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Post by OceanStateBonnie on Jul 23, 2024 4:02:27 GMT -5
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Post by ceharv on Jul 23, 2024 7:12:22 GMT -5
Hoffman deserves to be in any discussion of the best Bona (not Bonnie) point guards of all time. He played to make his teammates better at the expense of his own statistics, which of course was helped by how good his teammates were. He was selfless, smart, intense and determined to win. I think the fact he shared the Court with the greatest Bona player of all time undeservedly took some of the focus off the quality of his play.
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Post by ohs73 on Jul 23, 2024 7:26:38 GMT -5
Saddened by Paul's passing. I echo ceharv's sentiments. Paul was as unselfish as any Bona cager I can recall. Ultimate team competitor.
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Post by ThomasMerton on Jul 23, 2024 9:03:03 GMT -5
When I was in the 7th grade, I attended the Larry Weise Basketball Camp and Paul was 2 years removed from college. He was my counselor at the camp and was a kind, understanding person who made sure all of us had a great experience that week. I understand he taught, coached, raised a family of seven and lived in Belmont, NY, a tiny village in nearby Allegany County (I think it's the county seat too). Belmont HS was in Section V and I think it was a Class D school. He was a heckuva High School player and played out of position for his final 2 years for the good of the Bonas team.Truly selfless. I only heard great things about his character and affection for Bonas. Great, great Bona Man who is surely in a greater place. God's Blessings to Paul and his family and friends. Amen.
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Post by ThomasMerton on Jul 23, 2024 9:05:50 GMT -5
I hope Bonas honors Paul with a patch "PH" on the uniforms this season. Would be a tremendous tribute to a Final Four team member. One thing, Bonas never forgets its own.
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Post by miggya on Jul 23, 2024 9:45:05 GMT -5
So sorry to hear about Paul.
The thing that I always marveled at was his ability to get rebounds and put-backs on our missed free throws. He would lurk around to the side of the shooter and as soon as the ball went up, he would sprint in behind the other team's rebounder as he was blocking out our rebounder. He would get the rebound and put it back in. I swear he did it 20 times.
He was tough and very athletic and one of the best. RIP.
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Post by zorro (res) on Jul 23, 2024 10:32:29 GMT -5
When I was in the 7th grade, I attended the Larry Weise Basketball Camp and Paul was 2 years removed from college. He was my counselor at the camp and was a kind, understanding person who made sure all of us had a great experience that week. I understand he taught, coached, raised a family of seven and lived in Belmont, NY, a tiny village in nearby Allegany County (I think it's the county seat too). Belmont HS was in Section V and I think it was a Class D school. He was a heckuva High School player and played out of position for his final 2 years for the good of the Bonas team.Truly selfless. I only heard great things about his character and affection for Bonas. Great, great Bona Man who is surely in a greater place. God's Blessings to Paul and his family and friends. Amen. He is the reason that Digger Phelps ended up with the ND job. |
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glenlaw
Sophomore Member
Posts: 115
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Post by glenlaw on Jul 23, 2024 12:27:06 GMT -5
Digger did have some additional success with Kenny Charles and Charles Yelverton at Fordham before he jumped to ND, but I'm not disagreeing with you.
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Post by ohs73 on Jul 23, 2024 12:32:14 GMT -5
I hope Bonas honors Paul with a patch "PH" on the uniforms this season. Would be a tremendous tribute to a Final Four team member. One thing, Bonas never forgets its own. Or, a "20" patch (Paul's jersey #). |
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Post by zorro (res) on Jul 23, 2024 13:37:05 GMT -5
Digger did have some additional success with Kenny Charles and Charles Yelverton at Fordham before he jumped to ND, but I'm not disagreeing with you. Yes, but had he not stolen Paul from his public school 50 miles to the north, there would have been no state championships for St. Gabriel's and therefore no likely assistant's job at Penn for Digger. Fordham would never of heard of him. Funny story. I lived with a guy in graduate school who grew up in Archbold, PA, just outside Scranton. When home on break, he would frequent the same tavern as the former head coach of that public school where Paul would have played. Vince told me when the guy had one or two too many, which apparently happened often, he would utter oaths directed at Digger. |
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Post by ThomasMerton on Jul 23, 2024 14:53:50 GMT -5
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f45rpm
Freshman Member
Posts: 56
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Post by f45rpm on Jul 23, 2024 16:21:55 GMT -5
Paul used to have a small shop on the side of his house in Belmont where he sold sport cards…bought 2 Bob Lanier rookies there👍👍
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Post by skeller6 on Jul 24, 2024 6:46:23 GMT -5
Hoffie was an outstanding part of the Final Four team, and the NIT 2nd place team too. Incredibly athletic at 6'2" he played the point guard after Billy K graduated and was the SG before that.
Paul was a fierce rebounder and defender, could dunk the ball (in practice only, it was forbidden at that time in game play).
He needs to be in HOF immediately!!
I had the honor of speaking with my classmate and friend at the 50th reunion of the '70 Final Four team. We were at the Burton (where else) enjoying a few adult beverages when the topic of HOF came up. He stated that his stats qualified him for the SBU HOF as an individual, and I totally agreed.
It high time to correct this oversight.
By the way, he was an outstanding high school WBB coach at Genesee Valley HS in Angelica for many years, and took his teams to the NYS finals.
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Post by derhut on Jul 24, 2024 9:05:09 GMT -5
HOF class 1999
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sabo
New Member
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Post by sabo on Jul 24, 2024 17:20:17 GMT -5
When Paul Hoffman graduated he was the 7th all time scorer in Bona history. Clearly underrated, but much appreciated by Bona fans.
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