Jack Ramsay

Just as an athlete must exercise his body to be a winner, a leader must exercise his position of authority. If he doesn't, he loses that authority.

I had a sense when I took the job that the 1976-77 Trail Blazers could be very good. We had made a lot of positive roster changes, but it wasn't until I had the team in training camp that I realized that this team could be special. Midway through that season, I felt we had a chance to win it all.

The best players I have seen and known have confidence in their teammates. They know that basketball's not a one-man game. That confidence brings out the best in everybody, because it's contagious.

If you make a wrong move with explosives, it could be deadly. If you're there when they blow up the beach, you get blown up, too. So you need to get your job done correctly... then pull the fuse with enough lag time for you to clear the area completely and get picked up by the small boats.

I was playing sports all the time, and my parents, Anne and John, encouraged me to play in grade school and high school.

There was great comraderie among players and coaches. We enjoyed the time we were together... road trips were fun. I don't know that there was one moment that stood out among all the good times we had.

My favorite moment was in Game 6 when Bill Walton tapped a missed Sixers shot toward the backcourt and Johnny Davis ran it down as the clock expired. We were NBA champions!

Saint Joseph's still is among the smaller-enrollment institutions with a big-time basketball program. The Jesuits still offer the same high-quality education. St. Joe's students and alumni are as supportive as ever, and their spirit is unquenchable.