New Orleans Bucs Fan Memories

MEMORIES OF BRYAN MELAN: "During the 1968-69 season, I attended many Bucs games at the Loyola Field House, which has long since been torn down. It was pretty easy for me, a 13 year old at the time, to get to the games. My father would drive a friend and I to the Field House, about 20 minutes from my home, and we could get 'student' admission for a whole $1.00 a game! The Loyola Field House was a pretty cozy place with seats paralleling the court on either side - no end zone seating. The most striking feature about the arena was its raised court. If you were in the first row, the game was played at eye level. The seats then angled away up to the roof of the building so that in the last row head room was a premium.... When we went to games, it always seemed that the Bucs were playing Houston, or Dallas. I seem to recall that Pittsburgh, Indiana and Oakland tickets were hard to get. The Bucs had a group of characters playing that year - Jackie Moreland, Ron Franz, Austin "Red" Robbins and Gerald "Go-Go" Govan always put on a show. I still remember Steve "Snapper" Jones raining those three pointers with that red, white, and blue ball -- it just fixed your eyes on its rotation towards the basket. That's what the ABA was for me - inexpensive, competitive, pro basketball. The league provided a young kid with many evenings of entertainment whether I was at the game or listening to a game on the radio (WDSU Radio, 1280 - the Home of the Bucs)"

MEMORIES OF VINCE CARONNA: "I grew up in the New Orleans area. I graduated form East Jefferson High School in Metairie in 1969. My ABA memories are of the Bucs playing at the old Tulane Gym and the Loyola Fieldhouse. I remember short little Larry Brown always hustling to make his teammates look better. He was one of the most scrappiest guards I have ever seen. It always seemed like Brown was diving on the floor, going after loose balls or saving errant passes from going out of bounds. Red Robbins, Doug Moe, Jimmy and Steve Jones. Man these were great players for their time. I'll never forget one night at the Loyola Fieldhouse. The Bucs were playing the Oakland Oaks with their all-time whiner, Rick Barry. Their team was pretty good, but Barry was unbelievable. I knew when I first saw Barry that he was bound for greatness. But unless you have ever attended a sporting event in the New Orleans area, you have never lived. Every time Barry touched the ball, he was booed unmercifully."

MEMORIES OF JOHN BUDKE: "Red Robbins was a very good player who played center in the early years for the Bucs. I saw him play several times. He was 6-8, 200 lbs. He had a great outside shot to draw the opposing center away from the basket. He was also a fierce competitor. He was never afraid to go after a rebound even at his relatively small size for a center. He was one steady player, nothing fancy but got the job done."

MEMORIES OF DAVIS DeMONTLUZIN: "Forget the flamboyant dunks, outrageous uniforms and hair styles. I will always remember a fast break I saw in a New Orleans Bucs game. A guard threw a pass too low for 6-8 Red Robbins. Robbins got down on both knees to retrieve the ball and -- while still on his knees -- banked in a shot. The Bucs had quite a guard combo....Larry Brown & Doug Moe....then the Jones Boys....Steve & Jimmy. It was a great time....I was sorry it didn't last."

MEMORIES OF BILL MYERS: "I was a teenager growing up in New Orleans when I saw my first professional basketball game...the New Orleans Buccaneers against the Pittsburgh Pipers. The Bucs featured Larry Brown, Doug Moe, Red Robbins, James Jones, and Jackie Moreland. Babe McCarthy was the coach. The game was at the old Loyola University Field House. What I remember the most is that Connie Hawkins played for the Pipers. He had been blackballed by the NBA. He played above the rim like all of the players today -- with dunks that were unheard of back then. At Bucs games you basically sat where you wanted, although they drew fairly well at the end of the 1967-68 season and in the 1968 Playoffs. Of course they didn't draw anything like the Jazz (later on), but they were fun to watch and the Babe was very colorful. Also, the team had some talent."

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