OT but Joe Morrone deserves the respect

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Good article: http://touch.courant.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-83832009/

 

[storrsroars]

Would've loved to read it, but paywall. UConn soccer in the 70s under Morrone was the best thing we had going.

 

[geordi]

Great article. At a time when UConn was at best a regional 'power' in basketball and generally a sleepy little backwoods college thirsting for national prominence, Morrone delivered. I remember watching the A&M national championship game and thinking 'wow! UConn hit the big time.' Litttle did I suspect...

 

[Drumguy]

I was a freshman the year Morrone came and we started out the season playing the previous year's national champion, St. Louis iirc. To be the best we had to play the best; it was a nice ride for the (ahem) 5 years it took me to get out of UConn. Had a lot of fun with the Brown cheer as they were a real rival at that time in NE soccer. ("what's the color of , BROWN"!)

 

[CallMeBruce]

My dad played lacrosse at UConn back in the early 70s, and he always thought Morrone (who was the assistant coach at the time) was a bro's bro.

 

[Huskyhoops25]

The "Brown Cheer," loved it! I remember when we played Brown in the tourney in Providence and even their fans were laughing. Really not much they could do as we outnumbered them more than 2 to 1.

 

[husky8273]

The "Brown Cheer," loved it! I remember when we played Brown in the tourney in Providence and even their fans were laughing. Really not much they could do as we outnumbered them more than 2 to 1.

Other good cheer - URI..ne when we played Rhode Island. Funniest moment was when the Murphy brothers from Westport: Kenny, UConn and Kevin, URI - their feistiness was inbred, both were ejected for fighting each other while playing on opposite teams (the Universities of Connecticut and Rhode Island) in the NCAA tournament.

 

[gtcam]

Was a part of the North Goal gang in the 70s and 80s and A Friend of UConn Soccer. Along with the Men's BB National Championships and all the trips to NYC for the BE tournament - the home men's soccer matches offered me some of the highlights of my life. Coach Joe, who I know through coaching clinics, was/is a coach personified. There is a lot of Coach Joe in JC - that's why I also liked JC so much. Both LOVED their players but ruled with an iron fist. My heart and prayers go out to Coach Joe, Joe Jr., Billy, Missy and the grandkids.

 

[huskyharry]

Coach Morrone was a larger than life figure when he first established the youth soccer leagues in Mansfield (one of the earlier towns in CT to do so). His penchant for breaking clipboards was legendary. I was a couple of years behind Billy but he and Joe Jr. would often demonstrate skills at the soccer camps. One of my friends dated Missy and I ran track with Billy (he actually threw shot put, as well as ran some relays) and Missy (she was great at the long sprints, hurdles and long jump). Mostly good memories...of course my father had his first heart attack while watching a UConn soccer match. I haven't spoken to them in many years, but I hope that they are well.

 

[storrsroars]

Other good cheer - URI..ne when we played Rhode Island. Funniest moment was when the Murphy brothers from Westport: Kenny, UConn and Kevin, URI - their feistiness was inbred, both were ejected for fighting each other while playing on opposite teams (the Universities of Connecticut and Rhode Island) in the NCAA tournament.

I can't remember if it was USF or St.Louis, but one of them had a team with one US-born player and all foreigners. Of course we got the U-S-A chant going.

A whole lot of smaller schools had great teams: Hartwick, Alabama A&M, Philadelphia Textile, Eastern Illinois... and you could get a keg delivered to the soccer pitch. Great times.

 

[alexd]

I remember I had never watched or been to a soccer match before...but watched the '81 championship game on ESPN wth friends and much Michelob.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I can't remember if it was USF or St.Louis, but one of them had a team with one US-born player and all foreigners. Of course we got the U-S-A chant going.

A whole lot of smaller schools had great teams: Hartwick, Alabama A&M, Philadelphia Textile, Eastern Illinois... and you could get a keg delivered to the soccer pitch. Great times.

Great times, indeed and the sidenline barrels played absolutely no role in UCONN fans interfering with opposing teams' throw ins, players tripping, laces becoming untied, etc. And, USF, wasn't that the real one, the University of San Francisco?

 

[storrsroars]

Great times, indeed and the sidenline barrels played absolutely no role in UCONN fans interfering with opposing teams' throw ins, players tripping, laces becoming untied, etc. And, USF, wasn't that the real one, the University of San Francisco?

Yes, San Francisco.