The party raged until dawn, when the sun rose and a chartered jet ferried them back to Philadelphia for a parade. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Many of them are still without punts and passes on the intercollegiate level, but many have brought football back--and they have typically come back with Division II or III teams. As freshmen and sophomores, the big three played on good teams that were beaten in the Sweet 16, in 1982 by Jordans North Carolina team and in 83 by Houstons Phi Slamma Jamma. Bill Martin, the power forward whose pass bounced off teammate Horace Broadnaxs shin while the Hoyas were holding the ball and a lead late in the second half, can sit in his office outside Chicago and describe the critical play as if it had just been on SportsCenter. We knew we intimidated people, and we milked that, and John was the leader, along with Patrick, who was about as intense an individual as I have ever met. 18 Rhode Island, No. Coach Mass helped me through it. And effective. At Fratellos urging, Massimino took over at Cleveland State in 1996 and coached seven seasons. Siena named Buonaguro as his replacement, and the Saints struggled badly, going 35-59 in three seasons and never finishing higher than sixth in the MAAC. It was a sales pitch, wrapped in genuine emotion. Grabbing the moment: As time ran out, senior Dwayne McClain needed one hand for the ball and the other to tell the world that his Wildcats were NCAA champions. The meal was customarily a time for family fun. John Thompson, a 6'10", 300-pound former backup center to Bill Russell, took over the Hoyas program in 1972 and transformed a midsized Catholic university with a respected, albeit ancient, basketball tradition into a national powerhouse. Pinckney pulled it out of his desk drawer recently, held it up for a visitor and shook his head in disbelief. McLain has been clean since 2005 and has since become a Certified Addiction Professional spending his time traveling and talking to youngsters about addiction through his story. His reputation had suffered so badly that at the Villanova press conference announcing Massiminos resignationhe was not presentstudents cheered his departure. [2] They were led by first-year head coach Andy Talley. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Massimino cant get out three sentences without dropping the names of half a dozen former players or assistant coaches, each of whom is referred tosincerely, it seemsas a dear friend. Some go back as far as days coaching high school in Hillside, N.J. During a two-hour interview he gets three calls on his cellphone, all from former players. It came to mean something quite different, says Asher. Very hard on himself. Time heals all wounds. Several of McLains teammates used that expression in describing their relationship with their point guard. Not a day passes when somebody doesnt ask him about 1985, and just last month a security guard gave him a yellowed copy of the Philadelphia Daily News from April 2, 1985. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. We all wanted the Big East, and we knew with a point guard, a small forward and a big man, maybe we could do something.. The Hoyas played for the national title three times in his four years and won the schools only national championship, in 1984. Ive had some challenges, some health challenges, not life-threatening, but difficult times in my life, he says, And I called upon the perseverance I learned back in that season.). One of their big guys swatted at it, but he missed and it went in. Dayton couldnt answer and Villanova advanced. The Wildcats and Pirates are long-time rivals, with the series dating back to the 1985 season. (The publicist usually charged with policing the locker room was Bill Shapland, a loyal lieutenant to Thompson who suppressed his own good nature beneath an enforcers exterior in service of the program. The text began on the cover with the chilling line, I was standing in the Rose Garden, wired on cocaine. McLain went on to describe his drug habit in vivid detail, including his account of being high while playing against Memphis State in the national semifinals and while visiting the White House. For years, havent the Wildcats been a national power in both track and basketball? They had a great team: Chris Mullin, Mark Jackson, guys who had long NBA careers. The Flyers held for the last shot, but Pressley stole a pass, and Villanova spread the floor in a variation of North Carolina coach Dean Smiths notorious four corners offense, a setup that could be used to control a game for minutes on end if executed properly. Roster Layout: Choose A Season: Sort By: Go back to your rooms, he said. 1 seed Michigan (59-55) and Maryland (46-43). Hes still a part of the family. Terms under which this service is provided to you. During our run, there wasnt a lot of talking on the court. Villanova played a "light"[2] schedule against four NCAA Division III opponents and the United States Naval Academy JV team. My strength is coming back now, but Ill tell you. He shakes his head, describing the intensity of the scare. Just say today. Classic.. Saturday, when Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante and his 3-0 Wildcats trek up to State College to take on the undefeated and No. In the summer of 2005, Everson brought them together, unbeknownst to both men, at the summer basketball camp that Everson runs on his native Long Island. Talley is Villanova's all-time winningest coach, amassing a 229-137-1 record over a 32-year span (1985-2016), including the Wildcats' lone national title in football, the FCS National . This game never lets go. But I wouldnt change anything.), In 1987 Marbach was hired at Canisius, dragging his pregnant wife, Denise, with him, even though her CPA career was blossoming. Reporters seeking postgame comment from Hoya players were subjected to a narrow window, with a publicists countdown from 10 minutes: Seven minutes! Villanova had 58 possessions in the game and only four times held the ball more than 45 seconds (the duration of the first college shot clock, in 1985-86), including a nearly two-minute possession at the end of the first half, when Georgetown refused to come out of a passive zone. Massimino pulled a chair into the center of the room. Planksy called me, seeking relief. When they returned to their hotel, so many fans awaited that the players couldnt get off the bus. [1] It was the program's first season since 1980, as the team had been discontinued for four years due to perceived lack of financial resources to compete at the Major College (now Football Bowl Subdivision) level. Lost Southeast Second Round (66-61) versus #2 Georgia Tech, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 12:49AM. In his ninth season with the Wildcats, Rollie Massimino finally took them all the way. There is a pause, and Massiminos eyes dance like old. They had come into the title game with a 35-2 record, having lost only back-to-back January games to St. John's (which ascended to the No. Massimino had never delivered a postmeal speech, but on this day he did. But I never thought he had a drug addiction. Stack says, After the article students came up to me and said, Well, everybody knew it. There was a perception that the administration knew it. McLain documented his cocaine addiction two years late in a 10,000 word Sports Illustrated article, A Bad Trip. That he had changed. Lexington, KY was the host of the National Semifinals as the country saw matchups between the Wildcats and Memphis State in one game and Georgetown against St. Johns in the second. We played fine, says Ewing now. His first team went 24-7 and played in the NCAA tournament. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Trea Turner mightve stayed in L.A., but Dodgers never made him an offer, Chargers were supposed to draft a tight end. (Well, it briefly got a little better. Pos. He went to Albany, where Denise was a partner at Coopers & Lybrand. Ive had a real roller coaster since Villanova, he says. We have a great administration, great assistant coaches. Pressley talks to Pinckney on the phone at least three times a week. Hes still one of our brothers, and we love him dearly. Yet McLain often drops off their collective grid for long periods and when this happens, they worry together. They played a great game. Like Sunday dinner at the Massiminos, says Everson. McCaffrey left after the 2009-10 season to become head coach at Iowa. Massimino was also angry, as if Plansky had violated the groups collective omerta. The decision was highly controversial and triggered efforts resulting in the restoration of football at the Division I-AA level in 1985. # Name Class LB: 46: All rights reserved. --In 1984, when the school was gearing up for football again with 85 walk-ons, 20,000 were on campus, and, for the first intra-squad game of Talleys regime, the stadium was sold out at $10 a head. When we won the title, the players handled themselves with class in interviews, and Rollie went on television and talked about the family atmosphere, and everybody wanted a piece of that, says Lappas. (In the fall of 2006, Massimino, then 72, took over as head coach at Northwood University, an NAIA program in West Palm Beach. The team played their home games at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pennsylvania. I thought, What is this? says Jackson. McLains story remains one of the longest single pieces published in SIand one of the most incendiary. Of his last seven Villanova teams, however, only four made the NCAA tournament and just one advanced past the second round. Massiminos was family. 9 seed, beat Ohio State in the first round and narrowly lost to Louisville in the second round. [2] On Monday afternoon Villanova gathered in a meeting room at the Lexington Ramada Inn for its pregame Catholic mass and meal. In 2005, his boss at North Carolina-Greensboro, Fran McCaffrey, was hired as the head coach at Siena, outside Albany, N.Y. McCaffrey brought Buonaguro with him and Siena took off on the most successful period in the programs Division I history. With the NCAA still permitting teams to play in their home arenas during the tournament, Villanova was shipped out to play in Dayton. ), (The publicist usually charged with policing the locker room was Bill Shapland, a loyal lieutenant to Thompson who suppressed his own good nature beneath an enforcers exterior in service of the program. In 1981, when Villanova dropped, there were three additions, he said, naming Buffalo State, West Georgia, and Western New England. ), (Chuck Daly died five years later at age 79), (As always, McLain was the complex exception. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. By the time the 7-foot 240-pound Ewing arrived for the 81-82 season, Georgetown had reached the NCAA tournament five times in seven years, but it was with Ewing that the bar was raised. The Wildcats had 17 turnovers (to Georgetowns 11). I knew Gary was using drugs in college, says McClain. Villanova defeated Pitt in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament but were knocked out by 2nd seed St. Johns in the semifinals. That was no joke. It gets the old grads back and keeps them interested.. Nothing takes the place of football, said a Wildcat alumnus, Charlie Johnson, an industrial sales company vice president in York, Pa. Its in the fall that your thoughts go back to your old college. Ive thought about this a lot through the years, says Pinckney. Villanova's 10-3 record included four victories over Top 25 opponents, including No. It was Reggie Williams. Maybe going through so many wars over the years, three seniors getting so comfortable with each other. Villanova vs. Georgetown: 1985 National Championship | FULL GAME Watch on Following their Villanova playing days, six players from the team were selected in subsequent NBA Drafts. So coach went into the room. 1 seed, yet lost to North Carolina State in their second tournament game.) They beat the best team in the country.. 2022 Football Roster. At 5 a.m. on Sunday the Villanova coaching staff met in Massiminos hotel room and plotted a strategy. He was hurt and angry at Plansky. We even have pregame pasta meals. Massimino had a pacemaker installed a few years ago, but remains the last member of the 85 team still actively involved in college basketball. Youre good enough. Villanova experienced very little roster turnover after the 1983-84 season. It was like we were in 1985 all over again.) On the day before his team beat Memphis State in the Final Four semifinals, Villanova coach Rollie Massimino allowed the players to choose sides for a public workout at a nearly packed Rupp Arena. Rollie always had a big ego. Everson stays in touch with everybody. We called him Norman Bates because he had this snappability; he could just go nuts. ), (In a 2014 interview with the Associated Press, McLain said of the SI story, It hurts me that I hurt people.), (He told AP in 2014 that he was using drugs up until 2005. We lost a lot of good players and we were coming off an incredible run. Buonaguro was a basketball coach for 38 years and says now he misses it, and would consider a less stressful coaching job somewhere in the business. david lee roth quits Van Halen. For financial reasons, an average of about one college a year drops football, Boda said. All Drafted Players. Citing the evils of overemphasis, Chicago quit in 1939, then resumed as a Division III team 30 years later. On the first day of April in 1985, it wasnt April Fools; the 8th seeded Villanova Wildcats upset the top-ranked Georgetown Hoyas to win the 1985 National Championship. 1 seed, yet lost to North Carolina State in their second tournament game. Massimino left coaching only last March, when he resigned after seven years at Cleveland State. Carlesimo, who was then the head coach at Seton Halland insisting that success hadnt made him a different man. The Jake Nevin Field House is the main center of athletic activity on campus. Or write about sports? But still.) I dont think he wanted to lose us. Massimino read the story in his office at The Pavilion, surrounded by his assistants. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. A taut battle of wills left Dayton in possession with the game tied 49-49 with less than two minutes to play. Contradicting a notion that multitudes of financially pressed colleges are abolishing football, there has been a steady rise for 20 years in the number of football-playing institutions. How do you balance that out?, President Driscoll, commenting on faculty opposition, said: I think the restoration of football has the general support of our faculty and student body.. Golden Girls meets Dr. Naismith. Dwayne McClain says, Im elated to have Gary close with us. VILLANOVA'S HISTORIC UPSET OF GEORGETOWN in the 1985 NCAA championship game remains one of college basketballs most memorable and compelling moments. 2000 Villanova Wildcats football team From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The 2000 Villanova Wildcats football team represented the Villanova University during the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season. They were an unusually close group of players and resistant to common obstacles. It started when Pinckney took the ball directly at Ewing on an early possession and dealt a soft pass to Pressley, who willed in a wild reverse layup. All those years I worked from early morning until late at night while my wife raised our family. 1984-85 Villanova Wildcats Men's Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 25-10 (9-7, 4th in Big East MBB ) Coach: Rollie Massimino PS/G: 68.7 (161st of 282) More School Info NCAA Champion Villanova (Men's) School History Roster & Stats Polls, Schedule & Results On this page: Roster Per Game Team and Opponent Stats Per Game Totals I was out to dinner with two of my sons, when my left arm just drops right into my lap, he says. In the spring, both the institution of college basketball and the NCAA Tournament were on the cusp of significant change. Villanovas iconic coach provided a little Mass entertainment courtside. The spaghetti speech, says McClain. Marty and Denise Marbach invited both Massimino and Lappas and seated them, with their wives, at the same table. Day 1 | Thursday, Apr. Roster includes most starters and key reserves. Here he often plays 27 holes or more a day and lunches with roundball cronies like Chuck Daly and Billy Cunningham. State of the Nova Nation: Bamba, Dunleavy and Moore. Massiminos former players remain disappointed that he hasnt been elected into the Hall of Fame, like his Big East brethren Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Lou Carnesecca and John Thompson. He lives in a suburb between Albany and Saratoga Springs and has done some television work. It was believable. The leaves are turning, a frost is in the air, the familiar sound is a punted ball. It also is Dick Ebersols final episode as executive producer. But still. (This section of the original story caused problems 11 years ago. I really enjoy it, says Massimino. Its a very tough business at times.. Ive got to get open to get that ball back, says Jackson. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 6:49AM. The youngest child of an immigrant shoemaker who had a sixth-grade education, Massimino would have five children of his own, and they would give him 16 (17 now) grandchildren. Massimino, here speaking to his players before the Georgetown game, would deliver a memorable halftime speech in the same locker room, one that fired up the Wildcats for their epic second half. Before the night was finished Villanova would make 22 of 29 field goal attempts, a mind-boggling 78.6%, including nine of 10 in the second half. You cant be friends with everybody., Stack says, People say Rollie changed when he won the title. His battles with the church arent over, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! Even on the road Rollie never wanted to be alone in hotel suite, says Mitch Buonaguro, his top assistant in 85. But the NCAA Tournament expanded from 53 to 64 . Three starters, Dwayne McClain, Harold Pressley, and Gary McLain played all 40 minutes in the Championship. Thats a prestigious conference in the East., Said Villanova publicist Eugene Ruane: One thing we like about it is that theres a greater respect for academic values in I-AA football., Talley, the only undefeated I-AA coach in the country, said: What I like about it is that this division has a national championship game every year. College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. The players themselves found this coverage hilarious. Others have tried unsuccessfully to bring him together with Massimino. Sure, I knew that. These were heavy days in the Big East, and among Villanovas nine regular-season defeats were two each to Georgetown (both close, a fact that would be widely overlooked at the Final Four in Lexington) and St. Johns, teams that volleyed the No. He says he has lapsed into drug or alcohol use a couple of times but is currently sticking with a 12-step program and attending meetings. And he played great. Whats more, said Craig Miller, Wildcat sports publicist, Season ticket sales are up from 800 in 1980, the year before we dropped football, to 7,000 now.. (The social director, says Massimino.) When he got his own reins, it was mass chaos. Buonaguro resigned under pressure after the 1990-91 season. All rights reserved. And damn, I was a champion., (McLain remains mecurial. No, said Martin. When the football team is playing at home, a lot of alums come back for an overnight, Capone said. Rollie Massiminos preferred mode of transportation is the golf cart he drives to meet a visitor at the front gate of the Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla. We even have pregame pasta meals. Massimino had a pacemaker installed a few years ago, but remains the last member of the 85 team still actively involved in college basketball. It was an ignominious finish to his career, and 85 seemed ever more distant. If its that important to them, its that important to the university., At the alumni office, Capone, the former coach who recruited Raider end Howie Long for Villanova, said: Compared to the total budget at any college, the football budget isnt that bad.. Massimino was deeply hurt by McLains revelations. 1985 Chicago Bear Super Bowl Team Ring Fan Men Gift American Football Souvenir. Along the way he lost his marriage and his naivet, yet continues to live the life of a bench soldier. I miss practice, I miss being around players, he says. It was Villanova's first national . But he doesnt come around as much as he did after we first got back together.), (In the fall of 2006, Massimino, then 72, took over as head coach at Northwood University, an NAIA program in West Palm Beach. As a result, few state-supported colleges anywhere exist without football. Since the program was reborn in 1985, none of Villanova's professional football players were big-time recruits, but they became stars on the Main Line and made it to the professional ranks. Won Southeast Regional Final (56-44) versus #2 North Carolina Even as the Georgetown game maintains an outsized place in history, Massimino lets it goLike yesterdays wrinkled-up newspaper, he saysand holds to the relationships built in those moments. In three seasons from 2007-10, Siena went 77-26, won three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles and twice earned first-round victories in the NCAA Tournament. Just go out and play. As Massimino left the locker room, the Reverend John Stack, a Catholic priest and Villanova dean of students, who was in the locker room, grabbed Massiminos arm. Not rah-rah, like were going to run over these guys. Guys just suddenly knew what other guys were going to do before they did it. 1. I said it then, and Ill say it now.. 36 years ago today pic.twitter.com/3TcFhAN8CE. I felt badly, too, but I also felt that Plansky had been honest in his original assessment, and he never pulled back from that. 1 heading into the NCAA tournament. No, said Martin. A larger number of institutions put intercollegiate teams on the field last year than in any year since 1950 (when the total was 674).. Before Flutie graduated, Boston College was in a major bowl and Villanova was out of football. The memory of the game moves many of the 85s to the edge of tears. 1984-85 Villanova Wildcats Men's Schedule and Results Previous Season Next Season Record: 25-10 (9-7, 4th in Big East MBB ) Coach: Rollie Massimino PS/G: 68.7 (161st of 282) More School Info NCAA Champion Villanova (Men's) School History Roster & Stats Polls, Schedule & Results On this page: AP Poll Summary Schedule and Results The discipline. True to Massiminos pregame speech, Nova played to win. Mitch is a great Xs-and-Os guy and a great recruiter, says Plansky, but a woeful manager. Everson called on my behalf and says, We had a great talk, for like 30 minutes. (Asked recently if that silence still remains, Martin said, I talked to Horace a few days ago. I saw him a few years ago at a Georgetown function. Have they ever talked about the turnover? Villanovas Division I-AA status is the highest for any college that has resumed football after once dropping it.. A couple of days ago I heard from eight players in one day, he says. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Mitch was an unbelievable game coach and Rollie needed somebody like that. In the wake of Villanovas 1985 championship, Massiminos assistant coaches were hot properties. Many of them are on the north side of 50, when anger takes too much effort to hold. The sense of family. Plansky and Jensen chat all the time. The NCAA Tournament saw a tough road for the Cats in the Southeast Region. In 1985, they were the games reigning champions, and seemingly ready to forge a dynasty. Dont hesitate to shoot the ball. I was a difficult kid, and he was incredible., On the decisive play in the Dayton game, Jensen had the ball in the middle of the floor, far from the basket. Twice. If I saw him right now Id put a fist through the back of his head, says Maker. To most schools and their alumni, the principal attraction of football, as compared with other sports, is indeed that long weekend. The Wildcats were led by 16th-year head coach Andy Talley played their home games at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pennsylvania That day was about our daughter. Massimino and Lappas spoke. He was telling me that I was playing soft, and I took serious offense at that. Trailing 28-27 with 1:58 left in the first half, Villanova took possession off a Georgetown miss and went into a four-corners delay. Shapland died at age 57 in April of 2013.). Others hold more than just memories. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 24 Holy Cross. ), The beige suits and yellow power ties have been swapped for Bermuda shorts and golf shirts. The Villanova Programs mantra of We play for those who came before us is passed down from class to class. That isnt a bad goal for a football coach who didnt even have a team 12 months ago. Jensen alone had six. Top AV: Howie Long (95) Colleges Index. After a late-season loss to Boston College Jensen was so upset that he hyperventilated in the postgame locker room and needed treatment from the Villanova medical staff. Im about to go into a meeting, but Ill be free after 5 p.m. today. Ed Pinkney added 37 minutes, 16 points, and 6 rebounds to being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. You lose two of those, youre in trouble and you might not make the tournament. His last Villanova team, in 91-92, was 14-15. We could not beat St. Johns, says Pinckney. It worked. Every possession, wed take the ball out and give it to Gary, says Pinckney. He occasionally goes on phoning binges with old teammates and then seems to disappear. Martin said this was not the first time they had spoken. Some of his former players have made a tradition of visiting Massimino on Super Bowl weekend and attending a Northwood game. Some tell a different story now. Although a recent poll suggested that some 98% of Villanovas students were in favor of restoring football, another poll showed that two-thirds of the faculty were against it. But as a one-time top-division participant in football, will Villanova indefinitely suit its supporters in I-AA competition? He was hilarious, says Pinone. It took a long time., (When this story was published in 2004, Massimino and McLain had spoken twice since McLains SI story was publishedonce briefly at a team reunion in 95 and later on the phone. Villanova elected to make it black players versus white players, seven-on-seven. And he carried the hurt with him for a long time. Villanova players from 85 publicly disputed the details of McLains account and claimed they knew nothing of McLains drug use. When Massimino left Villanova after the 1991-92 season, Lappas replaced him (after Pete Gillen, then coach at Xavier, turned the job down). Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 1984-85 SMU Mustangs Men's Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 23-10 (10-6, 2nd in SWC MBB ) Coach: Dave Bliss PS/G: 75.5 (41st of 282) More School Info SMU (Men's) School History Roster & Stats Polls, Schedule & Results On this page: Roster Per Game Team and Opponent Stats Per Game Totals Per 40 Minutes Additional Season Stats We were very confident they would have trouble. The Villanova players then sat in the stands to watch what many observers viewed as the de facto national championship game; the Wildcats silently rooted like hell for Georgetown to defeat St. Johns, which had beaten Villanova in two competitive regular season games, but had bounced the Wildcats from the Big East Tournament in an 89-74 blowout. Void in ONT. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Some of his former players have made a tradition of visiting Massimino on Super Bowl weekend and attending a Northwood game. Just 79 days later, on July 11, New Coke is wiped from shelves and Old Coke or Coca-Cola classic, as it was branded makes its triumphant return. ), (It remains a tight group. Nineteen (Thirty) years later, a viewing of the game yields two nuggets. Where: Franklin Field in . The Villanova Wildcats football program represents Villanova University in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA). Lappas wanted to do his thing, he says, and separate the old stuff from the new stuff. Lappas won 174 games in nine seasons at Villanova, including the schools only Big East tournament title (in 1995). Said Boda: Receipts in the lower divisions dont match expenditures for coaches salaries, players uniforms, travel, publicity, promotion, etc..