Lefty Driesell

[spider fan]

https://nypost.com/2024/02/17/sport...e-basketball-coach-lefty-driesell-dead-at-92/

Posted this on the basketball board because as coach of Davidson, Maryland, and JMU Lefty had lots of interaction with the Spiders. Very colorful on the sidelines and the story of his car being bogged down in the mud when Maryland played us in the opening game at Robins has become part of Spider lore. First acquainted with him when he coached the high school Newport News Typhoon from 1957 to 1959. RIP Lefty!

 

[spider fan]

https://www.dailypress.com/2024/02/...-basketball-coach-and-hall-of-famer-has-died/

This link gives much more information about his early life in Virginia.

 

[spider23]

Sad to hear. Lot of history with Lefty from Len Bias tragedy to the midnight massacre to revenge at the coliseum.

 

[Wood Hall]

I remember Maryland opening the Robins Center my freshman year. They were a machine. We played them at home my junior year too, it was a close game until they blew it open with about seven minutes to play.

 

[urmite]

The NIT game was my first game at the Robins Center…

 

[CarolinaSpider]

I was at the RC for that first game and I thought Lefty’s caddie sunk to their hubcaps in
newly laid gravel that had not been packed. Lefty was a great interview and yes, he stomped a
few chairs.

 

[Wood Hall]

We played Maryland pretty regularly in that era. We also played them at home in football in the late 1970s or early 1980s, IIRC

 

[PalmTreeSpidUR]

My experience was when he was the JMU coach. in those days JMU was archrival #1. I hated that midnight madness game.

 

[72Spider]

My experience was when he was the JMU coach. in those days JMU was archrival #1. I hated that midnight madness game.

Supposed to be played at RC but admin didn't want to require our fanbase to attend at that late hour.

 

[72Spider]

We played Maryland pretty regularly in that era. We also played them at home in football in the late 1970s or early 1980s, IIRC

Remember the home fb game in 1977. Late in the game we had a dropped pass in the end zone on 4th down that would have won it. Lost 27-24. Should have won that one

 

[PalmTreeSpidUR]

Supposed to be played at RC but admin didn't want to require our fanbase to attend at that late hour.

Wow 72, I never knew that. Thanks for the info.