Black Sunday

[Lotus000]

Somebody questioned my Fanhood!

So, I was at the store today in DC, getting some 'supplies' for the games tonight, and there was a guy in a Wisco shirt behind me. I had on my Duke bball shorts and a (really sweet) 59/50 Duke hat, and I say 'good luck' to him and remind him of their trouncing earlier this year. As a special treat, I tell him about the Bo Ryan 'Soulja Boy' video on YouTube, which, AMAZINGLY (as a Wisco fan) he doesn't know about.

The guy next to use overhears us talking about bball--an older guy. He asks me, "Are you a TRUE Duke fan?" I say, 'yeah, of course, followed them always, went there for undergrad, etc...'

He says, "Do you know what Black Sunday is?"

I say, 'sure, it's when Duke and UNC lost in the second round of the tournament in the '70's.'

First, he's surprised that a young whipper-snapper like me knows about something like that, then he goes on to tell me that his brother was on the St. John's team that beat us. Ooooofh. He said 'Too bad about Gminski that night, was sick...' etc. etc. We talk for a while about St. John's, the rivalry after, and the decline of their squad after the depature of Jarvis.

All in all, a neat little exchange, and an interesting tidbit in ACC history.

Know ya' roots!

[cbfx3]

I was at the game .. so I am all to familiar with black sunday

[Coballs]

Nice story and no doubt a great exchange. As a St. John's fan since I was 10 and a Duke grad, there is just one thing I need to point out (which has little to do with your story). St. John's downturn did not begin after Mike Jarvis left. It began during his tenure as head coach and was largely his fault. He inherited a Final Four-caliber team and then proceeded to drive the program into the ground over the next several years. He was a below average game coach, terrible recruiter, and he alienated most of the big time high school coaches and programs in the NYC area. Some of the players he brought in were of questionable character, and they ran wild off the court (at places like Pittsburgh strip clubs). He was one of the only college basketball coaches that I can recall who ended up getting fired mid-season.

Obviously, your story was not intended to lead into a discussion of the downfall of St. John's. But since you seem to be a very knowledge fan of the game, I wanted to share my opinion with you. Jarvis has never received enough discredit for what has happened to a once great and proud program....and I had to vent.

[Lotus000]

Nice story and no doubt a great exchange. As a St. John's fan since I was 10 and a Duke grad, there is just one thing I need to point out (which has little to do with your story). St. John's downturn did not begin after Mike Jarvis left. It began during his tenure as head coach and was largely his fault. He inherited a Final Four-caliber team and then proceeded to drive the program into the ground over the next several years. He was a below average game coach, terrible recruiter, and he alienated most of the big time high school coaches and programs in the NYC area. Some of the players he brought in were of questionable character, and they ran wild off the court (at places like Pittsburgh strip clubs). He was one of the only college basketball coaches that I can recall who ended up getting fired mid-season.

Obviously, your story was not intended to lead into a discussion of the downfall of St. John's. But since you seem to be a very knowledge fan of the game, I wanted to share my opinion with you. Jarvis has never received enough discredit for what has happened to a once great and proud program....and I had to vent.

oh, no no..I agree with you. I didn't put in my post that I also thought Jarvis sort of 'ran St. John's into the ground'....but, well, he did. I was @ Duke for his last years, and it was...well, sad.

[Coballs]

Out of curiousity, who was the guy's brother who played for SJU?

[Lotus000]

Out of curiousity, who was the guy's brother who played for SJU?


I forgot to ask!!! D'oh!!

IDIOT=me