Reviews

If It Says Big East, It’s Big East

3/13/2014

High Sartorial Moment. ESPN.go.com. 30 for 30. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=10589484.

Everything dies baby that’s a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
--Atlantic City, Bruce Springsteen

It’s mid-March, the weather is miserable, and the Big East is in the Garden.

This was the best basketball conference that ever was, because it was Big and because it was East – players and fans, bundled up, road salt on their shoes, with a case of the sniffles, playing in the most noted basketball arena in the land.

Ewing of Georgetown. Mullin of St. John’s. Pinckney of Villanova. They all went to the Final Four one year.

We know the names of the defectors who joined football conferences, putting their students out of reasonable driving range for road games, teaching the great lesson of college sports, which is screw loyalty, screw history. Go for the money.

Somehow the Big East stays alive with 10 teams, some of which I could not name -- 10 colleges that cannot afford legions of football players on their campus.

All I know is that St. John’s and Georgetown and Villanova and Providence and Seton Hall are still around.

I smiled at the photo in the Times of Val Ackerman, the new president of the newly-configured league, sitting in an empty league office. It was her statement: The league of Looie’s garish sweaters and Big John’s style statement is still intact.

Brian Savin

3/13/2014 10:07:59 am

Amen, good Brother!! It sure didn't take you very many sentences to cut right to the good, and increasingly bad, of college sports. Thanks for this.

Ed Martin

3/13/2014 03:57:53 pm

Became a St. John's fan in the 80's and saw many games on campus and in the Garden. What a parade of talent, Mullen, Jackson, Berry: Ewing and Co.; Pearl Washington and the Orangemen, etc.etc. etc.
One wonderful moment was the closing seconds of the Big East Championship game, Pearl Washington drives all the way down court ready to lay in the winning basket and Walter Berry catches up and blocks the shot as it goes up. St. Johns Wins. Louie's sweater goes into the Hall of Fame, (with Louie.)

Sam Toperoff

3/13/2014 11:11:09 pm

Here's why I read this blog every day--the writing:
"This was the best basketball conference that ever was, because it was Big and because it was East – players and fans, bundled up, road salt on their shoes, with a case of the sniffles, playing in the most noted basketball arena in the land."

George Vecsey

3/14/2014 02:20:37 am

Sam, thanks. This really is my therapy web site -- as much fun as playing basketball alone in the schoolyard. One could be (this dates me) Cousy and McGuire at the same time.
Everybody should have a therapy web site.
Maybe everybody does.
A bientot,
G

Ed Martin

3/14/2014 09:56:21 am

My therapy website, too. My own, primarily about Venice Florida government and politics, (leavened by some popular culture) is a kind of therapy too, although it causes a release of Adrenaline from time to time in frustration. The " Cooz" and tricky Dick were every kids role models. In 1944 a "Cinderella Team," Utah won the NIT, the tournament, led by Arnie Ferrin and Vern Gardner. Ferrin's game-winning shot began as a fake hook to his left. As the fellow guarding him moved to the fake, Ferrin reversed and laid up an underhand shot off the backboard for the win. We practiced that shot for ours on our dirt lot, one basket "Garden."

George Vecsey

3/14/2014 10:40:48 am

Ed: Also on that team was Wat Misaka, who later played briefly for the Knicks, and was honored in 2009...I got to walk into the Garden with him, and he saw his name on a team plaque near the clubhouse.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/sports/basketball/11vecsey.html?_r=1&

Cousy and McGuire were both from Queens. Added an extra touch when pretending to be them.

Best,
GV

Ed martin

3/14/2014 04:01:15 pm

Really enjoyed the Misaka story---prototype GV, humanity, history, sports and literature.

Ed Martin link

3/14/2014 04:48:36 pm

GV and friends, apologies for frequent comments. I found my 70 year old memory was slightly off. from NCAA

1944 NCAA Tournament | Bracket

Champion: Utah

Most Outstanding Player: Arnie Ferrin, Utah

Final Four: Utah, Dartmouth, Ohio State, Iowa State

Shining Moments

The first formation of March Madness. The title game between Utah and Dartmouth went to overtime after Dartmouth’s Dick McGuire sank a long-distance prayer. Then Utah’s Herb Wilkinson took a 17-footer from the top of the key and hit the game-winning shot, giving Utah its only national title.
Who said freshmen weren’t commonplace stars until the ‘80s? Ferrin was a first-year player for the Utes and won MOP.
Utah didn’t want to be in the NCAAs. It actually played in both the NIT and NCAAs that year, one of the few teams to ever do that. Arkansas had to withdraw after two players got in a car accident, and Utah stepped in for a second chance.
1943 finalists Georgetown and Wyoming can’t play because they literally don’t have the teams to. World War II dismantled their programs temporarily.
Something that would never fly today: Dartmouth was essentially tipping off with ringers. Because of the war, players from St. John’s, NYU (a power until the ‘60s) and Cornell were stationed nearby for naval training. So … they played in Dartmouth uniforms and everyone just seemed cool with that. Hey, if UCLA ends up not being good, can we ship them off to Arizona this March and just see how things go? Twas a simpler, stranger time in 1944.
- Matt Norlander

George Vecsey

3/15/2014 01:51:53 am

Ed, thanks for the great comments.
When I babble about the glorious history of college basketball in New York, I guess I should also mention the first college game I ever saw, in 1949. The NIT was vastly more important than the NCAA then. My dad took me in by subway to see Kentucky-Loyola (Chicago) in the NIT, and I blubbered all the way home because Loyola won. Of course, it was a dump.
The great Joe Goldstein summed up the era in a 2003 article for ESPN:

http://espn.go.com/classic/s/basketball_scandals_explosion.html

Brian Savin

3/15/2014 02:06:00 am

Today is so different, isn't it? Buffett will give us a billion bucks if we can figure out a way to shave points for only a few score games this month. There's probably enough there to do it and still have enough left over for this entire blog to party in Bimini.

George Vecsey

3/15/2014 03:09:33 am

Buffett? College basketball?

Ed Martin

3/15/2014 03:24:01 am

Although my inner "Archie Bunker" told me to "stifle myself," your mention of 1949 NIT was too much temptation. I was a freshman at tiny Muhlenberg College,which, led by a fine player Harry Donovan, played the NY teams. In 49 CCNY beat 'Berg 95-76. Went on to win NIT and NCAA. CCNY had two Black and three Jewish
starters and it gave Adolph Rupp and his segregated team a fit.

For good Wikipedia article on CCNY 49-50: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1949–50_CCNY_Beavers_men's_basketball_team

Alan Rubin link

3/16/2014 01:50:12 pm

Good stuff about college basketball’s golden age in its Mecca, the metro NY area. The period from the mid-1940’s to the early 1950’s was an exciting time for a teenager to follow basketball. There was a mass exit of players and coaches after the 1950 point shaving scandal, mainly to the south where Al and Frank Maguire set up. It was not until the rise of the Big East that basketball again became respectable in our area.

I was also sad how many promising basketball careers were ruined by so little money. Sherman White’s cousin told me that he had received only $500. He had been a star at Englewood HS, NJ and later at LIU. He was the NY Knicks regional pick. He lost so much for nothing.

In my mind, the 1949-1950 CCNY basketball team was the best, then and now. They would probably have been even better the following season as the freshman team was undefeated and five sophomores and most of the starters were returning. This SI link is a good summary.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1018817/2/index.htm

I was 15 years old and my older sister was dating a CCNY student. Although I watched most of their games on B&W TV, I saw many games with him at the garden. I rarely see it mentioned, but the crowds at the college games were also fantastic; exuberant, noisy, knowledgeable and relatively polite.

I got a taste of the crowd enthusiasm when I was in college and had a date with a CCNY cheerleader. She was off that evening, but asked if I would like to go to a CCNY basketball game at the garden. Sounded good and we got in free with good seats. It brought back my high school memories, but there was an embarrassing aspect to going with a cheerleader as she kept yelling the CCNY cheer all night;

Allagaroo garoo gara,
Allagaroo garoo gara,
Ee-yah ee-yah,
Sis boom bah,
Team! Team! Team!

I was a lot more reserved in those days.

My favorite game, with the two 71-68 NIT and NCAA wins over Bradley a close second, is described in the opening paragraph of the SI link above--

“In March the Beavers opened the NIT by shocking top seed and defending tournament champion San Francisco 65-46. The upset set up a second-round showdown with defending NCAA champion Kentucky. Respectful of Kentucky's talent and well aware of Rupp's racism, the Beavers prepared as if on a mission. When several Wildcats refused to shake hands with the black and Jewish CCNY players before the game, the Beavers bristled with anger.
Hoping to capitalize on his team's fire, Holman sent out one of his black players, Leroy Watkins, a 6'7" reserve center, for the opening tip against the Wildcats' 7-foot future All-America center, Bill Spivey. Watkins beat Spivey to the ball, and the rout was on. As the Garden crowd went wild, CCNY streaked past the Wildcats 89-50, handing them the worst defeat ever suffered by a Rupp-coached team.”

Leroy was an awkward second string center who received limited playing time, but was a BIG favorite of the fans. It was a risky move by Holman as Leroy was awkward and still adjusting to his height. My initial thought was, “Oh no, not Lenny”, but he was just great.

CCNY was a beautiful team to watch. So many of them were clutch players. It was hard to have a favorite as they were all so good. The six regulars were Ed Warner, Norm Mager, Irwin Dambrot, Alvin "Fats" Roth, Ed Roman, and Floyd Layne, and I loved them all. I do not remember whether it was Ed Roman or Al Roth who would consistently hit from the baseline corner with uncanny precision.

Years later, Al Roth was a neighbor in Suffern, NY. He was a local businessman and a quiet unassuming guy. We never discussed CCNY other than once mentioning how I enjoyed watching CCNY play. He smiled and said “thanks” with the understanding that it was in the past.

Back then, all season long was like “March Madness”.

Ed--CCNY beat Muhlenburg 95-76 om January 28, 1950, but I had nothing to do with it.

Ed Martin

3/16/2014 04:22:17 pm

Thanks Alan, while it was the 49-50 season, I wrote just the 49. Berg played a tough schedule in those years, CCNY, LIU, St. johns, Seton Hall and from Philly, Villanova, LaSalle, Temple, St Joes and Penn. Stars included The CCNY gang, Sherman White, Eddie Guard, Walter Dukes, Paul Arizin, Jerry West, Bill Mlkvy (the Owl without a vowel), little Pete Carrill from Lafayette and I think Lehigh had a team.

Mike from Whitestone

3/16/2014 04:27:49 pm

Thanks GV for the visit back in time with the Big East and March. My best friend and I would take vacations this week and be at every game in the mid 80's, day/night, two double-headers, whatever, we were there.
A tradition which included the Blarney Stone on 33rd for their Tap Beer, Pastrami on Rye and some Irish-ness!
The weather never seemed to be a bother!

Happy St Patricks Day to all.

George Vecsey

3/17/2014 01:59:16 am

As the holder of an Irish passport, I will stay indoors today and play Loreena McKennitt and the Chieftains.
GV

Alan Rubin link

3/17/2014 05:22:23 am

Gearge

You should also listen to the Clancy Brothers "Rising of the Moon" album of Irish protest songs.

George Vecsey

3/17/2014 06:41:17 am

Alan, thanks. Will check it out. One daughter and husband are going on a Larry Kirwan music tour of Ireland in October -- best bands, best pubs.
GV

Alan Rubin link

3/17/2014 07:04:01 am

My son and his wife visited Ireland several years ago. Every pub and public drinking place had some form of music every evening.

Thjey are in for a treat!!!

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If It Says Big East, It’s Big East

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