BleedGopher
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per Pat:
Haskins, talking from his home in Campbellsville, Ky., made sure to get past Clem-Willie tales and to the Burton tributes.
“When we needed it down the stretch in ’89 and ’90, Willie absolutely carried us,’’ Haskins said. “He was phenomenal the last 8-10 games ‘89, and half of those wearing a mask after Perry Carter broke his nose at Ohio State. Willie had 29 against Kansas State; he had 26 against Duke in the Sweet 16.
“And when we made our Big Ten and NCAA run in 1990, that was a basketball clinic from Willie. He was a character, for sure, but much more than that, he was a competitor.’’
Haskins, 76 now, paused and said: “I’m so proud of what Willie has done with his life.’’
Burton returned to University of Minnesota and completed work for a degree in 2013. He has been an administrator for athletics in the City of Detroit school system for the past two years. He’s working with 20 high schools, 75 elementary and middle schools and 10,000 student-athletes.
“I’m also finishing up my Master’s degree at Wayne State,’’ Burton said. “First time I’ve ever had a 4.0 grade-point average, I can guarantee that.’’
“When that number 34 goes up on the wall Sunday, that’s for all of us — for a bunch of guys who became a basketball family in the hard times and still are that.’’
Burton also made that clear: “It’s my jersey, but it’s for the team, the coaches, and also for Harry, our equipment guy, and Roger, our trainer, and Joe-Joe, who turned up the heat in Williams Arena so we wouldn’t freeze to death.
“It’s also for a player like Jim Shikenjanski, who never did get enough recognition for what he meant to our team. Shik was the first ‘stretch 4,’ and nobody knows that.
“And especially for the fans. All those games we won in Williams Arena as we were going from nothing to something … we won on that elevated floor because those fans got crazy supporting us.’’
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
Haskins, talking from his home in Campbellsville, Ky., made sure to get past Clem-Willie tales and to the Burton tributes.
“When we needed it down the stretch in ’89 and ’90, Willie absolutely carried us,’’ Haskins said. “He was phenomenal the last 8-10 games ‘89, and half of those wearing a mask after Perry Carter broke his nose at Ohio State. Willie had 29 against Kansas State; he had 26 against Duke in the Sweet 16.
“And when we made our Big Ten and NCAA run in 1990, that was a basketball clinic from Willie. He was a character, for sure, but much more than that, he was a competitor.’’
Haskins, 76 now, paused and said: “I’m so proud of what Willie has done with his life.’’
Burton returned to University of Minnesota and completed work for a degree in 2013. He has been an administrator for athletics in the City of Detroit school system for the past two years. He’s working with 20 high schools, 75 elementary and middle schools and 10,000 student-athletes.
“I’m also finishing up my Master’s degree at Wayne State,’’ Burton said. “First time I’ve ever had a 4.0 grade-point average, I can guarantee that.’’
“When that number 34 goes up on the wall Sunday, that’s for all of us — for a bunch of guys who became a basketball family in the hard times and still are that.’’
Burton also made that clear: “It’s my jersey, but it’s for the team, the coaches, and also for Harry, our equipment guy, and Roger, our trainer, and Joe-Joe, who turned up the heat in Williams Arena so we wouldn’t freeze to death.
“It’s also for a player like Jim Shikenjanski, who never did get enough recognition for what he meant to our team. Shik was the first ‘stretch 4,’ and nobody knows that.
“And especially for the fans. All those games we won in Williams Arena as we were going from nothing to something … we won on that elevated floor because those fans got crazy supporting us.’’
Willie Burton and Clem Haskins: two Gophers greats, unified then and now
On Sunday, Willie Burton's No. 34 jersey will be retired at Williams Arena, a tribute being embraced in incredible fashion by his teammates, coaches and others at the U.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
