WHEN NOTRE DAME IS ON THE ROAD
"We make up our basketball travel schedule to take us where the football team didn't play that season," says Notre Dame Coach John Jordan. "But it doesn't seem to matter. Our alumni are everywhere." Last February's visit by the Irish to New York and Detroit was a bit special because it meant an appearance in Madison Square Garden, but their experiences were similar to those of most collegians on trips—sightseeing, studying in hotel rooms, playing on unfamiliar courts. "Here (opposite) I'm just trying to relax the boys before the game with NYU," says Jordan. "It's too late for anything new—just reminders on assignments. I didn't give them any 'charge' stuff. These kids are too smart for the old cornball anyway."
"Before the game in the Garden," says Jordan, "a classmate of mine, Jim Sheils, came down with his two boys to see me (right). I'm a little more genial with them than I am with the team during a time-out later (below). I only call time when we're in trouble of some kind, so you can be sure I'm not asking them where they'd like to eat after the game. One of our men had fouled out, so I was trying to rearrange assignments. At this point (opposite) we were holding our own against NYU—Miller (30), Jesewitz (20) and Sahm have pretty good position under the basket—but we lost 80-79. However, we went on to Detroit University and won there 83-79."
"The first thing the manager does when we get to a hotel is find out where a church is," says Jordan. "We set up a Mass every morning of a game. We try to have our own chaplain along, and Father Michael Murphy is serving Mass here in Detroit (opposite). After Mass we have a big breakfast, and then a nice eight-ounce steak four hours before the game. A lot of guys are trying to sell this milk-and-pills stuff for a training meal, but psychologically that can kill you. Playing on the road and still trying to keep up with the books is wearing enough on the boys. Look what it did to our forward, Sam Skarich—he's sleeping on the bus to the airport."
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MARVIN E. NEWMAN
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MARVIN E. NEWMAN
Fresh-cut oranges in a strange locker room
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MARVIN E. NEWMAN
First a tough defeat—then victory
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MARVIN E. NEWMAN
First diplomacy, then the hard sell
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MARVIN E. NEWMAN
Mass for players the morning of every game
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MARVIN E. NEWMAN
Even the best team trips end in weariness