Dave Gavitt: A Tribute

Dave Gavitt was many things – basketball legend and pioneer, CEO of the Boston Celtics; Olympic Coach; and founding Commissioner of the Big East.  To me, first and foremost he  coach of the Providence College Friars from the moment I began watching basketball.  Growing up in a Friars household, he was central to some of my earliest joys and heartbreaks.

I could not let Coach Gavitt’s death pass without some tribute and expression of gratitude to what he gave to us Friar fans, the state of Rhode Island and basketball itself. I have assembled a list of my 5 greatest joys and heartbreaks as a Friar fan (most of which were during his tenure).  I also wanted to thank a fellow Rhode Islander for showing us that not only could Little Rhody compete with anyone in this world but we could beat them handily if we set our mind to it.

Years later, I met then-Senator Joe Biden during his Presidential campaign and joked to him that he had no idea what it meant for a kid from Little Rhode Island if a Senator from Delaware could become President.  Who knows, if Gavitt had coached the Delaware Blue Hens, Biden might be President today.

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THE GAVITT YEARS

 

1969–1970 Providence 14–11      
1970–1971 Providence 20–8     NIT Quarterfinal
1971–1972 Providence 21–6     NCAA 1st Round
1972–1973 Providence 27–4     NCAA Final Four/NCAA National 3rd Place
1973–1974 Providence 28–4     NCAA Sweet 16/NCAA East Regional 3rd Place
1974–1975 Providence 20–11     NIT Runner-up
1975–1976 Providence 21–11     NIT Semifinal/3rd Place
1976–1977 Providence 24–5     NCAA 1st Round
1977–1978 Providence 24–8     NCAA 1st Round
1978–1979 Providence 10–16      
Providence: 209–84  

 

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

The Legend of
Snoop Ernie D

Maryland (1973)

 Do You Believe
in Snow Angels
?
North Carolina (1978)

 Hoya Destroyahs
Georgetown (1987)

 The Long Shot
Finale

(Rhode Island 1979)

 Number Ones
(Michigan '77 
and Pitt '09)

 


 


 

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#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

Memphis Blues
Memphis State (1973)

 Running with the Pack
NC State (1974)

Clockwork Orange
(Syracuse 1987)

 Basketball Gods
(Arizona 1997)

 Not So Little Rhody
Rhode Island (1978)

 

 

(C) 2011 Friar Town West. 

 
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