RIP: Joe Retton

[eers-to-ya]

nm

 

[CAJUNEER_rivals]

Sad to hear.

 

[WVUALLEN]

Great coach and I am sure many will miss him.

 

[MikeRafone]

Sad to hear.

Yes it is. The WVIAC tourney was the highlight of the year in this part of the state. It seemed like Joe and his Falcons were a fixture in the championship in those days. They were the dominant team in that league for years.

NAIA ball was different. If you could get them to your school, it didn't matter what their grades were or what they may have done to land there, they were going to play if they were good enough. That's what made going to that tourney so much fun.

 

[Beechurst]

Hoped he'd be WVU's coach in the 70s...articles hint that he was passed over but the word was that the barrier was his fear of flying. Great, great coach. Still remember the feature article that Sports Illustrated did about him in 1981.

 

[Soaring Eagle 74]

Fond memories of listening to Frank Lee announcing the FSC games on my little Japanese transistor radio. Retton and Duvall led the golden age of FSC sports.

 

[Beechurst]

Fond memories of listening to Frank Lee announcing the FSC games on my little Japanese transistor radio. Retton and Duvall led the golden age of FSC sports.

'Frankly speaking, this is Frank Lee speaking."

"The Fighting FALLcons of Fairmont State...'

"...it bounces HIGH off the TOP OF THE RING..."

Got to know Deacon.

 

[westsiderSJHS77]

The WVIAC tournament was always packed on Thursday night semifinals and championship game on Saturday in the old civic center.

We'd skip school to go all day Wednesday. 10:15 am tipoff till way after midnight.

Joe Retton was a giant in the coaching world. RIP coach.

 

[WVUALLEN]

WVIAC, I still remember Sedale Threat from West Virginia Tech. Soon as he crossed half court he was a threat to score.

Threatt, who has the distinction of being the last sixth round pick to play in the NBA (as the NBA draft had later been shortened to two rounds), played in the NBA from 1983–1997 and followed up with several additional seasons overseas.

 

[CAJUNEER_rivals]

WVIAC, I still remember Sedale Threat from West Virginia Tech. Soon as he crossed half court he was a threat to score.

Threatt, who has the distinction of being the last sixth round pick to play in the NBA (as the NBA draft had later been shortened to two rounds), played in the NBA from 1983–1997 and followed up with several additional seasons overseas.

I went to the Tourney Threatt’s senior year. You saying he was a threat every time he crossed half court reminded me of once in the tournament when he was on a break away he pick up his dribbling to pass to the center when he saw an opposing player in the passing lane. Threatt draw the ball back and resumed his dribble finishing with a dunk. No call. The opposing coach and team went apoplectic.

 

[WVUALLEN]

I went to the Tourney Threatt’s senior year. You saying he was a threat every time he crossed half court reminded me of once in the tournament when he was on a break away he pick up his dribbling to pass to the center when he saw an opposing player in the passing lane. Threatt draw the ball back and resumed his dribble finishing with a dunk. No call. The opposing coach and team went apoplectic.

I remember that. Huggs would have gotten a T on that one.

 

[MikeRafone]

Can you imagine what Archie Talley's scoring average would have been if the three point shot was part of the game then? That guy was a threat to put it up every time he crossed half-court and he had a decent percentage on them.

 

[TejasFan]

Wasn't Joe Retton a real treat to watch at a Fairmont State game? He was animated ..........to say the least. Warez

 

[Beechurst]

Wasn't Joe Retton a real treat to watch at a Fairmont State game? He was animated ..........to say the least. Warez

His undeleted, streaming expletives were often audible to the crowd and had him in hot water with FSC admin.