The late Al McGuire was born 98 years ago today. He grew up in Rockaway Beach, Queens and came up in New York City basketball in the 1940s. McGuire called himself a “dance hall player,” but he captained St. John’s, spent three seasons with the Knicks and briefly played for the Baltimore Bullets. When his playing career ended, he considered becoming a New York City police officer before taking an assistant coaching job at Dartmouth. In 1957, at 28, he became head coach at Belmont Abbey, a small Catholic college in North Carolina. He went 109-64 in seven seasons. McGuire recruited heavily from New York and said he generally wouldn’t recruit a kid who had grass in front of his house. “That’s not my world. My world was a cracked sidewalk.” Marquette hired him in 1964. One of his first stars was George Thompson, whom McGuire recruited out of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Thompson later said McGuire was the only coach who actually came into the neighborhood to see him. McGuire turned Marquette into a national power. Thompson, Dean Meminger and Butch Lee were among the New York players who came to Milwaukee. In 1970, Marquette was 22-3 and ranked eighth when McGuire objected to its NCAA tournament placement. Marquette turned down the NCAA invitation and went to the NIT instead. It won the NIT at Madison Square Garden, beating UMass with Julius Erving, LSU with Pete Maravich and McGuire’s alma mater St. John’s. The NCAA soon changed its rules so an invited team could no longer choose another postseason tournament. McGuire also understood showmanship. He let star forward and fashion-design student Bo Ellis design Marquette’s famous untucked uniforms. Marquette made 11 straight postseason appearances and reached the NCAA championship game in 1974, losing to NC State. Two years later, perhaps his best team was 25-1 when it lost to Bobby Knight’s undefeated Indiana Hoosiers in the Elite Eight. The following season, McGuire announced he was retiring. Marquette entered the NCAA tournament with seven losses but made it to the championship game, where it beat Dean Smith’s North Carolina for the national title. It was McGuire’s last game as a coach. He was 48. Within months, he began the television career that would make him familiar to generations of college basketball fans. NBC initially put him in a separate booth away from Dick Enberg and Billy Packer, and he had to signal Enberg when he wanted to say something. After three games, Enberg and Packer had him moved alongside them. McGuire talked on television the way he had always talked. A dominant big man was an “aircraft carrier.” A flashy play was “French pastry.” A close game was a “white-knuckler.” When a game was effectively over, it was “tap city.” A player who looked great in practice but disappeared when the lights came on was a “3 o’clocker.” And when things were good, they were “seashells and balloons.”

The Official Beverage Ration Pack is on the move—rolling out to Costco locations near you. ☢️ Packed with NEW Nuka Cherry and Nuka Orange, and returning favorite Nuka Victory. Checking your local Costco? Use the reference numbers below: 🇨🇦 2047035 🇺🇸 2047846

This movie is going to be SO GOOD. And I highly recommend checking out the official page for the film because it has loads of gold to mine – – film footage, quotes, pictures of Al. #mubb

Not gonna lie to ya the question is often asked, why ya keep doing this and I’ll borrow the words from my mentor and lifetime idol Curt Gowdy who called alongside Dick Enberg, the great Al McGuires unlikely 1977 National Championship. There’s no other profession that delivers like Live Sports Television….just listen to the end of the 77’ National Title game👇

Today marks a somber Anniversary for those of us who loved two of the most celebrated men in College Basketball television. Proud to say I was fortunate to work with both, and they’re forever connected from their time together with another idol of mine, Dick Enberg at NBC. Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the death of Al McGuire. Basketball’s Renaissance Coach @MarquetteMBB National Champion in 1977’ turned TV Analyst from 78’ thru 2002 and I was blessed to join him thru the Regional Finals in 1998. Ironically, Billy Packer who’s called more Final Fours than anyone and joined me many times on @CBSSports & Duke/UNC games all those years @RaycomSports passed away on this day 3 yrs.ago. Billy & Al couldnt have been more different, yet loved one another and antagonized each other their entire careers! Our @MarchMadnessMBB seminars before Tournaments began were legendary as the barbs flew while Executives tried to move our meetings along. I can only imagine their conversations in heaven and how much fun they’re delivering to all those souls up above! May God Bless and keep them. 🙏✝️🏀🎙️🎧

10-4 Bears locker room video

.@NCAA what do you think?🤷🏽‍♂️

"Wrigley Field and the @Cubs were transformed; Ryne Sandberg made it so." ❤️ Rick Sutcliffe remembers the legacy of his former teammate, who died earlier this week.

Ryne Sandberg. Second to None.

I can't accurately convey how happy this video makes me. Not just for selfish #mubb fan reasons, but for Sean and all he's put in to recovering.

Kolek showing why he should have been a first round pick! When will they ever learn.