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View Full Version : Roshown McLeod - what do you remember?



houstondukie
01-31-2009, 12:45 PM
I think it's fun/important as fans to discuss past players so as to not forget "our roots" if you will, especially underrated players like McLeod.

Anyone want to share any memories, thoughts, stories, etc. about Roshown McLeod?

Lord Ash
01-31-2009, 01:03 PM
That he got very, very good.

That he became a good 3 point shooter.

That he was physical and wouldn't back down at all.

And, of course... The Stare.

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/311008.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193B3EA2C03450C94866714334804CAE22E 284831B75F48EF45

Everyone knows that he is on staff up at Indiana?

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ind/sports/m-baskbl/auto_action/2183136.jpeg

houstondukie
01-31-2009, 01:04 PM
That he got very, very good.

That hhe became a good 3 point shooter.

That he was physical and wouldn't back down at all.

And, of course... The Stare.

Everyone knows that he is on staff up at Indiana?

I love "The Stare" - glad someone else mentioned it.

Indoor66
01-31-2009, 01:09 PM
That he got very, very good.

That he became a good 3 point shooter.

That he was physical and wouldn't back down at all.

And, of course... The Stare.

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/311008.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193B3EA2C03450C94866714334804CAE22E 284831B75F48EF45

Everyone knows that he is on staff up at Indiana?

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ind/sports/m-baskbl/auto_action/2183136.jpeg

Like a lot of us, he seems to have "chunked" a little since he stopped playing. :eek:

Lord Ash
01-31-2009, 01:15 PM
You know, I wasn't going to say it, but...

Eh whatever, the man is done playing, time to eat and play golf baby!

ChicagoCrazy84
01-31-2009, 03:05 PM
Good ole Roshown McLeod. One of only 2 transfers ever to Duke. Can anybody name the other one? Pretty easy, but oh well.

I had no idea that he was on staff at IU. That's cool, I actually thought he was out of basketball.

Anyone remember Carmen Wallace? He is a sports agent out in Cali. I thought that was kinda cool.

Lord Ash
01-31-2009, 03:17 PM
Good ole Roshown McLeod. One of only 2 transfers ever to Duke. Can anybody name the other one? Pretty easy, but oh well.

I had no idea that he was on staff at IU. That's cool, I actually thought he was out of basketball.

Anyone remember Carmen Wallace? He is a sports agent out in Cali. I thought that was kinda cool.

Too easy;) We have gotten pretty nasty transfers tho...

And yeah, Carmen was the MAN... that huge smile of his was magic:) Remember that talk of his 40 inch vertical? He was Patrick Davidson before Patrick Davidson was Patrick Davidson. A really good guy tho!

Jarhead
01-31-2009, 03:22 PM
Good ole Roshown McLeod. One of only 2 transfers ever to Duke. Can anybody name the other one? Pretty easy, but oh well.

I had no idea that he was on staff at IU. That's cool, I actually thought he was out of basketball.

Anyone remember Carmen Wallace? He is a sports agent out in Cali. I thought that was kinda cool.

What about Bob Bender? He played both at Indiana and Duke, and was the first player ever to reach the Final Four as a member of two different teams.

DeepBlue70
01-31-2009, 03:23 PM
Good ole Roshown McLeod. One of only 2 transfers ever to Duke. Can anybody name the other one? Pretty easy, but oh well.

I had no idea that he was on staff at IU. That's cool, I actually thought he was out of basketball.

Anyone remember Carmen Wallace? He is a sports agent out in Cali. I thought that was kinda cool.

One of only 2 transfers? I assume you are referring to Dante Jones (Rutgers) but how 'bout John Harrell (NCCU) and Bob Bender (Indiana) - both played on the 78 team.

DukeDevilDeb
01-31-2009, 03:25 PM
I think it's fun/important as fans to discuss past players so as to not forget "our roots" if you will, especially underrated players like McLeod.

Anyone want to share any memories, thoughts, stories, etc. about Roshown McLeod?

Roshown was one of the nicest human beings ever to play basketball in college. He was an All-American his senior year. He was a part of the game I will never, ever forget... final game of the season in 1998 against UNC. We go into the locker room at half time down by 17. We come out of their to start the second half an entirely different team. Wojo was the heart and soul... kept slapping the floor and making great defensive plays. Brand, just back from his foot injury, was pouring them in from his position under the bucket. And Roshown played one of the best games of his life. I even still have my ticket stub from that game... the only one I've kept!

Roshown also had a son, and it was very important to him to be a good father and a presence in the child's life. When you talked with him and his son was mentioned, his eyes lighted up! :)

We were very lucky to get Roshown. I've often thought that he was underappreciated because of his short tenure at Duke.

Lord Ash
01-31-2009, 03:27 PM
I am sure he means 2 transfers under K, rather than Duke.

Acymetric
01-31-2009, 03:37 PM
I am sure he means 2 transfers under K, rather than Duke.

Duke existed before Coach K?

Lord Ash
01-31-2009, 03:46 PM
That's what they tell me!

Indoor66
01-31-2009, 03:55 PM
One of only 2 transfers? I assume you are referring to Dante Jones (Rutgers) but how 'bout John Harrell (NCCU) and Bob Bender (Indiana) - both played on the 78 team.

How about George Moses (http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/players/statlines.php?playerid=270)? IRRC he actually came in from a Jr College he attended after serving in the U S Army.

orrnot
01-31-2009, 04:12 PM
What I recall is that McLeod used to silently mouth, "for my son," as part of his mantra for making free thows.

dukemsu
01-31-2009, 04:16 PM
Glad someone brought up the UNC game at Cameron for Ro, he was a man against Jamison that day.

One of the truly underrated Devils. It was great to watch him for the two years at Duke. I remember being struck by how strong he was, but he was always very under control at the same time.

dukemsu

InSpades
01-31-2009, 04:41 PM
2 good Roshown memories for me...

Watching him at the blue-white scrimmage his transfer year and thinking "he's the best player on the court" and really looking forward to him gaining eligibility.

Him carrying his son out onto the court on his senior day was a very touching moment as well.

We graduated the same year and I remember seeing him and his family out at the mall food court that weekend. He will always be one of my favorite Duke players.

ChicagoCrazy84
01-31-2009, 04:46 PM
One of only 2 transfers? I assume you are referring to Dante Jones (Rutgers) but how 'bout John Harrell (NCCU) and Bob Bender (Indiana) - both played on the 78 team.


My bad, I did mean under Coach K, referring to Roshown and Dahntay Jones. I mean obvisously in the long history there was more than two transfers, but in this era of kids always changing their minds and PT being a huge factor, it amazes me we have only gotten 2 transfers. I guess Coach K doesn't really go after them.
I kind of wonder how that happens. Does a player call a coach and say "Hey, I have submitted my request to be released from my scholarship here at so and so and was interested in going there, can I visit?" Or is it a process much like regular recruiting?

Acymetric
01-31-2009, 04:54 PM
I was a little bit younger at that point, but I still remember the sign from one (or more) games, "Its a McCloudy day." I always liked that sign.

fidel
01-31-2009, 05:17 PM
'Ro was one of my favorites as well.

He went into his senior year with the prospect that Brand was going to be taking his minutes. I remember reading how disappointed he was. Then Brand got injured, and to his credit, Brand gave 'Ro a bit of a speech on stepping up.

Watching 'Ro step up was the prelude to watching Demarcus do it last year. Players carrying the team at times, in points and in spirit.

Great memories.

monkey
01-31-2009, 05:25 PM
Ro totally carried us down the stretch for the second half of the 1997-1998 season. That he got drafted in the first round, presumably in large part on the basis of that play, was really, really satisfying to me as a Duke fan - a very deserving pick. Was always sad he didn't have a longer pro career (I seem to recall he may have gotten injured)

monkey
01-31-2009, 05:27 PM
P.S. While I think this is a great thread - you have no idea how happy I was to open it and find out Ro hadn't died suddenly - which is what I initially thought based on the title...

Sir Stealth
01-31-2009, 07:03 PM
Ro' is still my favorite Duke player of all time. An underrated leader for an underrated '98 team (a team I really came of age as a fan with). For some reason the game at FSU that year stands out in my memory. The stare was particularly intense that night.

Son of Mojo
01-31-2009, 07:33 PM
Always liked his game and, yeah, he could've killed with the stare. You know what it reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally made me miss seeing his in-game pic? The uniform. THAT'S what our road jerseys should look like..........

DukeUsul
01-31-2009, 07:49 PM
As I recall, he would say under his breath before each free throw something like "This is for my son Anthony, I love you."

And the last minute layup to win the 98 game over UNC. One of the greatest games I've seen in person.

dukestheheat
01-31-2009, 07:53 PM
McLeod, as he was about to shoot free throws, would begin mumbling something, like a prayer. I'm trying to remember that later, he described that he was telling his son that he was proud of him. ?

dth.

-jk
01-31-2009, 08:04 PM
He's one of my faves, but I think my most enduring memory was ESPN spelling his name "Roshwon" all season.

-jk

SupaDave
01-31-2009, 09:04 PM
Ro is a buddy of mine. Little known fact - we were all addicted to SoCom once upon a time. Ironically when he was injured but still on the Hawks roster.

houstondukie
02-01-2009, 02:33 PM
P.S. While I think this is a great thread - you have no idea how happy I was to open it and find out Ro hadn't died suddenly - which is what I initially thought based on the title...

Sorry for the scare.

I like starting these threads (started one awhile back on Ricky Price) so that as Duke fans we can appreciate some of the past Duke players who have given us such great memories, particurlarly guys who we rarely talk about or are underrated/underappreciated.

DevilAlumna
02-01-2009, 04:04 PM
Sorry for the scare.

I like starting these threads (started one awhile back on Ricky Price) so that as Duke fans we can appreciate some of the past Duke players who have given us such great memories, particurlarly guys who we rarely talk about or are underrated/underappreciated.

Who's next - maybe Kenny "Two socks" Blakeney? :D

Lord Ash
02-01-2009, 04:36 PM
Loved that Kenny and his fashion sense.

Tom B.
02-02-2009, 11:09 AM
I think it's fun/important as fans to discuss past players so as to not forget "our roots" if you will, especially underrated players like McLeod.

Anyone want to share any memories, thoughts, stories, etc. about Roshown McLeod?


His breakaway dunk to seal the win over UNC in Cameron in 1997, which broke a seven-game UNC win streak over Duke. But for that game, it would've been the first (and to date, only) time in K's tenure that a class graduated from Duke without experiencing at least one win over UNC.

Billy Dat
02-02-2009, 02:00 PM
He was a really solid player - and not to diss Blakeny and Carmen Wallace - but they weren't nearly in his league.

I remember the free throw prayer being, "This is for my mother, I love her". Maybe he used to mix it up.

I also remember a variation on the stare. When he made a particularly smooth move on offense or a big bucket, he would glide backward on defense, his head bowed but eyes up, and instead of the stare he'd have a big "I got you" smile on his face.

I am glad someone mentioned his bringing his child out to share in his senior day. As I recall, it was the first time that happened (maybe the only time) and I thought it was important. I think Duke always has had a reputation, enjoyed by fans, that our players were "good kids". But, I think for many fans, an unwed college player having a kid didn't fit that label. I think for Roshown, who was clearly a good kid all the way around, to show the Duke community that you could be an unwed teenage father and still be a kid that the Duke community could embrace and be proud of was very significant.

4decadedukie
02-02-2009, 03:31 PM
What I recall is that McLeod used to silently mouth, "for my son," as part of his mantra for making free thows.

I remember that well, and I am glad you documented it. McLeod was a GREAT -- largely underappreciated -- Dukie, who performed particularly well in crucial situations.

calltheobvious
02-02-2009, 07:06 PM
Like some others, I remember "The Stare," which he seemed to pull out only during a back-pedal down-court after a big trey or trip to the stripe.

I also remember him giving us one last chance against UK in 1998. Down four with 6 seconds or so left, Ro took the inbounds pass and immediately drained a three.

And now I'm sad.

bjornolf
02-03-2009, 07:48 AM
"the stare" and "for my son" are what I remember most.

And Dahntay Jones is one of my all time favorites. Now, I don't remember a "Dante Jones" ever playing for Duke, but he did go to hell and back, right, so maybe he's the new mascot?