2 MAJOR MILESTONE and BOB STAAK

[Xuperman]

I believe Xavier played 1 game in 1919 as the official beginning of the Men’s Basketball program. The start of the regular season in November marks the 100th year but more significantly IMO is that coincidentally it will be 40 years since Bob Staak arrived at X as the new Head Coach AND Athletic Director.....a perfect time to acknowledge the father of the “modern era” of Xavier basketball.

Did a little research on Staak and didn’t realize his strong ties to charter Big East members St Johns and UConn. Although the BEast had not yet formed, he was a helluva player in the early 70’s. Played his Freshman year for the Johnnies before transferring to Storrs and upon graduation was 4th on the Huskies all time scoring list. Made a brief attempt at playing in the ABA but ended up taking a variety of coaching gigs instead. He ended up as an assistant at the University of Pennsylvania under Chuck Daly and found himself coaching in the 1979 Final Four....next stop Victory Parkway.

I don’t recall seeing any Tay Baker Xavier games, so 1979 and Staak is where it starts for me. In his 1st season, the spring of 1980, is when Digger Phelps brought the Irish to Schmidt Fieldhouse. I remember thinking Tripuka, Woolridge...Man, this is BIG TIME BASKETBALL! I believe Staak recruited Anthony Hicks who really was the spark that started the fire. He was some kinda player! Another Staak moment that really stands out is the victory over Ohio State in the NIT. He got the Wake job after that which ushered in Gillen.

So, let’s hear it for the guy that got the ball rollin’....it’s been an amazing 40 YEARS!!