OT: How many of you are/were players/coaches?

[QDOG5]

My freshman year I was the last guy on the bench. Coach sends me in the game with the opponent at the free throw line. We had a fast break play that we ran after a made free throw. Coach tells me to run the play. Opponent misses the free throw and I grab the ball and take it out of bounds(we always made the free throw in practice) and pass it in. Refs are too stunned to blow the whistle. So I'm hustling down court and I see my whole team and my coach laughing hysterically and I know they're laughing at me but I don't know why. Highlight of my short career. I have no idea why I tried out sophomore year.

 

[Deepster]

I was elbowed in the head by John Pinone once. And watched Michael Adams zip a no-look pass off my roommate's face on a fast break at the Hartford Y another time. Those are my two brushes with greatness.

 

[boog204]

I was a great basketball player who stopped growing by 7th grade and I enjoyed partying more so did not play high school basketball. Still have moments at the park where the legend returns.

My claim to fame is playing 2 on 2 vs. Ajou and Justin Brown when they used to come to my high school to get tutoring by one of my math teachers. I was able to back down Ajou pretty easily so I had a feeling things would not work out so well. This teacher was UConn's go to guy for SAT tutoring for a while to get players in. Ashmeade, Sam Funches, Souley, Ajou, Justin, Robert Swain, and some others I cannot remember would be around.

I come from a coaching family with my brother being a long time high school coach and my dad coaching all of us for most of our youth. And I believe, without question, that Ollie's offense blows.

 

[swami7774]

I went to a few of my HS team’s games. Go Morgan Huskies!
Our claim to fame was our stringbean center Gary Kowalski. He went to BC, lifted weights, became an offensive lineman and played a bit for the LA Rams.

 

[mauconnfan]

I went to a few of my HS team’s games. Go Morgan Huskies!
Our claim to fame was our stringbean center Gary Kowalski. He went to BC, lifted weights, became an offensive lineman and played a bit for the LA Rams.

Gary Kowalski I remember him, what years was he at BC swam? Did he play a little TE too there?

 

[swami7774]

Gary Kowalski I remember him, what years was he at BC swam? Did he play a little TE too there?

He would have been there from ‘78-‘82 or thereabouts.
I didn’t see him in person from high school until maybe ‘83. The next time I saw him was in the parking lot of (what was then) Caldor’s in Old Saybrook. He looked like the Incredible Hulk.
He may have played TE at BC but in the pros he was strictly OL. Played for San Diego too, protecting Dan Fouts’ flank.

 

[mauconnfan]

He would have been there from ‘78-‘82 or thereabouts.
I didn’t see him in person from high school until maybe ‘83. The next time I saw him was in the parking lot of (what was then) Caldor’s in Old Saybrook. He looked like the Incredible Hulk.
He may have played TE at BC but in the pros he was strictly OL. Played for San Diego too, protecting Dan Fouts’ flank.

Yeah I met him a few times when I was up there visiting my buddy Robert Biestek who was a fullback from 78-82, captain of Fluties jr year team. Gary was a big boy, I believe pretty good friends with another shoreline kid from Branford Scotty Niziolek WR there. All good friends with the UConn QB from Clinton too who's name escapes me, family was full of "garbage", another great guy.

 

[swami7774]

Yeah I met him a few times when I was up there visiting my buddy Robert Biestek who was a fullback from 78-82, captain of Fluties jr year team. Gary was a big boy, I believe pretty good friends with another shoreline kid from Branford Scotty Niziolek WR there. All good friends with the UConn QB from Clinton too who's name escapes me, family was full of "garbage", another great guy.

Do you remember Jim Bell, the RB from Madison(Hand) who excelled at BC during that time frame?

 

[mauconnfan]

Do you remember Jim Bell, the RB from Madison(Hand) who excelled at BC during that time frame?

Yes him too.

Kenny Sweitzer was the shoreline kid who I met later, great dude met him through my buddy Biestek even ran some hoop with him pretty good player. Tough SOB.

 

[Pudge]

My first trip to California with two UConn buds in early 80s; one guy was on an Auditing trip and had a nice hotel suite. We went to Manhattan Beach to play hoop. Full court games near the beach. And in the course of play ... the auditor Dave H. rebounds awkwardly & swings to save our ball ... fires the ball hard at the crotch of a player on the other team. It was Howie Long. And that big Boston dude could not have been nicer to fellow New Englanders from that point forward. Turns out my girlfriend knew his (whom he married - I missed that wedding) ... from NJ HS ... and we went for drinks.

We kept possession.

 

[alexd]

I was amazing growing up playing HORSE on Mildred Rd. in W. Hartford. Had the corner shot from behind the bushes down pat.

Also I played a lot at Wolcott Park with my future brother in law who held the single season scoring record at the US Coast Guard Academy...His team beat Trinity College when they were ranked #1 in New England. But he got his ass kicked by Patrick Ewing in high school.

 

[Mazhude]

Grew up at Farnam House. Went to high school with Earl Kelley. Going on 35 years of Ultimate Frisbee (including with Zagoria, playing at Nationals, playing at Worlds) and played indoor Ultimate at SUNY Purchase where Patrick Ewing complimented my game. Bona Fide!

 

[swami7774]

Grew up at Farnam House. Went to high school with Earl Kelley. Going on 35 years of Ultimate Frisbee (including with Zagoria, playing at Nationals, playing at Worlds) and played indoor Ultimate at SUNY Purchase where Patrick Ewing complimented my game. Bona Fide!

Was Earl leaping from one roof to another in those days?

 

[bpear1600]

I got cut from my High School team for not reporting a broken thumb I received in practice. Played intramurals in college and the Marine Corps and was known for my dead-eye shooting as well as my mediocre handle and total lack of defense. Scored 36 in the Insurance League in Hartford against Travelers who had some ex UConn players. Played full court ball every lunch time while at Quantico against quality opposition. My late brother was a long time HS and Div III coach.

 

[swami7774]

I got cut from my High School team for not reporting a broken thumb I received in practice. Played intramurals in college and the Marine Corps and was known for my dead-eye shooting as well as my mediocre handle and total lack of defense. Scored 36 in the Insurance League in Hartford against Travelers who had some ex UConn players. Played full court ball every lunch time while at Quantico against quality opposition. My late brother was a long time HS and Div III coach.

Semper fi.

 

[husky8273]

JV at CHSAA school in Manhattan/Bronx in 70s. Played against notable schools - Rice, Power, Boys High, Tolentine, St. Raymond's, etc. Then HS rec in CT, C league intramural champs at UConn, kept at it thru 35+ men's league. Later coached my kids in town rec/CYO.

 

[BlueandOG]

Played on the Sigma Chi B team.

 

[mauconnfan]

Anyone play at Cheshire Academy or Wallingford YMCA open gym pick up games in the 80's? There were some great runs in those 2 gyms back in those days, winner stays and you needed to bring some players to keep the court. You could get games in the summer too especially rainy weekends.

City Leagues in Meriden, Wallingford and Middletown were pretty good in the winter too.

 

[bpear1600]

Semper fi.

SEMPER FI.