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12B - The Michigan Daily - TIPOFF 2000 - Thursday,
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The Michigan Daily -f- TIPOFF 20
November 9, 2000
General's
war
Freshman center Josh Moore is prepared
to help lead the Wolverines into battle
By Michael Kern N Daily Sports Writer
HEIR
Continued from Page 7B
won two years earlier was a distant memory. The
five freshmen, soon tabbed the Fab Five, would
lead Michigan to the NCAA Tournament title
game in 1992. As the tournament run started,
members of the Fab Five announced that they
would "shock the world," something Muhammad
Ali told them to do upon meeting them.
Webber, like Russell, shocked the college world
by leading the young Wolverines to the NCAA
title game.
Webber acknowledged the similar status of
today's program to when he
came to Michigan.p
"It was tough.Yo u're
always going to want
to be on top,"
came close but never made it to the top. Webber
led Michigan back to the NCAA Tournament title
game his sophomore year but lost in the Final
again. After that season, a ringless Webber left
Michigan for NBA riches and the Wolverines have
vet to return to the Final Four.
After Webber left in 1993. Michigan won a Big
Ten Tournament title and thrice beat national
power Duke - Webber's primary rival. But the
Wolverines' success would come to a halt in 1999
when they finished 12-19 and failed to qualify for
postseason play for the first time in 15 years.
GOOD ENOUGH TO DREAM
Unfortunately, Michigan's performance in
Blanchard's freshman season didn't compare
with the success that Russell and Webber had in
their first seasons. There were no cut nets.
No Big Ten rings. And the world was
far from shocked.
What's more, fellow freshmen Jamal Crawford
and Kevin Gaines, core players in Michigan's
rebuilding plan, won't be back this year.
"We went through a lot last season," Blanchard
said. "It's sad we lost so
many guys. Those guys
could be the difference
between the NCAA
Tournament and the
NIT this year.
If Michigan is
to make the
N C A A
Tournament with-
l out those guys,
Bl an chard
w i ll
be as
"H
the c
under
No
deces
"I
do it,
when
So
win
drear
Ru
missc
We
missc
B
Th
n the Bible, the book of Joshua tells of God
instructing Joshua to lead the Israelites into
the promised land after Moses dies. Later.
Joshua acts as the leader of the Israeli army as
it conquered the Holy Land, battle by battle.
The struggle culminated with the taking of
the city of ,Jlieho. Joshua had the army circle
the city seven times. Then the priests blew the
trumpets, and Ioshua said to the people, "Shout; for
the LORD hath given you the city."
The walls of the city came tumbling down, and the
Israelites took the city.
When Josh Moore was born, his grandmother named him
Joshua after the hero from the Bible. Little did she know how
appropriate that name might become.
Joshua 10:8
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I
have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man
of them stand before thee.
By fourth grade, Josh Moore stood 6-4 and was as tall or
taller than all of his teachers. Moore now checks in at 7-2 and
305 pounds --smaking the freshman center the largest player
in the history of Michigan basketball.
Moore is so big, he has difficulty finding stores that sell
clothes that fit him. Lucky for him, Moore has befriended
Shaquille O'Neal. The Lakers center and NBA Most Valuable
Player has given Moore everything from shoes to tailored suits
to help him expand his wardrobe.
He and O'-Neal are so close in size that they have even dis-
cussed Moore acting as a stand-in for Shaq in his next movie.
But with his freshman year of college underway, Moore has no
time to be visiting Hollywood.
Moore wants to be seen for more than just his size and
prowess on the basketball court.
"People always see my height, and they get intimidated by
it," Moore said. "People put me in a category before thcv get
to know me. I walk down the hall and people give me looks.
They're thinking, 'What's wrong with this guy?' But in the
back of my mind I'm thinking. 'What's wrong with you?'
"It's hard to establish an identity outside of being a basket-
ball player, especially at my size."
While his size can sometimes be a nuisance in daily activi-
ties, it is also what makes him a dominating player on the
court.
Due to his size and his biblical namesake, Moore was given
the nickname "The General" in high school. He now has the
name tattooed on his right arm.
In his senior season at St. Thomas More Prep High School
in Connecticut. Moore averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds
and led his team to the final game of the New England Prep
School Championships.
Even though he has yet to play a game in a Michigan uni-
form, many have already anointed Moore as the next out-
standing Michigan center. The Wolverines haven't had a dom-
inating center roaming the paint at Crisler Arena since Robert
Traylor left for the NBA after his junior season three years ago.
Moore isn't bashful when speaking about the expectations
that have been heaved onto his massive shoulders.
"In the Bible, Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the
walls came tumbling down," Moore said. "I have my own song
called 'Joshua fought the battle of the Big Ten' and Michigan
State came tumbling down."
And listen to his new teammates.
"He's going to draw a lot of attention," senior co-captain
Josh Asselin said. "He's a big body on the inside and is really
aggressive when he gets the ball. Especially for me, it gives
me the chance to move out a little more."
"This kid brings something to the table that we just
didn't have last year," sophomore guard Gavin Groniger
added. "He's going to be a special player"
Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe is a bit more careful and
reminds gawkers that Moore is still just a freshman.
"We have a tendency to want more from guys of that size,"
Ellerbe said. "We want to bring him along at the right speed
and level."
Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose
you this day.whom ye will serve ... but as for me and my
house, we will serve the LORD.
For Moore, family is more than just important - it's a
necessity. As he has done since he left his home in New JeIrsev
for prep school. Moore speaks with his mother over the phone
every night, and they read the Bible together.
"My mother is my best friend." Moore said. "If I can make
her proud. that's what I live for. She is the only person who has
supported me through everything.
Moore's mother raised him and his two brothers and sister
alone while working a job that required her to spend her
evenings away from home. That often left Moore and his sib-
lings to raise each other.
The kids would also spend a lot of time at Moore's grand-
mother's house while their mother was at work. Moore's
grandmother helped him to grow and mature, teaching him
many of life's valuable lessons.
"W'hen I was four, five, six years old, I didn't want to be
there"'Moore said. "But as I got older I realized that n time
with my grandmother was probably the most valuable part of
my day each day.
"Mv family was very close knit, very loving. I stress team
chemistry because my family was close and I want this to be
like a family."
Never did Moore need his family more than after his junior
year of high school. Unhappy with his situation and struggling
in the classroom, Moore made the difficult decision to transfer
to St. Thomas More and leave Jersey City St. Anthony's -a
program that a year earlier during his sophomore season had
won the New Jersev state title.
"We just didn't see eve to eve after a while. I needed a
change," Moore told the Star Ledger in Newark, N..J. in 1998
of his relationship with St. Anthony's coach Bob Hurley.
Moore was attacked by the media for what it perceived as
his abandonment of the program and its legendary coach.
"Bob Hurley is probably one of the best high school coach-
es in America and one of the best on any level," Moore said. "I
was in a situation where I felt uncomfortable. It wasn'tlthe best
fit at that time, and I got out of it."
St. Thomas More, and its coach Jere Quinn, welcomed
Moore with open arms and provided him with an environment
more suited to his needs.
"He's been almost like a child prodigy," Quinn said. "He
was a prominent player in New Jersey because of his size, and
unfair demands were placed on him.
"He needed a place to allow him to find himself in the class-
room without any distractions."
Moore flourished at St. Thomas More but had difficulty
See GENERAL, Page 198
Supersized:
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k
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' '...
ti
Height: 722"
Weight: 305 pounds
Shoe size: 22
Amount of liquid
necessary to fill one
of his shoes: 48
ounces (four cans of soda)
In his closet:
Suits tailor-made for
Shaquille 0ONeal
/,,
'V
/
.
courtesy of
Michigan
athletics
MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily