Bobby...

James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer: Bob Huggins.

I am letting that sink in for a moment. This guy whom I met when I was a high school sophomore has now reached the epitome of the basketball world. That guy whom I played with in basketball and baseball, sang with in the school chorus, followed his every move in his college basketball journey as a player and then as a coach, kept in contact with over the years ... that guy — one of us — has been selected as a 2022 inductee into the renowned Basketball Hall of Fame, and I couldn't be any prouder to shout to the world that even though his earlier years were spent in West Virginia, to us he is an Ohio boy who put a small, nondescript Tuscarawas County school (Indian Valley South) on the basketball map. To us, Bobby is his name, and he treats his friends back home the same way today that he did "back in the day." He is my kind of guy.

As a high school basketball player, he was outstanding. His drive, intensity, and motivation were his calling cards, and every practice he made sure to drive his teammates to have that same hunger. Through watching him every day, we recognized that living up to his expectations was what separated us from others. We watched him be berated so frequently by his coaching dad, be booed by opposing fans, be goaded by opposing players, but we learned that he stayed above the fray (for the most part) — we were about winning, and that was the bottom line. As for me, hell, I was not a great player by any means.

Being a year behind Bobby, I saw him as a role model even though I knew I would never be anywhere near his talent level. However, that did not matter: What I learned from him most was a work ethic. If I did not put in the time and effort that it would take to hit my potential, I was just spinning my wheels. In simple terms, I only wanted to be seen as a hustler, a worker, my version of "here's what I can offer." Bobby was the reason our team eventually became state champions, a title we have carried for all our lives ... and we all know it without even saying it.

His college playing years began at Ohio University but then switched to West Virginia where he became recognized as an outstanding guard with grit and focus that even his teammates had not previously experienced. While I did not get to see him play in person during those years, I was able to watch him on Channel 7 out of Wheeling, WV, when we were lucky enough to get a televised game. Obviously, ESPN and its multitude of games were not factors in those days, so it was a hit or miss opportunity.

From that start, his career took him briefly to Ohio State University before becoming the head coach at Walsh University, followed by an assistant's position at Central Florida; after that, his trek as a head coach was to the University of Akron, University of Cincinnati, Kansas State University, and now, of course, at West Virginia University. He has roamed the country for so many years evaluating talent, winning and losing games, continually developing his coaching demeanor, providing tough love when needed, voicing his opinion, helping referees see what he sees, cooperating with an oftentimes probing media, and experiencing frustration with today's social media world, yet he has always retained his devotion to his values or as it is sometimes stated, "the roots of his raising."

Bobby — whether everyone liked him or not — set the tone for Tuscarawas County basketball. Anyone who is a basketball fan from that general era can tell you that names like Joey Pangrazio Jr., John Studer, Gene Ford, Tom Crosswhite, Dan Jinks, Dan and Bill Andreas, Dave Smith, Ed Leggett, Greg Zimmerman, Harry and Larry Huggins, and so many others live on in our minds, but the name Bobby Huggins is the one who reached the highest level of all: The Basketball Hall of Fame. I do not write this as one who puts him in the "worship" category — it is not like that at all. What he represents is us, plain and simple, and that is what makes me proudest.

As someone who has remained in Tuscarawas County for a lifetime, I am most intrigued by our athletic history, one that was recognized on June 3 and June 18 when the inaugural Tuscarawas County Sports Hall of Fame inducted its first class of notable athletes, referees/umpires, and teams. So many names and teams from over the years that have represented our Valley have allowed us to share stories, to brag, to gloat, and to claim our small place in this immense world. A chaotic country, for sure, exists today, but what has enabled us to so often find solace is sports ... and what a proud heritage we do have!

I try to keep life in perspective, and my perspective so often parallels athletics and the successes, the losses, the lessons, and the cruelty that sports provide. But, when it is time to "toot our own horn," I am not a bit ashamed to do so: We have so much to be proud of around here, and that, my friends, is my stated reason for bragging and gloating that Bob Huggins was a friend back in the early '70s and remains a friend today. For a man who has achieved so much success, he is a humble, respectful representative of who we are. The greatest compliment I can offer Bobby is what I stated in my first paragraph: He is one of us.

As the old timers from around here used to say, "You can take that to the bank!"

Mike Gunther is a retired teacher and basketball coach. He was a member of the 1972 state championship team at Indian Valley South.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Mike Gunther guest column: Bobby ...