The Legend of Sly Williams - Documentary by CoxHub

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 8 years ago

The Legend of Sly Williams
a Documentary from CoxHub Films

http://www.coxhub.com/articles/the-lege ... y-williams

Ram1019 · Unread post by **Ram1019** » 8 years ago

Very cool story...A little history for us younger fans!

PatheticFriars · Unread post by **PatheticFriars** » 8 years ago

Link 404'd for me unfortunately

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 8 years ago

Let's try this again. The show now seems to be up!

http://www.coxhub.com/articles/the-lege ... y-williams

Joe · Unread post by **Joe** » 8 years ago

Seems like a nice guy...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sly_Williams

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 8 years ago

The urban legend was better than what Sly had to say in the documentary. Then again, maybe the whole story wasn't actually told.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 8 years ago

I enjoyed this over breakfast. Nice way to kick off the first Saturday in December.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 8 years ago

Bump - I really recommend that the older folk watch this before going to the game later today. Follow the link and click the PLAY button. It is just 30 minutes long.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 8 years ago

RF1 wrote:Bump - I really recommend that the older folk watch this before going to the game later today. Follow the link and click the PLAY button. It is just 30 minutes long.

I already did. I'll tell ya, I loved Sly, and not for just what he did on the basketball court, which was incredible. He was always a really friendly kid on campus, always smiling. He did have a lot of problems off the court, especially after he left URI, but he was a really good guy. And from that video, he looks really good and seems to have straightened out his life.

Seawrightspostgame · Unread post by **Seawrightspostgame** » 8 years ago

So fluid with that shot.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

Well, this whole cutsie "train ride" story doesn't jive with what I've always been told.
So, I went to the main person in this saga, not named Sly Williams.
The Godfather told me step by step what actually happened over a much longer
period of time than the story here eludes to.
How Cox could do this piece without ever contacting someone so important to the
story, is a bit mystifying. Bunky knows the story. Yet, no Bob Terino?
Kind of like ignoring the main cog in why Sly Williams wound up at URI.
Suffice to say, the train story is a myth, and maybe something some would like
to believe happened.
The truth is,in fact, far more convoluted and much more interesting.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 8 years ago

Rod, did you watch the video? Sly tells all and says it basically came down to playing time. Gavitt said he wouldn't start but would get some minutes. So URI is where he went. Said he decided two or three weeks before school started.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

I watched it. As I said this version covers about 10%
of the real story.
Lots of revisionism in it.

Rammgr · Unread post by **Rammgr** » 8 years ago

I have to agree with Rod on this one.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

Point of fact: Rammgr was there during the Sly era,
up close and personal.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 8 years ago

So Sly wasn't telling the truth?

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 8 years ago

theblueram wrote:So Sly wasn't telling the truth?

He just didn't tell the WHOLE story.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 8 years ago

Well, this is one thing I would love to know at some point in my life. Met the Godfather once but this subject never came up. If I ever get a chance to chat with him this is priority number 1!

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 8 years ago

rodfromcranston wrote:Well, this whole cutsie "train ride" story doesn't jive with what I've always been told.
So, I went to the main person in this saga, not named Sly Williams.
The Godfather told me step by step what actually happened over a much longer
period of time than the story here eludes to.
How Cox could do this piece without ever contacting someone so important to the
story, is a bit mystifying. Bunky knows the story. Yet, no Bob Terino?
Kind of like ignoring the main cog in why Sly Williams wound up at URI.
Suffice to say, the train story is a myth, and maybe something some would like
to believe happened.
The truth is, in fact, far more convoluted and much more interesting.

The GIA (Godfather Intelligence Agency) true story would make for a great movie. It's the reason Gavitt and Co. never forgave URI, because Butterball couldn't believe that they were doubly-outfoxed by a magician's constant sleight-of-hand up to the last minute. Literally.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 8 years ago

Just tell us all what really happened then.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 8 years ago

bressler3south wrote:
rodfromcranston wrote:Well, this whole cutsie "train ride" story doesn't jive with what I've always been told.
So, I went to the main person in this saga, not named Sly Williams.
The Godfather told me step by step what actually happened over a much longer
period of time than the story here eludes to.
How Cox could do this piece without ever contacting someone so important to the
story, is a bit mystifying. Bunky knows the story. Yet, no Bob Terino?
Kind of like ignoring the main cog in why Sly Williams wound up at URI.
Suffice to say, the train story is a myth, and maybe something some would like
to believe happened.
The truth is, in fact, far more convoluted and much more interesting.
The GIA (Godfather Intelligence Agency) true story would make for a great movie. It's the reason Gavitt and Co. never forgave URI, because Butterball couldn't believe that they were doubly-outfoxed by a magician's constant sleight-of-hand up to the last minute. Literally.

It really is quite a story

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 8 years ago

TELL IT HERE

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

It's not for me to tell.
If The Godfather wants to write his memoirs some day,
it would be a best seller in these parts.

jmck · Unread post by **jmck** » 8 years ago

I was let down by the production. I was hoping to hear the whole story.

gorhody89 · Unread post by **gorhody89** » 8 years ago

Forgive me, but who is the godfather?

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 8 years ago

gorhody89 wrote:Forgive me, but who is the godfather?

Bob Terino. He was a prominent booster that used to be at every athletic event.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

He still is at every game.
The single most significant person in URI
basketball for decades.
The man who got Sly here,. The man who got
Pappy Owens here.
The man who got Jim Harrick here.
Helped remove Eddy Eddy as URI President.
Very influential in getting coach LaForce here.
He currently has very deep AAU ties,
which the current regime isn't interested in
exploring or taking advantage of.
His ego is as big as all outdoors, but so is his
heart, when it comes to matters of URI basketball.

ramfan85 · Unread post by **ramfan85** » 8 years ago

RF1 wrote:
gorhody89 wrote:Forgive me, but who is the godfather?
Bob Terino. He was a prominent booster that used to be at every athletic event.

Not to be confused with The Goodfather of the WWE (Pimpin' ain't easy).

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 8 years ago

rodfromcranston wrote:He still is at every game.
The single most significant person in URI
basketball for decades.
The man who got Sly here,. The man who got
Pappy Owens here.
The man who got Jim Harrick here.
Helped remove Eddy Eddy as URI President.
Very influential in getting coach LaForce here.
He currently has very deep AAU ties,
which the current regime isn't interested in
exploring or taking advantage of.
His ego is as big as all outdoors, but so is his
heart, when it comes to matters of URI basketball.

The times will be a' changin' and when Mr. Preston Murphy presumably becomes Head Coach after his extended apprenticeship and ARD is made Associate Head Coach, those ties/sponsorship will be theirs for the asking/taking…..

Ramulous · Unread post by **Ramulous** » 8 years ago

BAR is also someone who is close to the source in the Sly saga.....would like to hear his take on the show....

I am proud to call Bob Terino "my friend".....perhaps the best friend Rhode Island basketball has had.....

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

Bressler, you think the same way I do about our next coach.....whenever that happens....

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 8 years ago

It's been so long, I don't even remember the story. I wish I could now!!!

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

Let's just say that Sly wasn't quite the innocent kid
being duped by others.
I have given the source's reaction to the "documentary".
He called it a "myth". Nuff said.
Bress, I too agree with you line of succession.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

As long as the powers that be at URI agree with us, when the time comes.....

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 8 years ago

I can't believe we're talking about this now, but since we are, as long as Preston's only head coaching experience is from coaching Woonsocket High he's not qualified to take over this program.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

So, by this logic, no assistant coach could ever be
a head coach.
Wonder how Tom Izzo would feel about that?

Unread post by **SGreenwell** » 8 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:I can't believe we're talking about this now, but since we are, as long as Preston's only head coaching experience is from coaching Woonsocket High he's not qualified to take over this program.

Agree. If and when Hurley leaves, at this point, it would probably be after multiple NCAA tournament appearances. I wouldn't want the program to hire anyone without head coaching experience - they would probably be in a strong position to hire someone, and they wouldn't have to settle for someone without that qualification. Preston seems to be doing well as an assistant now, so I'm sure he can get a lower D1 head coach job and succeed there before warranting serious consideration at URI or another mid-major.

Unread post by **SGreenwell** » 8 years ago

rodfromcranston wrote:So, by this logic, no assistant coach could ever be
a head coach.
Wonder how Tom Izzo would feel about that?

That's one data point, and I imagine there are probably more coaches with no head coaching experience that didn't pan out. We hired one ourselves. Izzo was also an assistant coach at Michigan State for more than a dozen years before he was moved up. If we had an assistant with that sort of continuity, then fine, but we don't currently.

Seawrightspostgame · Unread post by **Seawrightspostgame** » 8 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:I can't believe we're talking about this now, but since we are, as long as Preston's only head coaching experience is from coaching Woonsocket High he's not qualified to take over this program.

But that Woonsocket team shut me down like no other.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

Al Skinner was assistant coach for two years before
he was hired here.
Preston is well thought of by people who matter at URI.
Some guy named Bobby Hurley has done pretty damned well with only
three years as an assistant.
I could go on with many others, but why bother?

Unread post by **SGreenwell** » 8 years ago

rodfromcranston wrote:Al Skinner was assistant coach for two years before
he was hired here.
Preston is well thought of by people who matter at URI.
Some guy named Bobby Hurley has done pretty damned well with only
three years as an assistant.
I could go on with many others, but why bother?

Bobby Hurley went from being an assistant at URI to a lower conference head coaching job, which is exactly the career path I recommended for Murphy, if he's interested in the URI job. Al Skinner had two .500 or worse years in his first three at URI, which also wouldn't be acceptable for URI coming multiple NCAA tournament appearances. He grew into being a very good head coach, which is good, but again, I'm arguing that we would be an attractive program barring something weird. We should be able to pick from plenty of strong small or mid-major conference coaches with established track records.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

Might depend on how long Dan is here.

If it's at least a few years away, maybe Preston does get a HC job somewhere first......

Doesn't hurt to speculate, anyway. That's all we're doing.

For every opinion on here, there are differing opinions. That's what this place is for......

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 8 years ago

Just because I wouldn't want Preston taking over the program right now doesn't mean I don't think highly of him. Granted BC is a floundering program, but if he was going to leave BC after one season I feel for his career advancement it would have been better for him to get a lower level head coaching position then an assistant job at Creighton. That to me seems to be a redundant move to what's already on his resume. And you have to wonder if leaving URI at all where he was an associate head coach was a good move. He improved his money situation, but only one year in a power 5 conference doesn't really change his resume.

Each year that Preston is away from the program is another year where he becomes less intimately familiar with the roster. People like Izzo and even Skinner were promoted, that does make a difference, because they built the roster and know it inside out and the players know them. Even if something happened and Dan left after this year and Preston took over, he'd be unfamiliar with almost half the roster and almost half the roster wouldn't know anything about him, and that's only going to become more pronounced with each passing season. Also, would the URI faithful be willing to put up with the growing pains that would come from a new coach learning the ropes? And if he takes over after URI makes a couple trips to the tournament, would his growing pains squander the momentum created? It seems like a potentially ugly scenario that I'd like to avoid with a URI favorite.

I would feel better about Preston if he took any head job, and wouldn't even be particularly concerned with the results. But he needs experience as the head guy. He needs to test who he is when it comes to in game decisions, roster and staff construction, scheduling and so on as the main guy and get a feel for what works and what doesn't. Michigan State, with their budget and conference prestige could absorb the hit if Izzo didn't pan out. URI scuffled a little bit when Skinner took over. Dan has grown in his years here, and that was with two years as a head coach, and with where the program was buzz was more important then the details at the time of his hiring. If we're where we want and expect when it comes to hire a new coach, we need a head coach that can hit the ground running.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 8 years ago

I'm not sure why we're talking about a new coach.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

It's called a discussion.
So, Tom Penders wasn't familiar with the URI roster, because he came
from Fordham.
Should not have hired him, then, right?
Jim Harrick didn't even know we existed.
Should not have hired him.Right?
It's actually better that someone doesn't have pre conceived notions
about players and can judge the objectively.
Not being familiar with the roster is a totally bogus reason not
to hire anyone.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

The only thing I'll agree with, is that Preston as of right now probably wouldn't be ready.

Dan though isn't going anywhere. At least for a while. He's still got work to do.

This year, due to unforeseen circumstances, we probably aren't going to the big show.

Next year, we should. Will he stay for 2 or more NCAA appearances in a row? Or more?

We have to get there first to find out.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 8 years ago

Penders had 15 years experience as a head coach. Harrick had 17 years with 12 NCAA appearances and a national championship. I don't know what's confusing, I feel Preston should at least have either A. head coaching experience or B. intimate knowledge of the roster. He currently doesn't have A and he's losing more and more of B by the season. I feel he's a weaker candidate today then he was the day he left URI. I would actually probably prefer Antonio Reynolds Dean to Preston right now.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 8 years ago

Yeah, whatever. I'm done trying to debate this with you.
Rambone, Dan is stuck here until he wins.
Will some P5 school hire him, even if he does?
Who knows?

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 8 years ago

Yeah, you never let facts get in the way of your arguments, why start now.

Unread post by **SGreenwell** » 8 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:Penders had 15 years experience as a head coach. Harrick had 17 years with 12 NCAA appearances and a national championship. I don't know what's confusing, I feel Preston should at least have either A. head coaching experience or B. intimate knowledge of the roster. He currently doesn't have A and he's losing more and more of B by the season. I feel he's a weaker candidate today then he was the day he left URI. I would actually probably prefer Antonio Reynolds Dean to Preston right now.

I agree with all of this, again stressing that it isn't meant as a dig on Preston Murphy. If Hurley is everything we believe him to be, then the program is going to be in a great position when it comes to hiring a new head coach, if he ever leaves, similar to the position Xavier and Butler were in when they were looking for new head coaches. They either hired long-time assistants, or coaches with good head coaching resumes. If Murphy got a head job at a small school in 2016-17, and then had a couple good years under his belt, I'd definitely be open to him being a prime candidate for the URI job. I feel similarly if ARD or another of the current assistants did great work here for a couple years.

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