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RIP Coach Dick Versace

Da Coach

Da Coach

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Former Bradley Head Coach Dick Versace (1978-1986) passed away last night.
He had been ill for quite a while, but reportedly passed peacefully.
 
From BradleyBraves.com-
https://bradleybraves.com/news/2022...ach-of-the-year-dick-versace-passes-away.aspx

Dick's 32-3 team of 1985-86 had the best record in the 119 year history of Bradley basketball, and the best record in the country that year. That team was lead by Jim Les, Hersey Hawkins, Jerry Thomas, Big Mike Williams, Donald Powell, Trevor Trimpe, Len Bertolini, and Anthony Manuel, Dick's coaching staff included Rudy Keeling, Willie Cox, and Tom Massimino. Tony Barone had left the previous year to take the head coaching job at Creighton.
 
He was before my time but the man was a legend. After he left he ran the Grizzlies and brought in Peorians. RIP.
 
Article from PJ Star-
https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports/...81/6953122001/

There are a couple things that are not accurate, but they may get corrected in a later edit. It says, "Versace had an immediate impact when he took over in Peoria in 1979." Dick was hired and took over in the spring of 1978.
And in the last sentence, it says, "That season, Bradley beat No. 20 UNLV in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to eventual champion Louisville in the second round. No, I was there. Bradley defeated a pretty good UTEP team 83-65 in the first round, then lost to Louisville in Ogden, Utah on the campus of Weber State.

Three former Bradley greats have died in the last year. Stan Albeck died March 25, 2021, Ron Ferguson died July 8, 2021, and now Dick Versace died February 25, 2022.
 
I'd venture to guess that Dick Versace was one of the first memories a lot of us have as Braves fans.
 
That was a great time to be a Bradley fan when Versace was coach. It was almost like watching wrestling when you never knew what to expect and Dick was bigger than the game...anything could happen. RIP Coach, you never be forgotten.

Side note....it was "Massive Mike Williams"!:-o:razz:
 
With Dick Versace's teams, well, Yajusneverno. Thanks for the excitement and the memories, Dick. RIP.

Speaking of memories, I hope y'all can access this.
 
I was a freshman the fall of 1978 and saw Versace for the first time as we both walked into Lums (near Jumer's) around lunchtime. He had his staff with him and I was with my college buddy. We both agreed that the guy with the white hair was somebody important, he really stood out. Didn't even know who he was at the time. The campus and community was abuzz with his arrival. Bradley basketball was the highlight of my college experience. The first season under Versace Bradley was already tough to beat at home thanks to the intimidating Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse environment and overachievers like Rick Malnati and Harold McMath. I was hooked on Bradley basketball immediately. Not sure what year it was but Al McGuire was in house. My friend said "hey look it's Al McGuire". My response at the time... "who's Al McGuire"? One of my best memories during my time at Bradley was a victory at Horton Fieldhouse senior year. The Redbirds had a great team led by Rick Lamb, Hank Cornley, Mark Zwarts, and Dwayne Tyus. The place was packed. Bradley had a great turnout in the bleachers behind the basket, right next to the ISU student section. Hundreds of ISU students dressed in white wigs flipping us off. They hated Versace and Bradley. It felt so good to beat them at their place. Fond memories!
 
Dick was of those guys who lit up any room he came in to whether it was as a coach, teacher or a normal guy. Got to meet him a few times at Illini Golf and just couldn't have been nicer. Some people might not know this but his first coaching job after college was as a high school football coach in Forrest, Illinois, about 60 minutes east of here. After coaching at a few places he had a 204-66 high school coaching record. His college career began at St Louis in 1973 then he moved on to Michigan State where he was heavily involved with the recruiting of Majic Johnson. The 78-79 season was the only losing record Dick had at BU, finishing 1st in the Mo Valley 3 times. He finished at BU 156-88, 81-49 in the conference. Joined the Detroit Pistons as an assistant then became the first American head coach of Puerto Rican descent, his mom was Puerto Rican, in 1988 with the Indiana Pacers. He stayed involved in basketball after that as he was a TNT and Chicago area analyst and was involved with the then Vancouver now Memphis Grizzles front office between 1999-2005. RIP Dick and condolances to his two children David and Julie and the rest of his family.
 
I remember when he was introduced one of the first things he said was to know me is to love me.
What a great coach provided a lot of great memories.
 
I will never forget how Coach Versace put Bradley on the map. He was vibrant, exciting and had Chicago connections that enabled us to get tremendous athletes. Very proud of Coach Versace AND Coach Les.
 
pfcmsh said:
I will never forget how Coach Versace put Bradley on the map. He was vibrant, exciting and had Chicago connections that enabled us to get tremendous athletes. Very proud of Coach Versace AND Coach Les.
Click to expand...

Nicely stated pfcmsh - and Coach Les was Versace's Prodigy. I'll bet Versace enjoyed the 2006 season when Bradley defeated Kansas and Pitt to reach the Sweet 16 - what Versace called in 1985 - The "TV" teams. :)
 
Go_Braves said:
Nicely stated pfcmsh - and Coach Les was Versace's Prodigy. I'll bet Versace enjoyed the 2006 season when Bradley defeated Kansas and Pitt to reach the Sweet 16 - what Versace called in 1985 - The "TV" teams. :)
Click to expand...

Thank you, Go_Braves. Something about Coach Versace... not sure what it was. He was quietly controversial. He had a knack at bringing in talent that was as good as any coach in the country, in my opinion. This is a real challenge for a mid major school... even with the rich tradition of Bradley basketball. You know that from time to time, there are posts on the forum about suggestions for what kind of new players we need...how we can improve etc. When I think of this, I always think of we need a great front line like Anderson, Thirdkill and Reese. To me, they are sort of the standard. Then you add a Voise Winters..wow. It is just too darn bad that we had to let Coach Versace go. If he had stayed, I think we would have had a great chance of NCAA tournament play for years to come and victories. That team and those coaches put us on the map and we could have stayed there. I think Versace also brought in Hersey Hawkins before he left. How good is that??? :) Go Braves!!
 
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