Former Friar Greats Pay Their Respects To The Legendary Dave Gavitt
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Marvin Barnes, Ernie D, Kevin Stacom, Soup Campbell, Ray Flynn, Mark McAndrew – all former PC greats. Today they gathered with hundreds of others at the Monahan Drabble Sherman Funeral Home on Providence’s east side to celebrate the life of Dave Gavitt.
Gavitt passed away on Friday at the age of 73. He had been battling illness for quite some time and the last couple of weeks of his life were tough.
Word spread of his passing on the same day that news reports linked Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the ACC making it a rather disturbing piece of irony.
But today, many of his former players, co-workers, family, friends and fans gathered to pay their final respects to a man that was universally liked and admired for his lifetime of achievement.
UConn men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun was there to pay his respects along with assistant George Blaney. PC’s Ed Cooley was back in town as well to pay his last respects to a man that meant so much to the program he now coaches. Other Big East coaches like Mike Brey of Notre Dame and Jay Wright of Villanova stopped by as well. So, too, did the ACC-bound Jim Boeheim of Syracuse.
Duke's Mike Krzyzewski payed his respects to Gavitt as did UConn women's coach Geno Auriemma.
Former URI coach Al Skinner was there along with his former assistant and current Bryant head coach Tim O'Shea.
From the Boston Celtics, John Havlicek and Larry Bird were in attendance.
The founder of the Big East Conference, Gavitt’s successors Mike Tranghese and John Marinatto were there along with former A-10 commissioner Linda Bruno.
Former Friar assistant Steve DeMeo made the trip up from Hofstra to pay his last respects to Gavitt while well-known college basketball writer Dick “Hoops” Weiss made the trek up from Philadelphia.
Even former Red Sox’ general manager Dan Duquette was among those to make it to Providence to say one last goodbye to Dave Gavitt.
It was amazing to see all of the coaches, players, officials, politicians that showed up on this day.
By all accounts, Gavitt’s family was in good spirits, their hearts no doubt warmed by the outpouring of love for the man that they loved for so many years.
Dave Gavitt was, indeed, a Rhode Island treasure. But that’s not all. He was clearly much more than that based upon all of the people who showed up to pay tribute to the man who touched them in such a positive way.
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