2008 Woodie Awards
The Voives of Panther Backetball
Eastern professors Mike Bradd and Jack Ashmore reflect on Eastern's best teams and players of the last 20 years
Ben Turner/ Verge Editor
Issue date: 2/13/03 Section: The Verge
"Because of this job, I can probably tell you more about mid-majors, people like Butler or how some middle-size school's doing versus who's leading in the Big 12," Bradd said. "Jack knows way more about high school than I do, I have to ask him about high school stuff. I can't tell you who's good. I don't see that many games anymore."
Samuels has been head coach longer than Bradd and Ashmore have done games together, a rarity in today's coaching-carousel climate. In his 23rd year, Samuels has the third longest tenure of active division one coaches.
During their 15 years of broadcasting, Eastern has had its fair share of quality players as well as changed conferences. Eastern became a division one basketball school prior to the '81-'82 season and used to play in the Mid Continent Conference with the likes of Western Illinois, Northern Iowa, Southwest Missouri State, Illinois at Chicago and Cleveland State. Today Valparaiso and Western are the only remaining members as many of the schools now play in the Horizon League. Bradd said the rivalries were better when Eastern was part of the MCC, but now they should call it the All Continent Conference thanks to the likes of Southern Utah and Oral Roberts being members.
"It was a good league for Eastern for several years and then when it changed it was something we had to get out of as quickly as we could," Ashmore said.
Bradd echoed those sentiments and said the amount of travel was getting out of hand. He remembered one road trip that took the team to Troy State in Alabama and Central Connecticut. Eastern joined the Ohio Valley Conference before the '96-'97 season
Kevin Duckworth is Eastern's most recognizable basketball product after he was drafted in the second round of the NBA draft and played in the NBA finals with the Portland Trailblazers. Ashmore said the '85-'86 team, which Duckworth was part of, probably was the best Eastern squad since going to division one, but both men agreed Duckworth may not have been the best player on the team.
Samuels has been head coach longer than Bradd and Ashmore have done games together, a rarity in today's coaching-carousel climate. In his 23rd year, Samuels has the third longest tenure of active division one coaches.
During their 15 years of broadcasting, Eastern has had its fair share of quality players as well as changed conferences. Eastern became a division one basketball school prior to the '81-'82 season and used to play in the Mid Continent Conference with the likes of Western Illinois, Northern Iowa, Southwest Missouri State, Illinois at Chicago and Cleveland State. Today Valparaiso and Western are the only remaining members as many of the schools now play in the Horizon League. Bradd said the rivalries were better when Eastern was part of the MCC, but now they should call it the All Continent Conference thanks to the likes of Southern Utah and Oral Roberts being members.
"It was a good league for Eastern for several years and then when it changed it was something we had to get out of as quickly as we could," Ashmore said.
Bradd echoed those sentiments and said the amount of travel was getting out of hand. He remembered one road trip that took the team to Troy State in Alabama and Central Connecticut. Eastern joined the Ohio Valley Conference before the '96-'97 season
Kevin Duckworth is Eastern's most recognizable basketball product after he was drafted in the second round of the NBA draft and played in the NBA finals with the Portland Trailblazers. Ashmore said the '85-'86 team, which Duckworth was part of, probably was the best Eastern squad since going to division one, but both men agreed Duckworth may not have been the best player on the team.
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