KU coaching legends Owens, Brown, Williams, Self talk fieldhouse history

photo by: Nick Krug

Former Kansas coaches Roy Williams and Larry Brown hug as they greet each other prior to the 60th Anniversary celebration of Allen Fieldhouse on Monday, Oct. 27, 2014.

A few hours before “Celebrating 60 years of Allen Fieldhouse” Monday, Kansas University basketball coaches of past and present gathered to talk hoops and the home of the Jayhawks.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams, former Kansas coach Ted Owens, SMU coach Larry Brown and Kansas coach Bill Self all addressed the media at the fieldhouse to share some of their memories.

Here are a few of the highlights:

Roy Williams

photo by: Nick Krug

Former Kansas coaches Roy Williams and Larry Brown hug as they greet each other prior to the 60th Anniversary celebration of Allen Fieldhouse on Monday, Oct. 27, 2014.

• Monday afternoon Williams walked into the fieldhouse for the first time since KU’s last practice before the 2003 Final Four. “It was a nice feeling,” he said. For him, going in the fieldhouse always was a thrill. “I wish nobody else would’ve been in there.” He would’ve liked to take it all in for himself.

• When Williams first heard about this event: “That’s a neat idea,” because it’s such a wonderful location. “It’s the best. It really is.”

• Being here has brought back some wonderful memories. Memories of the hurt feelings of when he left came up, too. “Everybody’s in an arms race” in college athletics top put up new facilities and this place has been around 60 years.

• Williams’ wife, Wanda, has been having some health issues or she would’ve made the trip, too.

• On how he wants to be remembered as a KU coach: “I wish we had won one more game on Monday night on a couple of occasions. But mainly as “a guy who “could coach a little bit,” but really meant a lot to players.

• Self called him up and has made Williams feel so good, that made coming back easy. They talked during the summer recruiting period and Self first asked him. Williams said, “I’m in.” The Tar Heels loved it because they got a day off Monday.

• “I always worried about coming back,” Williams said, because he always loved the place. He is a Kansas fan. … “When people put your picture over the commode,” that’s a little worrisome.

• Williams turned down UNC once because he wanted to coach Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich for the rest of their careers.

• On his last game at the fieldhouse: He hopes that people in attendance knew/recognized what they had in Collison and Hinrich, and what they did for four years.

• Williams was “blown away” by all the facilities and how everything looks now. “I think it’s just sensational.” … “Kansas basketball deserves the best.”

• There’s never a day goes by that Williams doesn’t know what’s going on at KU from a win-loss perspective.

• Williams remembers a game vs. Oklahoma when he thought there was no way the Sooner at the free-throw line would make his two shots because the crowd wouldn’t let him. The result? “Brick, brick.”

• “Time heals wounds,” Williams said of returning. Over time people understand things better.

Ted Owens

photo by: Nick Krug

Former Kansas head coach Ted Owens talks about his memories of Allen Fieldhouse during a press conference prior to the 60th Anniversary celebration on Monday, Oct. 27, 2014.

• “This is a little different than the training room where we used to meet after the game,” Owens said upon entering the press conference.

• On how he’d like his KU career to be remembered: By the relationship with his players and the productive lives they lived.

• Did Jo Jo White step out of bounds in overtime of a regional semifinal in 1966? Owens was completely across the court when the play happened against Texas Western… the Jayhawks thought they had scored to go to the Final Four. “Today with all the camera angles you have, there would be no question.” It looked like White’s heel was never out of bounds. The official saw where White landed and called it based on that.

• Even though Texas Western is associated with breaking barriers, Owens came to KU in 1960 and the Jayhawks were starting black players at that time.

• Owens remembers former KU coach Dick Harp as the man who gave him an opportunity to coach at this level. He was a personal and professional mentor for Owens.

• What has changed most at Allen since Owens’ time is the floor. The court wasn’t down until the day before they started practice each season back in the day. Before that players worked out at Robinson Gymnasium in the offseason. When they brought in recruits in the offseason, “it was a big old barn.” … Owens, growing up in the Great Depression, learned not to complain about anything. He thinks sometimes as coaches you have to complain or make others realize what you need to be competitive.

• On Bud Stallworth’s 50-point game: A great day, on national TV. To do that against Missouri made it even better. “If he had done that today, he would’ve had 63 points.” There wasn’t a three-point line back then.

• The architects and contractors built a beautiful building. It combines a solid structure with the rock of a high-profile program. It’s a nice combination of the old and new.

Larry Brown

photo by: Nick Krug

Southern Methodist head coach and former Kansas head coach Larry Brown recounts his memories of Allen Fieldhouse during a news conference prior to the 60th Anniversary celebration of Allen Fieldhouse on Monday, Oct. 27, 2014.

• On his first trip to Allen Fieldhouse: It was pretty amazing. He played for Dean Smith and the reason he got to KU was because of the things Smith said. Considering all that came before him and what they meant to the sport, “it was a remarkable feeling” to know he would be part of that at Kansas.

• “My first experience here wasn’t the best.” He was a sophomore at UNC and sat in the second row of the bench. It took him a long time to get down to the floor and it took him so long to get his warmups off that probably ate into the time he was allotted to play.

• Even with all the updates to Allen through the years it is still about the basketball court and the program.

• Brown looks back on his career and he wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for all the coaches he played for and worked for/with.

• Williams and Self are a big part of Brown’s life. Self has allowed him to be a part of KU. Self and Williams are “the very best” at what they do.

• Danny Manning was “the best college player ever” in Brown’s mind. Manning probably could’ve won three national championships if they hadn’t run into so many injury problems. “He probably would’ve won three if he had a better coach.” … Brown is excited for what Manning is going to accomplish at Wake Forest.

• “I’m 74 doing this. I’ve been stealing a long time.” Brown always has enjoyed practice time more than the game and being around players who want to get better. SMU has given him that opportunity and he hopes he can keep doing it.

Bill Self

• Self called Owens and asked Williams in Brown in person — it was “harder to say no” in person. Self wanted to make sure all three of them were there to make it be what it needed to be.

• Self’s favorite games at Allen are: (besides the time he played and scored 12 points as a a freshman for Oklahoma State) the last game against Missouri and the game against Texas in which KU had to come back from a big deficit to win it and win the Big 12. There are lots of great memories, including the game against Oklahoma State when Wayne Simien and the Cowboys all played at a very high level offensively.

• Self saw Kevin Durant a couple years ago, and Durant said one of the coolest things he experienced in college was the ovation the fieldhouse crowd gave him (then a Texas star) when he returned to the floor after getting injured.

• The building ties into the love of the place and how players are treated and that makes it a way of life. That’s what makes it difficult to ever want to leave. The way the people treat you here was more of a pull to keep him here (when Oklahoma State was in the market for a head coach).

• On being here with Williams and Brown: “We’re not trying to get each other’s recruits,” and they don’t have to scout against each other tonight, which will make it a lot of fun.

• This is a very unique night for the fans to re-live some great memories with four coaches who have spanned 51 years of the program’s history.

• Allen Fieldhouse has taken “a treasure” and added amenities to make it very modern. The gameday atmosphere is unique. Self hasn’t been to Cameron Indoor or The Palestra but it would be very difficult for any building to rival this one by the time they get Naismith’s rules and the DeBruce Center set up.

• Self hopes Brown will retire before he does. Brown is a basketball genius and “has forgotten more ball than I’ll ever know.” Self can’t see doing it this as long as Brown has, but hopes to do it quite a while longer.

• The idea for the 60 years celebration came about as a way to raise money for charity and all the coaches’ charities of choice will benefit from this. KU sold 52 tables for the event in a day and a half.

• Going back to 2003 to 2007, the building needed a pick-me-up or boost and they were able to do that. Now KU can bring a kid in on a non-basketball game day and still blow him away with the facilities. It’s a very attractive place, even when it’s not full.

• Brown doesn’t remember times when he was mean; he only remembers being nice. When Self’s Tulsa team beat Cincinnati in the NCAAs, Brown called him up and said he had to do one thing for him: Brown wanted him not to frown or have bad body language or say anything negative. Great advice: take the pressure off the kids and let them enjoy this.