At Saturday’s Centennial Conference game where Dickinson visited Swarthmore, D1 St Joseph’s University coach Phil Martelli took in all 40 minutes of the Garnet’s double-digit win. Martelli led the Hawks to the D1 Elite 8 two years ago before falling to Oklahoma State…
So why was he there?
Martelli’s son Jimmy is a 2005 graduate of Dickinson and now one the Red Devils’ assistants…
Combine the family connection along with the facts that Martelli’s home is about four miles from Swarthmore, and the Hawks next A-10 game not until tomorrow, and the well-respected basketball chief was able to enjoy the afternoon.
It was somewhat surreal though…Martelli just sitting there with his wife, watching a D3 game between 1-10 Swat and 4-7 Dickinson…
Pat Cummings, thanks for the “human interest” blog.
Let me analyze it from another perspective, a sight that some of us older bloggers now experience first hand and each of us will understand.
It is a very common sight at a D3 game. The very successful parent deeply loves his/her family. One of (generic his) hobbies is his children activities. He attended all of his child’s activities the best his schedule would permit as the child grew up. The child is now in his first job and the proud father gets to witness his son’s on-the-job performance.
The NCAA likes the advertising tag line “going pro in life”. D3 most consistently demonstrates this, and Phil Martelli participated.
Have a Happy Sunday, friends.
Coach Martelli the Elder has been at a number of D3 games over the years. He’s a D3 alum, the point guard on a Widenr Fial Four team back when bell bottoms and ruffled shirts were originally popular.
he followed the meandering college hoops career of Jimmy after he left the 13th spot on the St. Joe’s bench. Plus he has a number of friends in the D3 coaching fraternity,
Coach Martelli the Elder is a calss guy and it’s nice someone noticed.
C