Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba.com

This is interesting.
http://www.foxtoledo.com/dsp_story.cfm?storyid=37043
Never knew we had a BG grad in position for an NBA job. Never heard of this Bob Hill guy before.

falconboy wrote:This is interesting.
http://www.foxtoledo.com/dsp_story.cfm?storyid=37043
Never knew we had a BG grad in position for an NBA job. Never heard of this Bob Hill guy before.

Ever heard of Bill Fitch? You might want to google him. . . .

I have not heard of either of these guys. Speaks volumes of their connection with our basketball program and or our University as a whole.

Germainfitch1 wrote:I have not heard of either of these guys. Speaks volumes of their connection with our basketball program and or our University as a whole.

Hill played at BG, but I don't believe he coached here in any capacity.

As for Fitch:

-He's the fifth winningest coach in NBA history. He's also lost the second most games.

-He coached BG for one year.

-That year was 1967-68. He still deserves our undying gratitude...

Bob Hill was an assistant coach under Pat Haley -- He's served stints with the Knicks, Pacers and probably some other NBA teams.
Bob is an excellent person.

For those who like 'pain' Bill Fitch is also the last coach to take a BGSU men's basketball team to the NCAA. BG lost the game to Marquette by a point. The game was played at Kent State. This was before the modern "Big Dance" most of the folks on this board are accoustomed too. Don't get me wrong, it was still a big deal, but not what it is today. I was a senior in high school and yes Anderson Arena did "Roar" that season. I hope to live to see BG basketball at that point again!

Bob Hill played basketball and baseball at BG. He's also been a head coach in the NBA for a few teams, most notably the San Antonio Spurs. I believe he was the coach prior to Popovich.

Not only did he play both basketball and baseball at BG, but was drafted, I believe by the Padres and had a short mionor league career, before coaching basketball. He coached at BG, Kansas with Larry Brown, then on to the NBA with Hubie Brown and the Knicks, Magic, Spurs etc. He has actually been back to BG a number of times, and was honored by Varsity BG a few years back.

manager wrote:Bob Hill was an assistant coach under Pat Haley

Well color me corrected!!!

Thanks for the follow-up!

I would also point out that Fitch coached at BG only one season because after his success some guy by the name of Miletti hired him to be the first (righ??) coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

falconboy wrote:This is interesting.
http://www.foxtoledo.com/dsp_story.cfm?storyid=37043
Never knew we had a BG grad in position for an NBA job. Never heard of this Bob Hill guy before.

Glad to see that others have already "enlightened" you on Bob Hill before I could post....
And yes, Bill Fitch WAS the 1st HC of the Cavs.

Here's what I recall (perhaps incorrectly).

Fitch came to BG from some school in Montana or North Dakota. He had a successful team at BG and left after only 1 season. He left to coach Minnesota, taking with him a highly thought of recruit, a big man, that was coming to BG. Can't remember his name but he became a star at Minnesota. After a short time at Minnesota, Fitch was hired to coach the Cavaliers. He coached a number of NBA teams including the Boston Celtics.

In a number of ways, Fitch's style was similar to Dakich's. One incident I remember involved a JUCO he brought in, a guard named Hairston who had a very good career at BG. In Fitch and Hairston's first game at BG, Hairston scored something like 26 points and fans were thinking "Wow!". However, Fitch came out and was quoted in the newspaper as saying that if Hairston played another game like he played the first one Fitch would kick him in the butt.

I was watching a practice once in the stands and Fitch came over and said, "Who the Hell are you?"

He always looked like he had 2 hours sleep the night before.

With Fitch, there was never any doubt who was Boss.

As for Bob Hill, maybe he'll donate some of his NBA earnings to a new Convocation Center.

Hill was recently the coach at Fordham University of the A-10 and was mentioned as a potential head coaching candidate for BG after Dakich left briefly for West Virginia.