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All-TigerNet [11113]
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How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 14, 2015, 11:16 PM
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In person? Best move you recall?
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110%er [5221]
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Yep and the best move I saw was
Jan 14, 2015, 11:21 PM
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when I was in the loggia paying for a parking ticket. Skip walked in with a handful of parking tickets,asked how much, and whipped out a wad of cash at lightning speed.
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110%er [8091]
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Nice move! I saw all of his home games. I cannot
Jan 14, 2015, 11:36 PM
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recall any singular great move on the court. He was smooth, fast, good ball handler, and a good shooter. He also had a great supporting cast: Tree Rollins, Stan Rome, Colon Abraham, and Wayne Croft. Rome could play just about any position on the court. Rome might be the best all-round athlete in Clemson history ---- alongside Banks McFadden.
That was an exciting team.
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Orange Blooded [4896]
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Agree on Stan Rome. While he went pro in football
Jan 14, 2015, 11:38 PM
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I thought be was a little better basketball player. I believe he was also a track star in HS.
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CU Medallion [64867]
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Rome was just a great athlete, period. He was not a
Jan 15, 2015, 7:58 AM
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polished BB player by any stretch of the imagination, but the overall ability was just oozing out of him. I remember when Wayne Croft came in (from Bamberg, not far from me, I think my high school team, Holly Hill (no, I was not a player) gave Bamberg probably two of their only losses his senior season in HS.) He wasn't up to ACC standards until his senior year at Clemson. By then, he had worked himself into shape, and was a pretty good player.
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Standout [305]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 14, 2015, 11:25 PM
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Good times in Littlejohn with Skip, Stan, Tree, et al. I was a freshman. Everything about Clemson was good.
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Orange Blooded [4896]
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I saw him. He was the best pure player I have ever seen.
Jan 14, 2015, 11:36 PM
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First freshman to ever make first team all-ACC I believe.
He was a fool for signing with an expansion team but word on campus was he did not attend class and would not have been eligible to play the next season anyway. Don't know whether or not that was true. I do know him not playing more college and NBA was the biggest waste of basketball talent I know of.
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Hall of Famer [24418]
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He was not a big move, highlight reel type of player.
Jan 14, 2015, 11:47 PM
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I saw him many times as a soph, sitting a few rows up from the floor. For all his notoriety and flashy confidence, he played a very controlled game. Seemed to be going at about half speed, slow dribbles, easy steps, not flashy off balance shots. But after a while you noticed that the defender was always a half step behind and his shots were all in the paint or 10 foot jumpers with no hand in his face. The final tally would be a high double double. He simply controlled the game. No matter what happened, he rose to one step above it. He personified "he made it look easy".
For that one year he was the best we ever had. Grant, Williams, Nance, Campbell, Booker, Mcdaniels were all of course in that realm, but Wise, IMO, was just in a different zone.
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Orange Blooded [4142]
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Re: He was not a big move, highlight reel type of player.
Jan 22, 2015, 1:35 PM
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I was there , too . You just nailed it . Good job .
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Hall of Famer [22965]
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Saw every home game he was in that season.....probably
Jan 15, 2015, 12:00 AM
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the strongest memory was his first game--pretty sure it was against Penn in the finals of the old IPTAY Tourney during the holidays......Penn was ranked #11 in the country. Wise didn't start but came in relatively early in the game and completely astounded the crowd with his ball handing and shooting. Stories had circulated on campus about the new kid in practice, but I didn't know anyone who'd gone to a practice to see him.....it was amazing......Penn had no answer for him...nor did much of any other team that year....as mentioned above, Wise was the first freshman elected 1st String All-ACC and he was a freshman the same year ACC HOF'er Phil Ford was a freshman in chapelhole. Wise was noticeably more talented than Ford when they had occasion to be on the floor at the same time.....Clemson finished the season ranked in the Top 20--a rarity in those days. I can only remember the '67 team having done equal---and optimism for the next season reigned supreme when May rolled around.....unfortunately, it was not to be
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Hall of Famer [24418]
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He was just better than everybody else.***
Jan 15, 2015, 12:09 AM
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Orange Blooded [3370]
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Re: Saw every home game he was in that season.....probably
Jan 22, 2015, 1:31 PM
[ in reply to Saw every home game he was in that season.....probably ] |
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That '67 team was one of my favorites. Was in Fike when they took Nr 1 Dook with Bob Verga, Lewis and Marin to the wire. A noise meter would've vaporized. I feel they would've won a few more games with a better bench. There wasn't much help after the sixth or seventh guys.
Message was edited by: BerlinSPY73®
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Orange Blooded [3257]
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Re: Saw every home game he was in that season.....probably
Jan 22, 2015, 1:49 PM
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Yep. I believe it was Steve Vacendec(sp)who hit a shot while just about on the floor
to break our hearts. I loved the Cow Palace......never been the same.
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Varsity [202]
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Re: Saw every home game he was in that season.....probably
Jan 22, 2015, 1:39 PM
[ in reply to Saw every home game he was in that season.....probably ] |
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Saw that Penn game and I think Wise had about 35 points. He is undoubtedly the best talent to put on a Clemson bb uniform. The thing I remember most about him was terrorizing Phil Ford when the Heels tried to run four corners. I can't recall another player ever to neutralize Ford in that way.
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Orange Blooded [3257]
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null [null]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 15, 2015, 12:16 AM
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I saw every home game. He was impressive!
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Tiger Cub [13]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 15, 2015, 12:18 AM
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best move??? When he signed at Clemson.
He is THE G.O.A.T.
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Varsity [204]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 15, 2015, 12:20 AM
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G.O.A.T.????
What's that?
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Orange Blooded [2531]
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Wow, no one ever answered your Q....
Jan 15, 2015, 5:28 AM
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So I will.
He came on a fast break, about a 3 on 2. Got real fancy by taking the ball under his leg then dishing it off no-look for an assist. The crowd jumped out of their seats with awe and roared, and Locke jumped out of his chair and chastised him for too much "French Pastry"(as it was called then), but the play was successful.
Wise had a penchant for theatre no doubt about it.
The other thing was that shot of his - an unorthodox style that you probably didn't want to teach to kids as a fundamental. Kind of cocked it back, almost back behind his head (making it hard to block his shot). A little bit like Jamal Wilkes of the Lakers who came a little later. He was also a good double pumper, where you go airborne, the defender tries to block, and you hesitate and adjust the shot from a different position.
Natural playground type moves from the Baltimore playgrounds where he grew up.
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Orange Blooded [3257]
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I remember that play. Also, a very long behind the back pass
Jan 22, 2015, 1:54 PM
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that worked perfectly and pleased the crowd, but not Tates.
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Recruit [86]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 15, 2015, 7:02 AM
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I remember two best moves. This first one was against Phil Ford. Ford tried a behind the back dribble and Skip slid over and caught the ball as it came around Phil's back. Never have seen that happen before or since. The other was against Wake Forest, I think. The Wake player was talking trash to Skip and I saw Skip point to his forearm. The Wake kid kept talking so Skip gave him the forearm to the chin. I think he was ejected for that move. Still a good one though.
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Starter [370]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 22, 2015, 8:13 AM
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I saw nearly every home have that year. It was my freshman year, too. I don't have as detailed a memory but you have one of the moves I remember. The opposing guard would make a move and he would reach around and tip it away. Quick as a cat. Another was coming down dribbling and could hesitate and go as good as anyone.
He was the first freshman to make all ACC, and Phil Ford was a freshman that year. He schooled Ford.
Saw he and Rome in a dunking contest in Jervey prior to "official" practice. Impressive. Not like it's done today as jumping ability seems to have improved.
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MVP [509]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 15, 2015, 7:11 AM
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Only saw one of his games in person, and that was the Duke game at Littlejohn, with Clemson winning by about 30. No moves come to mind, but I do remember JoJo Bethea having a great game. He's kind of the forgotten guy on that team, but he was a tremendous on-ball defender before that phrase came into vogue.
The one Wise play that I do remember (correctly, I think) happened in the ACC Tournament semifinals against UNC. Clemson had a chance to win in regulation. Skip got the ball in the corner, took one of his patented way-back jumpers, it bounced off the rim to Tree, who then missed the put back and then lay sprawled out on the Greensboro Coliseum floor. It was pretty much over by then. Phil Ford hit like 35 free throws in overtime, and the Heels won going away.
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Walk-On [102]
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Wasn't he the player that when we were
Jan 15, 2015, 7:43 AM
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up and running out the clock on some team (It's been so long I can't remember who)he waved them to come get the ball. It was like come see if you can get this. And his behind the head shot was so cool.
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CU Medallion [64867]
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Yes! I was at that game. He was doing all this
Jan 15, 2015, 7:52 AM
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fancy dribbling, and they couldn't even catch up to him to foul him at first. He was already amazing as a first year player, would have been incredible if he had not left school early. (I think he went to the Buffalo Braves of the ABA?)
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Orange Blooded [4804]
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That game was against Maryland
Jan 15, 2015, 8:04 AM
[ in reply to Wasn't he the player that when we were ] |
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They were top 2 or 3 in the nation. We were ahead by 4 points with less than a minute to play. Skip had the ball with 3 Maryland players trying desperately to foul him. He ran some kind of figure eight pattern around all of them. A couple of them actually fell down trying to touch him. By the time they got to him he had run about 25 seconds off the clock. He made the free throws. IIRC, there was no 3 point shot in college in those days so there was no time left for them to even try for a comeback.
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CU Medallion [64867]
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Re: That game was against Maryland
Jan 22, 2015, 7:55 AM
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I'm thinking this may have been the same game where a guy was sitting several rows up in the crowd behind the Maryland bench, and Maryland had a tall guy named Tom McMillen. The guy used his best female impersonater voice, saying, "Tommie, Tommiiiieee? When McMillen looked around, he would say GO TO H&LL TOMMY! He fell for it at least 3 times. And, if memory serves, McMillen later became a politician. May explain why Washington is so messed up.
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Orange Blooded [2663]
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behind the back lay up against an opponent.***
Jan 22, 2015, 8:05 AM
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Scout Team [193]
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Re: behind the back lay up against an opponent.***
Jan 22, 2015, 8:09 AM
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That was not Skip. It was Greg Coles against MD in College Park.
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All-TigerNet [10898]
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You are exactly right. I remember the Coles shot against MD
Jan 22, 2015, 9:40 AM
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very well. He was getting hammered on a fast break and flipped it up just like a behind the back pass.
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All-TigerNet [11934]
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Much more impressive "trick" shot than Booker's recent one.
Jan 22, 2015, 2:10 PM
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That one shot by Greg Coles may have been the most amazing one I've ever seen to this day.
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All-Conference [404]
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Re: Much more impressive "trick" shot than Booker's recent one.
Jan 22, 2015, 7:44 PM
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Remember trying to make that shot in the driveway for days.
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Orange Blooded [3370]
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Re: behind the back lay up against an opponent.***
Jan 22, 2015, 1:18 PM
[ in reply to Re: behind the back lay up against an opponent.*** ] |
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I also recall that play very well. Coles was possibly a junior that year I think and don't believe he played as much his senior year, but could be mistaken. Foster may have been the coach then.
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Starter [370]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 22, 2015, 8:15 AM
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He also had some pretty good moves with the cooks at Mac's. Got in a spat or two with them, too.
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Recruit [76]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 22, 2015, 8:19 AM
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I saw him play. Unbelievable scorer. I remember him repeatedly taking his man into the lane and scoring over the top of him. When teams zoned up, he would knock it down from the outside, before the days of the three-point line. I currently live in the DC area and as many know skip was from Baltimore. Skip was one of the best players to ever come out of the DC-Baltimore area. There are a ton of people in this area that saw him on the playgrounds... A guy who grew up watching Skip play in Baltimore told me this story about Skip:
"When Skip came into the gym, it would get real quiet and people would start whispering 'Skip is here, Skip is here' Skip would come down on the fast break and take two guys to the basket and finger roll over the top of both of them. I saw him shoot a shot from deep in the corner, run up into the bleachers and sit down and watch his own shot go in the basket, nothing but net. The whole gym went wild..."
Skip went to the ABA as I recall. Had a very short career. Got caught up in drugs. Another wasted talent. Oh, well.
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Orange Blooded [2802]
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I saw him play - don't remember any particular play - just
Jan 22, 2015, 9:02 AM
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an unbelievably talented player!
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Rock Defender [53]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 22, 2015, 9:28 AM
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I remember one play where he clearly carried the ball for a step or so, and the refs totally missed it. He made it look so smooth that it did not really look like a carry - but everyone knew it was. The kid was awesome. Best player ever in ORANGE (well Tree Rollins was darn great too).
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Orange Blooded [2281]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 22, 2015, 9:29 AM
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The best player that I ever saw in college was David Thompson of NC State. I would rank Skip second. I saw Jordan in college and wasn't all that impressed, he was a much better pro. The best player I have ever seen in college(not in person) was Lenny Bias his last year at Maryland. Period!
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Orange Blooded [4098]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 22, 2015, 9:40 AM
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IMHO he was BETTER than David Thompson as a fresh!!simply amazing player
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Orange Blooded [2281]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 23, 2015, 12:32 AM
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Love it! You are absolutely correct. Most of the young'uns here won't know that Thompson couldn't play as a freshman because the NCAA didn't change the rules until the next year. They also won't know that he couldn't dunk because of the Alcindor rule, although he did one on his last shot in college and took the technical. We are old farts.
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Oculus Spirit [82946]
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His game was very similar to Walt Frazier's. Not
Jan 22, 2015, 9:41 AM
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spectacular by todays standards of high flying dunks, but just very solid on creating his own shot and passing the ball.
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All-TigerNet [11934]
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Good comparison ... Wise was a smooth operator for sure.***
Jan 22, 2015, 2:12 PM
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All-In [45589]
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Tree and I were freshmen together
Jan 22, 2015, 10:23 AM
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Skip was one of the amazing basketball players alltime at Clemson. Street talent from a hotbed of basketball awesomeness. Moves, grace, vision, and a natural. He outclassed every guard in the acc.
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All-In [45589]
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Re: btw
Jan 22, 2015, 10:25 AM
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We're all old.
??
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CU Guru [1344]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 22, 2015, 10:46 AM
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Saw every home game when Skip was a freshman. Littlejohn was packed for every game once the students were enrolled.
Two plays standout.
Knocking the trash talker out at center court.
Doing the Harem Globetrotters dribbling exhibition sliding on the floor as four tarheels chased him around the court trying to get a foul. The other Clemson players were standing in the four corners of the halfcourt laughing as the heels could not catch Skip as the game wound down to a Clemson victory.
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Orange Blooded [3370]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 22, 2015, 1:23 PM
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Had season tickets then until the early 80s. Haven't seen a player like Skip since. Would like to know if he's still living. Major disappointment about the waste of an unbelievable talent and potential personal success.
Message was edited by: BerlinSPY73®
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Orange Blooded [3257]
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I saw him play, and IMHO, he was our best ever.....period!***
Jan 22, 2015, 1:36 PM
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Orange Blooded [4142]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 22, 2015, 2:00 PM
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I heard Phil Ford on radio interview several years ago . He said he was glad to see Skip Wise move on cause if he'd stayed , no one would've known who Phil Ford is . That's saying a lot .
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Orange Blooded [2420]
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How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 23, 2015, 6:16 AM
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On thing about it...we are all getting old and to remember one play is hard to do, but we would be at the games early and run to the rebel rouser bleacher section right behind the other teams bench and raise h*ll at the other teams players and coaches the whole time. Those were the fun days of being a Clemson basketball student fan. we stood the whole game really rocking Littlejohn along with playing some good basketball.
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Recruit [89]
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I witnessed it and once he stepped over the half court line
Jan 22, 2015, 2:16 PM
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he was in range. I was in school there then and saw all the home games. He threw it up from all over the half court and usually drained it. It was an awkward motion where both hands would go behind his head -- but he was deadly. An absolute amazing basketball talent to watch, and a great shame thatit was wasted.
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Legend [17503]
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So where is he now? What did he do with his life?***
Jan 22, 2015, 6:29 PM
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All-TigerNet [11383]
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Re: So where is he now? What did he do with his life?***
Jan 22, 2015, 7:21 PM
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I think I read an article a few years ago where he was living in the poverty stricken district of Baltimore hanging around various gyms watching and tutoring young basketball players. Also still addicted to drugs and basically living as homeless person. Really sad situation.
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CU Guru [1139]
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Oh yea, he was in my Political Science 101 class....
Jan 22, 2015, 2:59 PM
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he wore 3 or 4 rings on each hand was what I remember mostly...well that and he was the smoothest point guard ever...period..awesome
Message was edited by: 79CUTIG®
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110%er [5912]
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Re: How many of you saw Skip Wise play
Jan 23, 2015, 8:31 AM
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Absolutely deadly crossover dribble - break your ankles.
We ran a double stack delay game like a four corners - he would dribble around the double stack in a figure 8 pattern and no one could catch him.
He wore his sweatband up at his elbow - radical in the day.
Had an unorthodox jump shot with the ball released way behind his head and impossible to block by even centers.
He would drive the free throw line/lane and release the jumper behind his head.
Deadliest shot from 12-16 feet I have ever seen.
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