Friars... 2nd Toughest What-If Scenario... in 1987... Oof...

[billyjack]

One of the top what-if's in Providence history occurred 30 years ago this week... after agreeing on a 5-year extension with the Friars, Rick Pitino took the Knicks job.

http://www.scout.com/college/providence ... 425&page=1

The top Friar what-if historical torment was a few years before i remember, in 1973, in the Final Four, when our All-America center Marvin Barnes blew out his knee while the Friars were in the process of dismantling Memphis State, the greatest 10 minutes of team basketball in college hoops history. A UCLA vs Providence final would have been unbelievable. My brother and father and most Rhode Islanders over 55 years old are still sick over it 44 years later. (The 3rd biggest what-if was that Tim Duncan wanted to play at PC under Rick Barnes, but that's a story for another day.)

To me, the 2nd biggest torture situation was in 1987. Rick Pitino took the Friars to the Final Four, started getting big time recruits, omg, and initially turned down the Knicks job in April. He agreed on a 5-year extension with PC (actually jokingly said with the New Jersey Devils cuz the Friar athletic director Lou Lamoriello just moved to the Devils).

Anyway, the fuckin Knicks ended up getting him in July, which screwed things totally up. We already had Pitino-recruit Eric Murdock coming in, who became a Friar legend and later a Utah Jazz star. According to reports, Malik Sealy (St John's star) was coming to PC... apparently Jerry Walker too (Seton Hall star)... apparently Bobby Hurley too (omg, I'm having heart palpitations thinking of this)... and think of those later mid-90's Kentucky stars, Delk and Antoine Walker, just the thought of Pitino at Providence in the 90's and beyond, the possibilities, the success, all this makes me physically ill.

Anyway... seems like yesterday.

Also, in a related what-if, Pitino gave us 2 years and bolted. Meanwhile Jim Calhoun at Northeastern has said that he would've taken the PC job in 1986, which pulls at another thread of possibilities... omg, it's enough to just kill Friar fans. But hey, doesn't Catholic teaching stress pain and suffering and acceptance...?!!!



Just wanted to share these thoughts with you, you know, cuz it's the off-season.

Having said all this, i love where we are right now with Ed Cooley. Please Ed, stay til retirement in 20 years.

[gosports1]

I think PC finally has the right combo of AD and president. a pair that is committed to athletic success. if we had more of this in the mid/late 80s maybe Pitino would have stuck around longer (or Calhoun, if he ever came)

[bobpp1]

I feel your pain Billy. I remember clearly the friars were pulling away from Memphis when Marvin went down. I'm sure it would have been a classic National Championship game against Bill Walton and UCLA that year. . Was really hoping for a rematch. If I remember correctly Walton was unconscious against Memphis State in the final. I believe he was 21 of 22 for 44 points in one of the most dominant games I've ever watched.

[FriarJ]

I think PC finally has the right combo of AD and president. a pair that is committed to athletic success. if we had more of this in the mid/late 80s maybe Pitino would have stuck around longer (or Calhoun, if he ever came)

It would be really hard for Shanley not to be the perfect President for PC's basketball program in the BE when it was his father that came up with the name and logo for the Big East in the beginning. Amazingly small world stuff.