It can't have happened too many times ever that two sons played college basketball at the same time for their dad.
It's also unusual for a retired jersey to come out of mothballs.
We're witnessing both cases this season at NSU. And the national media is taking notice.
Michael and Logan McConathy are guards playing for their dad, Demon basketball head coach Mike McConathy.
Over the weekend, the McConathy's remarkable family ties to NSU basketball were featured in a college basketball notebook column distributed by the Associated Press.
A quick "google" search online will net you some links to the story, which ran, among other places, in the New York Times and on SI.com on the web.
The item is the third one in a notebook headed by a quick recap of pre-conference tournament action and a note about the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
It's headlined "A Family Tradition" and it has comments from the boys and "Coach Dad" and includes the background on Mike's dad, Johnny, the 1951 first-round NBA Draft pick who remains one of the all-time great Demons.
Michael talks about wearing the retired No. 14 jersey that his "Grampa Johnny" wore. It was retired in 2002 but is back in circulation for a little longer.
David West of the NSU News Bureau was among the first to find the item over the weekend.
Doug Ireland, SID
Monday, December 03, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Bell bringing big names to NSU
Senior offensive tackle Demetrius Bell keeps climbing on the wish lists of NFL teams.
Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage was at Northwestern Tuesday to get a first-hand look, and reportedly will be back on campus with additional Browns personnel in early January.
It's the latest in a steady stream of upper-level NFL personnel trying to get a fix on one of the wild cards of the 2008 NFL Draft. Bell's virtual novice status in football -- he only began playing in 2005 and has two years as an offensive lineman -- and his athleticism, intelligence and toughness has piqued interest.
It seems unlikely that he'll play basketball this winter, as much as he would love doing so, because it appears his dance card will be filled with visits from, and to, NFL teams. Bell was emotional in a postgame radio interview after the season-ending win over Stephen F. Austin, telling Demon Sports Network sideline reporter Britt Brittain how much he owed both head football coach Scott Stoker and Demon basketball coach Mike McConathy.
Coach Mike gave the green light to Bell's football aspirations. Stoker gave Bell unconditional faith in August 2006, three weeks before the season opening game at Kansas, when he sold a very apprehensive Bell on moving from backup defensive end to starting left offensive tackle.
Doug Ireland, SID
Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage was at Northwestern Tuesday to get a first-hand look, and reportedly will be back on campus with additional Browns personnel in early January.
It's the latest in a steady stream of upper-level NFL personnel trying to get a fix on one of the wild cards of the 2008 NFL Draft. Bell's virtual novice status in football -- he only began playing in 2005 and has two years as an offensive lineman -- and his athleticism, intelligence and toughness has piqued interest.
It seems unlikely that he'll play basketball this winter, as much as he would love doing so, because it appears his dance card will be filled with visits from, and to, NFL teams. Bell was emotional in a postgame radio interview after the season-ending win over Stephen F. Austin, telling Demon Sports Network sideline reporter Britt Brittain how much he owed both head football coach Scott Stoker and Demon basketball coach Mike McConathy.
Coach Mike gave the green light to Bell's football aspirations. Stoker gave Bell unconditional faith in August 2006, three weeks before the season opening game at Kansas, when he sold a very apprehensive Bell on moving from backup defensive end to starting left offensive tackle.
Doug Ireland, SID
Monday, November 26, 2007
LSU's loss provides a coaching tip for Demons
Demon basketball coach Mike McConathy never misses a chance for a life lesson to be passed on to his players.
Monday's lesson -- the little things matter.
McConathy talks briefly to his players at midcourt at the start of most practices, usually passing along a thought for the day, some message that may, or may not, pertain to basketball.
The gutwrenching LSU football team's overtime loss to Arkansas Friday, and a column written by Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett News Service, provided fodder for McConathy's Monday afternoon visit with the Demons.
Guilbeau pointed out how the so-called "little things" crippled LSU's chances to win Friday. The most glaring was the illegal formation penalty that wiped out a 58-yard touchdown pass which would have pushed the Tigers ahead by 7 in the fourth quarter.
McConathy read a good portion of the column to the team Monday, and asked them to reflect on the message as they went through their daily routines, as related to basketball and to life.
Doug Ireland, SID
Monday's lesson -- the little things matter.
McConathy talks briefly to his players at midcourt at the start of most practices, usually passing along a thought for the day, some message that may, or may not, pertain to basketball.
The gutwrenching LSU football team's overtime loss to Arkansas Friday, and a column written by Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett News Service, provided fodder for McConathy's Monday afternoon visit with the Demons.
Guilbeau pointed out how the so-called "little things" crippled LSU's chances to win Friday. The most glaring was the illegal formation penalty that wiped out a 58-yard touchdown pass which would have pushed the Tigers ahead by 7 in the fourth quarter.
McConathy read a good portion of the column to the team Monday, and asked them to reflect on the message as they went through their daily routines, as related to basketball and to life.
Doug Ireland, SID
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Pat Wesley, back on the court at Prather
His smile, prominent ears and graceful stride made Patrick Wesley a memorable figure when he played for the Demon basketball team from 1985-89.
He was a key in the Dec. 7, 1988 win for NSU, 85-82, at Kentucky early in his senior year, the first season under coach Dan Bell.
Wednesday night, Pat was back on the court at Prather Coliseum, but instead of playing, he was officiating, one of three refs for the girls championship game of the City of Lights Classic high school tournament hosted by local schools St. Mary's and Natchitoches Central.
Graduate N Club Hall of Fame basketballer Emma Ellerman Boozman is the head coach at NCHS and is one of the winningest coaches in state girls basketball history.
Doug Ireland, SID
He was a key in the Dec. 7, 1988 win for NSU, 85-82, at Kentucky early in his senior year, the first season under coach Dan Bell.
Wednesday night, Pat was back on the court at Prather Coliseum, but instead of playing, he was officiating, one of three refs for the girls championship game of the City of Lights Classic high school tournament hosted by local schools St. Mary's and Natchitoches Central.
Graduate N Club Hall of Fame basketballer Emma Ellerman Boozman is the head coach at NCHS and is one of the winningest coaches in state girls basketball history.
Doug Ireland, SID
Home cookin'
The Houston Baptist basketball team enjoyed some home cookin' Monday night courtesy of some Demons.
Northwestern graduates Brent and Brenda Brown, and Barbara Tolar, hosted the Huskies at the Tolar family camp on Cane River. They had burgers and gumbo and boudin.
Barbara, of course, is the wife of the late, great Demon and Houston Oilers football legend Charlie "Tank" Tolar. For many years, she worked in the athletic department at Rice in Houston, before retiring a couple of years ago. Recently, she was coaxed back to work by friends at Houston Baptist, helping HBU transition back to Division I status from 16 years in the NAIA ranks. She has the job of NCAA compliance coordinator.
Brent threw the javelin for NSU and Brenda is also an NSU graduate and the daughter of Barbara and Charlie. They're tailgating in the Demon Alley, on the corner spot, for every Demon football game supporting their good friend Scott Stoker and the Demons.
They also have become close with NSU basketball coach Mike McConathy and his team. The last two years, the Demons have gone to Alexandria to do a clinic for junior high kids coordinated in part by Brenda and Brent.
Doug Ireland, SID
Northwestern graduates Brent and Brenda Brown, and Barbara Tolar, hosted the Huskies at the Tolar family camp on Cane River. They had burgers and gumbo and boudin.
Barbara, of course, is the wife of the late, great Demon and Houston Oilers football legend Charlie "Tank" Tolar. For many years, she worked in the athletic department at Rice in Houston, before retiring a couple of years ago. Recently, she was coaxed back to work by friends at Houston Baptist, helping HBU transition back to Division I status from 16 years in the NAIA ranks. She has the job of NCAA compliance coordinator.
Brent threw the javelin for NSU and Brenda is also an NSU graduate and the daughter of Barbara and Charlie. They're tailgating in the Demon Alley, on the corner spot, for every Demon football game supporting their good friend Scott Stoker and the Demons.
They also have become close with NSU basketball coach Mike McConathy and his team. The last two years, the Demons have gone to Alexandria to do a clinic for junior high kids coordinated in part by Brenda and Brent.
Doug Ireland, SID
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