Tags
Brooklyn, Container Diaries, Houston, Jim Valvano, NC State, NCAA tournament, San Diego State, Sports, Steve Finamore, UConn
Big game tonight in Houston, Texas.
Men’s NCAA championship game.
UConn vs San Diego State for all the marbles.
I’m pulling for Danny Hurley and the Huskies.
I wrote this last week, in case you missed it, here it is.
This NCAA tournament has been bananas. Upsets galore. Not a single #1 seed made it to the Final Four. Let me take you back 40 years ago
It was a late Monday morning on April 4th, 1983. I was walking across ninth avenue on my way to Pynn’s deli for a buttered roll and a coffee light and sweet.
Out of nowhere Joey Corrar appeared.
“HEY FINAMORE, KEEP AN EYE ON VALVANO AND THE WOLFPACK TONIGHT!” He shouts to me.
Okay bro, you got it.
“STEP INTO MY OFFICE,” he says to me.
I’m like, WHAT?
His office was Elvira’s doorway leading to her apartment. It was actually where Harry’s Barbershop was located.
“GO WITH VALVANO AND THE WOLFPACK TONIGHT,” Joey says.
“I stopped gambling Joey.”
He looks at me and laughs.
Later that night North Carolina State was playing the University of Houston in the men’s NCAA championship game.
I don’t recall anyone giving NC State a chance; not even me. I was going with the Cougars. From the enthusiasm in his voice, he loved the Wolfpack.
We all know what happened that night in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jimmy V’s squad upset Guy Lewis’ Cougars.
Final score: NC State 54 Houston 52.
Joey hit the nail on the head. He picked the winner.
I should have listened to him, I could have won some cake.
By the way, it was a Brooklyn guy, Lorenzo Charles (Brooklyn Tech High School) who made the game winning basket for the Pack.