Nate Thurmond Quotes...

BGSU Men's Basketball!!
Post Reply
User avatar
ZiggyZoomba
The Wizard of AZZ
The Wizard of AZZ
Posts: 5916
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2004 5:37 pm
Location: Elmore, OH

Nate Thurmond Quotes...

Post by ZiggyZoomba »

Several quotes stuck out from Nate Thurmond's speech on Saturday... (I'm working from memory and don't have a transcript or the video in front of me..) What quotes stood out for anyone else?

"When I got to BGSU there were only about 5000 students... 52 black students... oh how we've grown since then!"

"I chose the right school!"

"I was here to open it, and it was a pleasure to be here to close it," Thurmond said. "Hopefully, I'll be back to see the new Stroh Center. Time moves on. The new place will have its own flavor and it will have nights when it roars."
Grant Cummings
ROLL ALONG!!!
"We are linked to this institution by invisible bonds that do not wither or dissolve." --BGSU President, Dr. Ralph W. McDonald - 1968
User avatar
Class of 61
Peregrine
Peregrine
Posts: 4565
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 10:51 am
Location: Seven Hills, Ohio 44131

Re: Nate Thurmond Quotes...

Post by Class of 61 »

Grant,
FWIW, I thought he said there were only 52 blacks on campus at that time.... it's interesting to me since I WAS on campus then...and had three black guys in my wing of Shatzel Hall, then a men's dorm.... WHO were they? Bernie Casey, Chuck Comer and Wes Jones, Jr. You'd probably recognize the 1st two in particular, but Wes was a varsity cheerleader, so was quite "visible" during our years at BG.
Education our Challenge, Excellence our goal. (look it up)
User avatar
Flipper
The Global Village Idiot
The Global Village Idiot
Posts: 18396
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 1:01 am
Location: Ida Twp, MI

Re: Nate Thurmond Quotes...

Post by Flipper »

Was Shatzel haunted when it was a dorm...or did that happen later?
It's not the fall that hurts...it's when you hit the ground.
User avatar
Class of 61
Peregrine
Peregrine
Posts: 4565
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 10:51 am
Location: Seven Hills, Ohio 44131

Re: Nate Thurmond Quotes...

Post by Class of 61 »

Don't know anything about the "haunting" bit...but it was the BEST place in the world in Spring...all the Freshmen women heading over to Sorority row! Very "Scenic"! Probably funniest story I remember is that one of guys in our wing, an electronics nut, rigged a system to broadcast over our radios in the dorm, then went out and "interviewed" some young ladies, including, ultimately, some personal questions.. Of course, the girls didn't know that all of us were listening to these talks.... until they'd hear laughing coming from the dorm. This whole thing got stopped when it was discovered that he was broadcasting on same band as campus cops!!! But it was fun while it lasted. :D
Education our Challenge, Excellence our goal. (look it up)
User avatar
TG1996
Peregrine
Peregrine
Posts: 12708
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:27 am
Location: Indianapolis
Contact:

Re: Nate Thurmond Quotes...

Post by TG1996 »

Don't remember the exact quote, but when he talked about getting chills thinking about the Loyola game and several other moments he had inside AA.

I had hoped he would have put a more emphatic bow on his speech, but all in all, it was fantastic and great to hear a sports legend speak so highly of the university we all love and for many of the same reasons.
"I don't believe I can name a coach, anywhere, anytime, anyhow, who did it better than Doyt Perry."
-1955 BG Assistant Bo Schembechler

BGSUsports.com - Where ESPN.com goes for BG history.
User avatar
hammb
The Stabber of Cherries
The Stabber of Cherries
Posts: 14434
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:21 am
Location: Bowling Green

Re: Nate Thurmond Quotes...

Post by hammb »

ZiggyZoomba wrote:Several quotes stuck out from Nate Thurmond's speech on Saturday... (I'm working from memory and don't have a transcript or the video in front of me..) What quotes stood out for anyone else?

"When I got to BGSU there were only about 5000 students... 52 black students... oh how we've grown since then!"

"I chose the right school!"

"I was here to open it, and it was a pleasure to be here to close it," Thurmond said. "Hopefully, I'll be back to see the new Stroh Center. Time moves on. The new place will have its own flavor and it will have nights when it roars."
Those first two stuck out to me as well.

Another was when he was talking about how his Freshman team destroyed the Varsity that year, but I don't remember his exact word choice.

Also I remember him mentioning how when he arrived he was a 6'7 kid with potential, but I don't remember his exact quotes on that either.

Would love to see a video or have a transcript of the speech.
User avatar
bgsufn
Peregrine
Peregrine
Posts: 627
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 10:28 pm
Location: Bryan, OH
Contact:

Re: Nate Thurmond Quotes...

Post by bgsufn »

hammb wrote:Would love to see a video or have a transcript of the speech.
Ask and ye shall receive. It is on the FalconAthletics YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/FalconAthletics
Chris Malanga ('97)
Veteran of BGSU Radio

"If you wanted to be a Buckeye, you should have gone to OSU. You're a Falcon. Accept it. Be proud." - Lizzie Keller, BG News Column
User avatar
Class of 61
Peregrine
Peregrine
Posts: 4565
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 10:51 am
Location: Seven Hills, Ohio 44131

Re: Nate Thurmond Quotes...

Post by Class of 61 »

hammb wrote:
ZiggyZoomba wrote:Several quotes stuck out from Nate Thurmond's speech on Saturday... (I'm working from memory and don't have a transcript or the video in front of me..) What quotes stood out for anyone else?

"When I got to BGSU there were only about 5000 students... 52 black students... oh how we've grown since then!"

"I chose the right school!"

"I was here to open it, and it was a pleasure to be here to close it," Thurmond said. "Hopefully, I'll be back to see the new Stroh Center. Time moves on. The new place will have its own flavor and it will have nights when it roars."
Those first two stuck out to me as well.

Another was when he was talking about how his Freshman team destroyed the Varsity that year, but I don't remember his exact word choice.

Also I remember him mentioning how when he arrived he was a 6'7 kid with potential, but I don't remember his exact quotes on that either.

Would love to see a video or have a transcript of the speech.

Hambb, I can verify what he said about "destroying" the varsity that year. Think of it; Thurmond, Elijah Chatman, Wavey Jr., and another big kid who transferred to N.Mex. or N.Mex.St. before they added Komives to the mix. Unfortunately, Wavey ran into grade trouble, or this team might have REALLY been dynamite! When Nate made 1st team all-american, Butch made 2nd team, and the kid who left, Ira Harge, made 3rd team.... not too bad a recruiting group for "Andy" that year.
Education our Challenge, Excellence our goal. (look it up)
Post Reply