SCORE 60 ... WIN BY 22 ... SOUNDS LIKE ...?

 Boy, did you see Jim Larranaga in the post-game handshake line after his Miami Hurricanes, averaging 80-plus points, dropped a 60-38 decision at Virginia? Expressionless, eyes glazed over, stunned … en route to a one-question, 29-second post-game press conference ... Imagine this, in an era where hardly anybody good (except UVA) plays much defense except occasionally (see VCU), scoring a meager 60 … and still winning by 22. Sounds crazy I know, but it really was so …

Speaking of which … I sure would have liked to hear Clemson coach 

Brad Brownell’s instructions during a final timeout, and his team 

trailing Virginia by a point, with possession and 11 seconds 

remaining. Surely he didn’t order a long jump shot, did he? … With 

time back in … and just about everyone expecting the Tigers to take 

the ball to the basket ... The pressure was on the Cavaliers. The worst 

Clemson could hope for was a pair of free throws for the win. 

Instead, the Tigers launched a three-pointer that rimmed off … for 

the loss.

Quick aside … Still fresh in this old man’s memory are the good 

times of long ago when Larranaga, Dave Odom and Jeff Jones were 

U.Va., assistants … and we spent many hours (literally) discussing 

the game – among many other things -- in their office. Yes, singular 

office … one room, three desks … During football season, we would 

dutifully appear at coach George Welsh Monday press 

conference/lunch, do our player interviews afterwards at University 

Hall, then join Daily Progress sportswriter Kevin Record for our 

weekly drubbing of Larranaga and Odom in tennis doubles. (I think 

they won one set – period – in all our matches.) As you might 

suspect, one-time Lynchburg College standout Record was VERY 

good, the rest of us simply OK … In case you don’t know … Odom 

is the father of first-year VCU coach Ryan Odom; Jones has been 

coach at Old Dominion U., for 11 years … but stepped down after 

suffering a heart attack in December while the team was in Hawaii 

for a tournament. Say a prayer for Jeff, if you would, for his cancer 

of the prostrate has returned, too … Larranaga, Odom and Jones are 

three of the memory man’s all-time favorite people. Record, too … 

Oh, for the good, old days …

Until next time ...

Boy, did you see Jim Larranaga in the post-game handshake line after his Miami Hurricanes, averaging 80-plus points, dropped a 60-48 decision at Virginia? Expressionless, eyes glazed over, stunned … en route to a one-question, 29-second post-game press conference ... Imagine this, in an era where hardly anybody good (except UVA) plays much defense except occasionally (see VCU), scoring a meager 60 … and still winning by 22. Sounds crazy I know, but it really was so …

Speaking of which … I sure would have liked to hear Clemson coach Brad Brownell’s instructions during a final timeout, and his team trailing Virginia by a point, with possession and 11 seconds remaining. Surely he didn’t order a long jump shot, did he? … With time back in … and just about everyone expecting the Tigers to take the ball to the basket ... The pressure was on the Cavaliers. The worst Clemson could hope for was a pair of free throws for the win. Instead, the Tigers launched a three-pointer that rimmed off … for the loss.

Quick aside … Still fresh in this old man’s memory are the good times of long ago when Larranaga, Dave Odom and Jeff Jones were U.Va., assistants … and we spent many hours (literally) discussing the game – among many other things -- in their office. Yes, singular office … one room, three desks … During football season, we would dutifully appear at coach George Welsh Monday press conference/lunch, do our player interviews afterwards at University Hall, then join Daily Progress sportswriter Kevin Record for our weekly drubbing of Larranaga and Odom in tennis doubles. (I think they won one set – period – in all our matches.) As you might suspect, one-time Lynchburg College standout Record was VERY good, the rest of us simply OK … In case you don’t know … Odom is the father of first-year VCU coach Ryan Odom; Jones has been coach at Old Dominion U., for 11 years … but stepped down after suffering a heart attack in December while the team was in Hawaii for a tournament. Say a prayer for Jeff, if you would, for his cancer of the prostrate has returned, too … Larranaga, Odom and Jones are three of the memory man’s all-time favorite people. Record, too … Oh, for the good, old days …

Until next time ...