JO. It talks of JO leading Michigan to "twelve of the richest years (1968-80) of Michigan basketball" calling him a "sterling benchmark". Detailing that "Orr remains the all-time winningest coach at Michigan (209-113), a record that included:
4 NCAA appearances
2 NIT appearances
2 Elite Eights (1974, 1977)
1 NCAA Runner-Up (1976)
2 Big Ten Titles (1977, 1978)
Big Ten Coach of the Year (1974, 1977)
NABC Coach of the Year (1976)"

It further discusses his "record as a smart recruiter and developer of talent" that "mentored six All-Americans in his twelve year tenure (Rudy Tomjanovich, Henry Willmore, Campy Russell, C.J. Kupec, Rickey Green, Phil Hubbard)". It notes JO was a "savvy evaluator of talent who, unlike more than a few coaches today who seem to rely solely on recruiting service ratings". It details the coaching he did in 1976 to take his team to the NCAA final with "his tallest starter 6′7″ reed skinny frosh Hubbard, a host of similarly slim tweeners, and a bird bath deep bench". Johnny knew how to adapt to get the most out of what he had on his team!

The article gives JO credit for being "the nudge that made the Big Eight and what was then a complete basketball hinterland in Ames an attractive escape hatch". And here is their accounting of JO's 14 years at ISU: "Orr’s fourteen years at Iowa State were similarly success laden and in relatively short order he took a program from nowhere to great respectability. By 1984 he had the Cyclones in the NIT, he coached six teams to the NCAA, picked up a Sweet Sixteen in 1986, developed several under the radar recruits into collegiate superstars such as Jeff Hornacek and Jeff Grayer, and went 218-200 before he retired in 1994. Throughout his stint in Ames he stewarded basketball that was profitable and consistently tournament bound. He left the most popular man in Iowa."

I wish some of our fans would show the requisite respect that JO deserves like the person from Michigan that wrote this article. Anyone that attempts to lessen the impact of the JO tenure at ISU is sadly, sadly mistaken.


It!20is time tk honor JO$for what he)20did for C}clone BB by-20both puttink his name on the courp at Hilton`as well as!20erecting a statue in front of Hilpon with his!20trademark fast pump. %3GB><I>

What happened to the statue thing? It was gaining momentum on here for a bit.

[JP4CY]

Very good read, thank you!

[Knownothing]

I know he didn't but it seems like Johnny coached here for 30 years. Hard to beleive it was only 14 years.

[Bobber]

Fun times, fun times...Throw out the Sam Mack incident and nothing but fondness for Johnny's time in Ames.

We need some of the magic to come back....

[cyclonenum1]

Originally Posted by Knownothing

I know he didn't but it seems like Johnny coached here for 30 years. Hard to beleive it was only 14 years.

14 years is an eternity in coaching. Orr even says it in this article when he mentions having a "full career" at Michigan...where he was for 12 years.

[besserheimerphat]

Originally Posted by cyclonenum1

I wish some of our fans would show the requisite respect that JO deserves like the person from Michigan that wrote this article. Anyone that attempts to lessen the impact of the JO tenure at ISU is sadly, sadly mistaken.

To be frank I believe the majority of posters on this board are relatively young (<35), and if they didn't get into ISU basketball before living in Ames, then they cut their teeth on Orr's last seasons and Tim Floyd when things had already been established. While I am only 29, I grew up in Ames and have been going to basketball games since 1982 as my home family is full of die-hard Cyclones. What Johnny Orr did for this program is likely impossible to duplicate now that the college athletics arms race is in full swing.

[everyyard]

Originally Posted by besserheimerphat

To be frank I believe the majority of posters on this board are relatively young (<35), and if they didn't get into ISU basketball before living in Ames, then they cut their teeth on Orr's last seasons and Tim Floyd when things had already been established. While I am only 29, I grew up in Ames and have been going to basketball games since 1982 as my home family is full of die-hard Cyclones. What Johnny Orr did for this program is likely impossible to duplicate now that the college athletics arms race is in full swing.

agree. college sports has changed. this could happen again but the odds are so very much more against it than even back then.

[WalkingCY]

I LOVE Johnny Orr!! He was probably the real reason I chose to go to Iowa State! Oooooo-eeee!!! Go Cyclones!

Guard 'em up there by that angry chicken!

[Wingback]

That was a temendous read. Even as a transplanted Nebraskan (who cares about Nebraska basketball anyway, right?), I really can appreciate that article. I can honestly say that whenever I hear there is going to be a Johnny Orr interview, I make it a point to listen. If ever a retired coach should write a book, it is Johnny Orr. His sense of humor is captivating. His recollection of facts and other information is astounding.

I would agree that it is a crying shame that nothing of any significance has been done at Iowa State to honor his legacy. What would it hurt to simply name the court "Johnny Orr Court?" Does someone in the athletic department really feel someone might be offended? And the idea of a statue is another great one. Heck, Ames renamed the street that leads to the campus "University Boulevard" a year or so ago, why not rename the street adjacent to Hilton something like "Johnny Orr Way."

Iowans, whether Iowa State fans, Iowa fans, non-fans, transplants, or whatever should all be proud that an individual with the class and decency of Johnny Orr coached within our borders.

[cyclonenum1]

Originally Posted by Wingback

That was a temendous read. Even as a transplanted Nebraskan (who cares about Nebraska basketball anyway, right?), I really can appreciate that article. I can honestly say that whenever I hear there is going to be a Johnny Orr interview, I make it a point to listen. If ever a retired coach should write a book, it is Johnny Orr. His sense of humor is captivating. His recollection of facts and other information is astounding.

I would agree that it is a crying shame that nothing of any significance has been done at Iowa State to honor his legacy. What would it hurt to simply name the court "Johnny Orr Court?" Does someone in the athletic department really feel someone might be offended? And the idea of a statue is another great one. Heck, Ames renamed the street that leads to the campus "University Boulevard" a year or so ago, why not rename the street adjacent to Hilton something like "Johnny Orr Way."

Iowans, whether Iowa State fans, Iowa fans, non-fans, transplants, or whatever should all be proud that an individual with the class and decency of Johnny Orr coached within our borders.

Not sure if you are aware but a book about JO was written 10-15 years ago. I believe the title is "Here's Johnny" and I know the author is Gene McGivern. It is a great book with some great stories. FYI.

[mac4cy]

Great article to read. Coach Orr is a legend when it come to Cyclone basketball. My feeling is to turn around some of our bad luck. Bring Orr back. Not as coach but to honor him and name the court after him. Wouldn't it be great to see the Cyclones play on Johnny Orr Court at Hilton Coliseum? Just a thought or rant however you want to look at it.

[besserheimerphat]

I know there was some debate a few years ago about naming a building after former President Jischke because he's still living, or hadn't been away from the university for so long or something. Perhaps there is some holdup along those lines for a formal Orr monument. But it didn't stop them from having a Jischke building anyway. And I think it would be great to honor Coach while he's still here to hear us cheer for him.

[Wingback]

Originally Posted by besserheimerphat

I know there was some debate a few years ago about naming a building after former President Jischke because he's still living, or hadn't been away from the university for so long or something. Perhaps there is some holdup along those lines for a formal Orr monument. But it didn't stop them from having a Jischke building anyway. And I think it would be great to honor Coach while he's still here to hear us cheer for him.

I agree that it ought to be done now. The biggest shame is that when people are living, all too many times these things don't get done. The honors seem to come after the individuals are no longer with us. Then it is too late for them to come back and enjoy the pagentry of the formal announcement/presentation.