Great David Russell Article

[quote="Paultzman" post=370422]By RM site visitor & friend, coincidently, David Russell

[URL]https://www.qchron.com/edition...cle_62b18d33-51da-540b-9c8f-7fd83243a69e.html[/URL][/quote]

I loved the 4 years David gave the school--he was a very exciting player. The article mentioning that 1983 team not making the Final Four is spot on. I was there in the Dome when we lost to Georgia by three and am still pissed. That team I felt was even better than 1985 squad. I thought the loss of Jeff Allen to injury late in the season took a lot out of us as he was a great compliment to Wennigton. In the Georgia game Terry fair killed us inside. Then one of my all time favorites, Kevin Williams fouls out and plays only a half game and was replaced by Bobby Kelly who gave nothing that day. I was so looking forward to us playing MJ and UNC.
 
[quote="BrooklynRed" post=370434][quote="Paultzman" post=370422]By RM site visitor & friend, coincidently, David Russell

[URL]https://www.qchron.com/edition...cle_62b18d33-51da-540b-9c8f-7fd83243a69e.html[/URL][/quote]

I loved the 4 years David gave the school--he was a very exciting player. The article mentioning that 1983 team not making the Final Four is spot on. I was there in the Dome when we lost to Georgia by three and am still pissed. That team I felt was even better than 1985 squad. I thought the loss of Jeff Allen to injury late in the season took a lot out of us as he was a great compliment to Wennigton. In the Georgia game Terry fair killed us inside. Then one of my all time favorites, Kevin Williams fouls out and plays only a half game and was replaced by Bobby Kelly who gave nothing that day. I was so looking forward to us playing MJ and UNC.[/quote]

Bobby Kelly reference is a migraine activator. :)
 
[quote="BrooklynRed" post=370434][quote="Paultzman" post=370422]By RM site visitor & friend, coincidently, David Russell

[URL]https://www.qchron.com/edition...cle_62b18d33-51da-540b-9c8f-7fd83243a69e.html[/URL][/quote]

I loved the 4 years David gave the school--he was a very exciting player. The article mentioning that 1983 team not making the Final Four is spot on. I was there in the Dome when we lost to Georgia by three and am still pissed. That team I felt was even better than 1985 squad. I thought the loss of Jeff Allen to injury late in the season took a lot out of us as he was a great compliment to Wennigton. In the Georgia game Terry fair killed us inside. Then one of my all time favorites, Kevin Williams fouls out and plays only a half game and was replaced by Bobby Kelly who gave nothing that day. I was so looking forward to us playing MJ and UNC.[/quote]

Jeff Allen’s injury and Kevin Williams had the flu and was very far from 100%. Loosing 2 of our top 7 was just too much for us to overcome and of course as previously mentioned Terry Fair was just outstanding. Forget Vern Fleming from Queens who was a very good player on that Georgia team. I will never forget walking out of a bar on 34 th street late at night in absolute shock that we had lost. It was inconceivable as we were ranked 3rd in the country and had won the BE Championship.
 
[quote="BrooklynRed" post=370434][quote="Paultzman" post=370422]By RM site visitor & friend, coincidently, David Russell

[URL]https://www.qchron.com/edition...cle_62b18d33-51da-540b-9c8f-7fd83243a69e.html[/URL][/quote]



I loved the 4 years David gave the school--he was a very exciting player. The article mentioning that 1983 team not making the Final Four is spot on. I was there in the Dome when we lost to Georgia by three and am still pissed. That team I felt was even better than 1985 squad. I thought the loss of Jeff Allen to injury late in the season took a lot out of us as he was a great compliment to Wennigton. In the Georgia game Terry fair killed us inside. Then one of my all time favorites, Kevin Williams fouls out and plays only a half game and was replaced by Bobby Kelly who gave nothing that day. I was so looking forward to us playing MJ and UNC.[/quote]

My wife and I also made the trek to the Carrier Dome,

Painful loss all these years later.
 
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I got to know David when he was a social worker
Great guy and an outstanding representative of St John's
 
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[quote="BrooklynRed" post=370434][quote="Paultzman" post=370422]By RM site visitor & friend, coincidently, David Russell

[URL]https://www.qchron.com/edition...cle_62b18d33-51da-540b-9c8f-7fd83243a69e.html[/URL][/quote]

I loved the 4 years David gave the school--he was a very exciting player. The article mentioning that 1983 team not making the Final Four is spot on. I was there in the Dome when we lost to Georgia by three and am still pissed. That team I felt was even better than 1985 squad. I thought the loss of Jeff Allen to injury late in the season took a lot out of us as he was a great compliment to Wennigton. In the Georgia game Terry fair killed us inside. Then one of my all time favorites, Kevin Williams fouls out and plays only a half game and was replaced by Bobby Kelly who gave nothing that day. I was so looking forward to us playing MJ and UNC.[/quote]
Aggravated the $%^%&^( out of me...rode the elevator at the hotel with a bunch of Georgia fans all screaming “How ‘bout them dawgs!”
 
I felt David was an extremely good college player victimized a little by "Pearl Washington" syndrome. Pearl was so good at the high school and college level that he could get away with a very ugly almost set shot from the outside. At the next level the lack of made him very human, even if he was the only college player who could take the ball right at PAtrick Ewing, who was a defensive monster in college, and freeze him and score over him.

David had such incredible hops and a very nice mid range jumper. His ball handling was suspect, and he didn't have great moves to the hoop. But on the win during a fast break he was a thing of beauty.

Still and all great player - pride of Bellport.
 
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[quote="Section3" post=370448][quote="BrooklynRed" post=370434][quote="Paultzman" post=370422]By RM site visitor & friend, coincidently, David Russell

[URL]https://www.qchron.com/edition...cle_62b18d33-51da-540b-9c8f-7fd83243a69e.html[/URL][/quote]

I loved the 4 years David gave the school--he was a very exciting player. The article mentioning that 1983 team not making the Final Four is spot on. I was there in the Dome when we lost to Georgia by three and am still pissed. That team I felt was even better than 1985 squad. I thought the loss of Jeff Allen to injury late in the season took a lot out of us as he was a great compliment to Wennigton. In the Georgia game Terry fair killed us inside. Then one of my all time favorites, Kevin Williams fouls out and plays only a half game and was replaced by Bobby Kelly who gave nothing that day. I was so looking forward to us playing MJ and UNC.[/quote]
Aggravated the $%^%&^( out of me...rode the elevator at the hotel with a bunch of Georgia fans all screaming “How ‘bout them dawgs!”[/quote]

I am told I was there but really have amnesia about the whole thing although the phrase "How bout them dawgs", makes me want to throw up!

I really was expecting to go to the final four that year.
 
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In May '83 a few weeks before the draft I played with David on the same squad. Ward Melville HS open gym, I looked for every opportunity to throw an alley-oop, never materialized. But what a treat to play alongside one of my all-time favorite players.
 
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