St. John's University Athletics
Quotes From Jan. 20th's Legacy Honors Ceremony
1/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2006
Friday, Jan. 20, marked the ceremony to bestow Legacy Honors on 10 St. John's men's basketball legends. Read quotes from St. John's administrators, the honorees and their family members here.
St. John's Athletic Director Chris Monasch:
"As athletic director, one of my primary roles is to help serve as caretaker of our cherished basketball program. Today we honor 10 individuals and their families and thank them for all they have contributed to the history and tradition of St. John's basketball."
"To put into perspective the depth of our success and tradition, consider the following: St. John's is fifth on the all-time list of schools in victories, eighth in winning percentage. We've been at 27 NCAA Tournaments, which is ninth all-time. We appeared in the NCAA National Championship game in 1952 and the Final Four again in 1985. St. John's has won more NIT Championships, six, than any other school and a number of those NIT Championships were in the day when the NIT was the premier postseason tournament."
University President, Father Donald J. Harrington, C.M.
"We gather tonight to honor the people who, over the years, have contributed in many ways to the continuation of the wonderful legacy that is ours. We celebrate those years, and we celebrate that legacy. Perhaps we much more importantly thank those men who, through coaching or through playing, have made this program what it is."
Richard Lapchick, son of honoree Joe Lapchick, 1936-47, 1956-65
"On behalf of the Lapchick family, I would like to thank St. John's and Father Harrington. My dad would be thrilled to be in this house tonight with these other nine honorees. Home is where the heart is and this was home for my father."
br> "It was really on the issue of race and racism that I learned the most from my Dad. My Dad played in an era where black players and white players weren't on the same team. A lot of fans didn't want blacks and whites to play together on the same court. My father would not shake hands with his opposing center, also inducted into the Hall of Fame, Tarzan Cooper. They would embrace each other instead because they wanted the people in those arenas across America to understand it was not just about a great basketball game, but about a vision that they shared for what America could become."
Wife of honoree Tony Jackson, 1958-61, Patricia Jackson
"As I stand here now I'm a little overwhelmed. But yes, I feel so proud to stand here and represent my husband, Tony. St. John's basketball gave Tony a great opportunity for him to use the skills that he knew best. The time spent here was memorable and very exciting for him. Not too long ago, after his passing, my daughter made a remark about her father. She said, `Tony never let basketball define him. He always defined basketball.' So for Tony, myself and his family, we thank you for the honor you give to him."
Legacy honoree Mark Jackson, 1983-87
"This is a tremendous honor. I'd like to thank St. John's University and all the people that played a part in making the basketball player that I turned out to be, but more importantly the man I became. My Mom and Dad trusted the people here to guide me, and they did a phenomenal job with that. I thank God for St. John's University."
"I want to thank my beautiful wife and four kids. They are an extension of the values that St. John's put inside of me. I want to thank my Mom and Dad. My Mom is strong and continues to be the point guard of our family. It's so important to tell people thank you. It's so important to tell people you appreciate them. It means that what you've done is appreciated. To the guys that are going to honored in the future, I thank you also."
"I want to thank you Coach, for the way my parents trusted you and the way that you helped me become a man. I can't go to any function or dinner without stealing some of your stuff, and I say that with the utmost respect. The way that you capture a room, some people have it and some don't. Thank you for your example, and for your love and what you stand for."
Daughter of Sonny Dove, 1964-67, Zaynid Dove
"Basketball was his favorite sport, but his greatest achievement was his education. My father was taken early but he is here in spirit. I would especially like to thank my mother, Patricia Dove, for keeping my father's dream of an education alive. I had an opportunity as a little girl to watch St. John's play as my father commentated back when Chris Mullin and Mark Jackson played. Even though I didn't understand the sport back then and hated it, I got the opportunity to see Lou Carnesecca scream on the side line and even throw a few chairs, I haven't forgotten. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate it "
Son of Sonny Dove, Leslie Dove:
"I thank you for the opportunity to relish in my father's memories. I didn't have the opportunity to see my father's success in basketball but I've had the chance to speak with a lot of people who knew my father well and that has given me the opportunity to see what he was really about and what kind of man he was and I'm really proud to be his son. I wish he was here with us tonight and I really appreciate this award to carry on my father's legacy."
Legacy Honoree Walter Berry, 1984-86
"First and foremost, I'd like to thank God. I'd like to thank Lou Carnesseca, Ron Rutledge and Brian Mahoney and St. John's University for the opportunity. To my teammates, thanks for the memories. I'd like to thank my Mom for all her love and support and my wife Tammy for putting up with me for the last 21 years. My daughter Tiara, you are the biggest inspiration in my life and I love you. To my friends and fans, thanks for the love and support."
Sports broadcaster Spencer Ross on Alan Seiden, 1956-59
"St. John's was and is what represents all that is good about New York sports and New York basketball. He was small, but what a shooter and he could have played for years and years in the National Basketball Association. He never lost his way as a basketball mind and a basketball player. Alan has always lived his life with a very strong conviction and a very strong will."
Legacy Honoree Dick McGuire, 1943-49
"I just want to thank St. John's. It is an honor to be here tonight and be recognized with these guys. It was fun to play with these guys and I have lots of good memories."
"I want to thank my wife. We will be celebrating our 50th anniversary in March and playing basketball was fun, but 50 years with her is better."
Legacy Honoree Chris Mullin, 1981-85
"Legacy, to me, is everyday. In this building, Coach Carnesecca would always reference the people he worked for and with. Coach used to have a feather duster in his office, and if we played a few good games or if someone got a little out of line, which I was known to do once in a while, Coach would tell me `Peacock today, feather duster tomorrow.' Something that is very simple but I always take it with me."
"Basketball wise, Coach Carnesecca was the reason I came here. Anytime I think of St. John's and I think all of my teammates, Coach Carnesecca has been the constant. As I went through practice, many nights I was questioning what was going on, but to this day, I echo what Coach taught me. St. John's prepared me for today, both good and bad. With Coach, basketball always overlapped into life. He always talked about doing for others. That was always the St. John's way."
"Coach Roberts and the current players, this is a place that will support you until it's over. The New York feeling about St. John's is just incredible. Every time I come back to the city, people are asking me about St. John's or the teams I played on."
Son of Malik Sealy, 1988-92, Malik Sealy, Jr.
"I'm eight years old and this is my first speech so I'll do my best in my dad's honor. When my mom asked me if I wanted to speak to night, I said ok. Immediately after, I asked `Are there going to be a lot of people there?' She said `Yes.' I started to get nervous. I asked, `Mom, what would Daddy do?' My mom said my dad would always meet his challenges head on, so here I am."
"My mom said my Dad wasn't really the type of guy that took this stuff too seriously. He was just a regular guy who treated everyone with respect. That's just how he was raised. It's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice. And believe me, my mom never stops yelling it into my head.
"My mom told me to talk about what I think my dad would think about this honor. I think my dad would be happy. He loved this school. My mom says my dad would be in competition with his NBA teammates about whose college was the best. My dad would always fight loud and hard for the Redmen, even when they became the Red Storm."
My mom says my dad gave the university a gift. He gave them a mold on what a student athlete should be. Malik Sealy always represented St. John's in a good way. He was like an ambassador for his school. St. John's can never go wrong if they go after young men with my dad's character and integrity. He didn't expect anything from the university and he gave what he could. And I believe he left here loved too. Every time we drive by the St. John's gates, I think to myself `I'm going to go here, just like my dad.' If my dad were here, we would thanks his coaches and all the basketball staff. But I think he would thank his boys, the guys he played with, the guys he laughed with, the guys he won and lost with. He was very close to you and he loved you. Thank you for the legacy honors for my dad, Malik Sealy. I think he is watching and he is happy. Thank you for helping me create one of my own stories tonight and most of all remember my Daddy was a good man."
Legacy Honoree Lou Carnesecca, 1965-70, 1973-92
"It is very special to be included with these wonderful names. When you think back to the great tradition, the great legacy that we have had, it feels great. The first reason being that I saw these guys in high school, I saw them in college and I saw them in the professional field. To think I had the great fortune to utilize their talents, because as it's been said many times, you can't coach talent. They allowed you to coach. The people that are here tonight, you know that the talent was there. To them, I will be forever indebted. Together, we enjoyed some many happy occasions. We had some tough ones too, but we always came together. That's what made it so special to coach here."
"To all the players that made my life a wonderful dream, I thank you. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it again."
