The Helms Center has 600 folding seats and about 1400 bleacher seats. The largest crowd that I ever saw there was when the Carolina JV's visited the then Junior College and every Carolina fan in 50 miles showed up only to see then Carolina JV coach Roy Williams and not a player any Carolina fan had ever heard of. Then the night the Braves came home after finishing 3rd in the National Junior College final in Hutchinson Kansas more than a thousand were there to greet them home.
Saturday every blue seat was filled with former coaches, players family members of players and well wishers. My guess about 1200 in the house. In all my days never had to worry about a parking space but had to park near the baseball field and take a shuttle. Today's game was broadcast on the CIAA TV network and Chowan dedicated the floor to Bob and they gave him a plaque with wood from the floor on it. Given two minutes to speak the TV almost had to wait in order to start the second half because Bob Burke has never just talked two minutes in his life.
A dinner in his honor was held and they gave him the floor to speak about his players from His one year at Wallace Rose Hill, Guilford College and Chowan. Rob and Ashlyn, his kids surprised Bob with a tribute from the likes of Mike Krzyzewski, Mark Gottfried, Dave Odom, John Thompson, the NC Wesleyan coach and even a live in personal tribute from Bobby Cremins who probably got more players from Chowan to Georgia Tech than any other coach got any where else.
It was one of those days that you say 'I hope they have one of these days for me before I die'. Bob just two weeks ago broke one of his hips and was confined to a wheel chair but when it was his time to speak he had no half time cut off. I have no idea how many players he coached at Chowan for 23 years. 115 maybe at least 100 were there. They came back to honor the man that helped make them men. It was one of those days that you say. I'm glad Pat and I were there
Gryphon News: Former Gryphon Guard Tabias Hilliard playing Friday night for Methodest University scored 22 in a Methodest victory at Maryville Tennessee. He also crossed 1000 points in his career. The point guard on the State Champion Gryphon Team in 2012 averaged about five points a game in high school but has had a wonderful career in Fayetteville.
Here areThree pictures. First former Georgia Tech coach and TV broadcaster Bobby Cremins. The court at Chowan. Me and Coach Bob Burke.What a day!
