Hey, guys, he said. Rollie Massiminos preferred mode of transportation is the golf cart he drives to meet a visitor at the front gate of the Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla. But still.) Though their lives, and the game of basketball, would take them all in very different directions, every member of that 1985 championship program remains connected through the power of their improbable, unforgetable, victory. His second went 15-16 but also made the tournament. It was all on Gary. The Wildcats played very deliberately (Like snails, says Pinckney), but almost always with purpose. Golden Girls meets Dr. Naismith. They played their home games at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pennsylvania. But I wouldnt change anything.), In 1987 Marbach was hired at Canisius, dragging his pregnant wife, Denise, with him, even though her CPA career was blossoming. The lack of a clock played to Massiminos strength, and he used slow tempo like a billy club, mixing up the 55 defensive sets in the Villanova scheme (Massimino still has them at home in a playbookmultiples, he called them) and working each offensive possession as if a missed shot would lead to incarceration. But the sophomore swingman would come up big in the tournament. I called him to gauge his interest in my son playing for him at Savannah State. Broadnax has been head coach at Division I Savannah State since 2005. The title game, stolen from Georgetown, deprived coach John Thompson's hard-ass Hoyas of their second consecutive national championship and status as a mini-dynasty. Nothing the rest of the year takes the place of a long football weekend.. Villanova experienced very little roster turnover after the 1983-84 season. But I never thought he had a drug addiction. Stack says, After the article students came up to me and said, Well, everybody knew it. There was a perception that the administration knew it. They called the scrimmage the Brothers versus the Joeys, and not for the first time. Jimmy Valvano warned me that would happen, says Massimino. 1. Father John Driscoll, the Villanova president who made the two decisions to eliminate and restore football, remains concerned by the price of the most expensive of campus sports. ; and Pinckney, a solid big man from Adlai Stevenson High in the Bronx who was under-recruited. Villanova's 10-3 record included four victories over Top 25 opponents, including No. Three starters, Dwayne McClain, Harold Pressley, and Gary McLain played all 40 minutes in the Championship. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Villanova Wildcats NCAA Rings for sale | eBay They shot the heck out of the ball., Thompson says, Villanova deserves a hell of a lot of credit. While the glowering Thompson coached with a white towel draped over his shoulder, his Hoyas played hard, fouled hard and didnt talk much about it afterward. Buonaguro, now 62, was fired. Many of them are still without punts and passes on the intercollegiate level, but many have brought football back--and they have typically come back with Division II or III teams. Gary McLains 1987 SI cover story on his cocaine use shocked the sports world and opened lasting wounds in the Villanova basketball family. And Mitch and I are good now.), (Since 2008, Marbach, 61, has been working as a sales rep for Ampro Sports in Philadelphia. 'Cats Head To North Jersey For Pivotal BIG EAST Series - Villanova The 1985 squad remains tight to this day. Nothing takes the place of football, said a Wildcat alumnus, Charlie Johnson, an industrial sales company vice president in York, Pa. Its in the fall that your thoughts go back to your old college. He wished he hadnt said those things about Buonaguro and he wished I hadnt written them. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The 1985 Villanova Wildcats football team represented Villanova University in the 1985 NCAA Division III football season. I had been shooting the ball well the whole tournament. The Wildcats did not trail again. I remember in the latter part of the regular season, I was really wondering about myself. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Talley is Villanova's all-time winningest coach, amassing a 229-137-1 record over a 32-year span (1985-2016), including the Wildcats' lone national title in football, the FCS National . We present them here for purely educational purposes. and Mrs. Plansky, its not your sons fault. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. He, Pinckney and McClain would form the nucleus of the Wildcats title team. Coach Mass cared about us a lot, wrote McLain. Villanova Univeristy Athletics #GONOVA Main Navigation Menu Main Content Section All-Time Roster More History 100 Moments Fan Memories Uniforms Shop Ad Blocker Detected Thanks for visiting villanova.com! Saturday, when Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante and his 3-0 Wildcats trek up to State College to take on the undefeated and No. Its a nice icebreaker around Philadelphia.), Lappas was the last to leave Villanova. Believe you can win. And then he sat back down. It was nothing complicated, says McClain. Dont play this game not to lose. He came back again four years ago, when the team was inducted, en masse, into the Villanova sports hall of fame. All but two players and every coach and manager were present. 2000 Villanova Wildcats football team - Wikipedia McLain says SI paid $35,000 for his words in 1987, but after hed shared the fee with Marx and paid off some debts, he had $6,000. After a late-season loss to Boston College Jensen was so upset that he hyperventilated in the postgame locker room and needed treatment from the Villanova medical staff. ), (Chuck Daly died five years later at age 79), (As always, McLain was the complex exception. Marbach says, I did not set out with a master plan. They played a great game. Coach Mass helped me through it. And they were going to the Final Four. The 85 Wildcats remain the lowest seed to win the National Championship. It was like we were in 1985 all over again.) On the day before his team beat Memphis State in the Final Four semifinals, Villanova coach Rollie Massimino allowed the players to choose sides for a public workout at a nearly packed Rupp Arena. The three of them became friends, and when Buonaguro induced McLain to commit to Villanova, McLain put the heat on McClain to join him, and McClain in turn applied pressure on Pinckney. And he carried the hurt with him for a long time. Villanova players from 85 publicly disputed the details of McLains account and claimed they knew nothing of McLains drug use. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. When Massiminos name was announced, he received a standing ovation. In the summer of 2005, Everson brought them together, unbeknownst to both men, at the summer basketball camp that Everson runs on his native Long Island. A couple of days ago I heard from eight players in one day, he says. When the football team is playing at home, a lot of alums come back for an overnight, Capone said. 1984-85 Villanova Wildcats Men's Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 25-10 (9-7, 4th in Big East MBB ) Coach: Rollie Massimino PS/G: 68.7 (161st of 282) More School Info NCAA Champion Villanova (Men's) School History Roster & Stats Polls, Schedule & Results On this page: Roster Per Game Team and Opponent Stats Per Game Totals 1985-86 Villanova Wildcats Men's Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 23-14 (10-6, 4th in Big East MBB ) Coach: Rollie Massimino PS/G: 69.8 (143rd of 283) More School Info Villanova (Men's) School History Roster & Stats Polls, Schedule & Results On this page: Roster Per Game Team and Opponent Stats Per Game Totals Per 40 Minutes Last November Villanovas basketball team hosted Northwood University, where 85 head coach Rollie Massimino is the 80-year-old head coach, and turned the weekend into a celebration of the 85 teams 30-year anniversary. Private schools are, however, something different. He returned to the band in 1996 and again in 2006. I said things, and I paid the price for saying them. (In a 2014 interview with the Associated Press, McLain said of the SI story, It hurts me that I hurt people.) He has had numerous jobs in the last 17 years, with a few of what he calls employment gaps. He once lived on a horse farm in rural Florida and once was in a relationship with a woman who ran an escort service. Youre a lifer, Daly says. Villanova owns a 50-43 edge in the all-time series, but Seton Hall maintains a 24-19 mark in SHU home games. A year earlier I would have been happy if youd told me I could get a ticket to the Final Four. After four years at Villanova he became Massiminos top assistant at age 34. Marys and Santa Clara are playing in Division II now, Boda said. As soon as I came into the game Lenny drops to the low block and starts screaming, Mismatch! Many others arrive by 10:30 Saturday morning and spend up to seven or eight hours on campus, talking with old friends, meeting key alumni, visiting the bookstore, tailgating, cheering the home team. He says he has lapsed into drug or alcohol use a couple of times but is currently sticking with a 12-step program and attending meetings. 1 seed for Division 1 baseball playoffs, High school tennis: Southern Section playoff pairings, High school baseball: Southern Section playoff pairings, Dig this: Long Beach States Mason Briggs could be next big thing at libero, Kentucky Derby storylines: Training death puts early pall over Churchill Downs. Who the f--- do they think they are? Read more about our data coverage. The stall lasted less than half a minute before Martins hard pass bounced off Broadnaxs shin near the sideline in front of the Georgetown bench. 2023 Penn Relays: Live updates, results, schedule, how to watch Lives turned on the outcome, and lives are affected still: touched, guided, haunted. Among the other prospective recruits at the camp were McLain, a Long Island native living with his high school coach in southeastern Massachusetts; McClain, a willowy 6' 6" forward from Worcester, Mass. If its that important to them, its that important to the university., At the alumni office, Capone, the former coach who recruited Raider end Howie Long for Villanova, said: Compared to the total budget at any college, the football budget isnt that bad.. The Villanova University Wildcats built a 5-0 record last fall, finishing the college football season as the nations only undefeated and untied team in either of the top two divisions, I-A and I-AA. Find out more. I felt very comfortable with the community that Coach Mass had built at Villanova.. But everyone assumed we were locked in our rooms., As for being unpopular, in truth the Georgetown program of the mid-1980s was the precursor to UNLVs Runnin Rebels of 1990-91 and Michigans Fab Five of 1992 and 93, teams comprised primarily of African-American athletes who played with toughness and style (though Georgetown preceded the baggy shorts era that lives today) and made White America just a little uncomfortable. But he said I dont have to talk to anybody. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Go back to your rooms, he said. We all wanted the Big East, and we knew with a point guard, a small forward and a big man, maybe we could do something.. Trailing 28-27 with 1:58 left in the first half, Villanova took possession off a Georgetown miss and went into a four-corners delay. They sure have. I do look back sometimes. (Since 2008, Marbach, 61, has been working as a sales rep for Ampro Sports in Philadelphia. Close your eyes and picture yourself playing this game to win. The ups and downs. I felt badly, too, but I also felt that Plansky had been honest in his original assessment, and he never pulled back from that. Every possession, wed take the ball out and give it to Gary, says Pinckney. That could be schtick. Massimino, 69, looks healthier than the night he coached Villanova to the title, frightened into good behavior by a ministroke last spring. The peak, 685, was reached in 1948 with the deluge of GI bill federal funds. However, he won just two NCAA tournament games and left under fire after the 2000-01 season. They were a family. After McLains screed was published in 87, Massimino vowed never to speak with SI again. I was so consumed with climbing up the coaching ladder, that I lost sight with things, says Marbach. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Get the best deals on Villanova Wildcats NCAA Rings when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Even on the road Rollie never wanted to be alone in hotel suite, says Mitch Buonaguro, his top assistant in 85. I saw him a few years ago at a Georgetown function. Have they ever talked about the turnover? Maybe people thought I was a rat or I did something bad just for money, he says. Just say today. Two days later, he called me and invited me to come to Florida). Despite long-tenured NBA playing and coaching careers, the main story that Villanova critics quickly recall is the admission by Gary McLain that he played the National Semifinal game against Memphis high on cocaine. Some of them did drugs with me. He wrote that Massimino knew about his drug use but didnt try to expose him because that might have led to the discovery of other users and damaged the team. It took a long time., (When this story was published in 2004, Massimino and McLain had spoken twice since McLains SI story was publishedonce briefly at a team reunion in 95 and later on the phone. He was hilarious, says Pinone. Do you have a blog? With 70 seconds to go, Jensen dribbled from near midcourt to the top of the key, encountered no resistance and continued all the way to the basket for a layup that gave Villanova the lead and, eventually, the win. They stood and talked for a long time, with Eversons teenaged son. Pinckney has loaned McLain money on several occasions. 1984-85 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team - Wikipedia Looking back on them. 1970 Villanova Wildcats football team - Wikipedia Shapland died at age 57 in April of 2013.). The official Football news stories archives for the Villanova University Wildcats He was telling me that I was playing soft, and I took serious offense at that. 1 seed, yet lost to North Carolina State in their second tournament game.) I dont think he wanted to lose us. Massimino read the story in his office at The Pavilion, surrounded by his assistants. Marbach sold real estate and did radio commentary on Siena games for five years. I should have stayed at Villanova, Massimino says. Neither interaction fully bridged the divide between them. Or write about sports? In 1985, when nobody dropped, Villanova was only one of six schools adding or resuming football.. His family atmosphere was absolutely key, says Harold Pressley, who in 1982 as a senior at St. Bernard High in Uncasville, Conn., was an All-America. Why the 1985 Villanova team is the ultimate March Madness cinderella, Exclusive: 4* Christian Bliss (24) talks Nova, VU Hoops Tommy Godin sat down with George School standout Christian Bliss to discuss his recruitment, trip to Villanova, and more. Eleven years ago I wrote a . His battles with the church arent over, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! 1 seed Michigan (59-55) and Maryland (46-43). What Kentucky is today, Georgetown was in 1985, only with older players. We have a great administration, great assistant coaches. Coaches everywhere were instantly and forever given license to dream aloud, inspiring their teams to do the impossible: Boys, let me tell you a story about a basketball game back in 1985. I have been humbled in this life, says McLain. That image sold papers and made people watch us on television., Reality lay somewhere between the media myth and the teams sweet memory. 2022 Football Roster. Massimino doesnt deny it. We played fine, says Ewing now. They had been to two Sweet 16s and fought tons of Big East battles. Pinckney, McClain, McLain and the junior Pressley had been joined in the starting lineup by junior shooting guard Dwight Wilbur from Paterson, N.J. Jensen would back up Wilbur, while the hulking Everson and Mark Plansky, a 6' 7" freshman sapling from the Boston area, would get frontline minutes off the bench. In his ninth season with the Wildcats, Rollie Massimino finally took them all the way. UCF football adds Villanova, completes 2023 non-conference slate Pressley talks to Pinckney on the phone at least three times a week. Very hard on himself. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Massimino cant get out three sentences without dropping the names of half a dozen former players or assistant coaches, each of whom is referred tosincerely, it seemsas a dear friend. Some go back as far as days coaching high school in Hillside, N.J. During a two-hour interview he gets three calls on his cellphone, all from former players. It came to mean something quite different, says Asher. Im about to go into a meeting, but Ill be free after 5 p.m. today. The leaves are turning, a frost is in the air, the familiar sound is a punted ball. Others hold more than just memories. Siena named Buonaguro as his replacement, and the Saints struggled badly, going 35-59 in three seasons and never finishing higher than sixth in the MAAC. Got to. He has never discussed the play with Martin. Theyre trying to chump us, and its b-------! He calmed down after several minutes, but the energy remained and carried Villanova into the second half. Nineteen (Thirty) years, yet this game hasnt loosened its grip. Read our privacy guidelines, your California privacy rights, and ad choices. 18 Rhode Island, No. Before the night was finished Villanova would make 22 of 29 field goal attempts, a mind-boggling 78.6%, including nine of 10 in the second half.
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