Played golf with a guy named Peter Lonergan who is a member at my Club in South Fort Myers. Peter said he was coach of the Niagara Purple Eagles the year they shocked the undefeated Mullin/Berry team up in Niagara. At the end of the game the crowd stormed the court, and Carnesecca got caught in the middle of the frenzy. Pete claims Lou told him that one of the students stole his meal money from his sports coat pocket, Not sure I believe this, but Pete swears to it and claims that from that point on Lou started wearing sweaters.
Interesting Story
- Thread starter Gabelmc
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[quote="Gabelmc" post=365083]Played golf with a guy named Peter Lonergan who is a member at my Club in South Fort Myers. Peter said he was coach of the Niagara Purple Eagles the year they shocked the undefeated Mullin/Berry team up in Niagara. At the end of the game the crowd stormed the court, and Carnesecca got caught in the middle of the frenzy. Pete claims Lou told him that one of the students stole his meal money from his sports coat pocket, Not sure I believe this, but Pete swears to it and claims that from that point on Lou started wearing sweaters.[/quote]
Apparently it wasn’t a happy night for any of us.
Apparently it wasn’t a happy night for any of us.
[quote="otis" post=365106]I hope that StJohn;s schedules Niagara again.[/quote]
That was an annual game every year. I think it’s a Vincentian school as well. They use to joke that Niagara was the training ground for the next President of SJU. They alternated home team every year. Not sure why this game died. For a few years they gave us fits but we usually had the upper hand.
That was an annual game every year. I think it’s a Vincentian school as well. They use to joke that Niagara was the training ground for the next President of SJU. They alternated home team every year. Not sure why this game died. For a few years they gave us fits but we usually had the upper hand.
Niagara had more talented teams back in the sixties and seventies. They played SJU then every year and rotating the home court. I had a buddy attending Niagara back in the sixties and travelled up there to spend a weekend and see the game with two classmates.
We were the only fans rooting for SJU in an arena that held about four thousand. SJU had a very good team but Niagara stayed in the game before losing because Ivan Kovac played his career game for SJU.
The fan interest for Niagara was tremendous and my buddy said the SJU game was their biggest game just about every year. The annual games continued for many years but I think Niagara lowered its expectations and joined the MAAC.
We were the only fans rooting for SJU in an arena that held about four thousand. SJU had a very good team but Niagara stayed in the game before losing because Ivan Kovac played his career game for SJU.
The fan interest for Niagara was tremendous and my buddy said the SJU game was their biggest game just about every year. The annual games continued for many years but I think Niagara lowered its expectations and joined the MAAC.
[quote="Gabelmc" post=365083]Played golf with a guy named Peter Lonergan who is a member at my Club in South Fort Myers. Peter said he was coach of the Niagara Purple Eagles the year they shocked the undefeated Mullin/Berry team up in Niagara. At the end of the game the crowd stormed the court, and Carnesecca got caught in the middle of the frenzy. Pete claims Lou told him that one of the students stole his meal money from his sports coat pocket, Not sure I believe this, but Pete swears to it and claims that from that point on Lou started wearing sweaters.[/quote]
I would take that story with a grain of salt. That game was before the Big East season started and was sometime in December. The Sweater did not appear until a BE road game against Pitt as Coach Carnesseca Niagara game was in December. The story goes that Carnesecca was under the weather and wore it to stay warm as the old gym at Pitt was cold and draft word has it. St. John's won the game which was the first time they beat Pitt at Pitt since Pitt joined the BE. Carnesecca being somewhat superstitious, decided to keep the sweater.
There was disturbance as the students stormed the court after the Niagara win. Evidently some fan thought it would be a good idea to grab the players warm-ups from a student manager as he was trying to leave the court.. Bad idea, as the fan wasn't successful and got the crap beat out of him.
I would take that story with a grain of salt. That game was before the Big East season started and was sometime in December. The Sweater did not appear until a BE road game against Pitt as Coach Carnesseca Niagara game was in December. The story goes that Carnesecca was under the weather and wore it to stay warm as the old gym at Pitt was cold and draft word has it. St. John's won the game which was the first time they beat Pitt at Pitt since Pitt joined the BE. Carnesecca being somewhat superstitious, decided to keep the sweater.
There was disturbance as the students stormed the court after the Niagara win. Evidently some fan thought it would be a good idea to grab the players warm-ups from a student manager as he was trying to leave the court.. Bad idea, as the fan wasn't successful and got the crap beat out of him.
[quote="SJU85" post=365144][quote="Gabelmc" post=365083]Played golf with a guy named Peter Lonergan who is a member at my Club in South Fort Myers. Peter said he was coach of the Niagara Purple Eagles the year they shocked the undefeated Mullin/Berry team up in Niagara. At the end of the game the crowd stormed the court, and Carnesecca got caught in the middle of the frenzy. Pete claims Lou told him that one of the students stole his meal money from his sports coat pocket, Not sure I believe this, but Pete swears to it and claims that from that point on Lou started wearing sweaters.[/quote]
I would take that story with a grain of salt. That game was before the Big East season started and was sometime in December. The Sweater did not appear until a BE road game against Pitt as Coach Carnesseca Niagara game was in December. The story goes that Carnesecca was under the weather and wore it to stay warm as the old gym at Pitt was cold and draft word has it. St. John's won the game which was the first time they beat Pitt at Pitt since Pitt joined the BE. Carnesecca being somewhat superstitious, decided to keep the sweater.
There was disturbance as the students stormed the court after the Niagara win. Evidently some fan thought it would be a good idea to grab the players warm-ups from a student manager as he was trying to leave the court.. Bad idea, as the fan wasn't successful and got the crap beat out of him.[/quote]
Lou may not have gotten his money stolen but I definitively could see him saying that jokingly.
I would take that story with a grain of salt. That game was before the Big East season started and was sometime in December. The Sweater did not appear until a BE road game against Pitt as Coach Carnesseca Niagara game was in December. The story goes that Carnesecca was under the weather and wore it to stay warm as the old gym at Pitt was cold and draft word has it. St. John's won the game which was the first time they beat Pitt at Pitt since Pitt joined the BE. Carnesecca being somewhat superstitious, decided to keep the sweater.
There was disturbance as the students stormed the court after the Niagara win. Evidently some fan thought it would be a good idea to grab the players warm-ups from a student manager as he was trying to leave the court.. Bad idea, as the fan wasn't successful and got the crap beat out of him.[/quote]
Lou may not have gotten his money stolen but I definitively could see him saying that jokingly.
JohnnyFever
Active member
Worked with someone today who said they went to SJU for undergrad. Told her I went for grad school and discussed the basketball program. She said her and her husband used to go to games a lot and I told her they should get tickets sometime because they're 10-2 and look good. Also ran into a guy in a Walgreens with a SJU sweatshirt last night and asked if he was watching the game and he said yes. There really are so many alums and casual fans...we just need to find ways to get them in seats. 2 or 3 very good years in a row with some rankings every now and then would probably do the trick.
Ray Morgan
Well-known member
About 15 years before the game in 1984, Looie was asked about Calvin Murphy and his fast hands. Looie said" If you open your mouth he will steal your teeth". At least that's how I remember it. He probably used that line about other players over the years.