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Post by durenduren on Jan 27, 2014 20:10:58 GMT -5
Thoughts on a memorial patch for the rest of the season on the La Salle uniforms. Is there a precedence for that at the collegiate level? Best thing I can think of is teams wearing the black bar/stripe after the Virginia Tech shooting. And that was all kinds of squads across the country. Some wore them on the breast, the shoulder, rear above the numbers... Gotta be something else though...
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Post by durenduren on Jan 27, 2014 20:21:50 GMT -5
Thoughts on a memorial patch for the rest of the season on the La Salle uniforms. Is there a precedence for that at the collegiate level? Best thing I can think of is teams wearing the black bar/stripe after the Virginia Tech shooting. And that was all kinds of squads across the country. Some wore them on the breast, the shoulder, rear above the numbers... Gotta be something else though... Yeah there are plenty of examples of patches like of this nature being allowed. Over 30 teams area wearing patches this season for Akron's AD who's battling pancreatic cancer. Then there's UConn and Sandy Hook patches...
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Post by coachd on Jan 27, 2014 20:28:41 GMT -5
A patch with 2201 on it. Others have worn 15 but no one will probably ever have more rebounds then Mr. Gola.
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Post by thehawkisdead on Jan 27, 2014 20:29:17 GMT -5
I will be extremely disappointed if there isn't a uniform patch or mourning band, and perhaps some tribute on the court. Ken durrett's retired number banner was draped in black bunting after he died and that was a nice touch.
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Post by SICguy84 on Jan 27, 2014 20:47:53 GMT -5
School almost always does the proper things in this area, especially with a man of the stature of Tom Gola.
Patch on jersey. Video tribute and moment of silence at Duquesne game. Bunting on Gola and championship banners. I thought there was a small chance that Nutter might have had Philadelphia city flags at half staff for Gola, since he was a legendary Philadelphian, State Legislator representing the Far Northeast, City Controller and Veteran.
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Post by theneumann64 on Jan 27, 2014 21:07:53 GMT -5
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Post by SICguy84 on Jan 27, 2014 21:18:59 GMT -5
Nice tribute from Bill Raftery and the Fox Sports crew just now during the Nova-Georgetown game. Raftery related a story that Gola was invited to the Nixon White House in the early 1970's but declined the invitation because he had a unbreakable prior commitment, to take his father fishing down the shore.
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Post by nepaexplorer on Jan 27, 2014 21:51:34 GMT -5
I'll chime in with my memorable Tom Gola moment. He was playing in a charity golf tournament in Allentown in the late 1980's. The golf course let me take a cart out to the 15th hole, where he was teeing off in a group with Bill Mlkvy (sp? Owl without a vowel). I probably gushed over him like a teenager meeting the Beatles. He was so tall and distinguished. And, just like everyone else has mentioned on this board, he couldn't have been a nicer man. I'm glad I got to thank him for everything he did for our alma mater.
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Post by stlexplorer on Jan 27, 2014 22:13:15 GMT -5
I think every player should wear #15 on warmups shirts for the rest of the year.
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Post by belfieldhappyhour on Jan 27, 2014 22:35:05 GMT -5
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Post by alwayslasalle1 on Jan 28, 2014 1:45:47 GMT -5
Class. The man reeked with class. No ego. He was in love with Philly and Philly was in love with him. Met him twice, 5 years apart. Damn if he didn't"t remember my name and where we last met..
Love the suggestions about the team wearing a patch or black ribbon.
He was so down to earth when other athletes of similar fame were aloof.
My prayers will be with his family .
Sad day for sports.
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Post by explorer128 on Jan 28, 2014 10:57:08 GMT -5
The team will be wearing a memorial patch for the rest of the season:
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Post by SICguy84 on Jan 28, 2014 11:11:16 GMT -5
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Post by 1stflooredwards on Jan 28, 2014 14:11:55 GMT -5
The team will be wearing a memorial patch for the rest of the season: Honestly, did anyone really think they wouldn't do something like this? Talk about posting for the sake of posting.
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Post by explorer128 on Jan 28, 2014 14:31:58 GMT -5
The team will be wearing a memorial patch for the rest of the season: Honestly, did anyone really think they wouldn't do something like this? Talk about posting for the sake of posting. I had seen some others in the thread question if the team would do something, and saw they are and thought to share it. I am glad that the team did not hesitate to decide how to handle it.
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Post by gymrat67 on Jan 28, 2014 14:58:17 GMT -5
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Post by SICguy84 on Jan 28, 2014 16:37:28 GMT -5
As City Controller, Gola was always trying to ensure the wise use of taxpayer's treasure in Philadelphia. During a planning meeting with city officials looking for a name for the new multi-purpose sports stadium in South Philadelphia, Gola purposed the innovative idea of corporation naming rights for a building. Gola figured that could raise up to 30 million dollars out of the 50 million total price tag and save the cash-strapped, bond-issuing City of Philadelphia money for what eventually became Veterans Stadium. Gola was laughed out of the meeting but some 40 years later look what we have, Lincoln Financial and Citizen's Bank. Substantial chunks paid by companies. Tom Gola, ahead of his time on the court and in city government.
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Post by 1stflooredwards on Jan 28, 2014 17:35:09 GMT -5
Honestly, did anyone really think they wouldn't do something like this? Talk about posting for the sake of posting. I had seen some others in the thread question if the team would do something, and saw they are and thought to share it. I am glad that the team did not hesitate to decide how to handle it. That is who I was directing my post. They named the damn arena after Tom. Again, did anyone actually think they wouldn't honor his passing.
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Post by durenduren on Jan 28, 2014 17:42:32 GMT -5
I had seen some others in the thread question if the team would do something, and saw they are and thought to share it. I am glad that the team did not hesitate to decide how to handle it. That is who I was directing my post. They named the damn arena after Tom. Again, did anyone actually think they wouldn't honor his passing. I appreciated it. I don't keep up with social media like some of you, so this is my main source for news. So thanks.
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baab
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Post by baab on Jan 28, 2014 23:00:07 GMT -5
This is going to be long, but its from a SI article about the 1969 LaSalle-Villanova game, its when he was coach of that great #2 in the nation Lasalle team, and also a state representative and running an insurance business at the same time.
" Tom Gola of La Salle is Philadelphia's one and only genuine folk hero partly because he is the city's own. He grew up, the son of a cop, 20 blocks from his school. He enrolled there in 1951, and for four years excelled on the basketball court with the grace, flair and sheer all-round excellence that to this day are the standards by which all others are judged. While Gola was at La Salle the Explorers won 102 games, finished first in the NIT and first in the NCAA, then second in the NCAA. No Philadelphian can ever forget the sound of the public-address system at Convention Hall whenever Tom Gola scored another deuce. "Golagoal, Golagoal, Golagoal," it would scream. What man was on an NCAA and NIT and an NBA championship team? "Arnie Ferrin of Utah and the Minneapolis Lakers and me," says Tom Gola. "How about that?"
Last Saturday night the sandy crew cut was gone, replaced by waves with the part on the right and some streaks of gray. The famous black sleeves of the old uniform were also gone, changed to a pinstripe suit and handsome cravat. The man is a licensed real-estate agent now, an insurance salesman and the distinguished Representative in the state legislature of the 170th District of Pennsylvania (northeast Philadelphia). But he is once again Gola of La Salleāin his first season as coach.
Last week, as easily as he introduced a resolution that would "investigate rumors of irregularities and conflicts of interest" in the city's housing and redevelopment authorities, Tom Gola presented for national consideration his La Salle basketball team. It is not only his first team but, with a record of 18-1, the first team in the East, too. In what surely must have been Philadelphia's biggest college game in years, La Salle's devastating run-rabbit-run attack, as in the days of old, turned back Villanova 74-67.
However loaded with excitement, the week was only an average one for Representative Gola. Since Jan. 7, the day he began his second term, the state legislature has met each Monday and Tuesday, a circumstance that normally forces Gola to be absent from Monday practice. On that first day of the week he drives 100 miles to Harrisburg to wait upon the Republican caucus and go over the calendar. He stays overnight in the capital, attends a usually short session on Tuesday, then drives back to Philadelphia in time to meet with his team. Last Wednesday morning he attended to his insurance business in the Philadelphia suburb of Fort Washington before driving another two hours to Easton, where that night La Salle ran to an easy victory over Lafayette. The next day Gola met with more business associates and attended a basketball luncheon and a political dinner before fulfilling still another appointment with the ever-fawning press. He did not get home to his wife and 9-year-old son until 2 o'clock the next morning. Friday held much of the same routine, and on Saturday, in addition to the big game, Gola was to experience his first taste of the rite that is the eternal bane of all coaches: the entertainment of visiting high school players.
"I don't know how he does it, physically," says Curt Fromal, the assistant coach. "His schedule is inhuman. It isn't the many jobs so much as it is the people who want to see him. Everybody wants something from Tom."
"Weekends are for the family, so I have to skip those 9-to-12 Communion breakfasts," laughs Gola. "But I knew what I was getting into. I had to try this. La Salle was going downhill. Organization had broken down. I wanted to make basketball important again."
Of course that team was 23-1, ranked #2 in the country, unable to challenge Lew Alcindor's UCLA in the NCAA (many thought they could win) because of a probation imposed due to rule violations of the previous coach, Jim Harding. But this excerpt provides a picture of the dedication that Tom Gola had to his school.
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Post by SICguy84 on Jan 28, 2014 23:23:54 GMT -5
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baab
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Post by baab on Jan 28, 2014 23:26:45 GMT -5
Just changed my profile to a picture of Tom Gola after the 69 Villanova game.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2014 12:08:27 GMT -5
Just changed my profile to a picture of Tom Gola after the 69 Villanova game. Thanks for posting the SI article. Great stuff. I have to hand it to the Philadelphia sports media. Their tribute pieces to Tom have been outstanding. Reading all these articles really gives me an appreciation of just how much of a true legend that Tom really was. It is mind-boggling how much he accomplished in his lifetime, and he did it with class and humility. Absolutely awesome. My favorite story though was the one written by a non-journalist. This should be required reading for today's professional athletes. This really shows what a great person Tom was. www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/la_salle/20140128_Memories_of_Tom_Gola__Hero__neighbor__basketball_star.html
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Post by weston2 on Jan 29, 2014 13:04:25 GMT -5
Just changed my profile to a picture of Tom Gola after the 69 Villanova game. Thanks for posting the SI article. Great stuff. I have to hand it to the Philadelphia sports media. Their tribute pieces to Tom have been outstanding. Reading all these articles really gives me an appreciation of just how much of a true legend that Tom really was. It is mind-boggling how much he accomplished in his lifetime, and he did it with class and humility. Absolutely awesome. My favorite story though was the one written by a non-journalist. This should be required reading for today's professional athletes. This really shows what a great person Tom was. www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/la_salle/20140128_Memories_of_Tom_Gola__Hero__neighbor__basketball_star.htmlGreat piece, kjmac12. Nice read about a true Philly Legend.
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Post by thehawkisdead on Jan 29, 2014 22:40:24 GMT -5
The team will be wearing a memorial patch for the rest of the season: Honestly, did anyone really think they wouldn't do something like this? Talk about posting for the sake of posting. I am one of those posters. I was 99.999999 percent sure they'd do something appropriate; however, you never know for sure with the athletic department. I have some stories that would make your head spin, and that's why I never say never. Honoring Tom Gola in an appropriate way is a no-brainer, but unfortunately we often bring new meaning to that term.
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Post by SICguy84 on Jan 30, 2014 18:18:22 GMT -5
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Post by SICguy84 on Jan 30, 2014 18:55:20 GMT -5
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Post by jellybean on Jan 30, 2014 21:27:59 GMT -5
I know Msgr. Dougherty personally as well as his father, they both have had some health issues but try to make a game or two a season. Mr. Dougherty can talk La Salle basketball with the best of them (too bad one of his children went to Nova).
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MisterD
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Post by MisterD on Jan 30, 2014 22:02:07 GMT -5
That's a cool story. I hope he brought him a beer.
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baab
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Post by baab on Jan 31, 2014 0:03:42 GMT -5
It's technically correct that Jim Harding left to coach in "the pros", he coached the ABA Minnesota Pipers but only for 33 games in the 68-69 season. The following year he was back at college at Detroit. Gola's second year as coach at LaSalle was not as good, they were only 14-12, but at one point they were 10-3. Then Bill Pleas the jumping jack power forward had academic issues, Ken Durrett had to go it alone and whence 14-12. Bill Pleas ended up at Detroit with Jim Harding in 71-72 and averaged 16 ppg and 12 rpg, had he remained eligible those 70 and 71 LaSalle teams might have been quite different. Westhead succeeded Gola in 1971 as coach, I don't recall the circumstances but I assume Gola's schedule was just too prohibitive.
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