CHS_CG
02-09-2007, 11:52 AM
Shelby Metcalf Passes Away
Reporter: Courtesy - Texas A&M Sports Information
Shelby Metcalf (1930-2007)
College Station -- Dr. Shelby Metcalf, Texas A&M’s witty basketball wizard, passed away Thursday night at the College Station Medical Center after battling a lengthy illness. His family was by his side.
Metcalf was always regarded as much for his one liners as for his legendary coaching prowess. His most popular quote which has been used by politicians to CEO’s of corporations, goes something like this: In talking to one of his players who received four F’s and a D, “Son, looks to me like you are spending too much time on one subject!”
A couple of other examples include, asking a Southwest Conference basketball official “can you give me a technical for what I am thinking?” The official replied no he could not. So Coach Metcalf followed with, “I think you are a (fill in the blank)!” The official did not give him a technical.
One of Metcalf’s favorite phrases about basketball players is “you can be popular if you can play.” After mentioning this to former Aggie guard Todd Holloway, one of his favorite players, Metcalf added, “Todd, you’d have to be an All-American to break even.”
Another great Metcalf line came in 1984 during a heated contest against Arkansas in the Razorbacks’ infamous Barnhill Arena. Chaos was the order of the day, with tempers flaring and both coaches becoming irate. It was apparent the game was getting out of control.
Moose Stubbing, one of the league’s most well known officials, approached Metcalf and proclaimed, “I’m going to get this game under control.” After the teams traded possessions and the situation had not improved, Metcalf yelled toward Stubbing, “Hey Moose, I liked it better the other way!”
The stories and one liners could go on indefinitely, and although Metcalf was famous for his quick wit, it’s his accomplishments on the basketball court that have permanently etched his name in Aggie history as well as collegiate basketball history.
Metcalf, the winningest coach in SWC basketball history, coached into his 27th season as head coach at A&M, and his status as one of the league’s all-time great coaches was cemented long before that final campaign. He finished his career with a 438-306 overall record and a 239-158 mark in Southwest Conference play.
Metcalf owned the league’s longevity record and led the Aggies to 23 winning seasons in 26 years. Under Metcalf’s direction, the Aggies won six SWC championships, second in conference history behind former SMU coach Doc Hayes, whose teams won eight titles.
He led the Aggies to the post-season nine times with five trips to the NCAA Championship and four times to the NIT. Six of his squads won 20 or more games and his 1980 squad set the school record with 26 victories.
That 1980 team advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 by beating Bradley and North Carolina before dropping an overtime decision to eventual national champion Louisville. That squad included “The Wall” in the front court with center Rudy Woods, forwards Vernon Smith and Rynn Wright. The back court was directed by point guard Dave Goff and shooting guard David Britton.
Metcalf’s 1969 team advanced to the NCAA Championships when 25 teams were in the tournament. The Aggies beat Trinity in the first round, but dropped a decision to Drake in the Sweet 16.
He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 holding SWC records for seasons coached (27), most games (744), most victories (438) and most conference wins (239).
Metcalf was inducted into the Texas A&M Hall of Fame in 1998.
Affectionately known as “The Good Doctor”, Metcalf earned his doctorate in philosophy from A&M in 1974 with a dissertation entitled “Crowd Behavior at Southwest Conference Basketball Games.” He was an All-American basketball player at East Texas State (now Texas A&M-Commerce). As a playmaking guard, Metcalf led ETSU to the NAIA national championship his senior year. He was twice named to the all-tournament team at the NAIA national tournament.
He earned both his bachelor’s and his master’s degrees during his senior year, and was elected to Phi Kappa Phi, one of the most prestigious honor societies in academia. Metcalf was twice listed in Who’s Who In American Colleges and Universities, and was named a Distinguished Alumni at ETSU in 1981. In 1982, he was elected to the ETSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He attended Okmulgee (Okla.) A&M Junior College before transferring to ETSU.
After graduation, Metcalf spent one year as head coach at Cayuga (Texas) High School, posting a 33-10 record. He joined the Air Force and as an officer stationed in Germany, he was player/coach for a team which won the district title two straight years.
Metcalf came to Aggieland in 1958 as freshman head coach and compiled a 41-19 record in five seasons before he was named the varsity head coach for the 1963-64 season.
As a 33-year-old head coach, his first squad won the SWC championship, the first basketball title for the Aggies in 41 years. A&M’s basketball fortunes were in his capable hands for 26 ½ years.
An entertaining speaker, the easy going Metcalf made both his players and coaches squirm when he reached the podium at a tournament luncheon or press conference.
He became known as the “King of the Tournaments,” taking A&M to 74 in-season tournaments, posting a tournament record of 77-80. The Aggies made a record five tournament appearances in 1989-1990 crisscrossing the nation, including a record fourth appearance in the Great Alaska Shootout. Other stops that season included the Jowers Jamboree (San Marcos, TX), the Lobster Shootout (Bangor, ME), the Golden Panther Classic (Miami, FL) as well as the Hoosier Classic Tournament (Indianapolis, IN).
His first season he took Texas A&M to a tournament in Houston and also to the All-College Tournament in Oklahoma City. He loved going to the tournaments to assure himself of playing at least one game on a neutral floor. In 1987-88, Metcalf and his team left for Sacramento, California, on Dec. 16 and made another tournament stop in San Francisco before heading to the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The club returned to College Station on Dec. 31.
A dedicated family man, Metcalf’s love for the game of basketball could only be surpassed by the love he had for his wife and daughter. He was married to the former Janis Hutcheson of Athens, Texas. Janis was recognized many times as an outstanding teacher and a positive influence on so many young people in the Brazos Valley. Their daughter, Shelley, a 1983 graduate of A&M who earned her master’s degree in business administration and finance at A&M in 1985, was a fixture at both home and road games and like any coach’s daughter, she knows the game better than most. She and her husband, Jack Valerius (Class of ’87), have twin children— Matthew (Matt) Shelby and Kathryn (Katy) Janis.
Year Overall SWC (Place) Post-Season
1963-64 18-7 13-1 (1st) NCAA
1964-65 14-10 7-7 (4th)
1965-66 15-9 10-4 (2nd)
1966-67 6-18 5-9 (6th)
1967-68 14-10 8-6 (T2nd)
1968-69 18-9 12-2 (1st) NCAA
1969-70 14-10 9-5 (2nd)
1970-71 9-17 5-9 (7th)
1971-72 16-10 9-5 (T3rd)
1972-73 17-9 9-5 (T2nd)
1973-74 15-11 7-7 (4th)
1974-75 20-7 12-2 (1st) NCAA
1975-76 21-6 14-2 (1st)
1976-77 14-14 8-8 (T4th)
1977-78 12-15 5-11 (7th)
1978-79 24-9 11-5 (3rd) NIT
1979-80 26-8 14-2 (1st) NCAA
1980-81 15-12 8-8 (T4th)
1981-82 20-11 10-6 (3rd) NIT
1982-83 17-14 10-6 (3rd)
1983-84 16-14 7-9 (5th)
1984-85 19-11 10-6 (T2nd) NIT
1985-86 20-12 12-4 (T1st) NIT
1986-87 17-14 6-10 (8th) NCAA
1987-88 16-15 8-8 (6th)
1988-89 16-14 8-8 (T4th)
1989-90# 9-10 2-3
Career 438-306 239-158
Bold indicates SWC Championship Season.
#-- Indicates half of the season.
Reporter: Courtesy - Texas A&M Sports Information
Shelby Metcalf (1930-2007)
College Station -- Dr. Shelby Metcalf, Texas A&M’s witty basketball wizard, passed away Thursday night at the College Station Medical Center after battling a lengthy illness. His family was by his side.
Metcalf was always regarded as much for his one liners as for his legendary coaching prowess. His most popular quote which has been used by politicians to CEO’s of corporations, goes something like this: In talking to one of his players who received four F’s and a D, “Son, looks to me like you are spending too much time on one subject!”
A couple of other examples include, asking a Southwest Conference basketball official “can you give me a technical for what I am thinking?” The official replied no he could not. So Coach Metcalf followed with, “I think you are a (fill in the blank)!” The official did not give him a technical.
One of Metcalf’s favorite phrases about basketball players is “you can be popular if you can play.” After mentioning this to former Aggie guard Todd Holloway, one of his favorite players, Metcalf added, “Todd, you’d have to be an All-American to break even.”
Another great Metcalf line came in 1984 during a heated contest against Arkansas in the Razorbacks’ infamous Barnhill Arena. Chaos was the order of the day, with tempers flaring and both coaches becoming irate. It was apparent the game was getting out of control.
Moose Stubbing, one of the league’s most well known officials, approached Metcalf and proclaimed, “I’m going to get this game under control.” After the teams traded possessions and the situation had not improved, Metcalf yelled toward Stubbing, “Hey Moose, I liked it better the other way!”
The stories and one liners could go on indefinitely, and although Metcalf was famous for his quick wit, it’s his accomplishments on the basketball court that have permanently etched his name in Aggie history as well as collegiate basketball history.
Metcalf, the winningest coach in SWC basketball history, coached into his 27th season as head coach at A&M, and his status as one of the league’s all-time great coaches was cemented long before that final campaign. He finished his career with a 438-306 overall record and a 239-158 mark in Southwest Conference play.
Metcalf owned the league’s longevity record and led the Aggies to 23 winning seasons in 26 years. Under Metcalf’s direction, the Aggies won six SWC championships, second in conference history behind former SMU coach Doc Hayes, whose teams won eight titles.
He led the Aggies to the post-season nine times with five trips to the NCAA Championship and four times to the NIT. Six of his squads won 20 or more games and his 1980 squad set the school record with 26 victories.
That 1980 team advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 by beating Bradley and North Carolina before dropping an overtime decision to eventual national champion Louisville. That squad included “The Wall” in the front court with center Rudy Woods, forwards Vernon Smith and Rynn Wright. The back court was directed by point guard Dave Goff and shooting guard David Britton.
Metcalf’s 1969 team advanced to the NCAA Championships when 25 teams were in the tournament. The Aggies beat Trinity in the first round, but dropped a decision to Drake in the Sweet 16.
He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 holding SWC records for seasons coached (27), most games (744), most victories (438) and most conference wins (239).
Metcalf was inducted into the Texas A&M Hall of Fame in 1998.
Affectionately known as “The Good Doctor”, Metcalf earned his doctorate in philosophy from A&M in 1974 with a dissertation entitled “Crowd Behavior at Southwest Conference Basketball Games.” He was an All-American basketball player at East Texas State (now Texas A&M-Commerce). As a playmaking guard, Metcalf led ETSU to the NAIA national championship his senior year. He was twice named to the all-tournament team at the NAIA national tournament.
He earned both his bachelor’s and his master’s degrees during his senior year, and was elected to Phi Kappa Phi, one of the most prestigious honor societies in academia. Metcalf was twice listed in Who’s Who In American Colleges and Universities, and was named a Distinguished Alumni at ETSU in 1981. In 1982, he was elected to the ETSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He attended Okmulgee (Okla.) A&M Junior College before transferring to ETSU.
After graduation, Metcalf spent one year as head coach at Cayuga (Texas) High School, posting a 33-10 record. He joined the Air Force and as an officer stationed in Germany, he was player/coach for a team which won the district title two straight years.
Metcalf came to Aggieland in 1958 as freshman head coach and compiled a 41-19 record in five seasons before he was named the varsity head coach for the 1963-64 season.
As a 33-year-old head coach, his first squad won the SWC championship, the first basketball title for the Aggies in 41 years. A&M’s basketball fortunes were in his capable hands for 26 ½ years.
An entertaining speaker, the easy going Metcalf made both his players and coaches squirm when he reached the podium at a tournament luncheon or press conference.
He became known as the “King of the Tournaments,” taking A&M to 74 in-season tournaments, posting a tournament record of 77-80. The Aggies made a record five tournament appearances in 1989-1990 crisscrossing the nation, including a record fourth appearance in the Great Alaska Shootout. Other stops that season included the Jowers Jamboree (San Marcos, TX), the Lobster Shootout (Bangor, ME), the Golden Panther Classic (Miami, FL) as well as the Hoosier Classic Tournament (Indianapolis, IN).
His first season he took Texas A&M to a tournament in Houston and also to the All-College Tournament in Oklahoma City. He loved going to the tournaments to assure himself of playing at least one game on a neutral floor. In 1987-88, Metcalf and his team left for Sacramento, California, on Dec. 16 and made another tournament stop in San Francisco before heading to the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The club returned to College Station on Dec. 31.
A dedicated family man, Metcalf’s love for the game of basketball could only be surpassed by the love he had for his wife and daughter. He was married to the former Janis Hutcheson of Athens, Texas. Janis was recognized many times as an outstanding teacher and a positive influence on so many young people in the Brazos Valley. Their daughter, Shelley, a 1983 graduate of A&M who earned her master’s degree in business administration and finance at A&M in 1985, was a fixture at both home and road games and like any coach’s daughter, she knows the game better than most. She and her husband, Jack Valerius (Class of ’87), have twin children— Matthew (Matt) Shelby and Kathryn (Katy) Janis.
Year Overall SWC (Place) Post-Season
1963-64 18-7 13-1 (1st) NCAA
1964-65 14-10 7-7 (4th)
1965-66 15-9 10-4 (2nd)
1966-67 6-18 5-9 (6th)
1967-68 14-10 8-6 (T2nd)
1968-69 18-9 12-2 (1st) NCAA
1969-70 14-10 9-5 (2nd)
1970-71 9-17 5-9 (7th)
1971-72 16-10 9-5 (T3rd)
1972-73 17-9 9-5 (T2nd)
1973-74 15-11 7-7 (4th)
1974-75 20-7 12-2 (1st) NCAA
1975-76 21-6 14-2 (1st)
1976-77 14-14 8-8 (T4th)
1977-78 12-15 5-11 (7th)
1978-79 24-9 11-5 (3rd) NIT
1979-80 26-8 14-2 (1st) NCAA
1980-81 15-12 8-8 (T4th)
1981-82 20-11 10-6 (3rd) NIT
1982-83 17-14 10-6 (3rd)
1983-84 16-14 7-9 (5th)
1984-85 19-11 10-6 (T2nd) NIT
1985-86 20-12 12-4 (T1st) NIT
1986-87 17-14 6-10 (8th) NCAA
1987-88 16-15 8-8 (6th)
1988-89 16-14 8-8 (T4th)
1989-90# 9-10 2-3
Career 438-306 239-158
Bold indicates SWC Championship Season.
#-- Indicates half of the season.