By Chris O’Grady
What is the lasting legacy of Freedom Hall?
I think it was the best place to watch basketball in the country. There were really no bad seats. Some things—some amenities like the locker rooms—weren’t exactly world class. But the floor, the lighting, the sidelines, I think anyone will agree were first class. There really aren’t any better places to be a fan. I remember one game when I was coaching, the roads were all closed and they had advised everyone not to go anywhere. And we still had 7,000 people show up. Freedom Hall and Cardinal basketball has always had tremendous support.
What does it mean to you to have your name on the court?
That means a lot to me. It’s where I made a living for 30 years. I always tried my best to continue the legacy that was there before I got there, with John Dromo and Peck Hickman. Those guys were an institution way before I ever got there. But I remember my first time ever at Freedom Hall was in 1969 as an assistant at UCLA under John Wooden, when we won a national championship over Purdue. That was my first great experience there. And even the late championships we won here weren’t played at Freedom Hall. But the games that led up to it, the place where we sealed ourselves as a great team, those came through here. I want to thank the athletic department, Tom Jurich and Rick Pitino for helping to make that happen. I have nothing but good things to say about it. I hope the new arena will have the same success. It will be a world class place.
What was your favorite memory at Freedom Hall?
Well, probably the first time, coaching there with UCLA. We beat all the top programs in great games at a great arena. But really all the victories over the years. The hardest part about playing there at the time was that there were so many other events. It was hard to find a time to practice. I’m not complaining; that’s just the way it was then. Over the years they have made some great renovations. The new boxes are much better than the old ones. The people who sit there really get their money’s worth. But I think everybody that played there agreed it was a great spot to play.
What was it like to address the crowd on Feb. 23, when you were honored on the game ticket?
That was a real treat for me. When you have such a history at a place that was 95 percent positive, you just really want to thank the fans that have provided such a special opportunity. You know 30 years is a long time to stay at one place and be successful. Look at North Carolina now: Last year they won the national championship and this year they can hardly fill seats because they are playing so poorly. It really just takes the right personnel, not necessarily the best personnel, but the right personnel. We have filled that arena for many years, and hopefully we will continue to as we move into the new arena. That will be a nice tribute to the history of the program. And I’d be surprised if we didn’t. We have too many great fans.
What has made you want to stay involved with the university, even in retirement?
When you spend 30 years working in one place, you have to have an undying love for it. Being here and being able to be a fan and watch the games is great. But it takes a special love and a feel that the place is pretty special… I’m grateful that I can still have an office here. And I try to help out any way I can for the university. It’s a special love affair. Most guys don’t have that. They move on. But I never wanted to do that. I consider myself very fortunate.
What inspires you to continue to do work in the community?
Coach Wooden would always tell me to try to do something nice for somebody every day. And even though I’ve probably failed to do it every day, I have tried my best as much as my time allows. I’ve tried to get involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and other charity events, with both my time and my money. I want to give back as much as I can for as long as I’m healthy enough to. To tell you the truth, it makes you feel good when you do something good for someone else.
What do you look towards for the future of Louisville basketball, as they transition to the new arena?
I personally think the new arena will be a huge plus for recruiting. The kids will want to be part of it, a part of the new agenda. I also think it will help the community. It’s the biggest, newest thing. And I think people will learn to love the new venue as they love Freedom Hall. You know, for most of my time coaching, the basketball program made all the money. We supported all the other programs at the university. I think there was only one year in the 30 I was here that the football program made money. We had to provide to hire coaches, trainers, etc. But now the football program makes enough money to cover itself. And other programs are beginning to carry their own weight. This allows us this type of expansion, to compete in the Big East, and to have other sports like softball and rowing that were never here before. It leaves a big legacy going forward. And being healthy enough to watch those kinds of things is really special for me.
