RIP Coach Carnesecca

Here's the story my wife wrote on facebook:

Having graduated St. John's, my husband has always been a Lou Carnesecca fan. Never more than the 1985 season. That's the year of the famous sweater. I called Lou up (asking to interview him) since I was a news reporter. I ended up telling Lou the truth - the real reason was I wanted to ask him where he got the sweater so I could get one for my Bob for our anniversary. He said he would take care of it. True to his word, Lou Carnesecca sent us a replica of the famous sweater. 39 years later we're still talking about what a great guy he was !

I'll add, he was never too big to talk to the "little people".
 
I became a fan in grade school in Brooklyn, because my uncle went to St. John's and loved Lapchick. I went to St. John's and loved Looie. Attended SI campus '71-'75, Queens campus '75-'78 never ran into Coach.

I was stunned when Looie took the Nets job because I didn't want him to leave St. John's and didn't think the Pro game suited him. Me and buddies (not St. John's students but all St. John's fans because of Looie) treked out to LI to watch Nets games and we were all Knicks fans. Again because of Looie.

My mom, dear mother in law, dad and all family members loved Looie and none of them cared about college basektball really (except for my sake).

One night at the Garden, I sneak into one of the elevators, and who's on it already. Himself (many years retired). I was effusive, and he said stop talking about him, asked me about me, my name, my years at St. John's, my wife and how many kids, my job, where I lived now, all in the space of 2 minutes, shook my hand and wished me well. I was walking on air.

My sister in law and brother in law went to SJU Queens campus with Enes his daughter and from them and my family, prayers and more to his lovely wife Mary and daughter and may his Soul rest in Heaven, to the most wonderful human being I ever shook the hand of.

P.S.: another one liner, "Looie: what about Rick's transgressions? A. That's why we have confession."
 
A quick Louie story. I was going up the stairs at The Garden and Louie was in front of me (after his retirement and we were in a coaching mess. I don't remember the year) and I said loudly, in an eerie voice, "Louie! Come back! Louie! Come back!" and he started laughing heartily.
Great coach, great person, great human being, wonderful soul. RIP, Coach.
 
panther2 said:
This is definitely not the time for Sarcasm. #NotFunny
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But on another note haven’t seen anything from Mullin yet.
Don’t mean that in any negative way. In this day people expect people to put their most personal thoughts on social media which is kind of crazy IMO
 
Larry Wright said:
But on another note haven’t seen anything from Mullin yet.
Don’t mean that in any negative way. In this day people expect people to put their most personal thoughts on social media which is kind of crazy IMO
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Mully isn't the most eloquent public communicator, but I am certain that deep down he is hurting and misses Coach more than most anyone else.
 
newsman13 said:
Here's the story my wife wrote on facebook:

Having graduated St. John's, my husband has always been a Lou Carnesecca fan. Never more than the 1985 season. That's the year of the famous sweater. I called Lou up (asking to interview him) since I was a news reporter. I ended up telling Lou the truth - the real reason was I wanted to ask him where he got the sweater so I could get one for my Bob for our anniversary. He said he would take care of it. True to his word, Lou Carnesecca sent us a replica of the famous sweater. 39 years later we're still talking about what a great guy he was !

I'll add, he was never too big to talk to the "little people".
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Wow. That is an insane story. He actually sent your wife the sweater to your house?? If that’s true, talk about above and beyond!
 
No doubt one of the finest men, bar none, to ever grace our halls as a student, coach, and administrator. St. John's was the canvas for his life, and he painted a masterpiece over 3/4 of a century.

Coin toss for greatest coach as well:

Joe Lapchick

334-130 overall .720

Lou C.

524-200 overall (.724)

127-69 Big East (.648)

Brian Mahoney

56-58 overall (.493)

29-43 conf (.403)

Fran Fraschilla

35-24 overall (.593)

21-15 conf (.583)

Mike Jarvis

110-61 overall (.643)

50-32 conf (.610)

Norm Roberts

81-101 overall (.429)

32-70 conference (.314)

Steve Lavin

92-72 overall (.561)

46-44 conf (.511)

Chris Mullin

59-73 overall (.447)

20-52 conf (.278)

Mike Anderson

68-56 overall (.548)

30-46 conf (.395)
 
Lou gets the slight nod over Lapchick mostly because he did it in the Big East/TV era where success elevated the program to heights never before seen.

But then again you could argue that the best coaches SJU ever produced are not on this list: Frank McGuire and Al McGuire.
 
Beasts of the East said:
Gonzalo,
You are one of the most gracious, well regarded posters on here. Most of us know you are from Spain.

Your posts today remind me of a title not often associated with Coach Carnesecca, namely Ambassador.

Coach was an ambassador for basketball in general, international basketball, St. Johns, the Vincentians, and for God. He always appealed to our better nature, to act in kindness, to support our players and each other. He always praised the Vincentians for guiding him. I'll paraphrase something He said that I read yesterday:

"When I was a student you couldn't walk 5 feet without bumping into a Vincentian. Now they are mostly gone, and we are the Vincentians, to carry their mission."

Wise words.

2 Cor 5:20

"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God"

Well done, Coach Carnesecca. Well done.
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We all have our stories about coach and here is mine.
It was my 65th birthday and I decided to take my son in law to the game. About 20 minutes into the game my son in law informs me that he was going to get a hot dog at the CA concession stand and asked me if I wanted anything to eat. I informed him that I did not and told him to get back asap. Well a half hour later my son in law has still not returned. As I continue to wait I see Coach Carnesecca coming my way and parks himself right in front of my seat and proceeds to wish me a happy birthday. With that he takes a black felt pen and the hat that my son in law purchased at the book store and he signed the hat for me and shook my hand wishing me a Happy Birthday. You can’t make this stuff up! Who does that today? The answer is Coach Lou Carnesecca! That hat to this day is kept in a sealed glass case in my office, always to be cherished!
 
MainMan said:
Lou gets the slight nod over Lapchick mostly because he did it in the Big East/TV era where success elevated the program to heights never before seen.

But then again you could argue that the best coaches SJU ever produced are not on this list: Frank McGuire and Al McGuire.
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I am aware and will add. I focused on 1955 on. Looie has said Buck Freeman was the greatest coach he saw.
 
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