Jan. 4, 2008

Another road trip looms this weekend!  Not one requiring an airplane, for this one, an Amtrak train will do (at least we are promoting Hoya sponsors!) But this weekend is a homecoming of sorts as I will be returning to New Jersey, my state of birth, and specifically to Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, in New Brunswick, on the "banks of the Old Raritan," where, during the summer of 1967, I had the privilege of attending New Jersey Boys' State. I am looking forward to my first trip to the "RAC" (officially known as the Louis Brown Athletic Center), one of the toughest BIG EAST road venues, and to the inaugural game of the Hoyas' 2007-08 BIG EAST season.

Growing up in West Orange, New Jersey, I didn't think much about Rutgers and certainly didn't view it in the same light as the country's great state universities. In fact, the word was that Rutgers would accept almost anyone and then use the mandatory Freshmen English writing course to weed out 1/3 of the class. As I recall, Douglass, The New Jersey College for Women, had a much more substantial academic reputation than did its male counterpart on the other side of the "Old Raritan."  During my childhood, the most legendary alumni of Rutgers were All-American athlete and world-renowned actor Paul Robeson, valedictorian of the Class of 1919, Nobel-laureate Economist Milton Friedman, (A.B. 1932), Oswald "Ozzie" Nelson, (B.A. 1927), the erstwhile paterfamilias in the early television sitcom, "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," and the near-sighted cartoon character Quincy Magoo (Mr. Magoo) (degree and graduation year unknown). In recent years, among others, I have come to learn that Tony Soprano, a/k/a James Gandolfini (B.A. 1983), erstwhile paterfamilias of the "New Jersey Family," actor Avery Brooks (B.A. 1973), actress Kristin Davis (B.F.A. 1987) (Charlotte York from Sex and the City) and Calista Flockhart (B.F.A. 1988), a/k/a Ally McBeal, all are Rutgers' alumni.

In the athletic realm, apart from winning the first-ever intercollegiate football and "ultimate Frisbee" games against Princeton in 1869 and 1972, respectively, the athletic excellence of Paul Robeson, who won 15 varsity letters in football, baseball, basketball, and track and field between 1915 to 1919,  the recent resurgence of the Rutgers football squad, and the consistent renown of the Rutgers Women's Basketball team, the most well-known accomplishment of the Scarlet Knights was their undefeated regular season record during the 1975-76 basketball season. Led by Phil "The Thrill" Sellars and current Washington Wizards' Coach Eddie Jordan, the Scarlet Knights entered the 1976 Final Four with a 31-0 record and a No. 2 national ranking. It did not fare so well in the Final Four as it lost to both the University of Michigan in the semifinal round and to UCLA in the now-abandoned "third-place game." 

According to hoyasaxa.com, Georgetown's history of basketball games with Rutgers began in the 1949-50 season with a 75-73 win by the Hoyas. The series renewed in the 1962-63 season and continued annually through the 1973-74 season. The rivalry ended abruptly following a hotly contested 57-55 Hoya win before an overflow McDonough crowd during the 1973-74 season, and the teams did not face one another again during the regular season until 1995-96, when Rutgers joined the BIG EAST Conference. I attended the 1973-74 game and recall a very physical contest and several controversial calls, resulting in fans from both schools believing that their team had gotten "jobbed" by the refs. Despite not playing regular season games against one another after the 1973-74 season, the teams did meet in the 1977-78 NIT Consolation Game and in the first-round of the 1978-79 NCAA East Regional Championship with Rutgers emerging victorious in both contests.

This year's Rutgers' team is off to an 8-6 start. Most recently, on Wednesday, they began their BIG EAST season on the losing side of a 23-point shellacking by the South Florida Bulls in Tampa. Moreover, this Saturday, many of the loyal Rutgers fans likely will be engaged in rooting on their football squad against Ball State in the International Bowl in Toronto. Our Hoyas, as we know, are 10-1 and ranked seventh in the nation as they begin BIG EAST play. But the RAC is the RAC, so wear your gray (or blue) and root on the Hoyas either in person at the RAC or at one of the several game watch parties throughout the country.

If you are able to come to the "Banks of the Old Raritan," to see our inaugural BIG EAST contest, make plans to attend the Hoya Hoop Club's pre-game reception beginning at 12:30 p.m. in the Livingston Student Center on the Rutgers Campus. The Livingston Center is located just a few minutes from the RAC. In addition, the Club of Northern New Jersey also is hosting a pre-game tailgate at Charlie Brown's Restaurant right by the RAC. The restaurant's address is 1776 South Washington Avenue, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854. According to the Hoya Hoop Club's activities page on guhoyas.com, there also will be Rutgers' game watch parties at The Bus Stop in San Francisco, Georges Sports Bar & Grille in Charleston, South Carolina, the Liberty Taproom and Grill in Columbia, South Carolina, and the Village Pourhouse in New York City. Be sure to check out GUhoyas.com for more specific address information on each of these game watches.

In conclusion, a Hoya Happy New Year to all Hoya fans from myself and on behalf of the Hoya Hoop Club. 2007 was indeed a special year for Hoya Hoops and 2008 holds the promise for a similarly exciting and memorable year!

WE ARE GEORGETOWN!!

Respectfully,

Michael E. Karam, F '72, L '76, L `81

Proud Member of Generation Laughna

P.S. Congratulations to the Hoya Hoop Club for selling out the away game bus trip to Rutgers for Saturday's game. Going on a HHC away game bus trip is a wonderful way to come together in community with fellow Hoya fans and to root our beloved Hoyas on to victory together!