Sept. 24, 2004
The Nova Notebook, by Villanova director of media relations Mike Sheridan, appears each Friday beginning in the fall and continues through the basketball season.
SUMMIT, N.J. - Not long ago, former Villanova head coach Rollie Massimino found himself at a golf outing conducted by current Texas Tech coach Bob Knight. That afternoon he spoke with some of the athletes that Knight once coached at Indiana, among them current Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson. As he did, he was struck by the close bond that obviously still existed between coach and former players.
One of the former Hoosiers mentioned that John Pinone had spoken of a similar bond at Villanova. Massimino confirmed that it was still very much alive and covers not only the players he coached, but those tutored from the days of the late Al Severance through Jack Kraft and into the present.
"We have that closeness at Villanova," Massimino told a packed roomful of Villanova alumni, fans and former players gathered here this week for the Villanova Classic. "It's very special and it's something that few very programs have."
As he spoke those words at the podium, the coach of the 1985 NCAA champions was surrounded by several of his former players, including Keith Herron, Ed Pinckney, and John Pinone. Massimino's description of the tight-knit fraternity of former athletes, alumni and school served as the perfect exclamation point to an afternoon and evening of camaraderie and shared memories.
"It was a great day," said Wildcat head coach Jay Wright. "We are grateful to all those who participated and especially to Matt Morahan and Ed Welsh, the two people who do an incredible amount of work to make this kind of first-class event possible. We also appreciate the support of Barry Bekkedam and his company, Nova Savings Bank."
In his remarks, Wright also thanked the six men who have endowed the five starting position scholarships and the coaching position at Villanova: Rocco Barbieri, Bill Finneran, Art Kania, Bill Melchionni, Morahan and Welsh. Each of the six was in attendance.
"This is a very competitive business," he told the audience, "and their support is so helpful to us as we continue to build our program."
The Classic is an annual fundraiser held here at the beautiful Canoe Brook Country Club. The day includes 18 holes of golf, a cocktail party and dinner followed by remarks from Wright and a special honoree, in this case Massimino. Some of the former Wildcat players spotted through the course of the day in addition to those mentioned above were: Jimmy Huggard, Bob Liberatore, Don McGinley, Dick Kaminski, Bernie Schaffer, Mike Stack, Mike Mulquin, Gary McLain, Chuck Everson, Greg Woodard and Lance Miller. Also on the course were associate head coach Fred Hill and coordinator of basketball operations Pat Chambers.
Other notables enjoyed the afternoon as well. Massimino's foursome included Billy Cunningham, Bill Raftery and Kania. University Vice-President Rev. John Stack, O.S.A., participated along with Alumni Office Director Gary Olsen.
There are a pair of 18-hole courses here and on this day the weather was nearly perfect with sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70's. The course appeared in wonderful condition despite drenching rains that had soaked it less than 48 hours prior to this event's tee-off time.
The rounds of golf began after lunch and concluded at 5:30 p.m. Players then showered and changed in the locker room before entering the dining room. Many of the guests absorbed the view from the veranda, which overlooks the 18th hole.
By 7:00 p.m., the crowd was ushered into a dining room where prizes were awarded for those who struck a ball closest to the pin and longest drive. Prizes also went out to the foursomes with the lowest scores.
But the highlight was clearly Massimino's chat. After accepting gifts which included a new golf bag, a travel bag to help him commute between his home in Florida and the Main Line, and a sleeve of personalized golf balls, he gave a short, animated speech.
"Where were you all when we were 7-19?" Massimino quipped to the crowd as he stepped to the podium, recalling his debut season of 1973-74. Spotting Herron behind him he noted, "you were there. You remember."
Shortly after eight, the formal portion of the evening concluded, though a number of former players and coaches lingered into the night. Stories were told and laughter permeated the room. It was left to the current coach to put it into perspective.
"These kinds of nights," said Wright, who was one of the last to exit the room, "are why it's great to be at Villanova"...
Less than one month remains until the start of official practice for the 2004-05 season. The first weekend of full team practice is Oct. 16-17. Wright and his staff will host the fourth annual "Villanova Coaches Clinic" at the Pavilion.
"It's kind of an X's and O's festival," Wright says. "We get together to talk about our concepts, answer questions and trade suggestions. There is such an excitement level for all of us as we get started with practice that we like to share that."
Coaches will watch as the Villanova staff installs its philosophy from day one. There will be three complete Wildcat practices, including an intrasquad scrimmage. Several question and answer sessions are on tap and Massimino is scheduled to speak as well. It begins at noon on Saturday and wraps up after the 12:30 p.m. practice on Sunday afternoon.
"As a young coach, I always enjoyed watching other teams practice," Wright says. "It's something I still do. Last summer I took a couple of days and went down to Jacksonville to watch Larry Brown with the U.S. Olympic team. There are always things you can learn."
One of the highlights is a social hosted by the Villanova staff on Saturday evening.
"It is a time of year when everyone is excited about the start of a new season," Wright says. "This is our way of meeting and interacting with coaches in the area."
The cost is $80. If a staff of three or more attends, the price drops to $70 per person. To register, coaches can call 610-519-4287 or visit www.villanova.edu/boysbasketballcamps.
