Photo by Saul Young
Buy this photo »
Former Tennessee players Bernard King, left, and Ernie Grunfeld greet the crowd at Thompson-Boling Arena Sunday as Tennessee retired Grunfeld's number during half time of Tennessee's game against Kentucky. Tennessee beat Kentucky 63-60 at Thompson-Boling Arena Sunday.
They are virtually inseparable in Tennessee basketball lore. Now their numbers will hang together forever in the rafters.
Ernie Grunfeld joined former 1970s teammate Bernard King as the second Vol to have his number retired Sunday at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Grunfeld's No. 22 was unveiled next to King's No. 53 that was retired last season.
"It's a very humbling experience,'' Grunfeld, 52, said before tip-off of the 63-60 win over Kentucky. "I spent four of the best years of my life here.''
Those years, 1973-77, were four of the best years for UT basketball as well.
Grunfeld left as the school's career scoring leader with 2,249 points, since eclipsed only by Allan Houston.
Grunfeld's wife, mother and daughter joined in the halftime ceremony, along with King and several other close friends, including Dana Mears, wife of the late coach Ray Mears. Grunfeld's son, Dan, is playing basketball in Spain.
"We feel like we helped put Tennessee on the national map,'' Grunfeld told the crowd of 21,268. "Tennessee basketball under the leadership of Bruce Pearl is back on the national map.''
Grunfeld ranked the ceremony with winning an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. team at the 1976 Olympic Games.
A couple of times during his talk to the crowd, he paused to hug King.
"For all of you that saw us play,'' Grunfeld said, "remember the excitement we tried to bring. And the attitude and the winning tradition we tried to bring this school.''
Judging from the ovations Sunday, the "Ernie & Bernie Show" is in no danger of being forgotten.
A number of Grunfeld's UT teammates were introduced during a second-half timeout.
Also in the house was Houston, whose 2,801 points 1989-93 are the UT standard and rank second-best ever in the SEC.
Lofton Day: While next Sunday's game against South Carolina will be Senior Day for UT's three seniors, Chris Lofton was feted Sunday.
A video of Lofton career highlights against Kentucky was shown prior to the game. At the end of the video, Lofton looked into the camera and said, "Thank you, Tennessee, for believing in me. Go Vols.''
Also, 408 "3" stickers were attached to the balcony ringing the upper deck, one for each of his SEC-career-leading 3-point baskets. He added No. 409 Sunday.
UT's new $45 million football…
Images from Larry Murphy's book on…
Smokey undergoes physical therapy at UT
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 23
FWBVol writes:
I wish I could have been in TBA today. Before I arrived at UT in the Fall of 1976, I'd listen to the Ernie and Bernie Show as called by John Ward on the old WNOX AM on clear nights here in Northwest Florida.
The pictures Ward painted came to life as I witnessed the Show firsthand in Stokely. Those of us who were on The Hill for all, or as was my case, part, of that special time have memories of a special time and place in UT basketball history.
Thanks for the memories to Ernie, Bernie and the rest of those great players that Coach Meears and Stu Aberdeen brought together that made it the greatest show in the SEC.
TK writes:
Back when E & B were at UT. They used to show up at Dr. Bob's house on Broome Rd. Dr. Bob had this tennis basketball court that always seemed to have a game going on. ( btw shame on the people that own the house now for letting weeds grow up though the conceret.) It had lights glass backboards...super nice. I once got in a pickup game with Ernie and I on the same team. He told me when we stopped for water "Your a good player man." Still smile when I think of that!!! Thanks Ernie...way past over due having your number retired.
DadwasaVol writes:
I was at Stokely when Ernie played his first college game - 27 points.
DadwasaVol writes:
I was at Stokely when Ernie played his first college game - 27 points.
volguy#211935 writes:
I wish I could have been there for the jersey-retirement ceremony, but, alas, I am stuck behind enemy lines in Florida. Bernard King and I are the same age as we were freshmen together at UT. I will never forget the 103-98 victory over Kentucky that year. The Cats had Kevin Grevey and some freshmen named Jack Givens, Rick Robey, and Mike Phillips. What a great game that was at Stokely!!!
VOL7 writes:
A STAR-STUDDED TENNESSEE TRIBUTE TO BIG ORANGE BASKETBALL!
Saturday night the Big Orange Tipoff Club honored all of the players and coaches who built the foundation of Big Orange Basketball at The University of Tennessee, all of whom we personally invited to be with us as guests at the Foundry at World's Fair Park in Downtown Knoxville. Coaches Ray Mears and Stu Aberdeen were the dynamic duo that ushered in the Golden Age of Hoops Heaven on The Hill that culminated in the Ernie and Bernie Era, which resulted in banners for Coach Mears, John Ward, Bernard King, and now Ernie Grunfeld being hung in their honor in Thompson-Boling Arena.
No coaching tandem ever had as much impact on Southeastern Conference basketball than Mears and Aberdeen. In their tenure, they recruited and coached 10 All-Americans, nearly half of all of the players who have ever achieved that status at UT. In addition to winning three SEC Championships, they had only one team finish lower than third in the league.
Coaches Mears and Aberdeen each won National Championships at Wittenberg in Ohio and Acadia in Canada, respectively, before they teamed up at Tennessee from 1966 to 1977. At UT, they built a 12-12 record against arch-rival Kentucky, the best any coaches nationally ever managed in the Wildcats’ history.
Their fiery intensity was legendary, at courtside, in the locker room, and in practice. They were masters at everything they did, and did it all in a first-class way. Their genius was not only in coaching but in promoting the game of basketball. They inspired their troops for battle as if they were going to war every time. The excitement they engendered at Stokely Athletics Center made every game an event not to be missed.
VOL7 writes:
It is no coincidence that the emergence of Big Orange Basketball on the national scene came when Mears and Aberdeen arrived at Tennessee. Half of their teams played in national post-season tournaments at a time that only a select few were invited, as only 16 teams were allowed in the NCAA tournament for much of their career.
When their tenure at the helm ended at Tennessee, Mears and Aberdeen ranked second in winning percentage all-time nationally as a coaching staff to Dean Smith’s at North Carolina. Their legacy is in all of the lives they touched in a positive way as motivators, including yours truly, who was proud to coach with them in their Camp of Champions in their last summer in Big Orange Country in 1977.
On a personal note, I also had the privilege of getting to know both Ray Mears and Stu Aberdeen as men off the basketball court. I had the high honor of traveling with them and their teams for many weekends on the road in my years as a UT student in the 1970’s. I can truly say that experience was one of the highlights of my life, to be mentored by men of class and integrity, something that I and everyone else who was ever associated with them will never forget.
- Big Orange Tipoff Club Board of Directors
- Website: www.utfan.com/tipoff
- E-Mail Address: tipoff@utfan.com
mloaks#222092 writes:
At UTK in 73-75, I saw hoops rise while FB was sliding under Battle. Kinda like now...
The girls went wild for Ernie.
I remember Bernard returning from knee surgery to lead the Knicks, and the league(?), in scoring.
I suffered with those two when VMI put us out of the tourney 1 & done.
Now live near DC, and Ernie has made the Wizards a fav.
Thanks to my fellow alums! I just hope Don Devoe gets his due someday...
BigOrangeJeff writes:
I remember Channel 2 in Knoxville used to show the replay of Vol basketball games at 11:30, complete with John Ward's call. We'd skip the radio broadcast and avoid the local news so we could watch the game "live".
Ernie, Bernie, Jackson, Johnson, and Darden... it was magic.
CoverOrange writes:
mloaks, was it VMI or Syracuse? I was 12 then, so my memory is definitely not to be counted on.
middlegavol writes:
WD40, I think it was both. If my memory (equaly as aged-racked as yours) is correct Syracuse eliminated us when Grunfeld was a junior and when he was a senior VMI knocked us out becasue King was injured.
pj_ladyvolnMI writes:
I was at UT during the Ernie and Bernie years, and it was a blast. I remember heading down to Atlanta to the Omni with friends to see them in the tournament. Thanks for the memories, guys!! And Go Vols!! pj
leedsvol2007 writes:
I had the pleasure of traveling with the local Big Orange Club when Alabama featured Mule King, TR Dunn, Leon Douglas.
They got out to a 14 point lead with around 12 minutes to go in the 2nd half. We were behind the goal Tennessee was playing toward. Mears at that point called a time-out. After the time-out he turned it over to Bernie and Ernie along with Mike Jackson.
Grunfeld and King proceeded to take the game over with their athletic ability and we won by nine. The grace, speed and power of the two was on full display. And this against a team with 3 future key contributors in the NBA.
Its great to see that both of them have now been honored.
TommyJack writes:
I remember seeing these guys at the Omni in Atl against UCLA in 75? We lost in a good game..was cool to see UCLA up close too.
tnseamstress writes:
I was privledged to seem them both at TBA yesterday. Brought back lots of good game memories. Now we're back on top in basketball! Thanks Mike Hamilton, Thanks Coach Pearl, Thanks to a good team! GO VOLS!!
tenncorncob writes:
Vol7, I hate to correct you, but Coach Mears record against Kentucky was 15-15. He was 8-12 against Rupp and 7-3 against Joe B. Hall. The record against Rupp was the best of any opponent. I got to know Coach Mears when he was the AD at UT-Martin. He told me a great story about Bernard King. He said Bernard's freshman year UT got beat in Lexington 87-82. He thought UT had played well and he wasn't too disappointed. However, as Bernard came off the court a Kentucky fan flicked a lighted cigarette into his face. Bernard headed into the stands after the guy. Luckily Coach Aberdeen was behind Bernard and grabbed him around the waist. Bernard snapped out of his anger and headed to the locker room. He went straight to a couple of reporters and pointed his finger in their face and said, "as long as I am at UT, Kentucky will never beat us again". UT won the second game that year at Stokely, won both games Bernards sophomore year, and both games his junior year. He then turned pro. That 5 game winning streak is why Coach Mears had a 7-3 record against Joe B. Hall. Coach Mears loved telling that story. I was privileged over a year span to hear some great stories from Coach Mears prospective. GO VOLS
db11_cn writes:
"Special" is a word that encompasses a lot of moments and emotions that connect the Ray Mears and Bruce Pearl eras. One in the past the other in the present. Ernie Grunfeld was "special" for a lot of reasons. Among them: he was a New Yorker who found UT bringing great basketball skills and an unselfish personality. He displayed both when he worked and worked until he either put the ball in the hole or dished for an assist. When Grunfeld did the scoring he almost always, on the sprint back up the floor, pointed to the player who fed him the ball so crowd recognition could be shared. The story in yesterday's KN-S about Ernie G. sucker-puncing Mike Phillips was classic - pointing to Grunfeld as being the dispenser of justice for his teammate, not an instigator of cheap shots. Ernie's college, Olympic, and pro career could be summed up in one word - "Leader". He was a quality player in all phases of the game and a first class teammate.
Making a correction to the order of the NCAA losses. VMI in '76 - a fluke compounded by King's absence to an injury, and an O.T. loss to Syracuse in '77, a terrible case of bracketology abuse engineered by television's ratings interests over common sense.
The warmth of the reunion moments experienced during the King # retirement in '07 and again with Grunfeld's this year reflects what two "special" coaches have done here in Big Orange Country. I think Bruce Pearl recognizes this and, hopefully, it is a reason he will remain in Knoxville for the remainder of his career. I believe this state has embraced Bruce Pearl for more than just the w's he has brought.
bernardking writes:
My fondest days as a UT fan include King and Grunfeld. Easily one of the greatest combos in college basketball...EVER. The passion and pride Grunfeld displayed on the floor have been unmatched by any player since. Nothing quite like the Saturday night replays(10:30c)with John Ward's voice piped into the feed.
Dale Ellis will be next. Two time first team AA and two time SEC player of the year. No way Allan Houston's number will be retired before Ellis'.
surlyguy writes:
My favorite, most thrilling Vol basketball victories were Ernie and Bernie's victories in Lexington, called by John Ward. I never saw Bernie's falling-on-his-back field goal, but I formed a picture in my mind's eye how it must have looked based on Ward's thrilling call.
Those were magical times. Growing up a Vol fan in Nashville, selling Cokes and 7Ups at Vandy games when Vandy had the F-Troop and would pack 16,000 in a 15,000 gym to see the Vols, Bama (T. R. Dunn and Co), Ky, LSU, watching the Vandy students go beserk as the Vols would beat the Dores in Memorial. Seemed like the Vols would often win in Nashville and the Dores would upset the Vols in Knoxville, if I remember correctly...and those nightmarish trips to Alligator Alley. It was great to see the Vols up close in Memorial Gym winning before a frenzied packed house.
Thanks, Ernie for the memories, and for helping bring Bruce Pearl to Knoxville.
murrayvol writes:
General, Ben Franklin once said that "some of the world's most successful money makers are miserable failures as human beings." Unfortunately the same can be said of some athletes.
trl_x writes:
Very deserving. Thanks Ernie G from Tennessee.
I remember Ron Bliss from the Kingsport Times raving about the new freshman on the team, Bernard King. I was just a kid and was very excited about the upcoming season with King and Grunfeld (I'm just as excited about this season middle-aged). I listened to the first game in our kitchen as my mom ironed clothes. If I remember correctly, King went off for 42 points and maybe 14 rebounds.
And the rest is history. Great memories.
rootin4volz writes:
I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have been a 10-year old kid, running around Stokely Athletic Center, and drinking in the excitement of the Ernie & Bernie show...Good times...Great memories. It was fantastic seeing Ernie receive this honor yesterday, and it absolutely took me back.
navyvolinva writes:
King of the Volunteers!...Nicely said by John Ward!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.