Hey kids, what time is it? Well, ready or not, it’s time for another “From the Swamp” mailbag, wherein I get to delete all of the emails that have been accumulating in my AOL Mail filing cabinet.

Right off the bat, we have a celebrity in the house (or at least on the page) and here he is, let’s have a big round of applause for former Flyer Steve Hess:

“Swampy”:

I’m a UD grad and former Flyer basketballer from’69-’73.
Given what sounds like the timing of your attendance……starting in ’68,
am curious as to your UD background. Sounds like you inhabited UH for a
period of time. Where else did you call “home” while you were there? A
regular at the field house for pick-up games?

Just found this site today. Enjoyed reading your “column.”

Regards,

Steve Hess
UD Class of ’73

Yup, Steve, we were there at pretty much the same time, plus I stuck around for five more years and worked at 2 radio stations in town. No, I never ran in any pickup games with you in the FH — I’m sure I would remember it if I had. I lived all over-UH, over the laundromat on Brown Street during summer school, a couple of places in The Ghetto (one of which isn’t there anymore) and Fourman Court Apartments my senior year and the year after I graduated.

Glad you found the site, Steve, but why did you put the word column in quotations marks?

Next is a reaction to the last time I did a mailbag from old friend Joe Sutherland:

Nice job on the mailbag Swampy. Stone Harbor’s beautiful. Ann (his wife’s) family has a house on the ocean at Long Beach Island. Nice, but not Stone Harbor. If you’re doing any rainy day driving and LBI is nearby, Nardi’s Tavern is a decent bar on LBI. Nardi is Bobby Nardizzi, class of ’70 at UD. His sister, Joanne, is sometimes behind the bar …. She’s class of ’73. Bagleddies’ the only decent bakery on LBI has a Dayton banner on the wall and a kid from the mainland who just graduated from UD. Fisherman’s HQ on the causeway is owned by a couple of UD people — at least it used to be owned by UD people. And Hagler’s Marina on Ocean Blvd on LBI is owned by a UD guy. Just letting you know the Jersey connections . . . . and I’m a New York guy! We’re heading up there tomorrow night after work.
Joe

I have always maintained that half of the folks who attended UD when we were there were from NJ (what exit?) and it’s obvious from Joe’s listing, a lot of them went back there…and opened bars!
Next, some kind words from fellow hoops aficionado Cigar Boy:

Swamp:

Please keep me in the column of one of your biggest fans. I enjoyed the Cincy League coverage. I was down there myself yesterday (see RaiderRoundball) and had a great time. I also like the comments about diet soda and being in the country. I have said many times that health does not seem to be a priority in rural areas.

CB

Thanks, Bill. One other sign that you’re in the country: if there isn’t a Starbucks to be found anywhere, you are in Mayberry RFD. My wife and the younger Swampette would die from caffeine withdrawal without their Starbucks fix. You shoulda seen ’em after the blackout when SB’s had to stay closed because the water wasn’t potable. It wasn’t pretty.

Next an email from a fellow Stone Harbor, NJ vacationer, George Federici:

Hi Jim,

You and I spoke via e-mail a while back and I’ve enjoyed your work on UDPRIDE.com ever since. I grew up in suburban Philadelphia, the product of parents who graduated from UD and met at Tim’s. I graduated from UD in 1995 and had not been back on campus since September 1995 until this past March for the A-10 Tournament. What An Experience!!! The only time I’ve ever felt “that” when walking into an arena was at Yankee Stadium, UD Arena is that special. The people and UD are the greatest I’ve ever known. While walking around campus during the day on Friday I ran into former teachers whom I hadn’t seen in close to eight years. I said hello not thinking they would remember me but every one of them did, “You’re George from Philadelphia,” what a feeling to be remembered after all those years.

The reason I’m writing you this email is I hear you’re going to be in Stone Harbor, NJ next month vacationing. Like so many single 30-somethings living in the Philadelphia area I’m in on a group rental, for the entire summer, with a bunch of friends in Avalon. I’m in Avalon every weekend, and have some long weekends scheduled during the month of August. If you have the time and want to it would be cool to share a cold beer and talk some UD shop. There are a lot of St. Joe Hawks fans in my house, and they are awesome people, but they just can’t appreciate the real meaning of the word “Ghetto.”

Hope you’re having a good summer, and if you want to get together for a drink, let me know.

George R. Federici
UD Class of 1995

Unfortunately, George and I played a rousing game of voicemail tag the weekend we were in NJ and then the blackout hit, so we never did have that beer. Next year!

Next another note about the Deveroes Summer League:

Swampy-

I love reading your articles every week…especially when they are about UD hoops. Just have a couple of questions regarding the Deveroes League. Are the games open for anyone to walk in and watch? I’m having some serious withdrawal symptoms and would love to go watch some of our guys play….especially since KW’s team is still in it.

If it’s open to the public can you give me an idea where this place is?

I appreciate it.

Lori Brown

Lori sent this right after the column about Deveroes appeared and I answered her right away. Yeah, anybody could walk in and watch. They did ask for a ‘donation’ but it was only $2 and was voluntary. Having just gone there, I was able to give her explicit directions to the locale, which was a bit off the beaten path. Hope you got there and got your fix, Lori!

Next is a note from the President of the Philly chapter of the UD Alumni Association:

Hello there,

My name is Colleen Valenzuela, president of the UD Alumni Association in Philadelphia. I enjoyed your article which chronicled your trip out East. I am sorry that you did not have the best weather. It would be a lot of fun to meet up with you next year when you return. Every year the Philadelphia chapter has a summer fling at the beach — usually Sea Isle or Avalon. Maybe next year the party will coincide with your trip. Keep your eyes opened for Philadelphia chapter events and you will see it posted sometime next spring.

Also, every year we do a fairly large event for one of the UD basketball games — usually against Temple or St. Joe’s depending on what day of the week the game falls. If you decide to travel around a bit to watch the Flyers, we would welcome you to our social after the game(s).

And lastly, Allentown, PA is really not that bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take Care,
Colleen ’93

How nice, Colleen — thanks for the invite(s). Actually, my family loves Allentown! We stayed across the street from Dorney Park and the Swampettes went there and rode roller coasters until they puked and didn’t have to wait in line. We ate outside at Carraba’s, which is a chain, but has great Italian food. Got up the next morning at the crack of dawn and 2½ hours later we were at the beach.

Finally, some college selection and career advice for the Younger Swampette from a guy who should know:

Dear Jim,

I read your latest epistle tonight and I have a suggestion for another school for your daughter to consider…Creighton. I attended college and medical school at CU in the sixties. Creighton’s undergraduate population and atmosphere are very much like UD’s. They have an excellent sports science and physical therapy program and always take a third of the medical school from Creighton undergrad students. By the way they do have a reasonable women’s softball program as well.

I did the last part of my postgraduate medical training at U of M and there’s no place like it for excellent training and experience. I’ve been in practice here in Dayton since 1975, and look at UD as my second alma mater…we use the chapel as our “home parish”. I tell the Marianists that they are Jesuits with a sense of humor!

Good luck to your daughter with her college search. I hope you didn’t find this unsolicited advertisement for CU intrusive. If I can be of any help to you or to her, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line or give me a call.

Yours truly,

Jim Graham MD
Go Jays, Go Blue, Go Flyers

Thanks a lot, Jim, but we’ve already gone thru the weeding-out process. Caitlin is finishing her applications as we speak. You may have read that U of M was being sued over their admittance policies and the suit held up the release of this years’ application. They are also requiring a total of 3 different essays. She is applying to U of M, Boston U, CMU, Valparaiso and Loyola of Chicago. We’re going to visit the latter 2 in October — the softball coaches at both schools are very interested in her.

Keep those emails coming!