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(12/08/95 10:00am)
Quakers need Lyren to produce When the men's basketball team takes on Penn State in the nationally-televised Atlantic City Shootout tomorrow (6 p.m., ESPN2), Quakers coach Fran Dunphy will be counting on junior guard Jamie Lyren to provide leadership. "I'm expecting near-flawless play from Jamie as our point guard," Dunphy says. "I expect him to effectively run things for us on offense, to take good care of the basketball, and to always be in the right spot defensively. I expect him to lead us in the half-court game, and to get loose balls and his share of rebounds. As point guard, he has to run the show." It sounds like a lot to ask of one player. But Jamie Lyren should be up to the task. It may have been over two years ago, but he has been a leader before. In his senior year at Wadsworth High School in Wadsworth, Ohio, the hard-nosed point guard averaged 19 points and seven assists per game. He earned McDonald's all-American recognition en route to becoming Wadsworth' second-leading scorer all-time. He then chose to play college ball at Penn. With constantly earning national recognition, Lyren spent two seasons as the quiet and patient understudy. "We haven't had to expect things from Jamie before this year," explains Dunphy. "There were two professional-caliber players in the backcourt, so it was tough to always find him playing time." This season, the understudy is up on the stage. In Penn's first three games, the 6-foot, 3-inch guard has averaged 36 minutes, seven points, three assists, and five rebounds per contest. Along with senior co-captains Ira Bowman and Tim Krug, he is essential in helping this Quakers team find an identity. "I haven't been too nervous," Lyren says. "So far, I feel I've adjusted pretty well to the situation. As our point guard, I'll always look to get better at certain things, like lowering my turnovers and finding people open. Personally, there are little goals like shooting over 80 percent from the line and 50 percent from the floor." Against first-year coach Jerry Dunn's Nittany Lions (4-0) tomorrow, Lyren should again be critical to Penn's efforts. He will be matched up against junior Dan Earl, one of the Big Ten's best floor generals. Earl, whose younger brother is a freshman at Princeton, averaged nearly six assists per game last season and was instrumental in Penn State's postseason run to the NIT semifinals. "He's an integral part of our team," Dunn said. "We can't initiate any of our offense if he's not on." Lyren, of course, has seen his share of Dan Earl. Over the summer, the two guards worked out together with an assortment of Philadelphia talent from Penn, Drexel, and La Salle. The Quakers guard is eager to renew the rivalry under the ESPN2 spotlight. "We all look forward to playing against good competition," Lyren says. "Not that we worry about criticism, but it's a good chance to prove something. It's always more fun playing against people you know -- that's what the game is all about." Aside from holding their own in the Lyren-Earl matchup, the Quakers (1-2) will have plenty of other things to worry about tomorrow. Nittany Lions senior forward Glenn Sakunda is averaging nearly 15 points per game and has excellent range on his jump shot. Sophomore guard Pete Lisicky is also a deep threat -- connecting on nine of his first 17 treys this season. Penn will also need an especially strong effort on the boards from its frontcourt. Rebounding is not a strength of this Quakers team, and Penn State is more than capable of exploiting this weakness. In their first three games this season, the Nittany Lions outrebounded their opponents 151-79. "Their rebounding differential is extraordinary," Dunphy says. "We're going to have to keep them off the boards and limit the number of second-chance opportunities they get." If Krug and Nat Graham can do that, then the backcourts may end up as the deciding factor in Atlantic City. Then, on national television, Jamie Lyren, the understudy, will have the chance to finally assume his leading role.
(11/01/95 10:00am)
As this weekend's monumental Homecoming showdown with Princeton approaches, the Penn football team is doing its best to go about business as usual. "As far as preparation goes, everyone here is taking this week as seriously as possible," quarterback Mark DeRosa said yesterday. "Everyone here is treating this like the biggest game of their lives. Everyone here is preparing to go to war on Saturday." Business as usual -- well, maybe not. Try as they may, the Quakers can't hide how big Saturday's showdown is going to be. This game will make or break Penn's year. · If DeRosa and the offensive unit will be stressing anything in particular this week, it is taking care of the football. Whereas earlier in the year DeRosa was plagued by the interception bug, throwing 13 in Penn's first five games, now he seems to have made the proper adjustments. The signal caller has not tried to force the action and has gone without an interception the last two games. He'll need to continue that trend if Penn is to win Saturday. "We can't turn the ball over -- that's going to be key," he said. "They have a defense which can take advantage of those mistakes. Last year I went down there [to Princeton] and I didn't throw an interception, and we won the game." Princeton once again fields an extremely strong defensive squad, led by senior linebacker and captain Dave Patterson. Patterson leads the Tigers in tackles this season, averaging 11.4 per game. · Coming off a stellar performance at Yale last weekend is senior linebacker Joey Allen. Allen recorded 15 tackles, 10 of which were solo. He also tallied one quarterback sack and two interceptions -- one on a two-point conversion try. In light of these numbers, Allen has been recognized in a variety of ways. Allen, who also is a member of the Penn wrestling team, was named Penn Athlete of the Week. His efforts in New Haven also brought him ECAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Finally, Don Hansen's national Division I-AA listings named Allen as Co-National Defensive Player of the Week. · As if this weekend's game needed any more spice, several Quakers will be chasing records along with a share of the Ivy League lead. All-everything wideout Miles Macik is currently tied for the career Ivy reception mark in league competition. The Penn tri-captain has 122 Ivy catches, placing him even with Princeton's Derek Graham, who starred for the Tigers from 1981 to 1984. Macik leads the nation with 7.4 receptions per game. "When I look back on sophomore and junior year, it was just a tremendous feeling just to set some Penn records," Macik said. "I can't even imagine the thrill it will be to have done some things better than anyone in Ivy history. I don't think it will really set in until the season's over." For Penn coach Al Bagnoli, Macik's skills are more important today than ever. "Miles puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the defensive side of the ball," Bagnoli said.. "He also gives a comfort level to our quarterbacks. If you throw the ball near the kid, there's a pretty good chance he'll catch it -- so they know they don't have to throw a perfect pass." Penn kicker Jeremiah Greathouse will also have a shot at the books come Saturday. The all-time record for field goals in Ivy play is 10 for the year. Greathouse, who has 10 total field goals, has already split the uprights eight times in league play this season. · According to Bagnoli, Saturday's game is reminiscent of 1993's clash of the unbeatens at Franklin Field. "Once again, there's no margin for error," he said. Penn won that 1993 contest, 30-14.
(10/06/95 9:00am)
As if the Yankees aren't creating enough excitement of their own these days, New York City is about to get even crazier. Tomorrow, two vastly different people are scheduled to visit the city that never sleeps. One is Al Bagnoli. The other is Pope John Paul II. Despite having vastly different roles and agendas, these two visitors to the Big Apple actually do share some similarities. For one thing, the Penn football coach and religious leader both will be bringing a fairly large entourage with them. And secondly, they both seem to command plenty of respect from those around them. Of course, some people would say that Bagnoli has posted a better record these last few years. At any rate, this much is clear: While the Pope will likely be greeted with overwhelming hospitality in New York tomorrow, Bagnoli should expect nothing of the sort. The Penn coach brings his two-time defending Ivy League champion Quakers and their 24-game winning streak to Baker Field for a showdown with the Columbia Lions. In fact, the Lions (1-1-1, 1-0 Ivy League) figure to be anything but gracious hosts tomorrow. After countless years of frustration and futility -- between 1984 and 1988 Columbia lost 44 straight games -- things seem to be finally looking up. Last season, coach Ray Tellier led the team to an overall mark of 5-4-1, good enough for its first winning season since 1971. At Franklin Field last season, Columbia gave Penn all it could handle before falling 12-3. This year, Tellier's squad is off to a respectable start, having snatched an early league victory on the road at Harvard. The Lions are looking at tomorrow's matchup with powerhouse Penn (3-0, 1-0 Ivy) as a chance to finally earn some respect in the football world. "Like every team that plays Penn, everybody always wants to play the top dog," Tellier said. "We're excited about the challenge. We'll have to play our best game of the season." In trying to do that, much of Columbia's fortunes will depend on senior quarterback Mike Cavanaugh. An extremely versatile passer, Cavanaugh shared playing time in in a two-quarterback system with Jamie Schwalbe last season. This year, Cavanaugh will be forced to adapt and become more comfortable in the pocket. He has certainly made progress, but there is still room for significant improvement. For now, his agility and elusiveness still pose plenty of difficulties for opposing defenses. "He's a terrific athlete," Bagnoli said. "He scares us because he can break containment. He has the ability to make big plays." Concentrating too much on Cavanaugh, though, is not the answer. The vaunted Penn defense, led by tackle Tom McGarrity (29 tackles, 5 sacks) and linebacker Joey Allen (22 tackles), will also have to contend with sophomore tailback Mike Atkins and senior fullback John Harper. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Harper, whom Bagnoli describes as "a big bruiser," has been utilized effectively by the Lions in short yardage situations and at the goal line. On the other side of the ball, Bagnoli would like to see his offense raise its level of play. Penn currently ranks last in the Ivies in total offensive yardage. Compounding Penn's offensive woes, of course, will be Columbia junior linebacker Rory Wilfork. Wilfork, a first-team all-Ivy selection last year, leads the Lions will 37 tackles. He also is fired up -- "this is the biggest game in Columbia football history," the tri-captain said. And so, the Quakers head to the Big Apple in search of consecutive win number 25. If the game is anything like Penn's heart-stopping 20-19 win over Bucknell last weekend, Bagnoli may just call on that other guy visiting New York for some help. · When Penn travels to New York for this weekend's game, starting nose guard Chris Osentowski won't be making the trip. The 5-foot-11, 245-pound junior has been suspended for the Columbia game, Bagnoli confirmed last night. Osentowski already visited the Big Apple. He attended Wednesday evening's taping of The Late Show with David Letterman at the Ed Sullivan Theatre. In order to make the trip, he did not attend practice Wednesday. According to an anonymous teammate, Osentowski told the Penn coaches he would be missing practice to attend a study session. Osentowski, seated in the front row of the audience, was singled out by Letterman early in the show. He appeared on the air numerous times and was given a case of beer. Sophomore defensive lineman Mike Elsey is expected to start in Osentowski's place.
(09/13/95 9:00am)
Abye, Scott and CampAbye, Scott and Camplook to fill Stokes' shoes As the Penn football team prepares to defend its second consecutive Ivy League championship, the primary offensive skill positions -- running backs and receivers -- pose interesting questions for coach Al Bagnoli and his staff. The wide receiver position is like an open-book final exam question. No problem. All Bagnoli has to do is open up last year's statistics and game summaries. The answers -- Miles Macik and Mark Fabish -- will be staring him smack in the face. Penn enters the 1995 campaign with what looks to be an especially strong group of wideouts. Leading the way, of course, is Macik. The two-time all-American holds virtually every Penn receiving record and figures to keep giving Ivy defensive coordinators headaches. Last season, he hauled in 60 catches for an average of 78.7 receiving yards per game. Macik's partner-in-crime will be Fabish, who also stars as a member of the Quakers' special teams. The junior started two games last season and will inherit the starting position vacated by the graduated Leo Congeni. Lending key support to these two will be seniors Felix Rouse and Erik Thompson. "I think it's probably the best receiving corp Penn has ever had," quarterback Mark DeRosa said. "I'm lucky to be the quarterback who gets to throw to these guys. It goes really deep. We could substitute five or six guys in and out and have confidence in all of them." As for the running back position, things are more like a difficult essay exam. Bagnoli and offensive coordinator Chuck Priore have some ideas based on last year's team, but they can't just open the old game notes and call it quits -- Penn superstar running back Terrance Stokes has graduated. So based on what they know about Aman Abye and Jasen Scott, Bagnoli and Priore will have to shape a somewhat creative answer. When Scott and Abye were utilized sparingly last season, there were numerous flashes of brilliance -- they combined for 324 yards on the ground. Bagnoli has indicated he plans to use these two, along with Dion Camp, as a ground attack by committee. Camp is the fastest of the trio. "I'm not sure we have a singular person who can do all for us that Terrance did," Bagnoli said. "But maybe collectively the group of guys we have can do all that he was able to last season." One simple factor that should help Abye and Scott is that with Stokes gone, their respective number of carries is sure to increase. And more opportunities to handle the ball should mean improved chances to get a feel for their roles in the Quakers' offense. "Last year we got a little taste of it, but everyone knew Terrance was the go-to guy," Scott said. "I think that this year we're all eager to get in there and show everyone what we can do for the team." As this weekend's season-opener against rival Dartmouth approaches, Al Bagnoli will try to refine his answers to the questions of backs and receivers. If his wideouts perform as expected, he may only need partial credit on the running back portion of the exam. But finding the right answer to both questions would certainly help Penn in its quest for a third straight title.
(04/27/95 9:00am)
On countless high school baseball teams, the most talented player finds himself playing shortstop. He also finds himself in the pitching rotation. It just always seem to work out that way. Mike Shannon was one of those most-talented players. At Montoursville High in Montoursville, Pa., Shannon was the team's keystone. He was an excellent prospect at shortstop. And he pitched, too. But this dual role is simply not feasible in the world of collegiate baseball. There are too many games in a given week. There are back-to-back doubleheaders on weekends. The shortstop position requires too much fielding practice. Pitching requires even more work at honing and developing an effective repertoire of pitches. So when Mike Shannon chose to play baseball at Penn, he was forced to abandon one of the two positions on the diamond. With the dynamic Eddie MacDonald at shortstop for coach Bob Seddon's Quakers, it was decided that Shannon would play first base in addition to his pitching duties. He never looked back. In this, his third year wearing the Red and Blue, the junior has risen to stardom. Shannon has become Penn's leader, and this season he has been the best in Ivy League baseball. "He's had a monster year for us," Seddon said. "He's a tremendously athletic kid. He can play a lot of things other than baseball and still be just as successful." This year, Shannon has been more than successful on the diamond. He has been dominant. Splitting his time between first base and designated hitter, he leads the Quakers in numerous offensive categories: hits, runs, slugging percentage, total bases and home runs. He has also been effective as the Quakers' fourth starting pitcher. Even the 25th-year Penn skipper has found himself gawking at the stats. "I think he's been better than we expected," Seddon said. "He's just had a super year." But Shannon brings more to the table than just skills and talent. He brings a winning attitude and solid focus. As a freshman and sophomore, the righthander did not see much significant playing time. Nevertheless, there was no complaining and no lackluster effort in practice. "I think Mike has matured a lot as a player, but also as a person," Seddon said. "He's not a helmet-thrower or a bat-thrower. He's got the right attitude. He's not going to make a spectacle of himself out there on the field." Shannon's most impressive performance this season came when the Quakers truly needed it. Faced with four crucial games at Gehrig division-leading Cornell, the struggling Quakers had to have productivity from their leader. Shannon rose to the occasion, going 11 for 15 with two doubles and a dinger. He also came within six outs of a no-hitter in winning the final game of Penn's critical sweep. When Penn hosts Columbia, Shannon will likely break Glenn Partridge's 1955 Quakers record for hits in a single season. He also could break Tom Olszak's 1979 single-season Penn RBI record, set in 1979. But the records will not be important -- Shannon just wants to win. "The other day, I asked him to bunt," Seddon said. "I said, 'Mike, I hate to do this, but I've got to get this guy to second.' Some guys would have been upset and showed it, but Mike just looked at me and said, 'Whatever you need from me.' He'll do anything we ask as coaches." As the Quakers head for their second consecutive Gehrig crown, Mike Shannon will continue to do everything his coaches ask of him. And then some.
(04/14/95 9:00am)
When the Penn baseball team opened its season in early March, it did so with high expectations. After all, the Quakers were returning most of their key players and an exceptional starting rotation from last year's Gehrig Division-winning squad. Optimism abounded. Penn was seemingly poised to make a run at the Ivy championship. In the past several weeks, things have changed. If one uses Penn's recent performances as a barometer, those high hopes are in serious danger of not being fulfilled. The Quakers have struggled through the first half of the season, posting an 11-15 overall record and going just 4-4 in their eight Ivy League contests. Despite the troubles, however, all is not lost for Penn. The Quakers now find themselves at a critical crossroads, as they travel to Ithaca, N.Y., for a pair of noon doubleheaders against Gehrig Division co-leader Cornell today and tomorrow. The Big Red has been solid all year, and is currently tied with Princeton atop the Gehrig standings with a mark of 5-3. Overall, Cornell stands a game above .500 at 9-8. Unfortunately for Penn coach Bob Seddon, pure talent hasn't been enough this season -- the Quakers have allowed repeated breakdowns in fundamentals to cost them numerous games. The low point may have come this week, when Penn dropped a pair of home games to Lehigh. In losing two to the Engineers, the Quakers wasted two solid pitching efforts. The display was, in many respects, characteristic of the Quakers' season. As expected, the Penn starters have repeatedly given solid efforts from the hill. But costly errors and a lack of clutch hitting have often proved too much to overcome. "We're just not hitting," Seddon said. "To be polite and nice about it, we're in a drought." The Quakers' hurlers will once again need to come up big this weekend and hope their teammates can pick up the rest.
(04/06/95 9:00am)
If you happen to find yourself with some free time in the next few weeks, then here's a little suggestion. Take a walk -- okay, a long walk -- down to Bower Field to see the Penn baseball team play. But before you decide to take me up on this one, there are some things I should tell you. After all, I'd hate to be accused of trying to hoodwink any members of this fine Ivy League institution. In an effort to avoid unwarranted expectations, then, let's set the ground rules right away. First, take Bower Field. It's a great place to watch baseball, but don't expect it to awe and inspire you like Franklin Field and the Palestra do. To be perfectly honest, it looks like any other baseball field with natural grass. Oh, and bring a jacket with you -- it gets pretty chilly down there when the wind kicks in. As for the field dimensions, don't show up hoping to see an abundance of home runs sailing over the outfield wall. The Quakers are not especially loaded with power this year, and Bower is most definitely a pitcher's park. Second, don't expect any of the traditions, antics and gimmicks that permeate Penn football and basketball games. People don't throw toast in the fifth inning, and they don't break into a chorus of "Hang Jeff Davis" when a Quaker crosses the plate. There won't be any giveaways. If you're the type who only visits the Palestra for the occasional free T-shirt and mini-basketball, then don't bother showing up at Bower Field for a baseball game. You'll only be disappointed. What you can expect is a baseball game. Nothing more, nothing less. Third, there won't be many can't-miss opportunities for taunting and jeering Penn's opponents. Unless you're a silly freshman, you'll recall chanting 59 yards at Keith Elias. (If only Keith himself could count to 59 -- but I digress.) And we all know how much fun it was telling Rick Hielscher he sucked. At Bower, there won't be such easy targets. The other team won't have an identity -- the players will seem like a nameless collection of faces and numbers. Hey, life's not always fair. By now you're probably thinking: If all of this is lacking, why the hell should I go down to Bower Field for a game? The answer is simple. It's not just a game, it's the game. It's baseball. Let's face it, baseball is tops. Always has been, always will be. Some say the disgrace of the strike will change this. I've been as disgusted as anyone, but I disagree with such pessimism. It may take some time, but baseball will rebound -- because it is the essence of sport. On a nice day, nothing beats a few innings in the sun. You don't have to be a fan to appreciate it. Just come out and relax on the bleachers. You don't have to keep score, and you don't even have to catch every play. Leave that to my editors -- they love this stuff. There are more than enough chances to lie out on College Green. As any of my friends can tell you, I know this from experience. But there are only so many home games in a season. Besides, the Quakers field a pretty good team, and the bet here is they repeat as Gehrig Division champs and go on to win the Ivy League championship. Are they a national powerhouse? Not by any standard. But there's definitely some talent to see. Penn's pitching staff, led by senior aces Dan Galles and Ed Haughey, could be the best in the Ivies. Junior first baseman/hurler Mike Shannon has been fantastic this year and is expected to get drafted this summer. Football quarterback Mark DeRosa has added run production from the shortstop position. The point is, Penn's got a good team. A team worth watching. So if you get a chance this spring, get down to Bower Field for at least one game. Because it's baseball. Penn baseball. And that should be reason enough. Lee Goldsmith is a College junior from Huntingdon Valley and a sports writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian. He is also Dick Vitale's 'guy.' Standing Room Only appears alternate Thursdays.
(03/21/95 10:00am)
If the weathermen are wrong, or if the rain isn't falling hard enough, then the Penn men's baseball team will take the field against Philadelphia Textile in a non-league contest this afternoon. The Quakers are scheduled to host the Rams at Bower Field today at 3 p.m. Once Ivy League play is underway, Penn coach Bob Seddon plans to use midweek games such as today's showdown with Textile as an opportunity to start players who usually are not in the lineup. Seddon subscribes to this line of thinking primarily for two reasons -- it gives his starters a chance to rest for weekend Ivy League doubleheaders, and it gives his bench players a chance to gain valuable experience. But this week is an exception to the rule. The Quakers have two midweek games -- they host Coppin State tomorrow afternoon -- but there are no Ivy games this weekend with which to be concerned. Because of a later finals week this season compared with most years, Penn was able to move back its slate of games in the Ancient Eight. As a result, Seddon finds himself with two completely open dates this weekend. He has been in touch with La Salle, but as of last night no games had been scheduled. With this lack of games in the near future, Seddon is forced to use his starters today. "It's certainly a little bit different than a usual midweek game," Seddon said. "These games are different than when we have Ivy games on the weekend, so we'll need to play our regulars." Among the regulars taking the field this afternoon will be Penn starting pitcher Mike Shannon. In two starts this year, the senior right-hander is 0-1 with an ERA of 3.27. He has walked one and struck out five in 11 innings. Seddon said Shannon will be backed up by Penn's fourth starter, senior Lance Berger. Berger has posted an ERA of 2.45, with no wins and two losses. A bright spot for the Quakers today should be the return of junior Rick Burt. The catcher is expected to be back in action against the Rams after missing four games with a strained hamstring. "He's ready to play," Seddon said of Burt's condition. Continuing on the injury front, sophomore shortstop Mark DeRosa is not ready for action. DeRosa, who also quarterbacked the Ivy League champion Penn football team last fall, has been forced into the designated hitter role due to a shoulder injury. If the Quakers hope to get hot before Ivy play kicks in, then their bats will soon have to come alive. For much of this season, the Quakers have gotten solid pitching but inconsistent offensive production. "We're trying to teach the guys how to read into their stats," Seddon said. "If you look at our team batting average, it's .296. That doesn't translate to a 4-7 record. But stats don't usually tell the whole story -- we've had problems hitting with two outs and problems with men on base."
(03/15/95 10:00am)
The Madness is back. The Madness that is March in the crazy world of college basketball. There is nothing in all of sports quite like it. It has new favorites, it has new sleepers. There will be new winners, there will be new losers. This is what makes The Madness so special. On the court and in the office pool, nothing is certain and nothing is safe. There are statistics and there are trends, but there are no guarantees. There is no logic -- there is only The Madness. This is the rule, and there are no exceptions. But something has changed, for there can be no method to The Madness. There is a new variable which has greatly altered the mix for Penn fans. They are not just excited and confident, as in the past -- they are nervous. They are nervous because Penn will start five seniors against Alabama. Shawn Trice, Scott Kegler, Eric Moore, Matt Maloney and Jerome Allen. They are nervous because Penn very well could lose to Alabama. If it does, these five players will never wear the Red and Blue again. It is a paradox of The Madness. Experience has created confidence, but at the same time it has also created fear. For the Penn hoops faithful, it is a paradox most unkind. All is not lost, however. The first-round clash with the Tide will not be the last for Penn's five seniors. The end will surely come quickly -- too quickly for most Quakers fans -- but it not will not come tomorrow night in Baltimore. Penn will beat Alabama. How can I say this? There are several reasons? 1. The Penn backcourt. It has been said over and over again. It's probably been said too often, but that doesn't make it any less true. Allen and Maloney comprise one of the best guard tandems in America. They have proven countless times their ability to execute to perfection. Just look at Penn's victory over St. John's in December, when Maloney dominated the first half and Allen the second. With the exception of the UMass game, Penn has either breezed to victory or gone down to the last possession in each and every contest this year. Maloney and Allen are the reason. They can shoot, pass, defend and handle the ball. Both of them. They can control a game, and their best effort was last year in The Madness against Nebraska. They will control the tempo and not let the Tide run. They will make their teammates better and help Penn win. 2. The Alabama backcourt. There's an old saying that guard play wins tourney games. So if Penn's backcourt is this good, the Alabama guards will need to come up big. They're not good enough. Consider the 'Bama starters, senior Artie Griffin and junior point guard Marvin Orange. Griffin shot just 36 percent from the floor this year, and Orange was even worse at 31 percent. Compare that with 43 percent for Allen and 46 percent for Maloney. Allen and Maloney totaled 39 more assists than the Alabama duo, and they played four less games. Orange and Griffin have been torched by opposing guards all year. Mississippi State's Darryl Wilson burned them for 18 points in one game and 35 in another. Martyn Norris of Auburn tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Katu Davis of Georgia hit for 25 points, seven boards and two assists. Louisiana State's Ronnie Henderson poured in 40 points. Unless you've been living in a cave, you know none of these guys can hold a candle to Maloney and Allen. Which certainly doesn't bode well for Alabama. 3. Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Tide. Alabama fans will point to the Crimson Tide's 18-point victory on the road against defending national champion Arkansas. But the truth is you never know which Alabama team will show up. It could be that team, but it could also be the one that somehow lost by 13 at home to LSU. The Tide has been plagued by inconsistency all year. It beat Mississippi State once, but lost to Vanderbilt and Georgia. There is no reason to assume Alabama will bring its best game to Baltimore. It's very possible the opposite will happen, especially against an unranked Ivy League team. 4. The frontcourts. Everyone knows about Alabama's frontcourt of Jamal Faulkner, Jason Caffey and Antonio McDyess. The Tide has more strength up front than most teams in the country. Many have said that Penn's frontcourt will be overmatched. But people have said that before. They said it before the Michigan game, and Shawn Trice had 11 rebounds and Eric Moore scored 18 points. In a near-miss at Villanova, Penn adjusted after a horrid start and held center Jason Lawson to just three points in the second. Penn was whacked by Lou Roe and Marcus Camby, but that is the exception and not the rule. Trice has been unstoppable lately, and junior Tim Krug continues to provide intensity and versatility off the bench. Add Moore's heart and desire and junior Ira Bowman's explosiveness, and the Penn frontcourt will shock some people. 5. Cupcake City. Everyone knows the Ivies can't match the SEC when it comes to level of competition and talent. They can't come close. But let's face it, you play conference foes once or twice each year, so you already know them. The true tests are strong non-conference games. Penn lost close ones to 'Nova, Temple and St. Joe's. Alabama beat up on patsies like Florida International, Florida A&M;, Central Florida and Central Connecticut State. Which experience will prove more valuable in a tight NCAA Tournament game? It's not a hard question to answer. Penn's will. So there you have it. A few reasons why 12th-seeded Penn will get by fifth-seeded Alabama tomorrow night. With all the hype and a tiny Vegas line, this is anything but your typical 5-12 matchup. The upset should surprise no one when it happens. Especially in the world of The Madness. Lee Goldsmith is a College junior from Huntingdon Valley and a sports writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian.
(03/15/95 10:00am)
Alabama forward Jamal Faulkner played high school ball with Brooklyn's best, got in trouble with the law out in the desert and now is at peace with himself in Tuscaloosa. Alabama forward Jamal Faulkner never figured to wind up in Tuscaloosa, and certainly no one could have imagined him playing his college basketball there. After all, he was a city kid. New York streets through and through, and no doubt about it. Just ask him about playing basketball while growing up in Brooklyn -- the answer sounds more like a script for an athletic footwear commercial than someone's actual experiences. "It's just like asking a kid from Alabama how much touch football he played growing up," Faulkner says. "Basketball is the game in New York, just like football is the game here in the South. We'd play all day and all night -- in Queens, in Manhattan, in the Bronx. It didn't matter. As long as we had a ball and a court, then it was all right." Faulkner played at perennial powerhouse Christ the King High School in Middle Village, N.Y. The competition was always fierce -- opponents included the likes of Kenny Anderson, Malik Sealy and Jamal Mashburn. In his senior year, Faulkner averaged 24 points and 15 rebounds, earning McDonald's All-America status and leading King to the state championship. After a year of prep school in Connecticut, Faulkner was heavily recruited by a number of big-time college programs. He decided to attend Pittsburgh, but soon found himself at the center of the controversy surrounding alleged Panthers recruiting violations. Determined to play near a major city, Faulkner chose to attend Arizona State. The 6-foot-7 forward flourished during his first year as a Sun Devil, leading the team in scoring under coach Bill Frieder. He averaged over 15 points and 6 rebounds per game and was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. But by the end of his sophomore year, Faulkner was once again in trouble off the court. Amidst criminal allegations, he was dismissed by Frieder and had to evaluate his transfer options. Connecticut was interested. So was Cincinnati. Faulkner chose Alabama. "There were a lot of schools in contact with me that wanted me to come," he recalls. "I came to Alabama because it plays in a great conference, the SEC. The school has a winning tradition also, and that was just something that I really wanted to be a part of." Upon joining the Crimson Tide, Faulkner was faced with a pair of dramatic adjustments. On the court, he had to once again adjust his game to a new coach, new teammates and a new program. Off the court, he had to adjust to life in Western Alabama. The second task proved slightly more difficult. "At Arizona State, I was pretty close to a big city, with Phoenix nearby," Faulkner says. "When you come down here, it's not much of a metropolitan area. There's just not much to do in Tuscaloosa. Everything there is down here revolves around the university, so I guess it's pretty much your basic college town. It's a good place to relax." As for the on-court adjustment to Alabama basketball, there haven't been many problems. And Faulkner has been anything but relaxed. "Jamal is, without question, a very valuable member of our team," Alabama coach David Hobbs says. "He's had to make some sacrifices for the sake of the team, and he's been willing to do so. He is very consistent. He works hard every day in practice and sets a good example for the rest of the guys." Much of Faulkner's success may be attributed to the other two parts of 'Bama's frontcourt -- senior forward Jason Caffey and sophomore center Antonio McDyess. In leading the Tide to a 22-9 record this year, the threesome has combined to average 37.6 points and 23.4 rebounds. "They're both excellent players," Faulkner says of Caffey and McDyess. "I think we've helped each other. All three of us are different types of players, and we've been able to blend our talents together. I think you can see that in the wins and success that we've had." When Faulkner learned Sunday night he'll be putting that success on the line against 12th-seeded Penn in Baltimore, he knew right away the game will be no cakewalk. He watched the Quakers triumph at Michigan earlier this year and has no illusions about their potential. As one of four Tide seniors, he realizes tomorrow night's game could be his last. He is also aware that Penn starts five seniors who don't want to stop playing college basketball any more than he does. "You just have to take it one game at a time," Faulkner says. "It's not something you can think about, and it's not something you should speculate about. All we can do is hope and dream, and all Penn can do is hope and dream." When Jamal Faulkner's dream ends -- be it tomorrow against Penn or April 3 in Seattle -- he will have no regrets. He has managed to put the controversy and the problems behind him. He has finally found a home in Tuscaloosa. "I made some mistakes, and I've done some things I shouldn't have done," he says. "But I've come to terms with it and I'm happy with the person I am. Everything that happens in life happens for a reason. Maybe things didn't work out at Arizona State for a reason, and things did work out here for a reason. I've had two good years here, and I'm glad I came." So are plenty of people who know Jamal Faulkner, from the playgrounds of Brooklyn to the fields of Tuscaloosa.
(03/14/95 10:00am)
Sunday night, 64 of America's best college basketball teams were assigned their dates for the Big Dance. For the third consecutive year, the Penn basketball team and coaching staff gathered with friends, family, the media and the Mayor of Philadelphia in Weightman Hall as the NCAA Tournament seedings and pairings were announced on national television. And for the third consecutive year, the Quakers learned very early in the show that they will be dancing in the East Region. Penn is seeded 12th in the East and will travel to Baltimore for a first-round matchup Thursday night with fifth-seeded Alabama. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. and the game will be televised by CBS. The Quakers, who completed the regular season with a 22-5 record, earned an automatic bid when they clinched the Ivy League title March 3. Penn becomes only the fourth Division I team ever to enter the tournament as a three-time undefeated conference champion. The Crimson Tide, of the Southeastern Conference, received one of 35 available at-large bids after a 22-9 season and a 10-6 record in the SEC. All the anticipation and excitement Sunday night reached a sudden conclusion, as the Penn-Alabama matchup was only the third game to be revealed. It was the second straight year the Quakers learned their fate quickly. Last year's contest with Nebraska was also announced in the first group of games. "It takes some of the fun out of it," Penn senior center Eric Moore said. "If it takes a while to come on to the screen, then everything builds up. But it really doesn't matter because it's not something we can change." The Tide, currently ranked 20th nationally, was expected by most to earn a fifth seed -- the only question was where. Mississippi State, another SEC team, was given the fifth seed in the West. It may have been Alabama's superior SEC Tournament showing which led the committee to keep the Tide east and ship the Bulldogs cross-country. "I really wasn't surprised at our seed at all," Alabama coach David Hobbs said late Sunday night. "I thought all along we were in line to get a five. I thought that we would have to beat Arkansas [in the SEC Tournament semis] to go any higher than that." As for Penn, many of the Quakers had expected a higher seed than 12. It has been speculated that the committee bumped the Quakers down from the 10th or 11th seed in order to avoid possible second-round rematches of Penn's regular season games with Massachusetts and Villanova, the East Region's second and third seed respectively. "I think we could have gotten a better seed, but we don't have any control over that stuff," Moore said. "We can't do anything about that. All we have control over and all we can do is beat Alabama." If the Quakers can do just that -- beat Alabama -- then they will earn a Saturday matchup with the winner of Thursday's Oklahoma State-Drexel game. The Cowboys are seeded fourth, while the Dragons are the East's 13th seed for the second year in a row. But before anyone thinks about that game, Penn must deal with the strong and athletic Crimson Tide. With two talented teams and two contrasting styles on the floor, the matchup should be one of the best of the first round. Let the dancing begin.
(03/14/95 10:00am)
PRINCETON, N.J.-- Just a few days earlier, Fran Dunphy had occupied the front seat of an emotional roller coaster. One night the Penn basketball coach was watching his five starting seniors clinch their third straight Ivy League title before cutting down the net in celebration. The next night Dunphy was sharing hugs and tears with those same seniors as they completed their final home game at the Palestra. When the Quakers visited Jadwin Gymnasium last Wednesday, Dunphy saw his seniors lead Penn to a 69-57 victory over Princeton in the regular season finale. In the process, he saw them conclude a third consecutive undefeated Ivy season and extend their all-time best league winning streak to 43 games. After the game, Dunphy could not help but reflect on the situation. "Obviously, I'm especially proud of our five seniors," he said. "This was their last league game and they finished in terrific style. They are a special, special group and I will miss them in every way -- not only basketball, but off the court as well." Against the Tigers, Dunphy saw one of his relatively less-heralded seniors continue to step up his offensive production. Forward Shawn Trice led the way for Penn, scoring a career-high 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting in his final Ivy contest. The Detroit native was simply dominant inside, never attempting a shot outside the paint. "We always stress establishing an inside game and then trying to work outside," said Trice, whose previous high of 23 came against Georgia last season. "I got a couple of my shots to fall early, and then [his teammates] just kept giving me the ball." Most of Trice's damage was done after intermission. Penn (21-5, 14-0 Ivy League) was unable to pull away from the Tigers in the first half. The Quakers tried early and often to increase the game's tempo and capitalize on their superior athleticism, but to no avail. Penn's defensive pressure was ineffective and Princeton (16-10, 10-4) led the ESPN2-televised contest for much of the first stanza. With 11 points from freshman forward James Mastaglio, the Tigers were able to play at their own pace. When Trice put Penn up 24-23, it was the first Quakers lead since 2-0. After a half plagued by turnovers on both sides, nothing had been decided and the score was tied at 28. The Quakers began the second half strong and gradually opened a lead. With just over 13 minutes to play, senior Scott Kegler drained a three-pointer to put Penn ahead 47-34. The crowd was momentarily silenced. The Quakers appeared to have put the game out of reach. But Princeton senior center Rick Hielscher, playing in his final game, answered with a trifecta of his own. The shot brought the crowd back into the game and sparked a 12-2 Tigers run which closed the gap to three with seven minutes left. "When we got it to 49-46, I thought maybe we would be able to turn things around a little bit," Princeton coach Pete Carril said. But it was not to be. A television timeout was prolonged several minutes after a Penn cheerleader fell to the floor and lay at center court. She was fine, but the lag seemed to hurt the Tigers' momentum. Princeton was playing four freshman and one sophomore in crunch time, and Penn's experience was just too much. Penn junior forward Tim Krug, who has a habit of making big plays against Princeton, blocked a shot by Hielscher and then buried a three-pointer at the other end. That put the Quakers ahead 54-46, and Princeton would never again get closer than six points as Penn put a final exclamation point on its recent Ivy League feats. It may take some time for the Quakers to be able put things in perspective. "I don't think we'll realize it until we're done," said Penn guard Matt Maloney, who became the first player in Ivy history to play three years without losing a league game. "I know it's a great feat from what people have said, but later we'll think about how much we've done and how much we'll miss each other." For the time being, Penn could begin focusing on the NCAA Tournament. Carril, meanwhile, took a moment to verbalize the thoughts of every coach in the Ancient Eight. "I won't have to see these guys again," he said.
(03/01/95 10:00am)
It was the fall of 1991 and John Amaechi was living alone at Vanderbilt University. Amaechi, who hails from England, had arrived early to prepare for college and basketball in America. As school approached, the freshman was anxious to meet his new roommate and teammate. When Matt Maloney got to campus, though, there was a slight communication problem. He hadn't made many British friends at Haddonfield High in New Jersey. Amaechi had never heard a Jersey accent before. So the odd couple fell back on their one common thread -- the game itself. The point guard and the center played day after day and night after night, practically moving their dorm room to the campus gym. As time passed, basketball paved the way for a close friendship. Both players felt isolated in Memphis, however, and they eventually decided to pursue their degrees and their hoops elsewhere. Maloney transferred to Penn and Amaechi to Penn State. But the friendship has remained intact. "We really were a perfect match," Amaechi now says. "Matt's just a great guy. I had never had a friend like that in basketball, and I haven't found another one since." Almost a year after that first Amaechi-Maloney encounter, Penn forward Shawn Trice sat on the Palestra bleachers on a warm summer afternoon. He was watching star shooting guard Jerome Allen play. Allen is a truly gifted talent, and it was always a learning experience for Trice to watch him. On this day, as Trice watched, Allen was going one-on-one with the new guy, the transfer point guard named Matt Maloney. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh!' because I'd never seen anyone handle Jerome defensively like that," Trice recalls with a sheepish grin. Since that summer, Trice has spent three years with Maloney. He, too, has learned to look past basketball and see more than just a point guard. "Matt is not just a terrific player. He's a terrific person," Trice says. That seems to be the way with Matt Maloney. What you notice first is the game -- the tenacious defense, the deadly jumper and the deceptive quickness. Only later does one get to know and appreciate the person behind the player. "He's a very likeable guy," says Lou Carnesecca, who coached Maloney on the Foot Locker-NIT All-Star team in Europe last summer. "He did such a great job handling the team, working with the rest of the guys, and setting an example for everyone. Matt was a fabulous representative of his team, his school and the USA." Maloney seems, in many ways, to have been destined for such success and high praise. After a year at Penn Charter he returned to Haddonfield, where he played baseball and soccer in addition to basketball. But the house had a hoop in the driveway, and his father, Jim, was an assistant coach at Temple. So basketball came first. Coming out of high school he was swamped with recruiting offers. Looking for a strong academic school in a strong basketball conference, Maloney narrowed it down to three choices: Stanford, Northwestern and Vanderbilt. His father knew Eddie Fogler because they had coached in the ACC together, and now Fogler was coaching at Vandy. That connection started the ball rolling, and soon Maloney signed on to join the Commodores. Things were fine, but it was simply too far away. He thought about playing closer to home. "At Vanderbilt my dad never got to see me play, so it was mainly a matter of proximity," Maloney says. The decision to transfer was thus made mainly for geographical reasons. Fogler, now the head coach at South Carolina, remains understandably disappointed and a bit skeptical about this explanation. "He made an intelligent decision, and then he changed it," Fogler says. "Matt's a great player. He's very unselfish and he has great strengths. I still don't know the truth [about the decision to leave Vanderbilt], but if that's what Matt says, then I'll take his word for it." Once he decided to transfer, Maloney had to begin searching again. Princeton was an option, as was a trip to Penn State along with Amaechi. Then his father made a call to Penn coach Fran Dunphy, and soon Matt was thinking hard about playing in West Philly. "I think the reason to choose a school like Penn is what it can do for you," Jim Maloney says. "Penn is a place with a warm feeling for its student athletes, and it's a school with a strong reputation for academics. It seems like a place where you make friends for life. That's important because basketball only lasts four years, but values last a lifetime." The list of advantages at Penn was indeed a long one. An Ivy League education. The Palestra and the Big 5. A chance to play close to home. And a program that was clearly on the rise. The choice was an easy one, and after a semester of community college Maloney enrolled. "When I got here that first summer, I thought it was just a great atmosphere," he says. "The academics, Coach Dunphy and especially my teammates. It seemed like a place without a lot of pressure. Guys like Jerome and Shawn are great because they just accept you right away for who you are." Penn and Maloney soon proved a perfect fit, and he has prospered. The 6-foot-3 guard can beat you with his dribble, his passing, his shooting or his defense -- he has beaten many Ivy League guards with all four. Maloney has been Penn's leading scorer the last two years, and this season he leads the team with almost 15 points per game. Nicknamed "Money," he has left countless fans and defenders in awe of his perimeter shot. He owns every three-point record in the Penn books. Penn forward Tim Krug recalls the first time he played with Maloney, a pick-up game in Gimbel Gymnasium. "I was impressed then, as I still am now, with the range on his shot," Krug says. "It basically seems endless, or at least within a halfcourt setting. He's just a great shooter." But many, including Dunphy, are quick to point out his less glamorous skills, like finding the open man and taking care of the basketball under pressure. "Everything has gotten better for this team since the first day Matt was here," Dunphy says. "In that regard, I have a lot of respect for what he has done while still realizing that he is part of a bigger picture." Practice at the Palestra has just ended. Maloney is asked what, above all else, he will take from college basketball when it is over. He looks at Allen, Trice and the rest of the Quakers still on the court. "My teammates and everyone I've been involved with in the game," he says. "I've learned so much from them all." Maloney may not realize it, but he has done plenty of teaching himself. To those who know him, he is much more than a fantastic point guard. He is a friend. Just ask the center from England who was there when it all started. "Every day, I go buy all of the Philadelphia papers," Amaechi says. "Just so I can see how Matt is doing."
(02/23/95 10:00am)
Call the town scribe. I think his number's listed. And while you have him on the phone, tell him to remember to bring his brand new set of fountain pens and a fresh bottle of jet black ink. If he asks what for, just tell him there's been yet another down-to-the-wire thriller in the Big 5, and we need him to record it for us in the illustrious annals of Philadelphia college hoops. Don't worry, he'll understand. Oh, and one more thing -- tell him to make sure that bottle of ink is a big one. He'll need plenty since we want him to be really specific with this one. We want him to include every shot, turnover and timeout. Why this desire for detail, you ask? Well, partly because Villanova's 78-74 win at home over Penn last night was truly a spectacular game. But mostly because only 6,500 people got to see it. The eagerly awaited city showdown was not televised. That's right, the vast majority of 'Nova fans, Penn fans and college basketball fans in the City of Brotherly Love were shunned last night in a big way. So how did this happen? Well, try to contain your surprise, but it all comes down to contracts, obligations and money. The Big East conference has a contract with ESPN granting the all-sports network exclusive rights to any Monday or Wednesday night games in Big East markets. Obviously, last night's game fit that description, so ESPN owned the rights. PRISM, the local cable station which carries Big 5 games, was not able to gain permission to air the contest in the Philly market. Some blame PRISM. Others blame Villanova. Villanova blames the Big East. In the end, though, does it really matter? Not if you ask me. I was fortunate enough to be there, but most of you (and most of Philly, for that matter) couldn't watch last night's game. This is a joke. If PRISM had pressed the issue, the game would have been on. The Big East frequently grants such exceptions to SportsChannel and the MSG Network so New Yorkers can watch St. John's and Seton Hall locally. I find it hard to believe similar permission for one game was impossible to obtain. Furthermore, any over-the-air (non-cable) station could have picked up the game, but they all were against cancelling network programming in prime time. After all, what would we do without Beverly Hills, 90210 and Roseanne on a Wednesday night? A lot of people who missed the game knew of this travesty a few days ago, and so they tried desperately to get their hands on a ticket. A lottery with few winners, however, meant no such luck. But don't blame the folks down at Weightman Hall, because it's not their fault. Once people figured out there would be no TV, there was a crunch on tickets. That meant plenty of wealthy and well-connected Villanova alumni to take care of. To make matters worse, Villanova was as generous with its Penn ticket allotment as the Grinch is on Christmas Eve. Those of us from Quakerland who got tickets were stuck way, way up in the rafters. Even Philadelphia mayor and Penn fan Ed Rendell was up there with us. When the mayor gets banished, you know there's a pretty big demand surplus for tickets. Most of you probably knew you had been shafted. So you resigned yourselves to a cruel fate, clicked on the radio, and settled in for the long haul. But a few of you just might have turned on the good old cathode-ray tube hoping to see Jerome Allen and Kerry Kittles go head-to head. If you did, you most certainly have a right to be disappointed. All was not lost, however. After all, you still had two quality programming choices. There was boxing from the Blue Horizon on PRISM, and there was an epic Seton Hall-Miami clash on ESPN. Better tell that scribe to make it quick. Lee Goldsmith is College junior from Huntingdon Valley and a sports writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian.
(02/21/95 10:00am)
1977 was just Jack Ramsay's second season as coach of the NBA's hard-luck Portland franchise. The Trail Blazers had struggled for prosperity since their inception just seven years earlier, and Ramsay was determined to orchestrate a reversal of fortune. With a dominant center named Bill Walton on board, fans in Rip City eagerly awaited success. Jack Ramsay brought them just that. He coached Portland to its first and only NBA championship. Three years later, basketball fans in Los Angeles had reason to celebrate. The Lakers had drafted a highly-touted rookie named Earvin Johnson, and suddenly the pieces were falling in place. As the season got underway, expectations rose rapidly in Hollywood. It was coach Paul Westhead's less-than-enviable job to meet them. Westhead went above and beyond those expectations. Despite philosophical differences with Magic that would later cost him his job, he coached the Lakers to the NBA title. In 1989, Chuck Daly continued to labor as coach of the Detroit Pistons. Daly had been in Motown for six years. Six long years of watching the Sixers and Celtics represent the East in the finals. But age had begun to take its toll in Philly and Beantown, and the Pistons found themselves with an opportunity. Daly seized it. He already had a strong backcourt, but now he brought defense to the forefront. His "Bad Boys," including Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer, beat down opponents and climbed to the top of the NBA as two-time champions. The years, cities and methods were different. But for Jack Ramsay, Paul Westhead and Chuck Daly, the end result was the same -- an NBA championship ring. The pinnacle of basketball success. Oddly enough, however, these three coaching legends have more in common than just jewelry. They share the past, they share the tradition and they share the history that is Philadelphia Big 5 basketball. Ramsay played for St. Joseph's in the 1940s and went on to coach the Hawks from 1955 to 1966. Westhead played for Ramsay on Hawk Hill from 1959 to 1961 and then coached La Salle from 1970 to 1979. Daly coached at Penn from 1971 to 1977. They are not alone in having roots in the Big 5, however. While most fans think only of great players, the City of Brotherly Love has seen as much wisdom on the sidelines as it has seen talent on the court. Countless men have started their coaching careers amidst the intensity that defines a Palestra doubleheader and then gone on to achieve greatness elsewhere. "You've got to realize that a lot of coaches that are in the NBA today are either from the Big 5, or they are extensions of Big 5 coaches," said former Temple star Guy Rodgers, who played for the legendary Harry Litwack from 1955-58. "There were just some great coaches, some unbelievable coaches." Unbelievable indeed. Witness the Pennsylvania career of John Engles, who wore the Red and Blue from 1973 to 1976. While Engles played at the Palestra, he was fortunate enough to toil for head coach Daly and two spectacular assistants also destined for coaching glory. "At Penn, I had three coaches," said Engles, who earned all-Ivy and all-Big 5 honors in 1976. "One of my coaches [Daly] ended up winning the NBA championship twice. Another one of my coaches, Rollie Massimino, won the NCAA Tournament [in 1985 with Villanova]. Bob Weinhauer brought Penn to the Final Four [as head coach in 1979]. What a great array of coaches, and that's just my personal experiences." The multitude of similar experiences is truly astounding. Beside Ramsay, Westhead and Daly, seven other Big 5 coaches have gone on to become NBA coaches -- recent examples include Penn's Dick Harter, currently an assistant with Portland, and St. Joe's Jim Lynam, the current Washington Bullets coach. Some Big 5 coaches achieved national exposure and success without leaving. Massimino, of course, took an unranked Villanova team to the 1985 title. Further back in the record books is the name Tom Gola. As a player, Gola led La Salle to the 1954 championship. After an NBA career he returned to the Explorers as coach. His 1968-69 team, which included Penn coach Fran Dunphy, finished 23-1 and ranked second nationally. "I played for Tom Gola my junior and senior years, and he was a great influence on me," Dunphy said. "It was mostly his approach to the game, and how he handled his players. He was a player's coach and he understood the game of basketball." Dunphy took that understanding and has used it to become part of the interlocking Big 5 coaching puzzle that spans Philadelphia. He was an assistant at La Salle under Explorers coach Speedy Morris, who once coached current St. Joe's coach John Griffin at Philly's Roman Catholic High. Meanwhile, Dunphy also has an assistant, Fran O'Hanlon, who played at Villanova, and a point guard, Matt Maloney, whose father Jim is a Temple assistant. "It's the type of place where people look out for each other," Dunphy said. It is also the type of place where legends start. Those legends include not only the people who run the plays, but the men who diagram them. Such men must comprehend not just the game, but also the players and their emotions as that game unfolds. It is a rare breed, but the Big 5 has certainly seen its share. "The list is very long," former Penn player Corky Calhoun said. "That web of Philadelphia basketball stretches out around the country and around the world." But it will always start -- and end -- with the Big 5.
(02/16/95 10:00am)
We have put all of our faith in them. In the last few years, they have become our final hope. All other defenses broke down, and they suddenly were left fighting alone. In spite of it all, they continue to fight -- against the pressure, against the greed and against the odds. Their war is our last chance. It is our last chance to save the thousands of young men who play college basketball in this country. Our last chance to save them from being victimized and contaminated by the evil that sports has become. America's college basketball coaches are losing the war. For they, too, are being overwhelmed. The writing has been on the wall for years. As the TV spotlights have gotten brighter and the alumni donations have gotten bigger, that writing has become even clearer. Perhaps we have been too blind to see it. Or perhaps we have been too busy filling out tournament brackets for the office pool. Right in front of us, though, the game of college basketball has undergone changes. These changes have been for the worse. The game has lost what always made it so special -- its youthful innocence. It is no longer a fairy tale world of spirit, enthusiasm and desire. Rather, it has become a materialistic world of balance sheets, greed and pressure. We have traditionally expected the nation's coaches to protect their student-athletes from the selfish, win-or-else nature of our society. But how can the coaches protect their players from such an atmosphere when they themselves have cracked under the pressure? A player will often look to his coach for guidance. It's not easy to be far from home and faced with the burdens of classes and college life in addition to those of big-time college basketball. But when that look reveals not a coach, but a man who can't handle the pressures of his own lifestyle, then something is clearly wrong. It is a disturbing trend indeed. But the warning signs should have not been hard to miss. They were televised nationally last year for all to see. There was Northwestern coach Ricky Byrdsong, who inexplicably left the bench during a game at Minnesota and decided to sit in the crowd. He later attributed the outrageous showing to the pressures of losing in the Big Ten. There was also, of course, the shocking video of Temple's John Chaney trying to attack UMass coach John Calipari after a game at the Mullins Center. This year, coaches are not just losing control at the game. They are walking away from the game, unable to cope with the pressure to win applied by the alumni, fans, media and university officials surrounding them. In some cases, the vacations these coaches are taking are permanent. George Raveling coached college basketball for 22 years. He spent last summer doing more of the same, coaching Jerome Allen and the USA Goodwill Games team. But before this season, he was in a terrible car accident driving to pick up a recruit. The stay in a Los Angeles hospital got Raveling thinking, and he decided coaching was no longer fun. The spirit and competition had given way to stress, headaches and grief. Raveling walked away -- for good. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, regarded by many as the best in the business, has coached for 19 years. After preseason back surgery, the doctors said Coach K would miss much of this year. Giving "basketball exhaustion" as his reason, Krzyzewski himself decided to miss all of it. The most bizarre developments have occurred at UNLV. Tom Grgurich, who replaced Rollie Massimino, resigned earlier this season due to overwhelming stress and pressure. Grgurich is trying to return. He currently runs UNLV practices while assistant coach Clee Edwards handles the games. Stories like these are becoming more and more commonplace. If we let college basketball's problems destroy its coaches, then its student athletes will be next. And the consequences will be truly tragic. Lee Goldsmith is a College junior from Huntingdon Valley and a sports writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian. He is also Dick Vitale's "guy." Standing Room Only appears alternate Thursdays.
(02/15/95 10:00am)
and Jed Walentas It seems as though some of our Ivy League counterparts are a wee bit sour -- as in sour grapes, that is -- about all the recent Penn dominance. For three long and tormenting years, the deprived faithful of the rest of the Ancient Eight have SAT on their couches and thought, How in the world can we suck this much? Sleepless night after sleepless night, they have laid (or maybe LIED) in bed and wondered, How in the world can we beat those #@*#in' Quakers? Hey Brendan, Michael, and all the rest of you pathetic would-be scribes -- here's a helpful hint from your fine feathered friends. (No, not the St. Joe's Hawks. The Ivy Roundup powers-that-be.) And the hint is?(drumroll, please)?You can't win! The Quakers are big-time! And you, well, how can we put this gently, suck! That message having been sent (and speaking of sending, did you see Ira Bowman send it in right on Columbia guard Chad Brown's head?), we can now speak to all of you -- the Quakers faithful, the Palestra patrons, the West Philly wackos?.That's enough of that -- we went too far. Aw, that's our bad. So you're wondering what's on the docket for today, right? You're ready, willing, and more than able to absorb an unadulterated sense of Ancient Eight hoops action and hardwood heartbreaks. Well, we here at Roundup aim to please, so let's get started. Dropped Ball of the Week For this oh-so-dreaded award, we kind of felt obligated to look at the stellar Brown athletic department. After all, the King of the Dropped Ball makes his home in Providence in the form of Bears quarterback Trevor "guess what I did on Valentine's Day" Yankoff. You remember Trevor, right? He did have quite an impressive number of drops during football season. (Before Coach Whipple yanked him and sent him to the pine, of course). To our surprise, another Bear almost took Yankoff's crown. The moment in question happened in lovely Hanover (just off the lovely Mohawk Trail, you know), N.H., as Bears guard Eric Blackiston came up short. Way short. With Brown trailing 71-70 and four teeny, weeny ticks remaining on the Leede Arena scoreboard, Blackiston had the rock. And then he choked on it. (Read: there was a fumble on the play.) Blackiston was stripped by Dartmouth guard Kenny Mitchell, and the Bears lost the Who-Will-Get-To-Finish-Second-Behind-Penn Bowl. A damn shame, really. Roundup zoologists report the Bears are back in hibernation. Hopefully, they'll come out in time to get beaten down at the Palestra March 3. Exit Stage Left of the Week Ah, the many sights of Ithaca. Snow, snow, snow, snow, snow, and a few cows. Oh, and of course, two of the finest coaches this country has ever seen. In the fall, we here at Roundup were lucky enough to tell you about Big Red football coach Jim Hofher. After voting his own team No. 1 for several consecutive weeks, Hofher led his mighty tundra warriors to a season-ending four-game losing streak. Great job, Jim! It's clear to us at Roundup that you truly are following the footsteps of former Cornell coach George Seifert. But not to be outdone by Hofher's fall antics, Big Red hoops (oxymoron?) coach Al Walker put on a show this weekend. First, he and his pathetic JUCO-led team got beaten down by Cedric "Century Mark" Laster and the Quakers. Second, he failed to beat Princeton the next evening -- in fact, a second-half double technical meant adios, se-or Walker. (That was for the benefit of $, LT, and all rest of you Espa-ol 140 studs out there.) Cornell Daily Sun journalist (oxymoron?) Brendan Sobie (more on se-or Sobie later) told us it was a bad call that set Walker off, but we have two other hypotheses: a) he was just mad because Yoda was outcoaching him, or b) he couldn't wait to get the hell out of that hellhole called Jadwin. Just something to ponder. Journalists of the Week We know what you're thinking, but it's not us. (And if you're wondering, we did feel shunned by the ESPYs on Monday.) Nope, this week's prize goes out to a terrific trifecta of tragic losers -- Brendan, Michael, and Adam. These fine Cornell and Columbia scribes all took time out of their busy days to launch an all-out verbal assault on the Penn athletic program. Unfortunately, Roundup, the sole bastion of truth, honesty, and justice (besides Lance Ito's courtroom and the New York Post, of course) has learned that these Pulitzer candidates didn't quite get their facts straight. Their columns were filled to the brim with fallacies, plain and simple. But we would like to thank these sorry souls for the bulletin board material. We at Roundup can only wonder if they feel personally responsible for last weekend's 30-point thrashings at the hands of the Quakers. That's about all the news we here at Roundup feel can be legally printed without putting ourselves in serious jeopardy of a libel suit. However, we do have one final request -- this one goes out to Temple Coach John Chaney. Since the Quakers will probably never beat you in our lifetime, will you at least be our Valentine?
(02/06/95 10:00am)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- For Fran Dunphy's seven Ancient Eight counterparts, most nights must be sleepless ones. They must be filled with tossing and turning and tormenting frustration as hour after painstaking hour goes by. Yes, these are troubled times for the coaches of the Ivy League. Worst of all must be the apparent hopelessness. The moments of desperation when they lie awake, stare at the ceiling, and search for a feasible solution. There has to be a way?something?anything! There has to be an answer? But no such answer appears forthcoming, and the agonizing futility once again sets in. The fact that no matter how many drills they run and how many game films they show, it just won't be enough. That when all is said and done, a thousand extra jumpers and enough films for a two-day marathon still won't be enough. Penn just has too many weapons. Like it or not, that is the harsh reality right now. It is the reality every Ivy coach faces this year. It was the reality Yale coach Dick Kuchen and Brown coach Frank Dobbs faced this weekend. Friday night in New Haven, Kuchen saw his Yale team put up an admirable fight. For the first 18 minutes of play, the Elis held Scott Kegler, Jerome Allen and Matt Maloney without a field goal. When the contest was over, four of Penn's five senior starters had failed to reach double digits. The Quakers' leading scorer, Allen, had only scored 10. Yale, a relatively young team, managed to shut down what may be the best starting five in Ivy League history. Kuchen had to figure this would be enough. Enough to pull an upset for the ages and beat the Penn juggernaut. But the ninth-year coach still saw his team finish with an 11-point loss. Penn's arsenal once again proved too much to overcome. The starting lineup wasn't on top of its game Friday, but Dunphy's bench artillery certainly was. Ira Bowman and Tim Krug made sure the Quakers escaped Payne Whitney Gym with a victory. Bowman was spectacular, hitting 7-of-9 shots for 17 points. His trademark defensive intensity helped Penn regain control each time Yale made a run. Krug, meanwhile, continued to demonstrate an increased leadership ability. He chipped in 11 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and helped calm down Maloney, who was clearly frustrated by the officiating. Saturday at Brown, the situation was reversed. The second half of an Ivy road trip is always tough, and the two junior stars weren't able to produce the same results they had at Yale. Bowman and Krug combined for just 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting and really did little to influence the outcome of the game. But even without Bowman and Krug, there was still too much power. Maloney bounced back and was simply sensational. He connected on 5-of-8 three-point attempts, and finished with an astounding 36 points. The mark was a new scoring record for the Pizzitola Sports Center and just one off his career high. That wasn't all. Frank Dobbs and his Brown squad got a true sense of the balance that defines this Quaker team. Eric Moore scored 23. Shawn Trice crashed the glass for 15 rebounds. Allen was everywhere with 15 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds. Penn has seven road games in the league this year. The Quakers are, for all intents and purposes, seven players deep. Don't be surprised if a different weapon in Dunphy's arsenal wins each Ivy battle on enemy courts. Moore scored 20 at Harvard and Kegler scored 26 at Dartmouth. This weekend, it was Bowman with 17 at Yale and Maloney with 36 at Brown. Those numbers tell you all there is to know about Ivy League basketball this season. Too many weapons. It's that simple. Lee Goldsmith is a College junior from Huntingdon Valley, Pa. and a sportswriter for The Daily Pennsylvanian.
(01/31/95 10:00am)
It was 9:30 p.m. on the brisk autumn night of November 16. and the Penn men's basketball team had just dropped its season-opener to Canisius, 81-78. Nonetheless, the march to March continued. Penn has now hit the halfway point. The Quakers have played 14 and have 13 to go. What better time to announce, straight from the home office on 33rd Street, the Top Ten moments to date of the Quakers campaign? 10. December 10, Philly -- Send It In, Cedric! Fairleigh Dickinson coach Tom Green had hoped Penn would show some holiday spirit and go easy on his hapless Knights. It didn't happen. The Quakers blew it open, and forward Cedric Laster threw it down to give Penn its first century mark against a Division I opponent since 1981. 9. January 6, Cambridge -- Oh Yeah, Watch This! In the first half, Harvard went on a 7-0 run. Briggs Cage was rocking, and some people actually believed the Crimson could win. Unfortunately, the Penn backcourt wasn't impressed -- a Matt Maloney-to-Jerome Allen alley-oop slam silenced all. A harbinger of things to come in the Ancient Eight. 8. November 28, Bethlehem -- Give It To Rome! After Canisius, Penn fans hoped the Quakers would thump Lehigh. No such luck. Penn trailed by two with :16 on the clock. Dunphy called timeout and the Quakers let Allen create a baseline jumper. All nylon. Penn won in OT. 7. December 27, New York -- Send It In, Cedric! (Part II) As the Quakers' Madison Square Garden thrashing of Colgate neared its end, Laster again soared high and again rattled the rim. Icing the scene at Cedric's second coming were Allen and Shawn Trice, pointing from the bench at the instant replay on the MSG scoreboard. 6. December 3, Philly -- Allen to Trice?It's a Touchdown! When Ohio State invaded, the Quakers made their 1994-95 TV debut with Digger and the Deuce (ESPN2, that is) in the house. As the clock ran out before halftime, Allen heaved the ball from halfcourt. Trice tipped it in and grinned all the way to the locker room. 5. December 29, New York -- Money to Burn. When Penn faced off against St. John's at the Garden for the ECAC title, the spotlight shone brightly. The world had come out to see Felipe Lopez hit the big time. But on this night, Maloney was unstoppable -- he torched the Red Storm for a game-high 24 points. 4. December 3, Philly -- Ira's Arrival. Against the Buckeyes, Providence transfer Ira Bowman made his point in the first half -- with authority. His first of many thunderous slams ignited the crowd and made him an instant hero. 3. January 7, Hanover -- Nice Spike, Timmy! At Dartmouth, forward Tim Krug supplied one of the most vicious rejections in history. The overhead swat from behind sent a Big Green layup careening off the backboard and back to the foul line. Soon it was in the hands of Bowman, who raced downcourt and finished with a high-flying slam. Wow. 2. January 28 -- Hey Rick, Remember Me? Princeton center Rick Hielscher had to live with the memory of a Krug block for two long years. Now he has a new memory. As Penn pounded the Tigers into submission, Krug executed an awe-inspiring slam on poor Hielscher's head. 1. December 13, Ann Arbor -- Give It To Rome! (Part II) Unquestionably the highlight of Quakers highlights. The play broke down, but Allen would not be denied. He twisted and turned and tossed the rock over three Wolverines. It fell, and Penn had a win for the ages. So there you have it. A sample of images from the first half of the season. In the games that remain, there will surely be plenty more moments -- some to remember and some to forget. Either way, it should be a blast. Lee Goldsmith is a College junior from Huntingdon Valley and a sports writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian. He is also Dick Vitale's "guy."
(01/27/95 10:00am)
Remember back in September when you got your first glance at the 1994-95 Penn men's basketball schedule? Immediately, some of the words practically jumped off the page at you. Michigan?St. John's?Massachusetts?. So you paused, and thought about those words for a minute or two. At which point a few names and faces came rather quickly to mind. Jimmy King?Felipe Lopez?Lou Roe?. Ah, but that wasn't all. You continued across the schedule and noticed four letters, repeated several times on the page -- ESPN. And of course, there was another lightning-quick moment of reflection. Bill Raftery?Dick Vitale?SportsCenter?. Just like me, most of you were probably pretty excited by all of this. Making housecalls to national powers isn't common in the Ivy League, so I'll bet most of you were very enthusiastic about Penn's visits to Ann Arbor, New York and Amherst. In fact, some of you were probably so enthusiastic you missed something. Impressed with the new, you overlooked the old. Excited about the words added to the schedule, you barely noticed one word that had never left. Princeton. A small word, really. Rather insignificant when placed in the context of national college basketball. Just an old Ivy League institution. And a funny little wizard for a coach who waved his magic wand and came up a few hardworking and competitive teams. But for Penn fans, that insignificant little word -- Princeton -- means everything. Each of its nine letters are saturated with enough basketball history to fill countless volumes. Rivalries are what make athletics so special, and there are only a precious few better than Penn and Princeton. That's just the way it is in the Ancient Eight. Since the Ivies began annual league competition in 1956-57, Penn and Princeton have combined to win 32 Ivy titles in 38 years. From Bill Bradley in the Orange and Black to Jerome Allen in the Red and Blue, it has always been about these two teams. Quakers and Tigers. The rest is just details. Tomorrow night, another chapter will be written in the storied history of Penn versus Princeton. In front of a sell-out crowd, the two fabled foes will clash on the hallowed hardwood of the Palestra. And while the non-conference hoopla and exposure was truly fantastic, tomorrow night has always been Penn's most important game. In light of this, the home court advantage is critical. For the past few years, there has been a palpable electricity in the Palestra air before each and every game against the Tigers. That should again be the case tomorrow. If you're going to be part of that sell-out crowd tomorrow, I implore you to contribute all you can to the atmosphere. Get to the game with plenty of time before tip-off, and start cheering as soon as you arrive. Make it loud, and make it real loud. When the tip goes up, stand. No matter what the alumni around you say, don't sit down. Just remain standing and keep cheering. The adults in the place may not like it, but college basketball is a different game today -- students don't just come to watch, they come to make a difference. This is your team, and it's your school, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The five Penn senior starters are slowly running out of home games. They certainly have earned some appreciation for the memories they have given us all. Since most of you will miss their final home game in March during spring break, tomorrow night -- against Princeton -- might be a good time to start giving it to them. In fact, it would be perfect. Lee Goldsmith is a College junior from Huntingdon Valley, Pa. and a sports writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian. He is also Dick Vitale's "guy".
