Jerry McCollough

Thursday, March 13, 2008
"Where Are They Now?" - Jerry McCullough





One of my all-time favorite Panthers is none other than Jerry "The Iceman" McCullough. As a youth, Jerry was accidentally shot through the elbow by his brother after the two found their father's gun (he was an NYC police officer); however, the injury did not affect his game whatsoever. He was recruited by Pitt out of NYC (Manhattan) the same year that Orlando Antigua was recruited from NYC (Bronx), both highly regarded recruits for a mediocre Pitt team (circa 1991). He had an excellent career, regularly leading Pitt in scoring, assists and steals, and was also a deadly 3-point shooter. I can remember going to the Fitzgerald Field House one game and watching people put up a poster with the number "3" for every long-distance shot he drained; by the end of game he set Pitt's all-time 3-point baskets made in one game (not sure if that still stands). By the end of his career, he was the all-time steals leader at Pitt (257), which was later broken by Brandin Knight (297). He was a two-time All-Big East recipient and ranks 15th on Pitt's all-time career scoring list (1,342 career points). Basically, he was the shit. He is also responsible for Orlando Antigua's trademark bow-tie look (unsubstantiated rumor).

After his glorious Pitt career, he was signed to a professional league in the Dominican Republic. He then signed a deal with a team in the French League, and was elected best foreign player of the French league while he was playing for Gravelines. However, he was the lowest paid player in the French League that year ($40,000), goddamn French. After this disrespect, he returned to the US and played for 2 different CBA teams ( Sioux Falls SkyForce and Quad City Thunder). These days, he plays for the Unics Kazan in Mother Russia. His goal in Russia was to show the world that "the Red Scare was nothin' but a bunch of bullshit." He backed up this claim by dominating the league in 2004, averaging 16.3 ppg, 3.3 assists, and a mind-blowing 3.8 steals a game. When asked for comment on his notorious pick-pocketing ability, Jerry thought about it for a second and stated "man, they don't know how to dribble, as soon as one of those Commies started dribblin, I snatched that shit." Way to go Iceman, holding it down for the good ole' US of A.


Posted by Mosh Pitt at 2:49 PM
4 comments:
hyzduhq said...
I remember the great day when I got the Pitt replica jersey and shorts, which coincidentally was McCullough's jersey number. Those old school Pitt uniforms were so awesome with the claw marks. I remember always wearing it around, full uniform, as though at a minutes notice Ralph Willard would run up to me ask me to come into the game for Chad Varga.

March 13, 2008 7:42 PM
Mosh Pitt said...
Knowing Ralph Willard, it's a surprise he didn't. What an ass.

p.s. I had those shorts too. Pitt should bring those unis back.

March 13, 2008 7:50 PM
AbrahamNunezPlays9Positions said...
That wasn't McCullough who set the 3 record, that was Jason Maile against Villanova. I was there too, he was unbelievable. One of his 3s was from the logo in the middle of the court (probably just NBA range because the logo was enormous).

I had those sorts too, but I had to share them with my gay brother.