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Retired Jerseys-Who’s Next?

Babe the Blue Ox

Babe the Blue Ox

I.T.S. Defensive Coordinator
Oct 3, 2001
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After the touching tribute to Mr Smith this afternoon, who’s next?

Do we have others worthy of this honor or is the next one not even on the roster yet.
 
My list:

Tracy Moore
Gary Collier
Eric Coley
Greg Harrington
Woodard / Harrison Tandem.
 
Ruffin. There have only been a handful of four year starters in the modern era. He’s one of them. The others are Uzoh, Shaq Harrison, and Igbanu (if you don’t count the Ugboh thing).

Ruffin was everything the school is about.
 
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If it's someone who has already played for TU, I'd have to go with Coley. He got us to the regional finals.
 
Gold* said:
Ruffin. There have only been a handful of four year starters in the modern era. He’s one of them. The others are Uzoh, Shaq Harrison, and Igbanu (if you don’t count the Ugboh thing).

Ruffin was everything the school is about.
Click to expand...
Woodard was a 4 year starter along with Harrison (They came in as roommates). One might argue that Woodard was the most important piece in the C-USA championship run, while Shaq eventually put the team on his back during their senior year.
 
Woodard didn’t start every game. It’s cute when you try to talk about TU basketball history.
 
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It is Coley. This is about what he did at TU and he was as good as we’ve had in many many years. Ruffin would be next but we all give him extra credit for what he did in the pros. Love Harrison Moore and Collier but not sure they rise to the level. Way off on Woodard and Harrison.
 
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Coley or Ruffin in 10 years. Both hold records that may never be broken here.....Ruffin 1211 rebounds and Coley 299 steals. Ruff also second in blocked shots at 266 and Coley 5th in blocked shots. Coley also the only TU player ever to have a triple double.
 
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He was set one game for a disciplinary issue as a freshman and may have been hurt at some other time. Maybe Swilling? He was really good, but isn’t going to get his number retired.

By comparison, Ruffin was a local celebrity. Lawless marketed him constantly. He was a really good student in engineering, too. Ruffin started on three of the best teams in program history. He didn’t score a ton of points, but he dominated the game in every other possible way. He was also very courteous and well spoken. They don’t come along like that very often.

Coley was also a big deal, but sort of a super-fan’s favorite rather than an easily identifiable star. He couldn’t shoot, but because he had a rodeo background, he could jump over every damn player. He would follow missed free throws from behind the shooter by dunking the miss. It was surreal. He missed some games his sophomore year because of a death in the family and having to drive back to the farm in Eufaula. His senior year he was the face of the Elite 8 team, but as discussed often, there were seven or eight super stars on that team that could go off on any given night. KJ was on that team and barely played (by this board’s reasoning now, he would have been no good).The leading scorer came off the bench.

There are a bunch of guys like Harrington, Woodard, Hurtt, Uzoh, Jordan, and Moore who are harder to place in history. Pooh doesn’t have his number retired. I think Ruffin, in retrospect, makes the most sense. Coley is a little harder. But he had the most important banner hanging in that arena.
 
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I.I. said:
Coley or Ruffin in 10 years. Both hold records that may never be broken here.....Ruffin 1211 rebounds and Coley 299 steals. Ruff also second in blocked shots at 266 and Coley 5th in blocked shots. Coley also the only TU player ever to have a triple double.
Click to expand...
Coley is the WAC’s all time leader in steals and still holds the most number of steals in a season (123). Guys behind him on both lists: Andre Miller, Tim Hardaway.

Ruffin- has 2 of the top 15 rebounding seasons in WAC history. And he didn’t play in the WAC for 4 yrs
 
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astonmartin708 said:
My list:

Tracy Moore
Gary Collier
Eric Coley
Greg Harrington
Woodard / Harrison Tandem.
Click to expand...
You need to put noteworthy stats to support your reasons why.

Collier- has a great senior season, MVC POY in 1994. Avg. 31 ppl in NCAA tourney (not my pick for a retired number).

Coley- ALL TIME LEADER IN STEALS, WAC. 3 NCAA appearances including Elite 8

Ruffin- has one of the all time greatest single games in a TU uniform. 32 pts, 21 Reb. vs TCU (single game not a reason to retire a number though). He was the all time leading rebounder and shot blocker (JJ surpasses the blocked shots record). He still holds the most block shots in a single game with 9. He led the team in FG% 3 of his 4 yrs.Also led TU in FTsmade his JR and Sr years.

Just looking at career numbers, Ruffin’s sort of dwarf everyone else right now in the discussion above. There may be others from the Nolan generation that I simply didn’t have the privilege of watching. I did watch almost all of Ruffin’s games and all of Coley’s games and at least the last 2 yrs of Collier’s career. Ruffin would be my pick for the next one.
 
Bingo Smith's jersey should have been retired after Jim King and before all the others. He was a 2nd team All-American and I think the #6 player in the draft. Senior year he averaged 24 points and 13 rebounds. I am not sure about steals, blocks, and assists. The other forward was Rob Washington that I think was honor mention. Together they were the best forward combination in TU history.

Ruffin is a maybe and no one else comes close. Although they were very good players and may or may not be in the TU Hall of Fame, having your jersey retired is on a whole different level!
 
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I would expect the consensus is Ruffin # 1 and Coley # 2. and not yet for either. Oddly enough, Ruffin was a Tubby Smith November signee who never played for Tubby but played for Steve Robinson and Bill Self. His TCU game of 32 points and 21 rebounds was one of the best TU performances of all time and his 9 blocks in one game probably brought him within one block of a triple double, and as for Eric Coley he has the only TU triple double and ...there would never have been an Elite Eight Banner in the rafters without him. He took down # 2 seed Cincinnati in the second round almost by himself. Coley played 38 minutes and was 6-9 from the field, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 4 blocked shots, and only one turnover.
 
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Collier's senior season was absolutely astonishing. That Sweet 16 team beating UCLA and OSU in OKC was unbelievable. Maybe the best senior season for a TU player I have ever seen.

Just think that JD Barnett was rumored to want to run him off after his freshman season. Thank you, Tubby!

Collier recruited as a 6-4 inside player who wasn't a leaper and couldn't shoot from outside. Became as good a shooter as any TU player in history as a senior.

Kind of like Bingo in that both had good sophomore and junior seasons but exceptional senior seasons under new head coaches.
 
Tracy Moore: Moore would be kind of a very fringe candidate. Participated in 3 straight NCAA teams in the mid 80's and was a top scorer for the team twice and a #2 once. Is currently #5 on the all time scoring list. Was in the NBA for 5 seasons with the Mavs, Pistons, and Rockets.

Gary Collier: Holds the single season records for 3 pointers and led the team to its first Sweet 16. Was the top scorer on a team that also icluded Seals, Dawkins, and Pooh.

Harrington: Tulsa career leader in assists and it's not even close. Shaq Harrison was the next closest and he finished 100 assists behind Harrington. Played in the postseason all 4 years (NCAA, Elite 8, NIT Champ, NCAA)

Coley: Linchpin of the Elite 8 team. He was a swiss army knife with a unique skillset that we're unlikely to see again. 1st all time in steals for Tulsa. Had the best year in terms of steals by a large margin.

Ruffin: 1st all time in Rebounds, 2nd in Blocks. Long NBA career. Not really much of a point scorer.

Woodard: #4 all time in scoring. 4 year starter (minus two games). Led the team in scoring 3 out of 4 years. Is also one of only 4 guards in the top 30 rebounding (along with Seals, Uzoh, and Harrison). Led the team on a 13-1 run to end the 13-14 season and bring Tulsa basketball back to the NCAA tournament after more than a decade of missing it. Also was a key cog in the 15-16 tournament run. Was too small for the NBA shooting guard spot.

Harrison: 2nd in assists, 3rd in steals, 11th in scoring, and one of the 4 top rebounding guards to attend Tulsa. (Seals, Uzoh, Harrison, Woodard) A 4 year starter, was a significant piece in the 13-14 return to the tournament and the heart and soul of the 15-16 surprise tournament team. 3 NBA years and counting.

Honarable mention to Ben Uzoh. 3rd all time in scoring, 4th in assists, 9th in steals, one of the top 4 rebounding guards. Never made the NCAA's. Did have a cup of coffee in the league.
 
astonmartin708 said:
Tracy Moore: Moore would be kind of a very fringe candidate. Participated in 3 straight NCAA teams in the mid 80's and was a top scorer for the team twice and a #2 once. Is currently #5 on the all time scoring list. Was in the NBA for 5 seasons with the Mavs, Pistons, and Rockets.

Gary Collier: Holds the single season records for 3 pointers and led the team to its first Sweet 16. Was the top scorer on a team that also icluded Seals, Dawkins, and Pooh.

Harrington: Tulsa career leader in assists and it's not even close. Shaq Harrison was the next closest and he finished 100 assists behind Harrington. Played in the postseason all 4 years (NCAA, Elite 8, NIT Champ, NCAA)

Coley: Linchpin of the Elite 8 team. He was a swiss army knife with a unique skillset that we're unlikely to see again. 1st all time in steals for Tulsa. Had the best year in terms of steals by a large margin.

Ruffin: 1st all time in Rebounds, 2nd in Blocks. Long NBA career. Not really much of a point scorer.

Woodard: #4 all time in scoring. 4 year starter (minus two games). Led the team in scoring 3 out of 4 years. Is also one of only 4 guards in the top 30 rebounding (along with Seals, Uzoh, and Harrison). Led the team on a 13-1 run to end the 13-14 season and bring Tulsa basketball back to the NCAA tournament after more than a decade of missing it. Also was a key cog in the 15-16 tournament run. Was too small for the NBA shooting guard spot.

Harrison: 2nd in assists, 3rd in steals, 11th in scoring, and one of the 4 top rebounding guards to attend Tulsa. (Seals, Uzoh, Harrison, Woodard) A 4 year starter, was a significant piece in the 13-14 return to the tournament and the heart and soul of the 15-16 surprise tournament team. 3 NBA years and counting.

Honarable mention to Ben Uzoh. 3rd all time in scoring, 4th in assists, 9th in steals, one of the top 4 rebounding guards. Never made the NCAA's. Did have a cup of coffee in the league.
Click to expand...
Uzoh had a triple double in the league.

I think it’s Ruffin/Coley/Harrington in that order barring some incredible amazing player just lighting things up. Remember, they retired Shea’s # at his last home game.

I can’t argue with any of those 3. Harrington was an absolutely stud of a player.
 
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This is a fun thread (we need more of these).

I stated watching TU b-ball when I was 8 (1982).

I went to TU from 1992-1996.

So many great players and great teams...I became spoiled!

Here are my top three players who are in line to have their jersey’s retired (in order)...

1. Michael Ruffin - We may never have a player like him again. A pure defensive stopper. Lee Nailon has nightmares...

1a. Gary Collier - He’s by far the best offensive player I ever saw in a TU uniform. His 12-12 night against Creighton was stupid. He was unguardable his Senior year. He also was a great low post defender. When no one could guard Big Nasty in 1994 at TU, he took the assignment...and held his own.

2. Eric Coley - Was a National rock star his Senior year. He became an AP All-American without an offensive game. He is a cult-hero for my TU generation.
 
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hotterthanyourhusbandTU said:
This is a fun thread (we need more of these).

I stated watching TU b-ball when I was 8 (1982).

I went to TU from 1992-1996.

So many great players and great teams...I became spoiled!

Here are my top three players who are in line to have their jersey’s retired (in order)...

1. Michael Ruffin - We may never have a player like him again. A pure defensive stopper. Lee Nailon has nightmares...

1a. Gary Collier - He’s by far the best offensive player I ever saw in a TU uniform. His 12-12 night against Creighton was stupid. He was unguardable his Senior year. He also was a great low post defender. When no one could guard Big Nasty in 1994 at TU, he took the assignment...and held his own.

2. Eric Coley - Was a National rock star his Senior year. He became an AP All-American without an offensive game. He is a cult-hero for my TU generation.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, it appears you are the same age as my son.
 
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