Big 5 Page Six

There isn't much opportunity for a sportswriter to write a gossip column, short of following Penn athletes into Smoke's. But last night when everybody who was anybody in the 50-year history of the Big 5 convened in the Palestra, I knew it was my chance. So here's the report as they pulled out the red carpet (actually it was a beige tarp) over the floor of college basketball's most historic gym.

Who was there: Among the hundreds in attendance last night were "the Owl without a vowel" Bill Mlkvy, along with the Explorer who could spare a few, Dr. John Giannini. And the legendary Penn big man Ernie Beck, who predated the Big 5, and 2004 graduate Mik Austin were enough to show that the Quakers came in all ages, sizes and genders. But even with all the big names that I would see later, I knew that this was a special event when the first two people I saw were the Explorer mascot and a Temple cheerleader in full uniform. She wasn't the biggest crowd favorite, though. That distinction belonged to John Chaney, who always had a line of people waiting to greet him, and Fran Dunphy, as congratulations were certainly in order for his 300th win.

Best dressed: It was a wide open contest since Jay Wright was in South Bend, Ind., preparing for tonight's game at Notre Dame. Chaney's look was certainly an improvement from when his tie is hanging on for dear life on the sideline. But the award goes to former Explorers star Doug Overton, who got the crowd laughing with a speech while wearing a sport jacket, which was a color that can only be described as "La Salle gold."

Worst dressed: Goes to Palestra custodian Dan Harrell, who wore his traditional outfit of tee-shirt, shorts and golden kicks and put on a tie for good measure.

Age-reduction surgery?: Legendary Temple guard Hal Lear graduated in 1956? The way he lit up the room last night, he seemed more like Class of '86.

Lines of the night delivered by former St. Joseph's player and coach Jack McKinney:
On longtime Temple SID Al Shrier: "Started at Temple in 1946 and forgot how to get home."
On the surprise he faced the first years of the Big 5: "We had to play Penn. From the Ivy League. Shoot, I thought they only had football."
On one of his toughest defensive assignments: "First game against Temple, I held Lear to 25 points. I don't know what he had in the second half"