Exploring the Legacy of Al McGuire: A Blend of Basketball Brilliance and Wit
As I reflect on the summer before embarking on my freshman year at Marquette University, memories of working in my uncle’s bar and restaurant in Rockaway, NY come flooding back. One fateful day, a crew from WNBC-NY sauntered in for lunch, on a mission to film a segment about a celebrated college basketball figure. Right on cue, the door swung open, and in walked Al McGuire, an icon in men’s college basketball coaching. Al’s roots were firmly planted in Rockaway, and he had returned with NBC to reconnect with his origins (my uncle’s bar was conveniently situated across from the illustrious 108th street basketball courts, where the likes of Lew Alcindor, Brian Winters, Len Elmore, and the McGuire brothers showcased their skills every summer).
Upon revealing my plan to attend Marquette, Al’s face lit up with enthusiasm. He generously spent nearly an hour regaling me with the virtues of the school. What remains etched in my memory is the shared laughter and his emphasis on the profound value of a Jesuit education.
While Al’s coaching career boasts a roster of remarkable players and triumphs, including clinching the NCAA Championship in 1977 (in his final game as a coach), his enduring legacy lies in his razor-sharp wit.
He embodied a rare blend of humor, sarcasm, sincerity, intelligence, fervor, fairness, and compassion. Recently, I stumbled upon a book that compiles some of Al’s finest quotes (from A to Z). Below, I’ve handpicked a selection of my personal favorites. Enjoy!
DINING – I went into a restaurant one night and ordered lobster, and the waiter brought me one with a claw missing. I called him over and told him about it. He told me that in the back there’s a tank they keep lobsters in and, while in there, they fight and sometimes one loses a claw. I told him, “then bring me the winner.”
EDUCATION – I think everyone should go to college and get a degree and then spend six months as a bartender and six months as a cab driver. Then they would really be educated.
FIGHTING – When a guy takes off his coat, he’s not going to fight. When a guy takes off his wristwatch, watch out!
MOTTOS – (1) Live every day as if it were Saturday night. (2) Dream big. Don’t be just another guy going down the street and going nowhere. (3) Live in the moment that you are in. Make your life exciting. Do what you have to do as long as you don’t hurt people.
NEW YORK – I come from New York where, if you fall down, someone will pick you up by your wallet.
PERSONALITY – A team should be an extension of a coaches personality. My teams are arrogant and obnoxious.
QUICKNESS – Dean Meminger was quicker than 11:15 Mass at a seaside resort.
RECRUITING – My rule was I wouldn’t recruit a kid if he had grass in front of his house. That’s not my world. My world has a cracked sidewalk.
EXIT – I had my moment on the stage. The trick in life is to know when to leave.
