Not an injury but how about Norm getting cancer in 1988-89

Posted on: March 7, 2024 at 16:05:14 CT

Missed the last 14 games and the program was turned over to Dr. Detroit, Rich Daley. I was covering the team then for a chain of papers in St. Louis and Daley was like Rodney - he got no respect. MU lagged the whole month of February and it go so bad that Leonard refused to go into the game in the last regular season game, which we won by a point over a terrible Colorado team.

Then at the Big Eight Tournament, everything turned around. We ran roughshod over everyone there, won the first two rounds in the NCAA and met Syracuse in the Sweet 16. Syracuse went on something like an 18-0 run in that game without John Wooden, er Daley, calling a time out. We ended up losing by two or three that game, and the real killer was had we won, we would have played Illinois in the Regional Final. That would have been unreal.

That team was Norm's Final Four team. It was loaded and had everything. Seven footer (Leonard), slashing 2 guard and NBA first round pick (Irvin). NBA 3 in Peeler, NBA power forward in Doug Smith, true point guard in Coward, bangers who could do the dirty work in Sandbothe and Church, guy who could come off the bench and hit a bomb (McIntyre). It's a shame he was not healthy enough to coach it and see what could have happened.

Here is the roster:

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/missouri/men/1989.html