January 2001 entries

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As a freshman coed in 1976-77, I revelled in college life, but nothing prepared me for the excitement of the NCAA basketball tournament. When Al said he was going to retire, did any of us ever think he would leave coaching in such a magnificent way winning the national championship! On a more personal level, that night, my 19th birthday, March 28, 1977, was a double thrill. It really made for a great celebration. What a miserable birthday if the team had lost. Thanks Al for always doing it your way. You will truly be missed.

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Al McGuire had a flare and a love for the game that just came out of him. You were able to see that when he called a game. He made you want to watch the game he was doing, even if it was a 7th and 8th grade basketball game.

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Al McGuire's death Friday was an irreplacable loss not only to the college basketball community and the broadcasting community; but also a loss of a terrific human being. He arguably was unequaled as a college basketball analyst. A game broadcast by Coach McGuire was bound not only to be a well-covered game but also just plain fun to watch. He'll be missed by many people. In Coach McGuire's memory, I have created a photo montage which can be used as a desktop background/wallpaper image. It's available for download at: http://www.geocities.com/heathbar66/misc/al_mcguire_montage.jpg

My prayers and thoughts are with Coach McGuire's family -- and the Marquette University community -- at this time of loss. Brian Heath Bremerton, Washington

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I was deeply saddened yesterday to hear that Coach McGuire had gone to that great "tap city" in the sky. I feel that I learned more about college basketball and the rules of the game by listening to Al's always insightful and colorful commentary on NBC and later CBS. He was a unique character who will be deeply missed by all fans of the great game of college basketball. May God bless and comfort his family at this hour of loss.

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good bye coach, we all loved you and will miss you. you were the most popular figure ever to come out of marquette and you brought the school it's greatest moments.

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My college years at Marquette were immeasurably brightened by the presence of Al McGuire. Not only was the basketball exciting (starting in my freshman year watching Brute Force George and Brian Brunkhorst), but the example of his quest for excellence and zest for life had a real impact on me, as a human being. Following basketball with Al McGuire was such a gas, that I have never really been able to duplicate that experience since leaving Milwaukee, not even with the Syracuse Orange in my own hometown. When you've followed Al McGuire and the Marquette Warriors passionately, everything else seems to be small potatoes.

Coach had a restaurant in downtown Milwaukee called "Time Out" and a bunch of us would sneak down there to drink after a game, just hoping to catch a view of the Coach. I remember seeing Digger Phelps there when he was coaching at Fordham. He had huge, poster-size photos of his teams...and some of himself...on the walls, which gave several of us "good old Catholic school girls" an idea. Andy Daley, Maryann Flynn and I were able to take down the big photo of Al coaching at the sidelines, in a dark suit, with his finger up to his mouth...and sneak it into the bathroom. Then, we maneuvered it outside and rotated it from dorm room to dorm room for two more years. I ended up taking it home and it was permanently displayed in my father's rec room until the day he died in 1995. My brother (who also went to MU) has it now. Today, he's going to get it out of storage and hang it up as a tribute to the man.

Two more quick stories that I think tell alot about Al McGuire. Several years after I had graduated and come back to Syracuse, Al was going to be the featured speaker at a Syracuse basketball dinner, probably around '75 or '76. My brother and I went to the dinner, took the poster-size photo for him to autograph...and he laughed like hell when he saw it. He recognized it from Time Out and was pretty impressed with our ingenuity. I think he said something like, "I thought I paid security enough to at least keep things on the walls." His autograph said, "Happiness! Al McGuire."

A couple of years later he came back to Syracuse to speak at another SU basketball dinner, and this time my brother, Dad and I took a cousin who had been paralyzed from birth. We positioned Buddy's wheelchair so that he could see Al coming into the ballroom in this grand procession of Chancellor, coaches, players and Al. Towards the back of the room where we were, Al stopped the procession dead in its tracks when he saw Buddy in his wheelchair. Very few people could tell where he was because there was such a huge crowd and we were not in the dining room proper. Al walked over to Buddy, got down on his knees and spoke to him for what seemed like 5 minutes. Al had tears in his eyes when he got up and we were finished for the night emotionally. When Coach finally left to go up on the stage, people around us started clapping for Buddy...which was probably the most attention he had ever received in his life. Coach did not do that for effect; very few people knew where he was. He did it because that's the kind of man he was. Buddy died a couple of years later and we were so pleased that he had that wonderful experience.

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I am not a warrior by class. I am a golden eagle by class. But that is only by class. I am a Warrior at heart. I did not know Al McGuire, in fact, i wasn't even born when MU won the National Title. But i know tradition, heart, and soul. And Al McGuire embodied all of those things. As a member of the Marquette band, we try to live up to those same standards everytime we play at a game. the Coach used to come up to the band and talk to us at EVERY game he coached or commentated. Just the sound of the crowd when they knew Coach was calling the game was unforgettable. I didn't know him, but i feel like i did and i will try my hardest to live up to his memory.

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My sincere condolences to the personal family of former Marquette University coach Al McGuire and to the entire Marquette University community. I have been reminded in the last day of stories about Coach McGuire how much college basketball and sports in general have changed in the last 30 years. In the heydey of Coach McGuire, which was also the era of UCLA coach John Wooden and the ascendency to prominence of college basketball in America, it was not about money or agents or contracts or any of the other undesirable elements of current sporting society, but it was about the pure thrill and excitement of the game of basketball. Mr. McGuire lived life to the fullest every day and wore a smile on his face that will be remembered by those who enjoyed and appreciated his presence. Some Irish "leprechaun" he was.

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Al Mcquire enriched the life of hundreds of Marquette students in his eleven years. I was fortunate to be one beginning in 1965. I remember the 1965 "scrambled eggs" offense, that resulted in total confusion for the competition and a lot of fun for the spectators. Al will be missed enormously, but he left an indelible mark on Marquette, basketball and thousands of admirers. John Dye '70

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I had the privilege of attending MU during the real glory years, '68-'72. Al ruled! As did the Marquette Warriors! Memories of Al, Dean the Dream, George Thompson, Gary Brell, Rick Cobb, Little Allie, etc. never fade. And neither will the memories of Al McGuire. There was a wonderful column in the Philadelphia Inquirer today by Bill Lyon, who took time from his Super Bowl duties to remember Al. I'm sure he won't mind me repeating it here.

Bill Lyon
McGuire could not abide pretense.
A straight shooter, on court, in booth

TAMPA, Fla. - The National Football League, as bloated as a feeding tick, was about to indulge in its annual self-serving, self-congratulating state-of-the-game commissioner's address when you heard what you had known was coming but still dreaded:

"Al died."

And then the Super Bowl, our national homage to excess, seemed even less important and more frivolous than usual.

If football had been his sport, Al McGuire would have avoided the Super Bowl.

He had a standard derogatory phrase for such things: "French pastry."

He meant things that were puffed up with air and chiffon and meringue. They look fancy enough, but when you bite into them there's nothing there. Nothing on which to chew. Nothing to sustain you.

Though Al McGuire believed French pastry was fine in a bakery, he had no use for it in life or on the basketball court.

He was open and quick-to-the-point. He believed in substance over style, values over vanity.

Al was 72 when he finally gave in yesterday to whatever it was that had been working at him for the better part of a year. His family did not release a cause of death; he had been in a hospice since the summer. His family was with him at the end. If they'd let in everyone who wanted to come see him, they'd have had to double Yankee Stadium.

In a statement only hours before his death, one of his sons, Al, said: "Our family has marveled at his inner strength and enthusiasm to live each day to the fullest. Even as illness wreaked havoc on his body, he remained resolute in mind."

It is a good word for Al, resolute.

He came from the streets of New York, and in many ways he was exactly like those streets - gritty and frenetic and vibrant, loud and defiant and full of purposeful energy.

He was a gym rat before that term had been invented. Basketball beat in his blood. He played at St. John's, and then for a while, with determination and pluck and modest distinction, with the Knicks and with the Baltimore Bullets.

Al understood the game better than he played it. And he loved it even better than he understood it.

So you knew he would be a natural as a coach.

He started at tiny Belmont Abbey, which sounds like it belongs maybe in the Swiss Alps but is actually tucked away in North Carolina. Al loved it there, said he did his teething there, and always spoke fondly of the Abbey after he had made it in the big time.

It was at Marquette where he blossomed. In 13 seasons his teams went 295-80. He won the NIT, and then in 1977 he won the NCAA championship, beating Dean Smith and North Carolina.

The image that endures from that game is Al on the bench, head in his hands, weeping. He was a man hopelessly overcome by the moment. He had already decided he wouldn't coach after this, so the finality of it, the conflicting mix of jubilation and melancholy all were tearing at him.

He spent the last couple of minutes of the game sobbing openly, and it was hard to watch. It's hard to type through tears.

Though he had the machine-gun speech pattern of a street corner con man, Al played it straight and without pretense. What you really liked about him was how he always gave his assistants credit. So many of the peacocks want us to believe they have reinvented the wheel all by themselves.

But Al would deflect praise and say of his assistants: "I just put on the cocktail dress and go to the parties. They're the ones who do the real work."

He went to TV and took to it, as easily, as naturally as he had gone to coaching. He didn't try to be slick. He'd make a mistake and then, before anyone could call him on it, would catch himself: "Oh, wait, that's wrong . . ."

It was so refreshing compared to the others.

He punctured pomposity at every opportunity. He had no use for pretense and hypocrisy, and he had no tolerance for sham. He delighted in contradicting Billy Packer when they would get into it during a telecast.

The game would be close and getting to the end and Al's voice would rise with excitement and the coach in him would take over, reflexively, and he would be shouting what each team wasn't doing and should be doing.

It wasn't the usual mindless blather. Al always had a feel for a game's rhythm and could see ahead, often with remarkable clarity and prescience.

Besides French pastry, he sprinkled his analysis with hip hoop terms from his city-game vocabulary, including "tap city", a phrase of inevitable finality known all too well to craps shooters and gamblers.

To emphasize the importance of a big man, he turned to the Navy. A center, especially a large and dominant one, was "an aircraft carrier."

But of all his phrases, the most delightful was this one: "Seashells and balloons."

When life was especially good and times were especially fat, that was the phrase he would use. It was perfect. It conjured up beach and sun, children squealing with joy, sand between your toes, and no weight upon your shoulders, or upon your soul.

It was the way to go.

So, seashells and balloons, Al, seashells and balloons . . .

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I had the privilege of attending MU during the real glory years, '68-'72. Al ruled! As did the Marquette Warriors! Memories of Al, Dean the Dream, George Thompson, Gary Brell, Rick Cobb, Little Allie, Jimmy Chones, et al never fade. And neither will the memories of Al McGuire, nor the lessons he taught all of us! There was a wonderful column in the Philadelphia Inquirer today by Bill Lyon, who took time from his Super Bowl duties to remember Al. You can read it at: http://inq.philly.com/content/inquirer/2001/01/27/sports/LYON27.htm

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I do attend Marquette University,I am a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and I am not the most savvy person on Marquette University's sports history. However, to hear that a man who did such great things, and caused so much joy for the Marquette community and everyone around him has died still touches me greatly. Therefore, for what it is worth, I send my condolences out to Mr. McGuire's family and friends. I may not have ever had the opportunity to meet such a man, but I still have respect for someone who has done so many great things. Nelson Hawkins, Jr.

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Over the last 20 years, almost every summer, I've enjoyed Summerfest along the lake shore in Milwaukee: the city Al said he lived in by choice; not because he had to. In 1987, my then girlfriend, now wife, said it "might be fun" to try Al's Run. I thought, at the very least, it would be interesting to see Al McGuire in person. So I ran in my first 5 mile run ever with at least 25,000 other people. (I've been doing it every late September ever since.) Not being a runner, I was wearing high-top basketball shoes that day. As I slowly jogged by the starting platform, Al looked right at me, smiled, and said, "Pick it up, High-tops". His enthusiasm was infectious. After the race, at the Summerfest grounds, Al said he started the yearly fall run to give back to the community. Even though it's called the Brigg's Run now, I still think of it as Al's: one of his lasting gifts to his adopted hometown.

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I will never forget my four years at Marquette and all of those games at the Arena--never an empty seat!! College basketball as it should be. Al: May you rest in peace!

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I think that Coach McGuire is truely a Marquette icon. Whenever I tell people that I goto Marquette, Coach McGuire's name always comes up. People would say that he made Milwaukee the "place to be". I express my condolences for his family, friends, players, and fans.

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I would first like to express my condolences to the McGuire family. Coach McGuire was a wonderful person. Even though my heart is heavy with sadness. I have great memories of Marquette Basketball and of course Al McGuire. I attended MU from 1973 to 1977. I was lucky enough to have tickets for every home game during those four years and did not miss one game. I am so proud to have been a part of the the greatest season MU had culminating in the NCAA Championship! I will never forget the exictement generated by Al McGuire and the team that year. Even as a broadcaster, I enjoyed Al. I will really miss his spirit.

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As an alumnus who attended M.U. during Al McGuire's final years as the Warrior's coach and participated in the NCAA championship celebration in 1977, I too feel a deep sense of loss on learning of Al's passing. Al was a legend on campus and off-campus, even after he retired from coaching. He will always be remembered with warmth, affection and gratitude by the Marquette community. Thanks to Al, Marquette men's basketball was "put on the map," in my opinion. My prayers are with Al's family and friends, as well as the Marquette community. May you find comfort in your memories and may God bless you all.

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I will miss that familiar voice commentating on a Saturday afternoon, remembering the excitement and pride he brought to my undergrad years. Class of the NCAA champs!

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His joy for live and passion for game were truly inspirational.

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I used to park cars in a valet lot across from Mitchell Field and Al was one of our regular customers. He never said much, and as outgoing and witty as he often was, it was obvious he liked to be alone in his thoughts. The "Al-isms" that appeared in today's paper reflected a life where things mattered, yes, but he never forgot where he came from, and summed up life as "sea shells and balloons". Rest in Peace, Al, and I just know you lived up to that Irish expression: May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead.

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As a young boy growing up in the city of Milwaukee Al McGuire was one of my boyhood heroes. I also had the pleasure of attending Marquette University during Al's last years as a coach at Marquette. The 1977 season when the team won the NCAA tournament will always be special to me. I had the opportunity to hear Al talk several times during those years. He once gave a talk at the old Varsity Theatre where he said two things that I have always remembered since then. One was "Go for the banana" which referred to Al's "Go for it all in everything you do" approach to life. The other was "Proper planning prevents poor performance". I am grateful to have been in the vicinity of this wonderful man and sincerely wish his family my most heartfelt condolences.

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our deepest sympathy and prayers go out to Coach McGuire's family at this difficult time. during our four years at Marquette ('70-'74), Coach Al's teams never fell from the top ten national rankings. one of my fondest memories will always be from March 1974 when six of us drove to Greensboro for the Final Four. "Give 'em hell, Al." Rest in Peace.

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I'll keep it short: Thank you Al. I will always treasure the memories of your fine basketball teams and the wonderful NCAA tournament win of '77. My sincere condolences to Al's family, friends, and all whose lives were touched by this wonderful man. He will live on in our hearts. Goodbye and God bless. John K

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So what's a Domer(ND '71) doing here? Paying tribute to a wonderful man and a great competitor. ND played in the old Fieldhouse my early years, a wonderful old barn where the students were literally on top of the court. Many teams would not schedule ND for the obvious home advantage. Not Al. He loved it there. He'd come out, josh with the students and give as good as he got, and, back then, usually leave South Bend with a "W." When freshmen couldn't play varsity (I told you I was old), one year you had the Dream, and we had Augie (Austin) Carr. The freshmen played before the varsity. The fieldhouse was packed, and as I recall, it was a close game with ND winning. Near the end of the game, I saw Al standing in the back, smiling. A packed house, a tight game, and the possibilies of young men who could, and would, be great. It was basketball, pure and simple. I'll never forget that moment, when I got a chance to see what made a good man smile. All of us will miss you, Al.

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I was deeply saddened when I heard of the passing of Coach McGuire. My condolences go out to his immediate family and his Marquette family and friends. In a way, he influenced my decision to attend Marquette. I decided to attended Marquette during the Marquette WARRIORS' march to the NCAA championship. Although I attended Marquette after Al McGuire's tenure as coach ended, his influence was always felt on campus and at the MECCA. He will be missed. To me, he was and always will be Marquette.

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I am only a freshman here at Marquette. But growing up, i followed ncaa basketball very closely. I went to the 1992 NCAA championship in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There i bought a book that had a summary of all the past championships. I read that book in and out for the next 3 years or so. I can still remember reading about the 1977 championship game. There i was first introduced to Al McGuire. It may sound cheesy, but in reading about that Marquette team and about Al McGuire, i felt like i had learned of something great, knowledge that would stick with me for the rest of my life. And i can still remember watching and listening closely to McGuire's broadcasts of college basketball games. I really enjoyed listening to what he had to say. I thank him for creating something in me that would remember him for the rest of my life. Even though i did not know Al McGuire, i quickly learned of what he had done for Marquette, college basketball and people around him.

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Coach, you'll be happy to hear that even Georgetown and Notre Dame paid tribute to you at their game on Sat. I was proud to wear my M.U. sweatshirt to the game. LETS GO WARRIORS!!!, LETS GO WARRIORS!!!, LETS GO WARRIORS!!

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It was 1974 and Marquette made it to the Final Four. Myself and four of my buddies camped out for tickets. Tickets were scheduled to be sold at 9:00 AM. It was 9:35 and the ticket office still hadn't opened. Everyone was cold, tired and anxious. People were upset and local. Just then, Al poked his head out, like an Irish leprechaun, and asked us to be just a little more patient. He was working with the NCAA to get a higher ticket allocation. It was like the voice of God had spoken. The crowd calmed down, no one complained and the ticket office opened a sshort time later. Our reward for staying out in the Milwaukee cold - for $36.00 we saw some great games sitting 8 rows off the floor on the free throw line. Give 'em hell, Al and thanks for the memories. James Antunes Bus. Ad. '76

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As a reporter for the Marquette Tribune, I had the great fortune of helping put together the special tribute section passed out at Saturday's basketball game. Being a lifetime Marquette fan, working on that paper was real special for me. I always listened to stories my parents would tell about Al and the days at the Arena. Every time either of them talked about coach, it would always be with a big smile on their face. It was a great honor for me to attend the various press conferences on Friday. Hearing Bill Cords, Tom Crean and Rick Majerus speak about coach made my eyes water, but also made me laugh at the same time. I never had the great fortune to meet coach, but after working on that tribute issue, I feel as though I have just lost my grandpa. And in many ways, being a member of the Marquette family, I have......

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I would like to express my sympathy to Coach McGuire's family and all of those whose lives were touched by the man. In spite of the fact that some of his coaching moves and activities drove me crazy at times, he was truly a great man and one of the best bench coaches ever in college basketball. I did the following poem in tribute to Al, and I hope this can be shared with the widest number of friends and fans of Marquette basketball:

Tribute to Al McGuire

You made
heroes of the
boys from the
'hoods.

Long before
we knew
what a 'hood
was.

You planted roses
in worlds
of cracked
sidewalks.

You made us
crazy about
slow dance
basketball.

The psych,
the bumble-bee uniforms,
the play-for-the-last-shot
ugliness.

The give 'em hell Al,
mustard packets,
referee working,
senior star systems.

The big
wins,
the agonizing
near misses.

We loved
you
all the more
for the madness.

Never satisfied,
always seeking
that one
perfect game.

Where everything
merged into
one final, tearful
championship moment.

The ultimate
achievement
was your
zest for life.

The measure
of your impact
on us
as students.

We learned
to relish
the lost
opportunities.

We treasured
the moments
of
greatness.

Because you
remained true
throughout,
doing it your way.

Now, Al,
the Man upstairs
says it's
tap city.

And we know
it was
a good
run.

You kept
your faith
in life's
work.

Long after
us mortal cynics
would have
given up.

And your prospects
for eternity
will be
seashells and balloons.


- Larry Scalf
Liberal Arts
Class of 1976

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My family and I have been fans of Coach McGuire for years. We are deeply saddened by his loss. Please send our condolences to his family. I'm sure he and Jimmy V are having one heck of a game right now!

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Over the past 4+ years I have been given the honor to be affiliated with the Marquette basketball program. And even though I was not an athlete, I must say that I too was touched by Al McGuire and the impact that he has on people. Even though I am only a student worker, he never made me feel like I was any less important to the program than the head man in charge. He always had a smile for everyone and the one thing that I will remember most is how he used to come into the media room and people would just flock to him, trying to receive at least half of the glow that he emitted as a person. So to his family, his friends, HIS university, and all those who he has touched....stay strong and keep smiling...Al wouldn't have it any other way.

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I remember the first time I met coach. I was working out with the men's team during the summer of 97. He would just sit in the corner of the old gym with sweats and his hair everywhere like he had just got up. He was most likely there to watch his grandson AJ who was also there. But just his presence in the gym was something phenomenal. I always marvelled at how the guy could be so powerful and meaningful and yet so simple and basic. Thanks coach.

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I literally grew up watching Coach McGuire and was at the Omni in '77. But he was so much more. He put Marquette on the map. Today's athletes could learn a lot from him. Whenever a Marquette player puts on a basketball uniform, he/she Coach will be there.

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Thanks for all the great memories, Al! Loved selling programs during my college years. (Grad. 76)

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The first NCAA championship series I remember watching as a kid growing up in NYC was the year Marquette came out of nowhere to win the National Championship. I was touched by the fact that Coach McGuire broke down in tears. One of my favorite memories is watching him interview the winning team after an NCAA final game as he joined the players in a funky dance right on camera! He never lost that NY attitude. God bless him and rest in peace Coach.

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Al we will miss you a lot. You were a real true Irishman and you never forgot where you came from. I used your advice and spent time in the Army and bartended (Sully's Irish Pub) and drove a lot of people around before I went out into the world. I have learned a great deal from that very important advice and have never forgot the night you took time out of a busy schedule to give it to me. Thanks COACH JERRY SULLIVAN

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I graduated from Notre Dame in 1974. I played hoops in high school but not at ND, but I never missed a home game. I did not know Al McGuire was famous at the time or about to become a household name, but I just remember him being wild and crazy on the sideline and usually picking up at least one tecnical foul per visit to Notre Dame. After one particularly boisterous game by Al I happened to stop by the Marquette locker room where he was surrounded by a lot of reporters. I listened in. I was astonished to hear a low key, philosophical Coach McGuire who I listened to until the interview was finished. I will never forget that day. I always liked him since that day.

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I was at MU when Al won it all - he brought pride to Marquette with everything he did, and with his get-it-done attitude. All his time at Marquette was "seashells and balloons" for us, who watched. He was magic. A year or so ago, I bought a 1977 copy of Sports Illustated with our victorious Marquette Warriors on the cover (Butch Lee) and I sent it to Al and asked if he would give me the honor of signing it. Of course, he did, and it has become a treasure for me. Let's build on Al's tradition of honor and winning; let's build a super team he'll be proud to watch, and if we know Coach at all, he'll pull a few strings for us, to help us along the way. We will always miss you, Coach.

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Al was a great roll model for all of us. A true example of Magis.

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Ever since Mr. McGuire turned heads when he was head coach at Marquette, even though I was, still am a big Indiana and Purdue fan, Mr. McGure will always be at the top of my lists as a Great Motivator and Teacher of the game. When he started with broadcasting in 1977, I watched him with admiration and loyalty...he was then and will always be the best to me......I remember growing up in the '70's and being afraid that one of the Indiana schools would have to play Mr. McGwires teams! I wish I had the chance of knowing him more. I send condolences and my memories of a great coach/broadcaster to the McGwire family...Fare Winds and Following Seas! Mr. McGwire John Moore USN(Ret.)

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My favorite memory of Coach Al was in Atlanta at the '77' Final's. At the Peachtree Hotel there was a Sporting Good's show for the college coaches on Saturday. Coach was by himself when he walked into a small room where I was. I had on my Marquette shirt and Coach came over and sat right next to me. He than asked what I thought our chances are? I said really good,He said "I think so too" We won,I did too! A couple year's later I saw Coach McGuire at a reception when we met again in an elevator,before I could say anything, Coach looked at me and said, "you said we would win in Atlanta" Coach Al remembered me!,and I'll always remember Coach AL, Thanks Coach,Give 'em hell Al!!

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It's been raining gently in Milwaukee all day; it was raining gently the night Al McGuire and the 1977 Warriors won the NCAA Tournament. I keep hearing the refrain to the song THOSE WERE THE DAYS: "Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end, We'd sing and dance forever and a day, We'd live the lives we choose, we'd fight and never lose, for we were young and sure to have our way." Those were the days... it's 1974, I'm a freshmen at Marquette, many of us are crowded around a television in the TV lounge in the old union (Brooks); we are smoking cigars, then we lose the big game, but everyone is in a celebratory mood anyway; we are all part of, and along for, the ride. Fast forward to March 1977, I am a senior, my friends and I save tables in the "Grille" at Brooks all day (taking turns between classes) so we have good seats to watch the game. The game begins, Our Lady of Victory and Al McGuire have taken us to the summit of college basketball; we pour out onto Wisconsin Ave., the church bells our ringing, and it is gently raining... Thanks Al for some of my most cherished memories of Marquette and that time in my life. Blessings to the McGuire family. "Those were the days..." WE ARE MARQUETTE

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I came to Marquette two years too late...but Al's presence was still felt on campus, and his prominence on TV allowed us to still hear Marquette's name on the airwaves (even when it was only when he was introduced) He made us laugh and think and, most of all, made us proud to be a Warrior. It truly is an end of an era.

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I watched coach mcguire as a coach and a tv analist. I admired him as for his excitement for the game and the young who played it.I loved his forth right and honesty.All other basketball people should aspire to measure up to coach Mcguire...you are missed by all

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let's see...lmy runing partner and i have spent endless runs trying to rememebr the names of the ncaa championship team. i remember some, he remembers some...we both remember al crying..the semi final win over unc-charlette _the hyphen tema, to get to the chapionship....and what year were the bumble bee uniforms worn anyway???? loved al...loved milwaukee, loves MU then....

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Al was an inspiration to me as a Postal Manager. I did my best to improve the image of the USPS in Milwaukee rather than to relocate myself to one of the many smaller communities in the Milwaukee area where my job would have been easier. God be with you, Al.

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Though it is said Al McGuire wasn't a fan of funerals, he packed the house once more for his own funeral at Gesu Church. His son Allie said a few words of thanks at the end of the Mass. He also shared with us some moments of his Dad's last days. As you may know, the University of Wisconsin must make a decision at the end the season to hire a permanent basketball coach. Well, as Al was lying on his bed speaking to Allie, that unmistakable twinkle appeared in his dad's eye. Allie asked what's up Dad? Al responded, "Allie, I want you to call the Athletic Director of Wisconsin and tell him to take me off that short list of coaching canidates." Another time, Al's grandson was helping him to the chapel at the hospice. Al was going to Confession and he had arranged for a particular priest to hear his confession. Allie told his Dad that if the priest wasn't there Allie could get a priest from Marquette. Al said, don't worry everything is arranged. By his answer, Allie could tell his Dad had once again something up his sleeve. Upon his return to his hospice room Al told his son, "Allie, that priest has better hearing than I remembered." Even to the end Al shared his joy of life. Thanks! "Give 'em Hell, Al!" (Tom Doyle class of '77)

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Does anyone remember the "Scrambled Eggs"? a bunch of second-stringers that Al would throw out at points in the game, all of whom were willing to die to do something good on the court -- and oftentimes they did, bewildering the opposition. One of them had a noticeable pot belly, unusual in college basketball. Al made Marquette the hottest ticket in town. I'll miss him a lot.

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Growing up in Milwaukee, WI was a great experience. Specifically because of Marquette basketball. As I kid I would watch every game that I could and followed the mighty Warriors. In the early 70's I had the great opportunity to attend a couple of Al McGuire's Basketball Camps. What an experience! Just having the chance to meet and talk with the master himself was an unbelievable experience. Al brought Hank Ramonds, Rick Majarus and several players to the camp. What an experience for a youngster growing up in Milwaukee. I remember him talking with us about the importance of teamwork and one of the biggest problem he had was getting all of the egos playing together without any desention on the team. He was the type of individual that always left you with something to remember! He was certainly one of my heros growing up! Thanks for the all of the wonderful memories! You are a legend and you will be missed!

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The reason I enjoy watching college basketball is because of Al McGuire. Growing up in Wis, for some reason I started watching Marquette basketball back in the 60's and have been hooked on it ever since. We all agree that he was one of the best play by play announcers to come along and really put a fresh twist on the game. If they have roundball in heaven he'll be a part of it.

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It is with a great deal of sadness that I read of the death of Al McGuire. My sincerest condolences to his family. I attended Marquette just as the McGuire era was getting under way. Even then you could tell something special was developing. There were SRO crowds in the old Milwaukee Arena even then. I came as much to see Al coach as I did to see the team play. Later, after moving back to Minneapolis, there were all those marvelous games between the Warriors and the Gophers. It didn't make any difference what the teams' records were or how they were playing that year, it was always a helluva game. And with all those Marquette fans in the barn (Williams Arena) it always felt like the Arena. My favorite Al McGuire story is of the time he retired and turned the team over to Hank Raymonds. He said then not to worry about the team's future; Raymonds, Al said, had been the coach all along. Al said he was just the chairman of the entertainment committee. Some committee! Some chairman!

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I remember when I was little the first real celebrity I met was Al McGuire. My dad had arranged some sort of business meeting with him and he brought me along. I was so awestruck as I met the man in person, and the signed photograph he gave me I kept in my drawer of favorite possessions for years to come. Little did I know I would end up going to Marquette and see this great man away. Thanks Al

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One of the most enduring memories of my college experience was the privilege of attending the 1970 NIT as a photographer for the Marquette Tribune and watching Al McGuire in his element. It was a treat to see him as the "local boy made good," playing to the crowd and playing the media like an Irish harp. I'll never forget the image of Al going one on one with Howard Cosell during a pre-game news conference. One can only imagine how that conversation is going today. Most importantly, Al was perhaps one of the best philosophy teachers at Marquette. He wasn't on the Liberal Arts faculty, but Al touched every student's outlook on life in a way -- a Christian way, a Jesuit way and a human way -- that few ever have or ever will.

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Having grown up in Oshkosh in the 1980s and '90s and being an avid sports fan, I somehow became aware of Al McGuire's legacy at Marquette over the years. I did not realize until recently how much he meant to so many people in Wisconsin and across the country. I have spent countless hours in the last several days reading articles from around the nation. To read all of the stories about this man and how he touched so many lives has been overwhelming. He must truly be a saint. I went to a Marquette-Minnesota game at the Bradley Center soon after it opened and saw the 1977 championship banner hanging from the ceiling. I was only five years old in 1977 and lived in Madison, but I don't recall that happy time. Fortunately for those like me that arrived a gereration too late, ESPN Classic is replaying Marquette's Final Four games on Thursday, February 1 at 9 p.m. ET. I will surely be watching. CBS published an article on its web site on January 16 about Al and his broadcasting relationship with Dick Enberg. I believe it is worth reading for those who haven't done so (http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/ce/multi/0,1329,3367005_55,00.html). Although I never met Al, I have a distinct memory of him when I was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin. Al was providing commentary for Verne Lundquist on CBS for the NCAA tournament games at the Bradley Center in 1992. Wake Forest won on a last-second three-pointer by Rodney Rodgers and Al went berserk. I can still hear him now: "OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!! HOLY MACKEREL! HOLY MACKEREL! HOLY MACKEREL!" That sound bite was used by CBS for years on its into to college basketball telecasts and it still sends shivers up my spine thinking about it. He will be missed. My condolences to his family and friends.

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I had the great fortune to work with Coach twice as a stage manager for CBS during the NCAA Mens Basketball....once prior to the Wisconsin - Indiana game in January of 1997, Coach and I were alone in the media room at the Kohl Center. Coach was going through the lineups for both teams and was having a real hard time remembering the players on the Indiana squad, especially A.J. Guyton and Luke Recker....well after about 10 minutes of trying to explain to Coach the differences in the two players and what each strength's and weaknesses are, Coach still was having trouble....so I leaned over in a whisper because I wasn't sure who was around and if this would offend anyone, but I softly said "Coach, A.J. is black, Luke is white" Coach sat straight up with a laugh and just yelled 'Okay, now I've got it" To me that summed all that is special about Coach, race was didn't mean a thing to him, he couldn't remember any names anyway, and basketball players were just that basketball players, and let's just go out there and have a great time. Thanks Coach!

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To the Family of Al McGuire and Marquette University.....We are deeply saddened by the physical loss of AL, but you know that he's smiling and looking down on us right now....I know he'll be standing at the gates of heaven and telling us....."Feathercity that a way>>>>>"... My dad(76)is a Marquette grad and a grew up at 34th and Lincoln in Milwaukee..I have printed out over 60 pages of tributes to Al off the internet for him to read and treasure... I'm thankful that during my time on earth, I had the chance to share it with Al McGuire.....May God Bless you all... Mike and Kathy Hudzinski Hillsborough, NC

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The Coach will be missed. I remember when all the McGuires were around and active.....good radio reception in Boston at night when I was supposed to be doing homework. I hope the Coach got one good last ride on his bike. And I hope he won't show anyone he's tired by pulling at his socks .

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