I remember Looie doing similar during a coaching clinic at Camp All America when I was there as a 4th grader. Funny stuff.
Looie
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I remember Looie doing similar during a coaching clinic at Camp All America when I was there as a 4th grader. Funny stuff.
The last 25 years have been a deep disappointment, but we are very fortunate to have had both Looie and Joe Lapchick as our basketball coaches for forty years. Also, fortunate to have had alum, Frank McGuire, for five years. Three Hall of Famers and now, we catch the final act of a fourth.
I usually wound up in one of those first ten rows unfortunately.Ok another Louie story:
On road trips he loved a HOT BUS. He sat towards the rear of the bus to keep an eye on everybody. But in the busses in the 80’s and 90’s, the front 10 rows were always hotter than the rear 10. So Louie would always speak loudly “TURN UP THE HEAT” to the bus driver. He’d would turn around and look at us and shrug his shoulders while driving. But he knew who was the boss, so he’d crank it up. It got so hot in there that we’d roast.
Some players up front would crank open the windows to cool off, some would sit in shorts and tshirts, while Louie sat in a heavy coat. Finally the bus company figured out that they could duct tape the bottom heat vents near the floor in the front of the bus so we could survivethose trips while keeping the rear HOT.
And hotel’s were under orders to keep the heat cranked up in team rooms and his suite.
I know @SJU85 shed a few pounds in the bus sweatbox through the years!
Coach also liked it warm during practices and on weekends and late night practices would claim about it being cold, especially during winter break. Phone calls would be made to attempt to get someone to come in and turn up the heat usually to no avail. I think eventually they would have someone there just in case.
Alumni Hall
Well-known member
Dave @SJU85 not sure if you were there that infamous Christmas night practice. So,we brought the guys back Christmas night as we were playing in the Holiday Festival soon. So in old Alumni Hall, there was a key switch, called the light key switch as it turned on all the arena lights. You put the key in and turned it, lights came on and it was located on the wall underneath the banners in the end zone.
Well, this cold, snowy Christmas night, our manager who will hence go unnamed, put the key in and turned it a little too hard and it snapped off without the lights coming on. It was the ONLY key
. Lou gets me aside and told me to call a locksmith. He gives me the look, so I head to my office. I took the yellow pages, called three, but being Christmas night and it’s snowing, no one is picking up. Finally I get someone and explain what happened, and he told me unless I'm locked out of my house, no way he was coming. So,I inform Coach and then he surprises everyone by telling the managers to get the auxiliary gym ready as it was filled with baseball and softball gear and hitting cages down. Now, there was no heat in there, windows were broken from errant baseballs, snow is coming in. Coach gets everyone dressed in sweats and we practice for maybe 15 minutes. Coach asked me if I had any tea or soup to give the players to keep them warm. “All out coach” I said, so he blows his whistle and sends us all home.Well from then on, we must have had 5 keys made and that poor manager was never allowed to turn the lights on again!
Dave @SJU85 not sure if you were there that infamous Christmas night practice. So,we brought the guys back Christmas night as we were playing in the Holiday Festival soon. So in old Alumni Hall, there was a key switch, called the light key switch as it turned on all the arena lights. You put the key in and turned it, lights came on and it was located on the wall underneath the banners in the end zone.
Well, this cold, snowy Christmas night, our manager who will hence go unnamed, put the key in and turned it a little too hard and it snapped off without the lights coming on. It was the ONLY key
Well from then on, we must have had 5 keys made and that poor manager was never allowed to turn the lights on again!
No, I wasn’t there for that one and I am really happy I wasn’t.Dave @SJU85 not sure if you were there that infamous Christmas night practice. So,we brought the guys back Christmas night as we were playing in the Holiday Festival soon. So in old Alumni Hall, there was a key switch, called the light key switch as it turned on all the arena lights. You put the key in and turned it, lights came on and it was located on the wall underneath the banners in the end zone.
Well, this cold, snowy Christmas night, our manager who will hence go unnamed, put the key in and turned it a little too hard and it snapped off without the lights coming on. It was the ONLY key
Well from then on, we must have had 5 keys made and that poor manager was never allowed to turn the lights on again!
Johnnies_24
Well-known member
I went to SJU and worked there for over 25 years. And there is not a better human being on the planet than little Looie. I have a few stories about meeting and talking to coach C. My favorite moment came during the ‘86 Big East championship game at MSG. I was 15 at the time & my father took me to the game. Somehow he got us two seats in the fourth row behind the basket in the SJU student section. If u recall we had a rough first half against ‘Cuse and were down I believe 11 at the half.
My pop had this very old 8x10 black & white photo of Looie standing next to Joe Lapchick coaching on the sidelines. During halftime my dad hands me the picture and tells me to go ask Looie to sign it. So I got as close to the SJU bench as possible until security stopped me. At that point I yelled out coaches name to get his attention & held up the pic so he could see it. When he saw the pic, he smiled & than waved at the security guard to let me through. I handed him the pic and he asked me - “Where did u get this kid?” I told him my father had it hanging in his office for years. He then patted me on the head and signed the photo. I told him Good Luck in the second half. He than winked at me and said - “Don’t worry kid we have them right where we want them”.
I said thanks coach and turned around to leave when he told me to hold on a second. He went back to the bench and came back with two SJU t-shirts for me and my father. I was stunned. They don’t come much nicer than coach Carnesecca. If u are ever on campus I suggest u pop into the Asian center where he keeps an office. The walls are filled with pictures of him with his former players/coaches, NBA stars, celebrities, politicians & even a pic of him with the Pope. The man is literally a Saint!
My pop had this very old 8x10 black & white photo of Looie standing next to Joe Lapchick coaching on the sidelines. During halftime my dad hands me the picture and tells me to go ask Looie to sign it. So I got as close to the SJU bench as possible until security stopped me. At that point I yelled out coaches name to get his attention & held up the pic so he could see it. When he saw the pic, he smiled & than waved at the security guard to let me through. I handed him the pic and he asked me - “Where did u get this kid?” I told him my father had it hanging in his office for years. He then patted me on the head and signed the photo. I told him Good Luck in the second half. He than winked at me and said - “Don’t worry kid we have them right where we want them”.
I said thanks coach and turned around to leave when he told me to hold on a second. He went back to the bench and came back with two SJU t-shirts for me and my father. I was stunned. They don’t come much nicer than coach Carnesecca. If u are ever on campus I suggest u pop into the Asian center where he keeps an office. The walls are filled with pictures of him with his former players/coaches, NBA stars, celebrities, politicians & even a pic of him with the Pope. The man is literally a Saint!
Johnnies_24
Well-known member
God Bless u Looie!
Legend has it that Lou once threw a blackboard eraser at Rick who wasn’t paying attention at a team meeting.
True story. Rick was awarded 2 free throws and got the ball.
I have posted this before, went to the same high school as Barry, graduated in ’68, he in ‘62. Question around town was whether he was a better basketball player or bigger a$$hole. True fact, the town had to coerce players to play in a game when they held Rick Barry Day.
Bruce Hale went to heaven because of Barry
fan since 65
Well-known member
Here's my contribution. One year my nephew and I flew to Pittsburgh (thank you PeoplExpress, probably 29 bucks) for a game and were supposed to stay at the team hotel. We get there and there was a fire in the building so we were sent to a different hotel, same as where the team was sent. As we're checking in, Coach sees us and asks Dennis Myron what we were doing there since this was during our attempt at recreating Hoya Paranoia and no one was supposed to know where the team stayed. Dennis, being quick, reminded Coach that there was a fire in their hotel and it was just a coincidence we ended up in the same place.
It was a long time ago but I also think there may have been a disco/nightclub off the lobby and Coach wanted to move out of there after he saw that. On a Friday night, middle of winter, in Pittsburgh. Dennis and Dutch Ouderkirk volunteered to patrol that area to make sure no players wandered down there.
@Alumni Hall Remember that night?
It was a long time ago but I also think there may have been a disco/nightclub off the lobby and Coach wanted to move out of there after he saw that. On a Friday night, middle of winter, in Pittsburgh. Dennis and Dutch Ouderkirk volunteered to patrol that area to make sure no players wandered down there.
@Alumni Hall Remember that night?
Alumni Hall
Well-known member
100%. When the team bus arrived from the old Pitt airport to our team hotel, everything was dark. No lights at the team hotel. They explained what happened to me and told me we were reassigned to a different Holiday Inn. We get there and the place was hopping, bar right in the lobby, women all over the place. Well Carnesecca was not happy about this situation so he tells me to go to the managers office and get another hotel. So I do and the night manager makes some calls and there are no hotels in the area that can take us. So Carnesecca begrudgingly allows us to stay there but the players all had to be on the same floor. So we had Mahoney, and Rutledge camping out on the players floor, managers guarding the elevators, and Dutch and Dennis “guarding” the bar.
fan since 65
Well-known member
And I guarded Dennis and Dutch in there. Dutch let nothing get by him.
That was February 1988! Time flies.
His daughter was married to Rick . For a while .Bruce Hale went to heaven because of Barry
I know I have told this story several times but , I was working and living in the Rochester area back in the late 70’s.
St John’s was playing Niagara in the Buffalo War Memorial Auditorium and I went to the game .
It was a Doubleheader and Canisius was playing who knows . Maybe the Bonnie’s
Anyway during that first game , I noticed Lou and I don’t remember who else sitting nearby . I couldn’t resist going over and introducing my self as a St John’s alum.
Lou asked” what are you doing in Buffalo ? Don’t you know Alums have to live within 100 miles of NYC , so they can go to the games ?”
He was kidding , of course . We chatted for a few minutes and then he said ,” I have to get ready for the game.” And , he left .
St John’s won a close game Vs the Purple Eagles but., the Louie story wasn’t finished .
Niagara had a Player named Phil Scaffidi , who had cancer and really couldn’t play but , they put him in the game in the last minutes . He had Leg Braces on and all .
Anyway , the game ends and Louie heads for Scaffidi and hugs him , says a few words and touches him gently on his cheek .
It was such a touching gesture by Lou that I never forgot it . Somethings just never leave your memory .
Phil Scaffidi died before the end of the Season but , I have to believe he took that meeting with Lou , with him .
St John’s was playing Niagara in the Buffalo War Memorial Auditorium and I went to the game .
It was a Doubleheader and Canisius was playing who knows . Maybe the Bonnie’s
Anyway during that first game , I noticed Lou and I don’t remember who else sitting nearby . I couldn’t resist going over and introducing my self as a St John’s alum.
Lou asked” what are you doing in Buffalo ? Don’t you know Alums have to live within 100 miles of NYC , so they can go to the games ?”
He was kidding , of course . We chatted for a few minutes and then he said ,” I have to get ready for the game.” And , he left .
St John’s won a close game Vs the Purple Eagles but., the Louie story wasn’t finished .
Niagara had a Player named Phil Scaffidi , who had cancer and really couldn’t play but , they put him in the game in the last minutes . He had Leg Braces on and all .
Anyway , the game ends and Louie heads for Scaffidi and hugs him , says a few words and touches him gently on his cheek .
It was such a touching gesture by Lou that I never forgot it . Somethings just never leave your memory .
Phil Scaffidi died before the end of the Season but , I have to believe he took that meeting with Lou , with him .
