Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Subob1, post: 1019267, member: 464"] Sorry, I didn't respond to you question. Answer: Not even close. Only a few people realized in 1962 what Bing's commitment meant to SU basketball's future. Only after he was here and the buzz grew to a roar did fans fill Manley. Everybody knew about the "Pearl", the reaction was huge. By then the PS was following BB recruiting and ran stories about the Pearl. The Big East was emerging as a powerhouse and had its own media tub thumpers focusing attention on high school recruiting. I don't think the PS had a beat writer for SU BB in 1962. Only the DO covered Bing's arrival. I found out through a source that Pearl had verballed and called the PS beat writer whose name now escapes me. Rick somebody and they had several writers at work (probably SU interns) covering Pearl's recruitment as the major sports story at the time. My recollection is the story was made even bigger because there were three incredibly talented NYC guards in a three way recruitment battle which drew tremendous national attention. Mark Jackson, Kenny Smith and the Pearl. St John's and SU were in a death struggle for the Pearl with the consolation prize being Jackson, not so shabby. My recollection Boeheim said he would go with the first one to commit. I think Smith was a lock for Smith very early on but was still being pursued by everyone. The three guards drew huge media attention with Dean Smith, Lou Carnesseca and Jim Boeheim slugging it out for them. I was living in Albany at the time and an Albany TV station played a clip of Pearl's highlights during the recruitment process because he was such a national phenom. Point being it was a huge story with major national attention. Pearl was not only the number 1 recruit he was SU's first really "national" recruit. His decision gave SU huge legitimacy as a national power recruiting school not just a regional recuiting power. Hope that is more responsive. CTO must have a better memory than I and she may be able to fill in anything I got wrong or left out. [url]http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/throwback/201211/jim-boeheim-dwayne-pearl-washington-syracuse-orange-ncaa-basketball[/url] [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?