kepdawg
03-09-2007, 12:28 AM
I would encourage all to follow the link to read this in its entirety. I have posted only portions of it below. I only spent one year in Buna in the early 90's, but the legend of Coach Cotton was and is still alive and well. It is incredible to imagine what he may have done if he had not retired so young.
Cotton Robinson (http://www.tabchoops.org/CT2006.pdf)
To turn around an unsuccessful athletic program is the mark of a good coach. To maintain success once it has been achieved is the mark of a great coach. Few, if any, can match the dynasty built at Buna High School in the 50’s and early 60’s by M.N. “Cotton” Robinson. From 1954 until his retirement in 1963, his Cougar teams won 124 consecutive district games, had win streaks of 66 and 57 games and won seven state championships including undefeated seasons in 1956-‘57 and 1960-61. These achievements were not a result of cream puff scheduling or lean years by other teams in their district and conference. Buna would, and did, play all comers in non-district and tournament play including the best and biggest from higher classifications. But, to truly comprehend the dominance then and the influence on the game today, you have to better know the man in charge of the Buna Cougars.
In 1957, Buna could boast not only the 2A state champion but laid claim to the best team in Texas label. The Cougars beat the 4A champion Port Arthur twice and the 3A champion Smiley, plus the class B champion Big Sandy. That 40-0 state championship team was led by the Stanley twins, Pat and Don, who went on to star at Texas A&M. But, most of Cotton’s teams were led by players that were average when removed from the Buna system. His tallest player was 6’4” and several teams had players under 6’ in the post, including the 1961 state champs.
After the ’57 team graduated, many thought that the Cougars were back to mere human status as the ’58 group went 22-18 and was eliminated from the playoffs after a 12-0 district run. But, in ’59 they burst back to the champion’s throne after struggling to a 31-15 season. The 1960 team was Coach Robinson’s last non state champion, going 30-10.
His last 3 teams so dominated their class, that only Cotton’s final team had a close game in Austin, beating Canyon 47-41 for the 1963 state title.
Then, after the 1963 season, M.N. “Cotton” Robinson retired from coaching at age 38. “The pressure I put on myself just wore me out. We were expected to win state every year, so I decided to retire,” Cotton said years later. “It got to where it bothered my insides a whole lot,” he said in 1975.
Many have copied the entire system but the secret is demanding and receiving perfection, a talent Coach Robinson had that few could boast.
One who did use the Buna system in its entirety was Jimmy Horn. In 1961 Coach Horn was a junior high football coach that had the privilege to coach basketball under Cotton. After one year he took the system to Snook where another dynasty began and he passed it on to his brother Don, who passed it to Donnie Vicktorick. The result was 18 appearances at the final four and 10 state championships in 20 years. The system was copied by many more and is used to this day but present day coaches and players don’t have the patience to play it or coach it correctly.
What else can the rest of the basketball world learn from Cotton Robinson? Neither he nor any of his players was ever assessed a technical foul during his entire career. The bottom line is to develop a system and coach it, get your players to play it and don’t worry about the referees and fans. Demonstrated by a legend and a humble gentleman, who can argue?
http://www.bunatx.com/pictures/full_bball.jpg
It would have been so amazing to be there during this run of championships!
Cotton Robinson (http://www.tabchoops.org/CT2006.pdf)
To turn around an unsuccessful athletic program is the mark of a good coach. To maintain success once it has been achieved is the mark of a great coach. Few, if any, can match the dynasty built at Buna High School in the 50’s and early 60’s by M.N. “Cotton” Robinson. From 1954 until his retirement in 1963, his Cougar teams won 124 consecutive district games, had win streaks of 66 and 57 games and won seven state championships including undefeated seasons in 1956-‘57 and 1960-61. These achievements were not a result of cream puff scheduling or lean years by other teams in their district and conference. Buna would, and did, play all comers in non-district and tournament play including the best and biggest from higher classifications. But, to truly comprehend the dominance then and the influence on the game today, you have to better know the man in charge of the Buna Cougars.
In 1957, Buna could boast not only the 2A state champion but laid claim to the best team in Texas label. The Cougars beat the 4A champion Port Arthur twice and the 3A champion Smiley, plus the class B champion Big Sandy. That 40-0 state championship team was led by the Stanley twins, Pat and Don, who went on to star at Texas A&M. But, most of Cotton’s teams were led by players that were average when removed from the Buna system. His tallest player was 6’4” and several teams had players under 6’ in the post, including the 1961 state champs.
After the ’57 team graduated, many thought that the Cougars were back to mere human status as the ’58 group went 22-18 and was eliminated from the playoffs after a 12-0 district run. But, in ’59 they burst back to the champion’s throne after struggling to a 31-15 season. The 1960 team was Coach Robinson’s last non state champion, going 30-10.
His last 3 teams so dominated their class, that only Cotton’s final team had a close game in Austin, beating Canyon 47-41 for the 1963 state title.
Then, after the 1963 season, M.N. “Cotton” Robinson retired from coaching at age 38. “The pressure I put on myself just wore me out. We were expected to win state every year, so I decided to retire,” Cotton said years later. “It got to where it bothered my insides a whole lot,” he said in 1975.
Many have copied the entire system but the secret is demanding and receiving perfection, a talent Coach Robinson had that few could boast.
One who did use the Buna system in its entirety was Jimmy Horn. In 1961 Coach Horn was a junior high football coach that had the privilege to coach basketball under Cotton. After one year he took the system to Snook where another dynasty began and he passed it on to his brother Don, who passed it to Donnie Vicktorick. The result was 18 appearances at the final four and 10 state championships in 20 years. The system was copied by many more and is used to this day but present day coaches and players don’t have the patience to play it or coach it correctly.
What else can the rest of the basketball world learn from Cotton Robinson? Neither he nor any of his players was ever assessed a technical foul during his entire career. The bottom line is to develop a system and coach it, get your players to play it and don’t worry about the referees and fans. Demonstrated by a legend and a humble gentleman, who can argue?
http://www.bunatx.com/pictures/full_bball.jpg
It would have been so amazing to be there during this run of championships!