|
|
12-10-2016, 01:48 PM
|
Major General
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,817
Thanks: 2,633
Thanked 2,700 Times in 1,283 Posts
|
|
Johnny Davis in the house
Sitting at mid court with Don Donoher. Don't recall Johnny being back in recent years.
|
2 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to Radar For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-10-2016, 03:13 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
|
Mad Props to Smitty10 For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-10-2016, 03:50 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 5,924
Thanks: 1,602
Thanked 2,810 Times in 1,546 Posts
|
|
Johnny Davis was lightening in a UD uniform. Super quick and a great ball handler.
|
12-10-2016, 04:12 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by TommyGola
Johnny Davis was lightening in a UD uniform. Super quick and a great ball handler.
|
He also had a great mid-range jumper which was very similar to that guy who transferred out to West Virginia a few years back, only better. Also shot FTs very well, really can't think of anything JD didn't do well. His hops were as hight off the floor as Kyle. No doubt in my mind he would've been All-American if he'd stayed for his senior season. Would've loved to see him and Paxson together for one more season.
Last edited by Smitty10; 12-10-2016 at 04:15 PM..
|
12-10-2016, 05:09 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Jamestown
Posts: 454
Thanks: 1,026
Thanked 138 Times in 81 Posts
|
|
Best PG I've seen in UD uni.
|
4 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to runnerup For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-10-2016, 05:20 PM
|
Lieutenant General
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,456
Thanks: 8,429
Thanked 6,557 Times in 2,451 Posts
|
|
When Johnny Davis was introduced during a time out, the announcer said it was his first return to UD Arena in 40 years (drafted in 1976). During the standing ovation, he had Donoher and (I believe) Leighton Moulton stand with him. I was on the look out for him because of Archie's tweet yesterday that he had attended practice. He enjoyed the game (I sit at angle where it was easy to watch) and stood for Charles when he came out of the game. Still excited that I got to talk to him for a few minutes and shake his hand.
|
Mad Props to Lifelong Flyer Fan For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-10-2016, 06:06 PM
|
|
Brigadier General
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Dayton
Posts: 2,016
Thanks: 8,202
Thanked 890 Times in 550 Posts
|
|
When they flashed his face on the monitors and before the announcer could say anything I knew that I knew that Flyer.....! but the only name that came to me was Archie Griffin as I looked at his face Knowing that was his first time back in 40 years made me especially glad I was there today for it. My favorite Flyer of all time.
|
Mad Props to FLYER5 For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-10-2016, 07:29 PM
|
1st Lieutenant
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 170
Thanks: 142
Thanked 336 Times in 91 Posts
|
|
I covered his final UD game for the Flyer News 40 years ago. Staggering that it's been that long. He and Jim Paxson from that team remain my favorite Flyers.
|
12-10-2016, 07:56 PM
|
|
Colonel
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,132
Thanks: 2,517
Thanked 1,325 Times in 444 Posts
|
|
I believe they coined the phrase "half dunk"... as dunking was not legal, but Johnny D would jump up off 2 feet and put both hands inside the rim - and then let go of the ball.
|
Mad Props to Runnin' Rebel For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-10-2016, 08:00 PM
|
Colonel
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 1,351
Thanks: 325
Thanked 622 Times in 327 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by Smitty10
He also had a great mid-range jumper...
|
Modern-day basketball's forgotten weapon.
|
12-10-2016, 08:12 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,406
Thanks: 866
Thanked 6,301 Times in 3,004 Posts
|
|
they didn't have the 3 point and he was not a good perimeter shooter in college
|
12-10-2016, 08:47 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by Sea Bass
they didn't have the 3 point and he was not a good perimeter shooter in college
|
He was so quick and could create his own shot, he had no reason to show what he could do from the perimeter(with no 3 point line). But he was good from about 17 feet from anywhere. And let's not forget, he was a PG and that means he looked for assists before he looks to score himself.
|
12-10-2016, 08:56 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Beavercreek
Posts: 3,941
Thanks: 4,069
Thanked 4,285 Times in 1,756 Posts
|
|
Johnny was a spectacular basketball player. If you selected a starting five from the players who played at UD Arena, had to be on that team. He was the final piece of the puzzle to the team the team that pummeled Notre Dame and took UCLA to triple over time.
Johnny was the fastest player I ever saw play at UD. He also had incredible springs and had the famous "non dunk" dunk during the non dunk era.
As great as a player as Johnny was as a player, he is a much better person. Johnny is a classy and gracious.
I hope Johnny comes back to UD Arena more often.
|
3 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to SeasonTicketFan For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-10-2016, 09:28 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Beverly Hills, MI
Posts: 21,167
Thanks: 336
Thanked 6,914 Times in 2,926 Posts
|
|
I had the pleasure of interviewing Johnny Davis a few years ago. Here it is:
http://www.udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24164
Posted via Mobile Device
|
12-10-2016, 09:30 PM
|
|
Brigadier General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 2,086
Thanks: 768
Thanked 2,029 Times in 766 Posts
|
|
My favorite UD basketball photo
|
13 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to jumpin' joe For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
Bill202 (12-11-2016), Bonziflyer (12-11-2016), ChampCar (12-21-2016), Flyer 86 (12-21-2016), FLYER5 (12-11-2016), FlyerLiar (01-13-2017), Glen Clark (12-13-2016), JimBo (12-11-2016), Lifelong Flyer Fan (12-11-2016), rollo (12-11-2016), Runnin' Rebel (12-12-2016), Sarge (12-11-2016), SeasonTicketFan (12-11-2016) |
12-10-2016, 09:31 PM
|
|
Commander in Chief
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 11,588
Thanks: 3,437
Thanked 3,608 Times in 2,452 Posts
|
|
UCLA
Originally Posted by SeasonTicketFan
Johnny was a spectacular basketball player. If you selected a starting five from the players who played at UD Arena, had to be on that team. He was the final piece of the puzzle to the team the team that pummeled Notre Dame and took UCLA to triple over time.
Johnny was the fastest player I ever saw play at UD.
|
He was the fastest.
He had the UCLA players saying, "Who are these guys." They would have won if Donoher had not called time out right berfore the end of the second overtime.
They got too tired in the third overtime.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/...14-dayton.html
Dayton's Don Smith scored 26 points in the triple-overtime game against UCLA but he had a basket denied when Flyers coach Don Donoher called an ill-timed timeout with 14 seconds remaining in regulation.
http://www.collegehoopedia.com/seasons/1973-74
Last edited by Mich Flyer; 12-10-2016 at 09:38 PM..
|
12-10-2016, 09:57 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by Mich Flyer
He was the fastest.
He had the UCLA players saying, "Who are these guys." They would have won if Donoher had not called time out right berfore the end of the second overtime.
They got too tired in the third overtime.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/...14-dayton.html
Dayton's Don Smith scored 26 points in the triple-overtime game against UCLA but he had a basket denied when Flyers coach Don Donoher called an ill-timed timeout with 14 seconds remaining in regulation.
http://www.collegehoopedia.com/seasons/1973-74
|
Get ready to be bombarded by a few Donoher apologists that insist the only reason Smitty hit that basket was that UCLA stopped guarding him after the timeout was called. I don't remember it that way either.
|
12-11-2016, 09:48 AM
|
Major
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Dayton,Ohio
Posts: 737
Thanks: 203
Thanked 117 Times in 60 Posts
|
|
Even if it was true that UCLA stopped defending when the whistle blew; the late great Smitty was a better shooter when someone WAS defending him.
|
12-11-2016, 09:58 AM
|
|
Colonel
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Beavercreek, OH
Posts: 1,059
Thanks: 286
Thanked 362 Times in 201 Posts
|
|
One of the fastest players I've ever seen. Sitting in the lower student section and watching him fast break was a joy. His pairing with Donald Smith has to be at the top of UD's all-time guard tandems.
I believe they changed the UD HoF rules for him. He left early as a hardship. At the time there was a rule that you had have a degree from UD to get into the HoF. To allow him to enter, the rule was changed that you could finish your degree elsewhere.
his website: http://www.johnnydavis.com/about/
Last edited by Bill202; 12-11-2016 at 10:27 AM..
|
2 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to Bill202 For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 10:29 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Beavercreek
Posts: 3,941
Thanks: 4,069
Thanked 4,285 Times in 1,756 Posts
|
|
Johnny will be inducted into to Ohio athletic hall of Fame in 2017.
|
Mad Props to SeasonTicketFan For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 01:35 PM
|
Just off the Jet
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 23
Thanks: 3
Thanked 7 Times in 3 Posts
|
|
Johnny Davis (by Bill Walton)
|
5 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to UD7578 For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 01:57 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by Fair34
Even if it was true that UCLA stopped defending when the whistle blew; the late great Smitty was a better shooter when someone WAS defending him.
|
Well, I don't know about that. After all he's the 2nd greatest FT shooter in our history.
|
2 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to Smitty10 For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 02:09 PM
|
|
General of the Air Force
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,040
Thanks: 8,801
Thanked 8,556 Times in 3,701 Posts
|
|
THANK YOU for posting that article, as I had never seen it before.
|
12-11-2016, 02:35 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,099
Thanks: 2,201
Thanked 5,170 Times in 2,285 Posts
|
|
No matter how many times I read that article - and it has been many - my eyes get a bit damp. Quite a tribute by Walton.
|
2 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to ud69 For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 03:19 PM
|
Major
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Dayton,Ohio
Posts: 737
Thanks: 203
Thanked 117 Times in 60 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by Smitty10
Well, I don't know about that. After all he's the 2nd greatest FT shooter in our history.
|
He was a great FT shooter, but I remember a few games where the other team backed off and made him hit wide open shots. It worked more than once.
|
12-11-2016, 03:30 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by Fair34
He was a great FT shooter, but I remember a few games where the other team backed off and made him hit wide open shots. It worked more than once.
|
Yeah, you're probably right. I mean he had that "back to defender(s), dribble to his right, dribble to his left, dribble back to his right, fade back on one leg and swish" down to a science. Looks kind of stupid if you do that without any defenders on you lol
Last edited by Smitty10; 12-11-2016 at 03:34 PM..
|
12-11-2016, 04:46 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Beavercreek
Posts: 3,941
Thanks: 4,069
Thanked 4,285 Times in 1,756 Posts
|
|
Funny how a 6'11" man in the NBA refers to little Johnny. The average American male is still under 6 feet tall. There are lots of people who would love to be as tall as Johnny.
I ran into John Stockton and Mark Eaton years. At 7' 4", he made John look like pre teen boy.
I've stood next to Johnny and Donald Smith at separate times. Johnny is was much taller than Smitty.
Last edited by SeasonTicketFan; 12-11-2016 at 07:27 PM..
|
Mad Props to SeasonTicketFan For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 06:47 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,568
Thanks: 3,383
Thanked 6,617 Times in 3,024 Posts
|
|
Johnny Davis and Donald Smith are the starting guards on my all-time Flyer team. That triple OT loss to UCLA still bugs me.
|
Mad Props to longtimefan For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 09:05 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by longtimefan
Johnny Davis and Donald Smith are the starting guards on my all-time Flyer team. That triple OT loss to UCLA still bugs me.
|
No argument there. But between the two, Smitty is the most amazing. For people that didn't watch Donald Smith for the 3 seasons he was a varsity player, nobody, and I mean NOBODY, can describe or compare to what a shooter he was. I long, I miss, I wish I can find footage of Donald Smith shooting his fade away 20 footer. He was, by miles, the greatest shooter in UD history and college or pro, I've never seen anyone that could do the fade away with 3 defenders on him, like he could. When we knew that UCLA was going to be our opponent, I, and everyone in Dayton, knew we had a chance for one reason, and one reason only, Donald Smith. Yes, others stepped up, Sly was fantastic, JD was the greatest Freshman UD ever had, and Joe Fisher had the greatest game of his career(6 for 6 from the field and 3 for 3 from the line being guarded by Walton), but without Smitty, we would've just hoped to keep the score somewhat close. Donald Smith was the most amazing shooter I've ever seen.
While watching Smitty, it was like watching the greatest magician. Very close with a different act was Roosevelt Chapman. You couldn't believe your eyes sometimes. That's why those two are my favorite players. Better than Donnie May? Doubtful, but more hard to believe what you were seeing, absolutely.
With that said, if I had to pick the greatest guard combination to ever play for UD, Donald and Johnny come first. the funny thing is, I'd have to pick the new Smith/Davis combination 2nd. A far 2nd, but 2nd nonetheless.
Last edited by Smitty10; 12-11-2016 at 09:17 PM..
|
2 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to Smitty10 For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 09:17 PM
|
|
Commander in Chief
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 11,588
Thanks: 3,437
Thanked 3,608 Times in 2,452 Posts
|
|
Donald Smith
Originally Posted by Smitty10
Donald Smith was the most amazing shooter I've ever seen.
With that said, if I had to pick the greatest guard combination to ever play for UD, Donald and Johnny come first.
|
Have to agree. Smith was my favorite UD player of all time. It is a shame he died so young.
|
4 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to Mich Flyer For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 09:26 PM
|
Lieutenant Colonel
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 848
Thanks: 763
Thanked 949 Times in 324 Posts
|
|
The only time I ever saw Johnny play in person was his third game as a Flyer, at MSG, against Long Island in December of '73. We were down 9-2 or 11-2, in the first few minutes. An LIU guy stole the ball from Smitty and was racing for an uncontested lay-up. Davis came out of nowhere and stuffed the kid as he went up . . . and the game turned after that one play.
|
12-11-2016, 09:36 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by Mich Flyer
Have to agree. Smith was my favorite UD player of all time. It is a shame he died so young.
|
That's pretty much why Johnny Davis finally coming back to Dayton has touched me so much. It's frustrating to me that we haven't been able to celebrate and honor these two together. Smitty was my all time favorite obviously, but Johnny Davis was amazing himself and you'd be hard pressed to find a better Point and shooting guard to ever play together in college basketball. And nobody outside of Flyers fans know this. They were underrated to say the least. Why is it so difficult to find highlights of these two online. It's disgusting.
|
Mad Props to Smitty10 For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 10:21 PM
|
2nd Lieutenant
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 81
Thanks: 746
Thanked 133 Times in 40 Posts
|
|
Smith held the college record for most points in old Chicago Stadium. Never to be beaten since stadium now gone.
|
Mad Props to TMPH66 For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
12-11-2016, 11:32 PM
|
|
Lieutenant General
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,417
Thanks: 65
Thanked 1,558 Times in 941 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by longtimefan
Johnny Davis and Donald Smith are the starting guards on my all-time Flyer team. That triple OT loss to UCLA still bugs me.
|
I think that Toney and Negel were a better guard combo than Scoochie and Kyle and both went in to pro careers.
Posted via Mobile Device
|
12-11-2016, 11:40 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by maddog07
I think that Toney and Negel were a better guard combo than Scoochie and Kyle and both went in to pro careers.
Posted via Mobile Device
|
You'd have an argument if the two ever once played on the same court for the same team together, but they didn't.
But even if they had, you have to look at their production while together and Negele Knight was far from a great productive guard until at least 3 seasons after Sedric Toney left for the NBA. And if what they accomplished in the NBA mattered, I guess that every player including Chris Wright and Chris Johnson were better UD players than Roosevelt Chapman and Donald Smith. Oh, and just to let you know, they weren't.
Last edited by Smitty10; 12-12-2016 at 12:05 AM..
|
12-21-2016, 01:03 PM
|
|
Colonel
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,079
Thanks: 600
Thanked 399 Times in 175 Posts
|
|
Terrific article and a must-read for any Flyers fan.
|
12-21-2016, 01:51 PM
|
|
Captain
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 296
Thanks: 17
Thanked 91 Times in 42 Posts
|
|
Allen Iverson is my favorite basketball player of all time. My Dad, who played for UD from 1969-73 said Iverson and Johnny were the fastest/quickest guys he's ever seen with the ball. I obviously don't remember Johnny playing, but I sure wish I would have seen him play and I love hearing the stories my Dad tells me about him.
|
12-21-2016, 03:19 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 7,170
Thanks: 31,807
Thanked 1,266 Times in 784 Posts
|
|
How old was Smitty when he passed, and what of ?
|
12-21-2016, 03:36 PM
|
|
General
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,642
Thanks: 1,559
Thanked 4,578 Times in 2,405 Posts
|
|
Originally Posted by Flyer 86
How old was Smitty when he passed, and what of ?
|
He was 52.
The following is from Wikipedia about his death:
Smith had been on dialysis for two years and was on The Ohio State University's waiting list for a kidney donor when, after being hospitalized for two weeks with heart problems, he died on March 9, 2004 at age 52.[7] Smith had been seriously injured in an automobile accident several months earlier, and that may have contributed to his death. His wife, Katrina, who was also injured in the accident, survived him.
|
01-13-2017, 05:05 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Beavercreek
Posts: 3,941
Thanks: 4,069
Thanked 4,285 Times in 1,756 Posts
|
|
Nice Testimonial
Below is a link to a really nice interview with Johnny Davis while he was back visiting in Dayton. I still remember him as the fastest basketball to wear a Flyer uniform. He could also jump out of the gym. He had the famous non dunk layup over the rim. Dunking was not allowed when he played. Times have changed.
https://www.facebook.com/GoDaytonHoo...4975170982372/
|
2 UDPriders Offer Mad Props to SeasonTicketFan For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
01-13-2017, 07:10 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Beverly Hills, MI
Posts: 21,167
Thanks: 336
Thanked 6,914 Times in 2,926 Posts
|
|
John Crosby needs to watch these highlights of JD blowing by the opposition while totally under control.
There are a series of three pics illustrating Johnny's famous non-dunk dunk layup.
Posted via Mobile Device
|
Mad Props to Swampy Meadows For This Totally Excellent Post:
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|