Donny Newman past away
- Thread starter SaveFerris
- Start date
Too bad. I wanted him bad when we hired Graham. Met him a couple times, and what a high energy guy. I remember once in particular during Sampsons horrible third season at a pre game gathering. Talk was all about the great class they had coming with Lewis and Derrick. I was talking to Newman, and he told me, " Wait till you see Eddie Hill". Just a skinny guard from SoCal, but Donnie knew he would become an impact player.
RIP... met him on multiple occasions and he was a very personable guy, players all seemed to like him. I don’t know if he was ever given serious consideration from the school but his name was mentioned here and around the water cooler whenever we were looking for a coach.
As a young reporter back in the Sampson days, it was Donnie Newman who was willing to talk with me after Kelvin brushed me off. You are right, he was very personable and likable...I assumed he played a huge role in landing the players that led to Sampson's success at WSU. Taking on the Sac State job may have damaged his career as a potential HC candidate, but I respected him for giving it a try. I thought he did a good job as interim HC at ASU, and thought that might land him more college HC opportunities. But he did carve out a good NBA career. RIP Donnie Newman.
Glad Cougar
I remember watching a practice when I was a student and Kelvin was running the team through a drill. I think it was a loose ball type drill between 2 or 3 players. The players weren't running it quite the way Sampson wanted it and he had Newman go in with the players. Sampson throws the ball and Newman races after it, dives on the floor, and takes it away from one of the players.
Sampson starts to speak and then interrupts himself and says something like "nice job Donny but if one of our assistant is working harder than you are you have a problem". Anyway, point is Newman was one of those people with great passion, work-ethic, and energy. I don't remember ever meeting him but from afar he seemed like a great guy.
I also wanted him pretty badly back in the day. I think he would have been a great fit but what do I know. Maybe he wasn't interested? As Glad said the Sac State job was probably a bad decision. I remember hearing a lot of people warned him not to take it. RIP.
What's funny about that is Dickson hired Graham off the staff of Eddie Sutton....a proven cheater who nearly got Kentucky the death penalty back in 1989.
Glad Cougar
Anyone know why Donnie Newman was only inducted into the U of I Hall of Fame just this year?
He is easily Top 5 all-time best athletes in Moscow. Maybe even Numero Uno.
He is easily Top 5 all-time best athletes in Moscow. Maybe even Numero Uno.
