Johnny Mack

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WeedKillinCat
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Johnny Mack

Post by WeedKillinCat » Thu Mar 28, 2019 8:24 pm

I remember Johnny Mack as a pretty good player for the Cats. Watching the games tonight made me wonder about him. Sounds like he has had a lot of health issues. Here is a link:

https://www.gofundme.com/help-john-rebound


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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by ilovethecats » Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:41 am

Wow that's awful. Loved watching Johnny as a little kid.



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by WeedKillinCat » Fri Mar 29, 2019 9:29 am

I remember when I was in school I was working on a project in the greenhouse with a major ag chemical company out of St Louis. One of the reps from St Louis was talking about how great of a player he was going to be for us.


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duelalumnicat
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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by duelalumnicat » Fri Mar 29, 2019 3:47 pm

I could be wrong, but didn't Coach Mick Durham end up kicking him off the team his senior year?



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by Mr Lisle » Fri Mar 29, 2019 5:24 pm

duelalumnicat wrote:
Fri Mar 29, 2019 3:47 pm
I could be wrong, but didn't Coach Mick Durham end up kicking him off the team his senior year?
#-o



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by BelgradeBobcat » Fri Mar 29, 2019 7:30 pm

I remember him almost single handedly beating the griz in the Big Sky tournament in Boise when he was a freshman. I think that was Stu Starner's last win as the Bobcat head coach.



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by Helcat72 » Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:53 pm

BelgradeBobcat wrote:
Fri Mar 29, 2019 7:30 pm
I remember him almost single handedly beating the griz in the Big Sky tournament in Boise when he was a freshman. I think that was Stu Starner's last win as the Bobcat head coach.
I think he came in under Mick. I remember talking to Mick right after JM committed. I said, well it looks like JM is a big time scorer. He said "yea and if he isn't it'll be my fault!"


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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by BelgradeBobcat » Fri Mar 29, 2019 9:06 pm

Helcat72 wrote:
Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:53 pm
BelgradeBobcat wrote:
Fri Mar 29, 2019 7:30 pm
I remember him almost single handedly beating the griz in the Big Sky tournament in Boise when he was a freshman. I think that was Stu Starner's last win as the Bobcat head coach.
I think he came in under Mick. I remember talking to Mick right after JM committed. I said, well it looks like JM is a big time scorer. He said "yea and if he isn't it'll be my fault!"
My memory isn't what it once was-but I'm pretty sure I'm right on this one. I remember Mack didn't do a whole lot his freshman season, but he lit it up in the tournament in the first round. We then lost to Idaho in the next round.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... /1990.html

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... edule.html



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by seacat85 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 1:21 pm

Could have sworn that he was a JUCO transfer and only played 2 years. But that was a long time ago. Remember playing pool with him in the basement of Hedges North. Think that was during his first year. If I remember correctly he was rooming with Orlando Bryant.



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by mslacat » Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:14 pm

Mack was signed in Starner's final recruiting class. He was recruited by assistant Mick Durham, and when he showed up for school Mick was the temporary head coach (Starner asked for a year off for personal reasons). That year Starner got the TSA job and Mick was named permanent coach. Mack was a 3 1/2 star recruit and was highly recruited by the SEC. Mick made a good connection but Mack wanted to go to a bigger program. Mack signed with a SEC school (sorry I can not remember which school right now), but that school got into some trouble over their recruitment of Mack. In late April of so Mack was ruled ineligible for that school by the NCAA for recruiting violations and Mack had to find another school. Mick convinced him to sign with MSU. It was pretty big news in recruiting world. Mack had a tough freshman year, trying to figure organized basketball out. Big when the Big Sky tournament came around exploded. He was all Big Sky his sophomore and Junior year, but once again Played his best ball at the end of his junior year, when once again he had an outstanding last half of the season. At the end of his junior season he was pretty much penciled for Big Sky POY by most media and coaches for his final year. Mack felt pretty good about himself, and told Mick he wanted a say in who Mick which returning players would be retained, and who Mick recruited/signed for the upcoming season. Mack gave Mick an ultimatum at the end of the season and Mick cut him! I am not sure if he ever played anywhere his senior year.



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by Helcat72 » Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 am

mslacat wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:14 pm
Mack was signed in Starner's final recruiting class. He was recruited by assistant Mick Durham, and when he showed up for school Mick was the temporary head coach (Starner asked for a year off for personal reasons). That year Starner got the TSA job and Mick was named permanent coach. Mack was a 3 1/2 star recruit and was highly recruited by the SEC. Mick made a good connection but Mack wanted to go to a bigger program. Mack signed with a SEC school (sorry I can not remember which school right now), but that school got into some trouble over their recruitment of Mack. In late April of so Mack was ruled ineligible for that school by the NCAA for recruiting violations and Mack had to find another school. Mick convinced him to sign with MSU. It was pretty big news in recruiting world. Mack had a tough freshman year, trying to figure organized basketball out. Big when the Big Sky tournament came around exploded. He was all Big Sky his sophomore and Junior year, but once again Played his best ball at the end of his junior year, when once again he had an outstanding last half of the season. At the end of his junior season he was pretty much penciled for Big Sky POY by most media and coaches for his final year. Mack felt pretty good about himself, and told Mick he wanted a say in who Mick which returning players would be retained, and who Mick recruited/signed for the upcoming season. Mack gave Mick an ultimatum at the end of the season and Mick cut him! I am not sure if he ever played anywhere his senior year.
Sounds like Issac Bonton but not as brash as a freshman!


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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by duelalumnicat » Mon Apr 01, 2019 9:21 am

Thanks, mslacat. I am glad my memory is not totally shot. :)



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by WalkOn79 » Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:09 pm

He was living in Glasgow for a bit after he left school. Selling Kirby vacuums.


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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by WalkOn79 » Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:13 pm

WalkOn79 wrote:
Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:09 pm
He was living in Glasgow for a bit after he left school. Selling Kirby vacuums. (Edit) Wrong guy, that was Johnnie Maclin.


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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by seacat85 » Mon Apr 01, 2019 8:51 pm

seacat85 wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 1:21 pm
Could have sworn that he was a JUCO transfer and only played 2 years. But that was a long time ago. Remember playing pool with him in the basement of Hedges North. Think that was during his first year. If I remember correctly he was rooming with Orlando Bryant.
I was also mistakenly thinking of John Maclin. Sorry but that was a long time ago and the pea (my brain) filled up a long time ago.



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by mslacat » Tue Apr 02, 2019 4:49 pm

Helcat72 wrote:
Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 am
mslacat wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:14 pm
Mack was signed in Starner's final recruiting class. He was recruited by assistant Mick Durham, and when he showed up for school Mick was the temporary head coach (Starner asked for a year off for personal reasons). That year Starner got the TSA job and Mick was named permanent coach. Mack was a 3 1/2 star recruit and was highly recruited by the SEC. Mick made a good connection but Mack wanted to go to a bigger program. Mack signed with a SEC school (sorry I can not remember which school right now), but that school got into some trouble over their recruitment of Mack. In late April of so Mack was ruled ineligible for that school by the NCAA for recruiting violations and Mack had to find another school. Mick convinced him to sign with MSU. It was pretty big news in recruiting world. Mack had a tough freshman year, trying to figure organized basketball out. Big when the Big Sky tournament came around exploded. He was all Big Sky his sophomore and Junior year, but once again Played his best ball at the end of his junior year, when once again he had an outstanding last half of the season. At the end of his junior season he was pretty much penciled for Big Sky POY by most media and coaches for his final year. Mack felt pretty good about himself, and told Mick he wanted a say in who Mick which returning players would be retained, and who Mick recruited/signed for the upcoming season. Mack gave Mick an ultimatum at the end of the season and Mick cut him! I am not sure if he ever played anywhere his senior year.
Sounds like Issac Bonton but not as brash as a freshman!
I do not find a lot of similarities between Bonton and Mack. There are two sides to every story and Bonton's is quite different than Fish's.



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by Helcat72 » Tue Apr 02, 2019 4:58 pm

mslacat wrote:
Tue Apr 02, 2019 4:49 pm
Helcat72 wrote:
Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 am
mslacat wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:14 pm
Mack was signed in Starner's final recruiting class. He was recruited by assistant Mick Durham, and when he showed up for school Mick was the temporary head coach (Starner asked for a year off for personal reasons). That year Starner got the TSA job and Mick was named permanent coach. Mack was a 3 1/2 star recruit and was highly recruited by the SEC. Mick made a good connection but Mack wanted to go to a bigger program. Mack signed with a SEC school (sorry I can not remember which school right now), but that school got into some trouble over their recruitment of Mack. In late April of so Mack was ruled ineligible for that school by the NCAA for recruiting violations and Mack had to find another school. Mick convinced him to sign with MSU. It was pretty big news in recruiting world. Mack had a tough freshman year, trying to figure organized basketball out. Big when the Big Sky tournament came around exploded. He was all Big Sky his sophomore and Junior year, but once again Played his best ball at the end of his junior year, when once again he had an outstanding last half of the season. At the end of his junior season he was pretty much penciled for Big Sky POY by most media and coaches for his final year. Mack felt pretty good about himself, and told Mick he wanted a say in who Mick which returning players would be retained, and who Mick recruited/signed for the upcoming season. Mack gave Mick an ultimatum at the end of the season and Mick cut him! I am not sure if he ever played anywhere his senior year.
Sounds like Issac Bonton but not as brash as a freshman!
I do not find a lot of similarities between Bonton and Mack. There are two sides to every story and Bonton's is quite different than Fish's.
I was just referring to the "Labron" attitude that caused them to both demand concessions from the coach.


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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by mslacat » Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:56 pm

Helcat72 wrote:
Tue Apr 02, 2019 4:58 pm
mslacat wrote:
Tue Apr 02, 2019 4:49 pm
Helcat72 wrote:
Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 am
mslacat wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:14 pm
Mack was signed in Starner's final recruiting class. He was recruited by assistant Mick Durham, and when he showed up for school Mick was the temporary head coach (Starner asked for a year off for personal reasons). That year Starner got the TSA job and Mick was named permanent coach. Mack was a 3 1/2 star recruit and was highly recruited by the SEC. Mick made a good connection but Mack wanted to go to a bigger program. Mack signed with a SEC school (sorry I can not remember which school right now), but that school got into some trouble over their recruitment of Mack. In late April of so Mack was ruled ineligible for that school by the NCAA for recruiting violations and Mack had to find another school. Mick convinced him to sign with MSU. It was pretty big news in recruiting world. Mack had a tough freshman year, trying to figure organized basketball out. Big when the Big Sky tournament came around exploded. He was all Big Sky his sophomore and Junior year, but once again Played his best ball at the end of his junior year, when once again he had an outstanding last half of the season. At the end of his junior season he was pretty much penciled for Big Sky POY by most media and coaches for his final year. Mack felt pretty good about himself, and told Mick he wanted a say in who Mick which returning players would be retained, and who Mick recruited/signed for the upcoming season. Mack gave Mick an ultimatum at the end of the season and Mick cut him! I am not sure if he ever played anywhere his senior year.
Sounds like Issac Bonton but not as brash as a freshman!
I do not find a lot of similarities between Bonton and Mack. There are two sides to every story and Bonton's is quite different than Fish's.
I was just referring to the "Labron" attitude that caused them to both demand concessions from the coach.
Bonton story:
Fish version: Bonton gave him an ultimatum and Fish said bye.
Bonton Version: Fish said if you can do A,B, and C Mr Bonton you will have earned a starting spot. Bonton does A,B and C and Fish says you now must do x,y,z

The truth is somewhere in between I guess. Bonton is a good person but he and Fish were not in sync. I would love to have him back ........and who knows what the future will hold!



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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by BLACKnBLUEnGOLD » Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:46 pm

We've been over this ad nauseum. Bonton's play while he was here did not merit a starting spot. That's ALWAYS a requirement for being a starter, and every athlete knows that. Maybe he was just in a slump and he was better than he showed here, but can you honestly expect a coach to promote a slumping bench player to starter?


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Re: Johnny Mack

Post by mslacat » Tue Apr 02, 2019 8:02 pm

BLACKnBLUEnGOLD wrote:
Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:46 pm
We've been over this ad nauseum. Bonton's play while he was here did not merit a starting spot. That's ALWAYS a requirement for being a starter, and every athlete knows that. Maybe he was just in a slump and he was better than he showed here, but can you honestly expect a coach to promote a slumping bench player to starter?
Actually I always thought he should have started over Klines. Klines could be a liability with no ability to score the ball. The rumor that Bonton wanted Harald Frey's starting spot is absolutely bull sh#t. Frey was Bonton's best friend on the team and Bonton want to and loved playing with him.



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