Bob Hoffman gets a job

[Paperclip]

Coach Hoffman was the coach when I was at OBU. I really like the man. Hope he does well.


MACON, Ga. -- Bob Hoffman, who has been successful as a college and minor-league professional coach, became men's basketball coach at Mercer University on Thursday.

He succeeded Mark Slonaker, whose contract was not renewed after going 11-19 this season and 6-10 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Slonaker coached the Bears for 11 seasons beginning in 1997 and had a 128-189 record.

Hoffman has a 400-171 coaching record at Texas-Pan American and Oklahoma Baptist, his alma mater. He also guided the ABA Arkansas Aeros to a 25-2 record in 2006-07 and had a 17-29 mark with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, an NBA Development League franchise.

He also did a three-year stint with the Southern Nazarene women's team, compiling an 88-16 record and capturing the 1989 NAIA national title in his second season.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

[The Maestro]

Yeah, I got an e-mail from him yesterday telling me as such...great to hear about that...hope he can get those guys to the Big Dance quickly and then he can start stepping up the ladder. Great freaking coach and he was being wasted when I did two games for his NBDL team from Rio Grande Valley against Albuquerque. He is definitely excited.

[OUmillenium]

sweet

[jdsooner]

Good for him; Bob Hoffman is a great guy!

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

"Un-stinkin-believable!"

[The Maestro]

"Un-stinkin-believable!"

Trivia...when was the first time Hoffman said this?

If you know this answer, you know your Bob Hoffman.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Was it when OBU got to go to the Finals in 93?

[Frozen Sooner]

While we made the right choice, I still feel a little badly that he wasn't a serious candidate for the OU job.

[The Maestro]

Was it when OBU got to go to the Finals in 93?

Nope...after OBU rallied in 1993 regular season game against OCU at home. Bison were down 41-22 in the first half and took the lead for good on a Fabio Santanna dunk. The Noble Complex was literally shaking at that moment. When the Bison held on for the three point win, Hoffman started the postgame interview with..."UN-STINKIN-BELIEVABLE!!!"

Good times, good times...

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Nope...after OBU rallied in 1993 regular season game against OCU at home. Bison were down 41-22 in the first half and took the lead for good on a Fabio Santanna dunk. The Noble Complex was literally shaking at that moment. When the Bison held on for the three point win, Hoffman started the postgame interview with..."UN-STINKIN-BELIEVABLE!!!"

Good times, good times...
I was at that game. What was that other tall Brazilian's name? The Rock or something? He was like 7 feet tall. My friends tried to tell me he wanted me to ask him out on TWIRP day. I'm only 5 feet tall. My answer? No way.

[Paperclip]

I was at that game too. That was as great a sporting event as I've ever witnessed live, including no telling how many OU football games I've been to. Your description of the Noble Complex after Fabio's dunk is right on. The noise was deafening.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Who was the other tall Brazilian?

[Paperclip]

Everybody called him Rock, but I think his last name was La Roca. Marcello Gomez was on that team too. He was Brazillian as well, but he played the point as I remember.

[The Maestro]

Ricardo Rocha...THE ROCK. He was 7 feet, and that's about it.

Yeah, you are a better person for NOT having twirped him.

Were you guys at the other two OBU-OCU games that year? The first one was the most impressive...the win at Frederickson Fieldhouse that ended some 6 year winning streak by OCU...when the Chiefs got a T for calling a timeout with none left and Marcello hit two free throws to clinch it.

Also, the 115-112 win at the District 9 Finals at the Big House...three wins by three points that year over OCU. The Bison were on the map. Freaking Hawaii Pacific ruined it all when Darrell Barnett decided to become a three point shooter on ESPN...problem is, he couldn't shoot three's.

Win over Brent Barry and Oregon State the following year was pretty fun, too...up in BYU country. Darrell Barnett dominated Barry one on one. Bison won by 18 and it wasn't that close. OU had beaten Oregon State earlier that year by 6.

Speaking of that win at OBU, though. I remember the student section was at full capacity at 4 p.m. The women's game did not tipoff until 6 and that is when both women's teams were average at best. Students were there four hours early for the guys game. And it was worth the wait...

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Yep Ricardo Rocha. I'd forgotten all about those guys til this thread.

The only OBU-OCU game I attended at OCU was the following year after I transferred to UCO.

Maestro, go with KA RIP.

[Paperclip]

Yes, I was at all the games that year. Funny you should say that about the girls game being full. That's the truth. I got there at 5 and got a seat in the student section, but it definitely filled up fast. All other activities on campus were cancelled that night because everybody wanted to go to the game. Even the girl I was dating at the time who pretty much hated sports was at that game. Her Bible study group cancelled their meeting so they could go.

[The Maestro]

Maestro, go with KA RIP.

I never learned that silly junk...but thought it was a good tradition. I was too busy working in college at OBU doing the games to get to experience student life. Besides, I transferred to OBU after three years at OU so not exactly a beenie wearin', pimple faced freshman when I arrived.

[Paperclip]

Since we're reminiscing I'll tell you that I grabbed a sandwich from Alias Deli on my way to the game.

[The Maestro]

Yes, I was at all the games that year. Funny you should say that about the girls game being full. That's the truth. I got there at 5 and got a seat in the student section, but it definitely filled up fast. All other activities on campus were cancelled that night because everybody wanted to go to the game. Even the girl I was dating at the time who pretty much hated sports was at that game. Her Bible study group cancelled their meeting so they could go.

I think one of my favorite things about that era is that the biggest fan of the Bison was none other than President Agee. He lived and died with those games. He would always come up to me and talk with me either after the games or in the G.C. later on in the week if we bumped into each other. If I am not mistaken he was in Russia during the 1993 title game on some kind of mission trip and called the radio station in Shawnee and listened to the game on hold for over two hours...expensive phone call! Once Bubby Brister showed up at OBU, it changed the atmosphere of the school support. Now the games are not nearly as followed there.

Oh, well...great memories for us on this thread, right?

So which opposing fans did you hate the most? I gotta go with OC. They never won anything but always seem to have "Bison envy". At least OCU had some titles to brag about.

[The Maestro]

Since we're reminiscing I'll tell you that I grabbed a sandwich from Alias Deli on my way to the game.

Yeah, that was a good place...I remember that guy got busted for...well, let's just say it was Dateline-esque. But that chicken sandwich with italian dressing was always good stuff!

I could go for a Brown Derby special right now or some Van's curly fries!

[Paperclip]

Yes, definitely OC (at the time OCC). I especially hated them at their place. We had a great game there my freshman, maybe sophomore year when Willie Woods had a put back at the buzzer to force OT and we got the win.
Dr. Agee was the best. A great man. Dr. Brister is out, but you probably know that. In fact, the interim president is John Parrish. How many schools have their school president as the play by play guy?

[The Maestro]

Yes, definitely OC (at the time OCC). I especially hated them at their place. We had a great game there my freshman, maybe sophomore year when Willie Woods had a put back at the buzzer to force OT and we got the win.
Dr. Agee was the best. A great man. Dr. Brister is out, but you probably know that. In fact, the interim president is John Parrish. How many schools have their school president as the play by play guy?

Parrish is brutal...and always resented me doing games during the glory years of Hoffman. Oh, well...he got the first few years of Tolin that saw another crack at a title that didn't work.

OBU ain't what it used to be.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

I really liked Dr. Agee. I worked for The Bison my last semester there and was also taking a Congressional Simulation class from Tony Litherland. A group of us from Litherland's class met with him about a project for that class then they all left so I could interview Dr. Agee for the paper. After my interview was over, he asked me about my OBU experience. At the time I had already pretty much decided to transfer the following semester. I was pretty candid about what I liked and disliked about the school. I appreciated that Dr. Agee was open to listening to someone who was already on the way out the door.

Another thing I liked about Dr. Agee was that he and his wife opened his house to students for the ice cream social and the Christmas Party. I think they had some Phi-O get-togethers there too. My understanding is that Brister wasn't quite as accommodating.

I don't know that much about Parrish except his niece was a good friend of mine when I was at OBU.

[jdsooner]

I too, am an OBU grad. I remember Clark Craig Fieldhouse and I was a BOP Cop back in the day. In the 90s I was the pastor of University Baptist Church.

[wishbonesooner]

The guy's name was Antonio Rocca.
I'm still at OBU, and things did change drastically after Bob Agee left. You guys been down to the new Recreation and Wellness Center? It is nothing short of awesome! I work out there every morning at 6 AM, and John Parrish is the first one in the door. He's a good guy, you just may not have gotten to know him well.
I always liked Bob Hoffman. He was nice if he needed something from you, he could be brutal if things didn't go his way. Doug Tolin isa stand up guy, and John McCullough is one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Good times are just around the corner on Bison Hill guys. I grew up going to watch "Airline" Al Tucker in Clark Craig Fieldhouse.

[Paperclip]

I too, am an OBU grad. I remember Clark Craig Fieldhouse and I was a BOP Cop back in the day. In the 90s I was the pastor of University Baptist Church.

Hence the jd in your user name I take it. :)

Last I heard you were in Krebs or somewhere. Are you serving anywhere now?

[Paperclip]

The guy's name was Antonio Rocca.
I'm still at OBU, and things did change drastically after Bob Agee left. You guys been down to the new Recreation and Wellness Center? It is nothing short of awesome! I work out there every morning at 6 AM, and John Parrish is the first one in the door. He's a good guy, you just may not have gotten to know him well.
I always liked Bob Hoffman. He was nice if he needed something from you, he could be brutal if things didn't go his way. Doug Tolin isa stand up guy, and John McCullough is one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Good times are just around the corner on Bison Hill guys. I grew up going to watch "Airline" Al Tucker in Clark Craig Fieldhouse.

Yes, I've see the RAWC. It really is amazing. Glad to hear your optimism.

[wishbonesooner]

Brister was just a bad hire. Too bad it took 9 years to fix it. Dr. Bob was back a few weeks ago to talk with department heads here. Very enlightening stuff. He made eye contact with every person in the room and was very candid. Great man.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

The guy's name was Antonio Rocca.
I'm still at OBU, and things did change drastically after Bob Agee left. You guys been down to the new Recreation and Wellness Center? It is nothing short of awesome! I work out there every morning at 6 AM, and John Parrish is the first one in the door. He's a good guy, you just may not have gotten to know him well.
I always liked Bob Hoffman. He was nice if he needed something from you, he could be brutal if things didn't go his way. Doug Tolin isa stand up guy, and John McCullough is one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Good times are just around the corner on Bison Hill guys. I grew up going to watch "Airline" Al Tucker in Clark Craig Fieldhouse.
You're still at OBU, like as a student?

[wishbonesooner]

Employee.

[The Maestro]

Wishbone,

It was Ricardo Rocha, not Antonio, just for corrections sake. Funny story about him...when I went to Fabio Santanna's wedding in Arnett (he married Lady Bison player, Kendra Bayless) Rock was the best man, of course. We ate at some hole in the wall restaurant there (i.e., the ONLY restaurant there!) and convinced Rock to order this really good item...Turkey Fries...he had no idea what they were and raved about them...then we told him what they were after the meal. That was hilarious. I left there and went back to my hotel room with a flyswater hanging on the wall and watched a certain white Bronco drive slowly around the L.A. freeways.

Now someone go grab me a Super Spud at Robb's Ribber and send it to Scottsdale for me, thanks. Sounds good for lunch!

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

What if I just send you a latte from Deem's Bean Scene or a waffle from the ARA?

RIP, DEEM's.

It will be interesting to see who the new Prez turns out to be.

[The Maestro]

Ol' Deem's. Adam Deem is a good freaking guy...that place was culture in Shawnee like it had never seen before!

Living in Shawnee, I was never privileged to ARA food. Thank Gawd!

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Ol' Deem's. Adam Deem is a good freaking guy...that place was culture in Shawnee like it had never seen before!

Living in Shawnee, I was never privileged to ARA food. Thank Gawd!My last day at OBU I went to Deem's with a guy named Torey Lightcap (If you know him, I think Jackie must have been in class or something). Anyway, Torey proceeds to order a RedStripe (OMG, a beer in public!!!!) and asked me if I wanted anything. I ordered some kind of coffee drink because I wasn't yet legal and I was afraid to drink in front of the OBU crowd. After I turned 21 I did order alcoholic bevs anytime I went just because I could. I guess that place died after just a few years. Those kids have a Starbucks and all kinds of faincy places now though.

As far as the ARA-I was there the semester dear old Laura Scales got stolen from the cafeteria.

Sadly, I was going to school at UCO the day it snowed and someone called the TV station pretending to be Dr. Agee. I didn't understand until later why OBU was closed and UCO was not.