My recollection is there were some NCAA issues swirling with Barkley throughout his sophomore year so he decided to go pro after that year. Was drafted in first round but never really clicked in the NBA. I think Cook left after this first year just because he wanted to go pro was drafted in 2nd round but wound up with long career overseas after not sticking in NBA.
For anyone who wants to hate Coach K slightly less, he made it known beforehand that Cameron Crazies should not heckle Barkley over it.
"The violation in question concerned exchanging cars with a family friend, two sources familiar with the case have told The Associated Press.
Barkley traded his late model Jeep Cherokee for a bigger but older Ford Expedition that belongs to a family friend, said a source close to Barkley and another with knowledge of the matter, both speaking on condition of anonymity.
That exchange would have been a violation of NCAA rules if Barkley received preferential treatment because he is an athlete or if it constituted possible payback for when he turns professional."
Good reminder for everyone pining for the good ol' days.
Barkley was suspended twice (a total of 3 or 4 games) his sophomore year due to NCAA violations ( the rule was changed the next year as they even admitted it needed to be changed and under the new rule, Barkley would not have been suspended). I actually attended the press conference after the first game he was suspended for as it was announced prior to the game that he was suspended. Chudney Gray was our six man that year and filled in admirably as part of a really good year coming off the bench. The suspension stemmed from a Real Sports segment and centered on Eric swapping cars with someone who had been a mentor and friend to Barkley long before he came to St. John’s and was not a St. John’s Booster. Real Sports was doing a segment on the basketball team and I believe (my opinion) it wasn’t exciting or controversial enough so they went looking for something to spice it up and started looking at the cars the players were driving. I never paid much attention to that show after that. Barkley also went to prep school and was I believe two years older than your typical sophomore, so that also played into his decision.
Barkley responded by jumping on the scorer’s table and cupping his hand to his ear basically saying “I can’t hear you” to the Cameron Crazies after we beat them there.
Great memory. That was an amazing team. If only we had gotten Brand and Odom off that AAU squad.
Natty
That AAU team went something like 66-1. I always wondered who the heck beat them. That was just around the time prep schools and the like started destroying NYC HS basketball.
Yep, I commented on that on this board (I think) if I've been here that long. I remember saying he acted like Hulk Hogan in response to them not getting all over him.
Don't think he ever wanted to really be here anyway and only ended up here because he overplayed his hand with UNC. So if you truly don't want to be somewhere, you'd probably jump at first chance to leave.
I remember Omar's people practically guaranteed he'd go in the first round...and he was upset that Jarvis didn't see it that way. So he was the first pick in the second round.
An AAU team outta California with Baron Davis, Schea Cotton, and the likes. Riverside played them again "down the road" and beat 'em by 20-something.
www.legendssf.com
It was in the same tournament. They lost to them in a preliminary game and beat them by 20 as you said in the championship game. The Collin’s twins (Stanford and the NBA) were both on that California team also.
I don't think it would have worked. Both guys needed the ball in their hands to be effective.
"The violation in question concerned exchanging cars with a family friend, two sources familiar with the case have told The Associated Press.
Barkley traded his late model Jeep Cherokee for a bigger but older Ford Expedition that belongs to a family friend, said a source close to Barkley and another with knowledge of the matter, both speaking on condition of anonymity.
That exchange would have been a violation of NCAA rules if Barkley received preferential treatment because he is an athlete or if it constituted possible payback for when he turns professional."
Good reminder for everyone pining for the good ol' days.
Did you start this thread just to troll me by bringing up one of my all-time least favorite SJU players, also inevitably causing someone to mention He Who Shall Not Be Named?
