Favorite Gola Arena Memories?

[Fastchuck]

Some of us are still dealing with years of pulling our hair out over the Explorers (insider reference that the 2 combatants would understand).

[diehardexplorer]

Mar 2, 2024 9:54:59 GMT -5 glorydays said:

It’s been 20 years but some may remember “The Thrilla at Gola”. Two 71er’s were frustrated with an impending loss late in a game. …got into an argument and
had to be separated. The incident was interpreted as how much these guys loved La Salle basketball… the dust up was somewhere between Ali-Frazier and
Fred Sanford and Grady…. Both participants are still alive and still frustrated by the Explos.

i heard they met outside for a second round afterwards.

[explorer88]

Mar 2, 2024 9:54:59 GMT -5 glorydays said:

It’s been 20 years but some may remember “The Thrilla at Gola”. Two 71er’s were frustrated with an impending loss late in a game. …got into an argument and
had to be separated. The incident was interpreted as how much these guys loved La Salle basketball… the dust up was somewhere between Ali-Frazier and
Fred Sanford and Grady…. Both participants are still alive and still frustrated by the Explos.

There have been a few dust-ups between us fans. We usually make up in the end to fight each other on another day. That is what we do as fans.

[olneyman]

Mar 2, 2024 9:54:59 GMT -5 glorydays said:

It’s been 20 years but some may remember “The Thrilla at Gola”. Two 71er’s were frustrated with an impending loss late in a game. …got into an argument and
had to be separated. The incident was interpreted as how much these guys loved La Salle basketball… the dust up was somewhere between Ali-Frazier and
Fred Sanford and Grady…. Both participants are still alive and still frustrated by the Explos.

Certainly more fire in the stands for that one

[nyalum]

Maybe the refurbished arena should include an in-house jail a la Veterans Stadium/The Linc for Eagles games? Bet nobody thought of that for new amenities!

[coachd]

Great moment: The unfurling of the Sweet 16 banner... and disappointing the same day: game against Manhattan that the Explorers unfortunately lost.

[explorer88]

Daeshon Shepherd’s dunk to seal the win against GW the final game at Gola.

[23won]

Best - the Butler win. No doubt. On top of the outcome, just as the game was about to end, a Domino's delivery guy came through the main doors with two pizzas. Security lets that happen at a place like Gola. He's watching the last few seconds and then the fans storm the court. He runs into the middle of the mob and is jumping up and down celebrating with the pizaas above his head!!!! You can't make this sh!t up!

[crayzeeguy]

Surprised no one fondly recalling fencing at the 2016 Olympic Games

web.archive.org/web/20060616111514/http://pdn.philly.com/olympic/olympicmap.html

[glorydays]

Mar 2, 2024 12:45:29 GMT -5 nyalum said:

Maybe the refurbished arena should include an in-house jail a la Veterans Stadium/The Linc for Eagles games? Bet nobody thought of that for new amenities!

Those guys are so old now that it would have to be a combination jailhouse / assisted living.

[gymrat67]

( March 4, 2024 ) Tribute Video -- Tom Gola Arena

[Gnocchi]

Mar 2, 2024 9:54:59 GMT -5 glorydays said:

It’s been 20 years but some may remember “The Thrilla at Gola”. Two 71er’s were frustrated with an impending loss late in a game. …got into an argument and
had to be separated. The incident was interpreted as how much these guys loved La Salle basketball… the dust up was somewhere between Ali-Frazier and
Fred Sanford and Grady…. Both participants are still alive and still frustrated by the Explos.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today



Fans’ nerves were raw on March 6, 2004 as the Explorers came into the regular season finale against GW riding a 5-game losing streak, having just lost to 6-20 Fordham. Tensions continued to rise as GW rained down 3s, en route to a 52-33 halftime lead. It was then, before 1,678 non-screaming spectators, that “The Thrilla at Gola” erupted.

basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/boxscore/2004-03-06/George-Washington-at-La-Salle/31501

[glorydays]

Mar 6, 2024 1:04:43 GMT -5 Gnocchi said:

Mar 2, 2024 9:54:59 GMT -5 glorydays said:

It’s been 20 years but some may remember “The Thrilla at Gola”. Two 71er’s were frustrated with an impending loss late in a game. …got into an argument and
had to be separated. The incident was interpreted as how much these guys loved La Salle basketball… the dust up was somewhere between Ali-Frazier and
Fred Sanford and Grady…. Both participants are still alive and still frustrated by the Explos.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today



Fans’ nerves were raw on March 6, 2004 as the Explorers came into the regular season finale against GW riding a 5-game losing streak, having just lost to 6-20 Fordham. Tensions continued to rise as GW rained down 3s, en route to a 52-33 halftime lead. It was then, before 1,678 non-screaming spectators, that “The Thrilla at Gola” erupted.

basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/boxscore/2004-03-06/George-Washington-at-La-Salle/31501

A special shout out to "the one and only" Billy Shears for helping to break up the kerfuffle.

[thelasallelunatic]

Mar 6, 2024 1:04:43 GMT -5 Gnocchi said:

Mar 2, 2024 9:54:59 GMT -5 glorydays said:

It’s been 20 years but some may remember “The Thrilla at Gola”. Two 71er’s were frustrated with an impending loss late in a game. …got into an argument and
had to be separated. The incident was interpreted as how much these guys loved La Salle basketball… the dust up was somewhere between Ali-Frazier and
Fred Sanford and Grady…. Both participants are still alive and still frustrated by the Explos.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today



Fans’ nerves were raw on March 6, 2004 as the Explorers came into the regular season finale against GW riding a 5-game losing streak, having just lost to 6-20 Fordham. Tensions continued to rise as GW rained down 3s, en route to a 52-33 halftime lead. It was then, before 1,678 non-screaming spectators, that “The Thrilla at Gola” erupted.

basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/boxscore/2004-03-06/George-Washington-at-La-Salle/31501

That team, and the 06-07 team, quit on the season. I hated the 2004 team.

[GlitterBro #2]

Mar 2, 2024 9:54:59 GMT -5 glorydays said:

It’s been 20 years but some may remember “The Thrilla at Gola”. Two 71er’s were frustrated with an impending loss late in a game. …got into an argument and
had to be separated. The incident was interpreted as how much these guys loved La Salle basketball… the dust up was somewhere between Ali-Frazier and
Fred Sanford and Grady…. Both participants are still alive and still frustrated by the Explos.

this should be a 30 for 30 episode

[MisterD]

How have I never heard this story?

[glorydays]

Damn, Gnocchi is right. Today is actually the 20th anniversary of the Thrilla. Happy anniversary to the combatants and the peacekeepers.

The 71er's had some donnybrooks when they were students...guys getting kicked out of the dorms..suspended for fights...one at the Drexel game (at the old Armory) their SR. year. No, they weren't beefing with Drexel students. It was an intramural 71er fight.

Those were the good old days for what sociologists now call a culture of "toxic masculinity."

71er's cheer: We fight good, we fight well. When we fight we fight each other.

[kinesiology]

Mar 6, 2024 12:21:41 GMT -5 glorydays said:

Damn, Gnocchi is right. Today is actually the 20th anniversary of the Thrilla. Happy anniversary to the combatants and the peacekeepers.

The 71er's had some donnybrooks when they were students...guys getting kicked out of the dorms..suspended for fights...one at the Drexel game (at the old Armory) their SR. year. No, they weren't beefing with Drexel students. It was an intramural 71er fight.

Those were the good old days for what sociologists now call a culture of "toxic masculinity."

71er's cheer: We fight good, we fight well. When we fight we fight each other.

Wasn’t it originally “we fight rough, we fight well”?

[glorydays]

Yes. My error.

[MisterD]

Its not "we fight hard, we fight well"

[theneumann64]

You’d think all those geezers would be able to get along better with each other after fighting side-by-side with each other in the Spanish-American War.