Watching the Villanova Wildcats – one of the last teams selected for the field of 65 - advance through the first two rounds (Clemson and Siena) of the NCAA tourney resurrected fond memories of Rollie Massimino’s 1985 championship season when GQ-clad Jay Wright was his assistant coach.
Living proof that times change but memories last forever.
I remember watching Rollie’s squad shock the world with a thrilling 2-point victory over John Thompson’s Hoyas. There were three of us screaming our heads off, high-fiving, and jumping up and down on the hotel beds as the Cinderella story came to a happy ending.
My good buddies, Joe Masters and Steve Mountain, joined me in a trip to Clearwater, Florida to attend the Phillies training camp at the invitation of Phillies’ superstar third baseman Mike Schmidt. At the time I was Michael Jack’s personal conditioning coach. He and outfielder Garry Maddox were daily early-morning attendees at the Broomall location of my Sports Physical Therapists company. Come to think of it, it was my only location at the time – the beginning of our expansion to 40 centers didn’t begin until the following year.
Mike would join the training ranks of a handful of hard-charging, sweat-loving Philadelphia Flyers lead by captain Dave Poulin, Rick Tocchet, and Tim Kerr. Their work ethic stoked Mike’s highly competitive nature to train harder and longer than was normally acceptable in the laid-back baseball world.
Speaking of the Flyers, during that March Madness run of 1985, the black-and-orange team was at the top of the Patrick Division standings under rookie coach Mike Keenan and behind the goaltending of Swedish phenom Pelle Lindbergh. It was an exciting time to be their physical conditioning coach. The players were an awesome group of young Canadian guys who rallied together under the strict discipline of Coach Keenan to forge their assault toward the Stanley Cup Finals. They would eventually sweep the Rangers in three games, defeat the Islanders in five, war with Quebec for six games, and compete with Wayne Gretsky and the Oilers for the rare chance to drink from the cup.
I vividly remember winning that first game against Edmonton by a score of 4-1. The Spectrum displayed the emotional energy of an active volcano with the return of championship dreams in South Philadelphia. Unfortunately, the luck and pluck of our young team couldn’t match the talent and experience of the defending Stanley Cup Champions and we lost the next four games. Nevertheless, it was an exhiliarating ride with a memorable cast of characters.
Back from my mind-mapping to the future. I can just imagine Coach Wright’s young team preparing for their Sweet 16 battle against the top-seed Kansas Jayhawks. The dream of lightning striking the little Catholic university once again and the glass slipper fitting snugly on another Villanova coach’s foot - although this time it might have to replace a spit-shined Ferragamo shoe.
Ed Miersch and I hoisting the Stanley Cup in Edmonton prior to game five in 1985.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, March 26th, 2008 at 7:58 am by Pat Croce
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May 11th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Yo Pat,
You and Eddie hoisting the Cup…priceless!!!!
Hope all is well!!!!!!
Paul Michio