Joe B. Hall, who grew up just 20 minutes north of the University of Kentucky campus in Cynthiana, had the unenviable task of following the legendary Adolph Rupp, who was forced to retire at age 70. But Hall, the former Rupp assistant, met the challenge head on, coaching three teams to the Final Four (1975, '78 and '84) and winning the 1978 NCAA Championship, the school's fifth title and first in 20 seasons.
Hall began his association with Kentucky as a student-athlete during the "Fabulous Five" era. He played one year of junior varsity and one year of varsity basketball before transferring to the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., where he finished his eligibility and set a single-game scoring record. Following his college career, Hall toured with the Harlem Globetrotters in 1951, but later returned to UK and completed his degree requirements.
His coaching career began at Shepherdsville (ky.) High School in 1956. It continued on to Regis College in Denver, where he spent five years (57-50 record), and Central Missouri State, where he recorded a 19-6 mark in one season before returning to UK as an assistant to Rupp on July 1, 1965.
As the UK head coach, Hall won National Coach of the Year honors in 1978 and four SEC Coach of the Year awards. He had seven players win All-America honors 11 times and nine Wildcats were voted All-SEC on 18 occasions.
Hall's squads recorded a 172-62 (73.5%) record vs. SEC competition during the regular season, winning eight SEC titles in 13 seasons and one league tournament championship in six tries.
While Coach Rupp witnessed 37 of his players drafted by the NBA, Hall saw 23 players drafted during his 13-year tenure, five in the first round.
Denny Crum's low-key personality worked wonders on the collegiate level. A teacher and a motivator, Crum annually built teams that play their best basketball at tournament time. After 30 seaons at Louisville, Crum retired on March 2, 2001, and had assembled a statistical package that would make any coach jealous. The man known as "Cool Hand Luke" has patrolled the sidelines at the University of Louisville for the since 1971, and the Cardinals were a dominant college program, especially in the 1980s. Only three other coaches have coached more NCAA Final Four teams than Crum, who has taken Louisville to six Final Fours (1972, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986). Crum, who led Louisville to the 1980 and 1986 NCAA championship, was an assistant under John Wooden at UCLA for three NCAA titles. In 1993, Crum became the second fastest coach in history to win 500 games.
During his career, Crum has been named College Coach of the Year three times (1980, 1983, 1986), and has been Metro Conference Coach of the Year five times. Crum's record (675-295) included 21 seasons with 20 or more wins, including 14 straight. He also compiled three seasons of 30 or more victories. Crum retired as the 19th winningest coach in college basketball history and 16th in Division I. His .696 winning percentage is 49th best in history. Crum coached Louisville to 23 NCAA tournament appearances, including 19 in a 24-years stretch. Three of his squads have participated in the NIT. Under Crum, the Cardinals have captured or shared 12 Metro Conference regular season titles and 11 post season tournament championships. He has coached 28 players who have played in the NBA. On the international level, Crum coached the 1977 USA World University Team to a gold medal and the 1987 Pan American team to a silver medal. Crum is a 1958 graduate of UCLA, where he played two seasons for Hall of Famer John Wooden. He coached at Pierce Junior College (CA) for four seasons, and in 1968, became Wooden's top assistant and chief recruiter until becoming head coach at Louisville in 1971.
OUR FALLEN TEAMMATES
DICK ROBINSON (1940-2011)
THE JOE B AND DENNY SHOW WOULDN'T EXIST WITHOUT DICK ROBINSON. AN IDEA SCRIBBLED ONTO A NAPKIN TURNED INTO A SUCCESSFUL, LONG-RUNNING SPORTS TALK SHOW. THAT'S WHAT SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DO. TURN IDEAS INTO REALITY. AND WITHOUT HIS DEDICATION AND UNCANNY ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITIES, THE SHOW MIGHT NOT STILL BE HERE TODAY. AFTER ALL, YOU HAVE TWO BUSY COACHES TO KEEP ON TASK, ADVERTISING TO SELL AND GUESTS TO BOOK. EVERYDAY. AND HE DID IT ALL WITH AN INFECTIOUS PERSONALITY AND HIS EVER PRESENT SMILE. YOU COULDN'T BE IN A BAD MOOD WITH DICK ROBINSON IN THE ROOM. WE'RE GOING TO MISS OUR LITTLE BIRDIE...
JACK LUCAS (1965 - 2007)
His family knew him as Michael Shawn Sage. To us, he was the gruff, but lovable Jack. He was our Producer from the inception of the Joe B and Denny Show and helped shape it into the program it is today. A long time radio veteran, his music collection and most notably, his music knowledge was unmatched. While our show will continue, the songs, the subtle touches and the hilarious, "not for prime time" asides into our headphones can never be replaced. Rest in Peace, my friend. The music is certainly better where you are now.
DJ
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