Met Sweet D today.

[JarHeadJim]

Sweet D sounds like a P_orn name?

 

[Dick_in_MI]

Just looked it up and the game was at West Virginia, which explains a fan grabbing him.
Btw Stundis leveling George Bucci (the pride of Newburgh) happened right in front of the Zoo.

My favorite Zoo memory: we were playing Rutgers and a few Scarlet Blight fans had made the trip. One of them was sitting in the Zoo in front of me, not realizing that the Zoo was the epitome of hostile territory and he would have been better served sitting elsewhere. During warmups, the guy was standing and yelling insults at our players. Naturally, this eventually offended my delicate sensibilities and so I placed a partially opened packet of mustard on his seat. He was none too happy about it when he sat down. This was what we in the Zoo referred to as "sportsmanship" and "hospitality". I'm so ashamed...

Years later, I worked with a few Rutgers alums and one of them related how he hated road trips to Syracuse because of how unfriendly we were to their fans. I just nodded my head, feigned surprise, and said "hmmmm...really?"

 

[690West]

He coached Nottingham while I was playing in HS

He also coached J-D for a few years in the mid 90’s.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Lost in the mists of time with Earnie Siebert, Chris Sease, Bug Williams and Rudy Hackett.

"Don't call me 'Bug'." - Jimmy Williams

"Hey, who's that cat with the shades, Super Fly?" - Kevin Grevey of Kentucky in Sports Illustrated, commenting on Jimmy Williams at the 1975 Final Four.

 

[Willy75]

"Don't call me 'Bug'." - Jimmy Williams

"Hey, who's that cat with the shades, Super Fly?" - Kevin Grevey of Kentucky in Sports Illustrated, commenting on Jimmy Williams at the 1975 Final Four.

Coast to coast to beat K State and propel SU to the’75 FF. At least that’s what I remember (and I was there).

 

[rrlbees]

Coast to coast to beat K State and propel SU to the’75 FF. At least that’s what I remember (and I was there).

I might be misremembering but didn’t he pass it to Rudy Hackett who scored the basket and send it to OT?

 

[Willy75]

I might be misremembering but didn’t he pass it to Rudy Hackett who scored the basket and send it to OT?

You’re likely right, that’s why I added the awkward caveat. It was a great couple of days, first Phil Ford and UNC and then Chuckie Williams (?) and K-State.
The other tournament game I remember was at the Palestra when Joe Bryant missed a 5 footer at the buzzer and we advanced over La Salle.

 

[OrangePA]

Coast to coast to beat K State and propel SU to the’75 FF. At least that’s what I remember (and I was there).

I have never seen a faster player on the dribble

 

[Dick_in_MI]

I might be misremembering but didn’t he pass it to Rudy Hackett who scored the basket and send it to OT?

Yep, he did.

And to get us into that game, Hackett kicked it out to Lee for the jumper that beat UNC. Some really iconic SU plays on the road to our first Final Four that are, sadly, slipping so far into the rearview mirror of time that they are barely remembered anymore. We OG's have to keep them alive.

 

[OrangePA]

Yep, he did.

And to get us into that game, Hackett kicked it out to Lee for the jumper that beat UNC. Some really iconic SU plays on the road to our first Final Four that are, sadly, slipping so far into the rearview mirror of time that they are barely remembered anymore. We OG's have to keep them alive.

That was such a fun ride!

Rudy Hacket was great. Jimmy Williams was great. I loved Chris Sease.

But for me, Jimmy Lee was the real star of that run. Such a smart, clutch player - as good a shooter as I have seen on the Hill.

 

[br801]

Smith’s record, SU hoops legacy deserves to be remembered

You only get one chance to make a first impression, and what an impression Syracuse University basketball made on me when I attended my first game as a wide-eyed 15-year-old […]

rbj.net

Great stuff. Pitoniak is an excellent writer.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Great stuff. Pitoniak is an excellent writer.

That's a really nice article. Thanks.

 

[alphaorange]

In addition to Sweet D's warmup routine, whenever I think of Dennis my mind also is drawn to the guy who was supposed to be "the next Sweet D". Cliff Warwell was from outside of Binghamton, if I recall, and came in with the reputation of having a DuVal-like game. He was in the same class with Louie and Bouie.

I can still recall his first game in Manley. He got into the game, was bringing the ball up, and without a defender within miles of him he whipped a behind the back pass to...I think...Ross Kindel. Might have been Larry Kelly and not Ross, but either way, JB was up off the bench, Cliff was out of the game, and he got a little "personal time" with JB several centimeters from his face. I believe the subject had something to do with that kind of hot dog stuff not flying on JB's team.

Cliff always seemed to have raw talent but he never worked out at SU. After a year, he was gone and knocked around at a couple of schools before vanishing into the mists of SU lore.

He was from Candor, Dick. I watched him against Dryden (I think) in a christmas tournament game at Cortland State. Game got chippy and the ref (the late, great John Gee, who was also the Cortland HS principal) stopped play and told them to knock it off or they'd be gone. At 6'10 and a voice like thunder, there were no more issues after he spoke.

 

[OrangePA]

In addition to Sweet D's warmup routine, whenever I think of Dennis my mind also is drawn to the guy who was supposed to be "the next Sweet D". Cliff Warwell was from outside of Binghamton, if I recall, and came in with the reputation of having a DuVal-like game. He was in the same class with Louie and Bouie.

I can still recall his first game in Manley. He got into the game, was bringing the ball up, and without a defender within miles of him he whipped a behind the back pass to...I think...Ross Kindel. Might have been Larry Kelly and not Ross, but either way, JB was up off the bench, Cliff was out of the game, and he got a little "personal time" with JB several centimeters from his face. I believe the subject had something to do with that kind of hot dog stuff not flying on JB's team.

Cliff always seemed to have raw talent but he never worked out at SU. After a year, he was gone and knocked around at a couple of schools before vanishing into the mists of SU lore.

I first saw him play at a HS All Star game at Kutsher's.

He was supposed to be another Julius Erving - an athletic/spectacular big guard/small forward. He had a great body.

He and Bouie were the star recruits - they were going to be the future of the program.

But, for whatever reason, he became clownish - not serious about the game.

And, despite a few great moments - the win at Louisville - he saw less and less time as the season progressed.

Really a shame because he should have been a great player.