One Monday Night Juan Dixon Then And 21 Years Later

Juan Dixon was named the Most Outstanding (Nantz will cite one for the 33rd and last time within 2 months it is “Most Outstanding” not “Most Valuable”) Player as his Maryland team won their lone NCAA Basketball crown in 2002.

I had the game’s end on, but was talking to my late cousin Neil when that game ended on a Monday night.

Now Dixon is in at Coppin State (it is “cop in” not “cope in,” Arthur Ralph and Neil called me Ralph and he is among those on my 2015 ramble), his team now (7-21) after a shocking upset win over now (19-8) Norfolk State (ode to the great Bob Dandridge) Monday night past.

A “The Rifleman” writer was Albert Aley, not the great Alvin Ailey, but as Caan’s “Axel” said upon, being called “Alex” and not “Axel Fried,” in the great film, “The Gambler,” close enough to cite here.

Jim Tatum, pictured above was the Maryland football coach when they won their lone “mythical” crown in 1953.

He preceded the great Bud Wilkinson at Oklahoma (the “e-tooer,” Stone said Oklahoma “as”) having coached there one season in ’46. 

Wilkinson was the Sooners’ coach from (’47-’63).