Bob Wenzel talks about his most memorable game at Rutgers and the RAC
- Thread starter Tango Two
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Thanks for sharing Tango. This is definitely in my top 3 R U hoops victories that I was in attendance for all time. My first being the regular season final game at the Barn for our undefeated season in 76. My third being Jammin ‘ James Bailey game winner or Larry Bird and Indiana State and this game my second favorite all time.
I truly believe that under Coach Pike at some time we will experience a new top three and I hope that I will be there to see it.
I truly believe that under Coach Pike at some time we will experience a new top three and I hope that I will be there to see it.
I ran into Bobby yesterday at the golf course. He has a few Rutgers games this year.
You live in PVB? I lived there for 6 months in 2011, right next to the 10th hole at Players. My boss at the time was Bobby’s neighbor and friend.
A few thoughts....
I remember the "no room sideline" when the players toes were right on the sideline.
The fans behind the benches were standing, screaming and waving pom poms. Now ( no offense intended)....it"s older fans who normally sit and cheer.... they may cheer loudly, but, it's just not the same.
Loudest sporting event I have ever been to. And, second place is not even close.
That was a fun game. Tickets were sold out immediately. I called Michelle who was the wife of Gary Castaline, the assistant AD. Michelle had run cross country for me and had run 4 years at RU. I asked her to see if Gary could do anything for me. She called me back and said a ticket would be left for me at Will Call. I could not believe it as I was in the very first row at mid court behind the scorer's table. I had been going to games since 1971 and had been to 13 games in the 1976 season. I also had been at almost every home game since the RAC opened. After that win I bought season tickets. I have now had them for 30 years. I will never forget Anthony Duckett and Tom Savage sitting on the basket in front of section 118 after the game. It was amazing.
I was a junior that year, and with my friends, were some of the few in attendance the two years prior with Littlepage...when the women's team headlined mens/womens doubleheaders.
We got up early to wait on line for tickets (like 6 AM which was unheard of at that stage of life) only to get shutout. Called the Penn State ticket office and they had tix available so we drove out there and bought them in person...no internet of course. Sat in the last row of Section 305 (not even sure if that's the Section our tickets were for). Ran down and rushed the court for the first and last time ever. I have a picture of Savage sitting on the rim...but it's packed in a box somewhere...
I have a nice copy on DVD I'm happy to burn for anyone interested..
Email me at bkryche@aol.com for details
Email me at bkryche@aol.com for details
That was the last year I did not have season tickets and I got shut out. Penn State had not sold out its full allotment of tickets for that game. They were sent to the RAC, but for Penn State alumni only with identification and proof of having attended Penn State. I had to have a Penn State alumnus in my office take his diploma off the wall and brought him to Piscataway where he bought my group 4 tickets.
This game video should be mandatory viewing for freshmen orientation to show what the RAC could be like again given the right energy.
That was a heck of a staff Wenzel had too
Jeff VanGundy
Eddie Jordan
(I know Jordan didn't work out as Head Coach but as an assistant I think he's fine)
Jeff VanGundy
Eddie Jordan
(I know Jordan didn't work out as Head Coach but as an assistant I think he's fine)
7-22 the year before and with this "W" RU goes to the dance.
We can / will DO IT AGAIN!
The crowd noise was INCREDIBLE!
VIVE LE RUTGERS SONS!!!
MO
Shack was in da House
People forget we fell behind 19-6 in the first 5-6 minutes of that game....and joe was in the house (and the students did a great job reminding him well that we beat them a few months early)
People forget we fell behind 19-6 in the first 5-6 minutes of that game....and joe was in the house (and the students did a great job reminding him well that we beat them a few months early)
My Senior Year and I had awesome seats in the Pep Band (TRUMPETS ROCK!!)
That was the LOUDEST sporting event I ever have been part of, bar none. It was the most exciting event for me as a student with the game before at the Palestra being maybe #2....Can't forget the Wicks and Sticks show for Women's Hoops either....we had some epic games....
But the A-10 Championship has to rank up there in Rutgers Sports Pantheon with the 2006 RU-UL epic....
That was the LOUDEST sporting event I ever have been part of, bar none. It was the most exciting event for me as a student with the game before at the Palestra being maybe #2....Can't forget the Wicks and Sticks show for Women's Hoops either....we had some epic games....
But the A-10 Championship has to rank up there in Rutgers Sports Pantheon with the 2006 RU-UL epic....
I had the good fortune to cover the game for the Targum that night. They put the overflow press in a corner of the handicap area, so I had a PERFECT vantage point to watch the crowd erupt with every big moment, and I was just a few yards away from Savage sitting on the rim during the post-game celebration, with a throng of fans surrounding him on the court.
That game, and of course the Louisville game on 11/9/2006, are the top two events that I witnessed at Rutgers. Hopefully more to come...
That game, and of course the Louisville game on 11/9/2006, are the top two events that I witnessed at Rutgers. Hopefully more to come...
They tried to start a “We Are!” which was was answered with mocking sounding “Fooootballlll!” as the reply.
I do. Lived here since 1990. I see Bobby every week when he is not on the road announcing. Great guy. Loves Rutgers. I wolud post his thoughts but you know we have a few assholes that know everything!!
He coached my Highland Park USY temple team just like he coached RU. And we won too.He must have found the fountain of youth in Jacksonville. Bobby never ages.
My Freshman year...Was at the Palestra for the temple game...and almost got shutout of tickets...Sat right behind Wenzel all season first row behind the bench. 1 of 22 student season tix sold....CRAZY...Ended up in the student section for this game and will never...ever...forget it. It was a great 4-years of hoops at RU!
They were always Bobsicles.- best RU event I was ever at......the noise was deafening
I was at the RAC when tix went on sale for that game. Like most people in line, I got shut out. They could easily have sold 15K tix just to those in the line, which wrapped all the around the inside of the RAC, then outside the door and out to the street, many people thick at all points.
Hopefully those days will return to RU but NJ has never shown itself to be capable of sustained excitement for any sport, college or pro. The closest we've ever come to that was selling out the stadium on season's tix in 2007 and 2008, before stadium expansion.
Hopefully those days will return to RU but NJ has never shown itself to be capable of sustained excitement for any sport, college or pro. The closest we've ever come to that was selling out the stadium on season's tix in 2007 and 2008, before stadium expansion.
We also got creative for women’s hoops....we were merciless to this one girl from PSU who we called Moooooose...except one day this Trumpet player named Sergio brought a bunch of surgical gloves to the game....so....we blew them up to look like utters and started mooing at the poor girl....it was pretty mean but we were a rough crowd....
It was during Wenzel’s time we’d sing a horrid rendition of Country Roads when WVU was at the RAC...until some of their fans to exception with it and there was a scuffle with some band members....
Let’s not forget at one time the RAC was listed in one of the preseason mags as the 3rd hardest arena for opposing teams to play in behind only Duke and Mizzou...
Many of you may not remember that when Van Gundy was hired Wenzel was largely criticized by the fan base for failing to get a more seasoned and more connected coach for that spot.
No one remembers that because it's fake news. Van Gundy was the "restricted earning coach" who made $16,000 a year and had no recruiting responsibilities. Not sure what experienced, connected coach anyone would get for that spot. Hell, he worked for Pitino and went to the Final Four before being at Rutgers. MAYBE, you're thinking of one the other assistants, Jeff Mitchell, who DID have recruiting responsibilities and was eventually replaced by the Alphabet Man, Tom Abatemarco. Saying Wenzel was "largely criticized" for anything for the one year Van Gundy was here, is certainly not something that I remember.
No. Jeff Mitchell was the first hired. He was only replaced because he left coaching to join the family business in the Chicago area — he had set a deadline for himself to get a head-coaching job or move on and he stuck to it — Wenzel wanted very much for him to stay. Van Gundy had just finished assisting Providence to a record of 11-17 under Gordy Chiesa. That was his only year as an assistant coach. He had only been a graduate assistant for Pitino. His best claim to fame at the time was the fact that his father was a successful head coach at Genesse community college. (His father would later send Alvin Rich to RU.) He was not a sought after commodity. He was hired as the third assistant at RU, not a restricted earnings coach. In fact, there was no such thing as a restricted earnings coach then. And yes, his hiring as the third assistant was criticized. He proved the critics wrong by becoming the Xs & Os guy on the staff and was very popular with the players, but my point was about how his hiring was seen at the time. What I said was accurate.
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Van Gundy had close to a full head of hair back then. Also Hughes and Duncan in street clothes at the end of the bench as they were completing their transfer year. I watched the tape and that really was not a very talented team. They had Dadika and Savage but not much else. Carter and Duckett were big that night.
Had a great dinner once with Wenzel and the team (wow, about 30 years ago!). I used to do workshops for some of the sports teams on test-taking and study skills (and showing up for class). He invited me to a practice and team dinner. He was at RU when I was at Princeton back in the days of Brian Taylor, Geoff Petrie, and John Hummer for Princeton, and a somewhat less outstanding squad for RU at the time. We were talking about those guys, and Jim McMillan and Heywood Dotson at Columbia, and what great games those were.
The team was looking at us like, "Who are these geezers?"
Good guy.
The team was looking at us like, "Who are these geezers?"
Good guy.
