Doug Collins Receives 2015 Johnny Bach Award at Fordham Tip-Off Dinner

Bronx, N.Y. - Doug Collins was a collegiate basketball standout who played for the U.S. team in the 1972 Olympic Games. He was the first overall draft pick in the 1973 NBA draft and went on to a successful head coaching career in the NBA. But on Wednesday night, Collins received one of his highest accolades ever as he was presented the 2015 Johnny Bach Award at the Fordham University men's basketball Tip-Off Dinner in Tognino Hall.
 
The Johnny Bach Award is presented annually at the Tip-Off Dinner to the individual who has had substantial and lasting impact on the sport of basketball and who best emulates Mr. Bach's drive and passion for excellence.
 

John W. Bach, FCRH '48, a coaching icon on the collegiate, professional, and international levels, is one of the greatest basketball minds of all time. A defensive specialist, he has been credited with helping the Chicago Bulls win three straight NBA championships. He is still the all-time winningest coach in Fordham University basketball history, and led the Rams to five NIT appearances and a pair of NCAA berths in 18 seasons.
 
Bach began his basketball career in New York City in the early 1940's playing on two New York City Catholic High School championship teams. As a freshman at Fordham, he was a regular on the school's great 1942-43 squad, Fordham's first NIT team. His career with the Rams, however, was interrupted by years at the University of Rochester, Brown University, and the U.S. Navy ROTC program. He was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy and served until late 1947, at which point he returned to Fordham, earned a B.S. in economics and garnered team MVP honors for the 1947-1948 season.
 
In 1950, he took the head coaching position at Fordham and, over the next 18 seasons, compiled a 263-193 record with five NIT appearances and NCAA appearances in 1953 and 1954. He served as assistant to the athletic director for four years and as athletic director for his final eight years before leaving for Penn State after the 1967-1968 season.

Prior to dinner, Joseph M. McShane, SJ, president of Fordham, spoke to the crowd, extolling the virtues of first-year head coach Jeff Neubauer.
 
"The focus of Coach Neubauer's passion is not just the game," said McShane. "It's also the young men placed in his care. He challenges them, teaches them and gets on the court and practices with them. I am struck by the faith he has in his players and how he teaches them to believe in themselves and one another."
 
McShane ended his talk with an assurance to the 2015-2016 Rams. "We place or faith in you and we promise we will show up to support you. We will rejoice in you and your accomplishments since you represent us."

Director of Athletics Dave Roach introduced Collins, who has a long history with Bach, reaching back to the 1972 Olympic team where Bach was an assistant coach to head coach Hank Iba. When Collins became head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1986, a team that featured Michael Jordan and Scottie Pipen, he hired Bach as an assistant. The two also paired up when Collins was head coach of the Detroit Pistons (1996-1998) and the Washington Wizards (2001-2003).
 

Collins opened by avowing his respect and love of Johnny Bach.  "What an honor it is for me to be here tonight. Johnny Bach is my mentor and I'm very proud to say that. When I got the call that I was receiving the award I was thrilled. Johnny has been like a father to me. I've won a lot of nice awards but this man, Johnny Bach, is special. I love him and I will always love him."
 
Collins spoke of the great traditions at Fordham and how the current team has a great opportunity to succeed and leave its mark at Fordham. He also spoke of how precious it is being a college student and being a part of a team.
 
"I don't miss coaching and I don't miss playing," said Collins. "What I really miss is being on a team. Being in locker room and going out to compete and be the best team you can possibly be."
 
The secrets to Collins' success can be summed up in two words: trust and truth.  "To me trust and truth is the essence of everything. You have to develop a level of trust between coach and teammates and if you have that trust, you can speak the truth to one another because that's when you really can grow. And it's also important to be all in and accountable to each other. No leadership is better than player-to-player leadership."
 
Neubauer closed out the night speaking of how the future begins now at Rose Hill and that he no longer has a one-year plan but now has a 50-day plan.
 
"Over the next 50 days we have nine games in the Rose Hill Gym," said Neubauer. "My point is, and I direct this to our players, Johnny Bach told a former coach at Fordham that you never, ever, ever, ever lose at home. And that's what I'm saying to you young men. And for the rest of you, we need every one of you to bring ten of your friends so that we have 3,000 people in the gym for every one of those home games."
 
He then spoke of what fans can expect from the 2015-2016 Rams, a team that will be aggressive. "This team is going to play basketball the right way. That means putting defense first above anything, meaning that you are committed to being a defender, and on the offensive end, committed to sharing the ball and making the extra pass. That's what your team is going to do for you this year."
  
Collins is the fourth recipient of the award, joining Patrick Ewing (2012), P.J. Carlesimo (2013) and Phil Jackson (2014).
 
The Rams open the 2015-2016 season on Saturday night, November 14, as they travel to Arlington, Texas, to face the University of Texas at Arlington at 8:30 p.m. (EST).