From the East Carolina University media department:
GREENVILLE, N.C. — The East Carolina University men’s and women’s basketball teams will hold the annual Purple-Gold Fan Jam, Friday, Oct. 17, inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum to celebrate the beginning of basketball practice.
The 2008 Fan Jam will run from 5 p.m. to approximately 6:30 p.m. Admission is free; doors will open at 4:45 p.m. and concessions will be available.
The event will feature routines by the ECU dance team, introductions, scrimmages by the ECU men’s and women’s basketball teams, and a special performance by the Zooperstars, who were recently featured on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” The event will be hosted by Oldies 107.9 radio personality Jeff Diamond.
ECU basketball season ticket holders, Pirate Club and Student Pirate Club members are also invited to attend Pirate All-Access on October 25 with Basketball Hall of Fame Member and TNT analyst Charles Barkley.
The event will feature a closed practice beginning at 12 noon and guests will have the opportunity to meet Barkley. Following practice all basketball season ticket holders will be invited to a meet-and-greet with Barkley and the ECU basketball coaching staff in Harvey Hall beginning at 3 p.m.
Information on purchasing season tickets is available on-line at www.ecupirates.com.
My take: The first part of this, I was all like, “Whatever.” But the second part? CHARLES FREAKING BARKLEY is coming to Greenville?
I get into the ECU games because I’m a media-type, but I’ll be darned if this doesn’t make me WANT to buy a season ticket. But only if I got to hang with the future governor of Alabama.
A quick Barkley story: Back in 1992, when he was still a 76er, I actually bought Barkley a drink. I was at the old Scoreboard Restaurant in Charlotte (STILL the best sports bar/restaurant I have ever frequented; it’s a travesty it doesn’t exist any longer) and he and some of his “crew” were in a roped-off, VIP part of the restaurant. Although me and my boys couldn’t muster up the courage to go talk to him, we sent him a drink. We watched it get delivered to him and the waitress told him who sent it to him.
Yes, I got a quick wave and a head nod. And yes, that’s one of the high points of my life.
Blogging with Bryan C. Hanks 
September 18, 2008 at 6:22 am |
You didn’t get all of that press release Hanks. Pirate season-ticket holders will also be required to bring big Chuck a sandwich of his choice.
I’d love to know what they had to fork out (no pun intended) to get the round mound of rebound down to Greenville.
September 18, 2008 at 6:56 am |
I remember watching a game many years ago between the Suns and the Magic, when Barkley was playing for the Suns and Shaq for the Magic. I believe Shaq shattered the backboard in that game. The Suns had three centers and were rotating them on Shaq, but they were all picking up fouls and not slowing him down. Finally, they put Barkley on him. Even though Barkley was a great deal shorter than Shaq, he played the best defense I’ve ever seen on Shaq, effectively shutting him down the rest of the game.