B/R: The Legend of Damon Bailey

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

Interesting piece on Damon Bailey, by Bleacher Report. Calling him the original "super recruit".

http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2404764-the-legend-of-damon-bailey-the-high-schooler-41000-came-to-see?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national?is_shared=true

[theriverpilot 5,589]

The guy had a stellar career at IU but you get the feeling some still think it was failure because the expectations for him were so high.

[JSHoosier 19,663]

The guy had a stellar career at IU but you get the feeling some still think it was failure because the expectations for him were so high.

That's because the expectations were so insane he wouldn't have lived up to them if he fed a village with 2 fish and a loaf of bread.

He was still a hell of a college ball player.

[BGleas 7,880]

Awesome to see that, though it almost requires an hour long documentary or 30-for-30 to really do his story justice.

Would love to see IU developing guys like Damon, Fife, Michael Lewis, Greg Graham, etc. as coaches, instead of them doing it elsewhere.

Interesting piece on Damon Bailey, by Bleacher Report. Calling him the original "super recruit".

http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2404764-the-legend-of-damon-bailey-the-high-schooler-41000-came-to-see?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national?is_shared=true

[brandct 610]

Damon Bailey, and Calbert Cheaney are the two people that I grew up watching, and really got me hooked on IU basketball. Well that and a dad that had been a fan since the 50s lol

[bnkepner 1,509]

Awesome to see that, though it almost requires an hour long documentary or 30-for-30 to really do his story justice.

Would love to see IU developing guys like Damon, Fife, Michael Lewis, Greg Graham, etc. as coaches, instead of them doing it elsewhere.
 

Damon was interviewed for the IUWBB head coaching job but said he wasn't interested. He coaches his daughter at Butler. Fife was offered a job by Crean several years ago but turned it down. Greg Graham is a high school coach...

[LazOffTheBench 3,638]

Bnkepner, interesting info. Knight's players still seem to want to avoid IU like the plague. Our loss.

 

About Damon: He's the nicest IU player I've ever met and I've met quite a few over the past 50+ years.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,769]

Damon was interviewed for the IUWBB head coaching job but said he wasn't interested. He coaches his daughter at Butler. Fife was offered a job by Crean several years ago but turned it down. Greg Graham is a high school coach...

Graham just recently resigned his high school coaching position.  He was quoted as saying his wife and children had been living out east for the past year where she had taken a job and it was simply not a good family situation with him remaining in Indpls.

[LazOffTheBench 3,638]

Graham was coaching at Warren Central, right?

[JSHoosier 19,663]

Bnkepner, interesting info. Knight's players still seem to want to avoid IU like the plague. Our loss.

 

About Damon: He's the nicest IU player I've ever met and I've met quite a few over the past 50+ years.

I've met Damon once, and he did seem like a nice guy.  I remember him just standing around having a conversation with my dad talking about what he'd been up to since his playing days and what some of his teammates had been doing.

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

Graham was coaching at Warren Central, right?

Correct, resigned as soon as this season ended.

[NateNoel 84]

My childhood idol. I remember watching BNL on tv in the state championship. Still one of my prized possessions is an autographed picture. His career at IU probably wasn't what people thought it would be but he was a really strong player at IU. On my short list of favorite players ever.

[jonz44 805]

I believe Damonsaid something along the lines of, "some of these guys say they were upset at times but I'm not gonna lie, I was flat out pissed off at times!"during his graduation speech if I recall correctly, did he not? He was really fun to watch play. Ohio State his freshman year I believe? Went off! Tough in the head kid...in a good way!

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,769]

Graham was coaching at Warren Central, right?

Correct.

[BGleas 7,880]

I was in 6th grade during his senior year. I played for our towns travel team and our high school was playing BNL. We had a high-major D1 kid too, so the game had to be held at Butler.

Our travel team coach arranged for our 6th grade team to practice at Hinkle before the game. He then had Bailey come by to take a team picture with us after practice. When Damon got there he stopped our coach and said "how about I take a picture with each kid, send me the pictures with their names and I'll sign them and mail them back".

I still have that picture in my basement. I blows my mind that a 17-18 year old kid, under that spotlight, was that mature and humble.

To add to the story, I got to ball boy for the game and Damon caught an alley-oop and reverse dunked it on the hoop I was sitting right under on the floor. Was awesome!

[LazOffTheBench 3,638]

Great story, BGleas! Thanks for sharing that. Nice personal stories about our IU legends are always a pleasure to read.

[JSHoosier 19,663]

I was in 6th grade during his senior year. I played for our towns travel team and our high school was playing BNL. We had a high-major D1 kid too, so the game had to be held at Butler.

Our travel team coach arranged for our 6th grade team to practice at Hinkle before the game. He then had Bailey come by to take a team picture with us after practice. When Damon got there he stopped our coach and said "how about I take a picture with each kid, send me the pictures with their names and I'll sign them and mail them back".

I still have that picture in my basement. I blows my mind that a 17-18 year old kid, under that spotlight, was that mature and humble.

To add to the story, I got to ball boy for the game and Damon caught an alley-oop and reverse dunked it on the hoop I was sitting right under on the floor. Was awesome!

Great story.  I have a ball signed by both Damon and Calbert in my room, one of my most prized possessions along with a picture signed by Bob Knight that's hanging on my wall.

[Alford Bailey 12,284]

A true Hoosier Hero. Who can forget Damon single handedly taking down #1 UK or the battle he had with Jacques Vaughn at Kansas. He knew what it meant to wear the uniform and he got it done on the court time after time. Loved the guy.

[Alford Bailey 12,284]

The guy had a stellar career at IU but you get the feeling some still think it was failure because the expectations for him were so high.

We woulda hung a banner in 93 without Hendersons injury. Simply amazing what Damon could do for a 6'3" kid.

[JSHoosier 19,663]

We woulda hung a banner in 93 without Hendersons injury. Simply amazing what Damon could do for a 6'3" kid.

That team was so loaded it isn't even funny, well coached to boot.  If any team deserved a national title it was them.