University of Virginia Library

Bob McKeag Isn't Any Stereotyped Jock

PROFILE

By STEVE GASKE

Talking with Bob McKeag
one eventually gets the
unmistakable impression that
he is more than just the typical
stereotyped jock.

He is something more than
a name and figure whose
existence is dominated by
basketball.

An adherent to the
philosophy that there's more
to life than just basketball,
McKeag avows that his main
object in life is just to enjoy
himself.

"I don't like inactivity. I
like to do things, but I don't
like to worry."

"Before games I like to kid
around. I can't sit in the locker
room trying to look serious,
like let's kill 'em gang. It's
stupid to worry about the

mistakes you're going to make
before the game, because
you're going to make them
anyway. I just like to stay
loose."

McKeag admits that one of
the things he likes to do most
is sit in his room, which is
decorated in modern Joywind,
and listen to music and study
the effects of the posters on his
wall.

Another thing he likes to
do is sit and watch people. "I
could sit in the Philadelphia
train station all day and watch
the different kinds of people
that come in and out."

Continuing he says, "a lot
of people might not
understand this, but at parties I
like to just sit in the corner and
watch what everyone else is
doing."

Enjoys Recognition

He also says it's a good
feeling to be able to walk
around the grounds and have
people you've never seen
before say "hi" to you.

Despite the fact that the
members of the basketball
team are probably among the
best known people in the
University, they don't do a lot
of dating.

Not Much Dating

"If we go out it's always a
steady or a girl from home.
Most of the guys are pretty
self-conscious. It's not like you
think a girl will go out with
you just because you're an
athlete. A lot of times it's just
the opposite."

"Living off campus, we
don't get to know or meet a
lot of people and most of the
people around here are
athletes," McKeag explains
about the social life of the
team.

Basketball Chatter To Cease

He goes on to say that,
living around here it seems like
all we ever talk about is
basketball. Next year Gus
(Gerard), Steve (Morris),
Spencer (Graham) and I want
to get a house together where
we can enjoy ourselves and talk
about something other than
basketball for a change."

'Florida Or Bust'

Traveling is one of the
things McKeag likes to do.
"Gus, Andrew (Boninti) and I
have a can on the floor where
we throw all our spare change.
It says 'Florida or bust' and
some night this Spring we're
going to be sitting around and
just decide to go to Florida and
that money's going to get us
there."

A good indication of
McKeag's enjoy life attitude is
when he says that the most
important thing in his future
right now is to enjoy himself
this Spring.

"If I had my life to do
over," McKeag admits, "I'd be
a rock star... I can't play the
guitar... I can't really sing, but
I'd really like the life style."

Switching To Football

Since he isn't a rock star,
however, he is planning to try
to play football next year. "I'd
like to play a pro sport and
because of my build, , if I play
any sport professionally it's
going to be football," McKeag
explains of his decision to
switch sports.

"I'd like the life style of
pro sports. Nothing to do
except go to practice and four
or five months off to enjoy
life."

Predicts A Violent Death

When asked about some of
his eccentricities, McKeag
reveals an overriding feeling
that "I'm going to die
violently; I don't know how or
when, but I've had such a good
life I know I'm going to die
violently."

Visitors Welcome

It's hard to write about
somebody else and show them
as they really are but, before I
forget, during our interview,
McKeag said if he could have
me write anything he wanted,
he'd like to invite anyone who
wanted to come by and visit
him and Gus.