https://x.com/MiamiOH_BBall/status/1796605551230713880?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet
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Did not have that on my bingo card.
Vince has been coaching in the NBA since the day he graduated. He took a player development job with Atlanta in 2013 and has stuck around in the league ever since.
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Good news is Vince gets an NBA ass’t job. Bad news is it appears that Randy Ayers, an assistant coach with Phoenix, is out with the change of head coach. Hope Randy will retire and will enjoy his retirement after years of hard work–and making lots of money!
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Funny Randy Ayers story: I was out for a lunchtime walk with my boss and best friend during a KingDome final four week in downtown Seattle. We stopped for a light at a corner. I recognized Randy standing with us at the light and said “Hi, Randy!” He said hello back.
After we crossed, my good friend Carl asked “ Who was that?” I said Randy Ayers, Ohio State’s basketball coach. He asked, “How did you know him?” I said “He went to Miami of Ohio.”
Carl’s response: “Of course!”
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When Randy was a player, he and I became good friends. After grad, he worked as a GA and got his masters. One weekend, I was in Oxford. I stayed at Randy’s apt for a couple nights.One day we went to the coaches office–made sure coach Hedric was not there–and took the film (yes, film) of the Marquette game, along with the projector (of course) went back to his place and watched it a couple times. Randy said that if Hedric knew we took it or something happened to the film, there would be hell to pay! Had some good times at his place and my house in metro Detroit when he stayed a couple times.
A great guy and Miami Man!
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As a high school kid a few friends and I liked to play pick-up basketball in Withrow Court. On at least two occasions that I can remember, Randy was there playing in the early afternoon with Archie Aldridge. Archie would be all over us, defending like we were from OU and making sure we got no shot off uncontested, while Randy would give us a little space and congratulate us wholeheartedly if we managed to score against them. He was fun to play against where Aldridge was definitely not (it was not in his temperament to play soft), and I learned a lot from that experience of how to be a teammate to guys I was playing against and not just with. Though I witnessed virtually every game he ever played at Miami, THAT’S my big memory of Randy Ayers.
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Archie’s arms were bigger than most players legs. Just absolutely ripped.
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I also used to play at Withrow, albeit during my college years. My friends and I often wound up playing women’s bball players, and sometimes the football’s offensive line would come and play with us as well. There aren’t many times when I am thankful for being short, but watching my taller friends try to guard them would be one such time.
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Some friends and I were at a party in Athens the night after Miami beat them earlier in the day. I met a rather scrawny, studious looking kid who told me he was on the team, or maybe on the frosh team, but regardless, he told me he wanted no part of playing against Archie.
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Won’t ever occur again, but, of course, TWO Miami players drafted by da Bulls in 1978. Randy almost made the team.
Edited the photo. That’s it!
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IIRC he tried out with the Dallas Cowboys as a tight end.
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As I recall, Randy made it to the final cut. Great all around player!
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Chubby Cox!!!
Growing up, we regularly attended Big 5 games. Chubby played for Villanova before SF. Nice player.
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This is really cool! I once asked a former Miami assistant coach how they recruited this kid all the way from California. He said, “He kind of recruited us.” Still not 100% what that means. 