Mark_Concannon's Blog

There are certain days on the calendar more special than others: my anniversary, my wife's and son's  birthdays, my birthday and my second birthday which happens to be today.

32 years ago today I was hired by WNYS TV in Syracuse to be the weekend sportscaster. I was a junior in college. I had little experience. I would be paid a pittance. But I was now in Television. I was thrilled.

On that very same day an assistant basketball coach at Syracuse University was about to drive west on the thruway to accept the head coaching job at the University of Rochester. But just before he left, he was told that longtime head coach Roy Danforth was leaving SU to take the top job at Ole Miss and would he be interested in taking Danforth's spot with the Orange. Jim Boeheim said yes and the rest is history.

Boeheim and I began new chapters of our lives on the same day. His news conference was the first story I covered. That summer I was looking for some easy credits and signed up for "The Advanced Theory of Basketball Coaching." There were five people in the class; me, three football players and an assistant coach from a local high school who was by far the most enthusiastic student. The course was taught by Boeheim and his young assistant coach whose name was Rick Pitino. Little did any of us realize that our two teachers would coach against each other in the 1996 national championship game. For the final exam, we drew up plays. My pick and roll earned me an A.

32 years later Boeheim has the same job, has won a championship and been to three final fours. I've had six different TV jobs but have been on this last assignment in Milwaukee for 21 years, having found a great place to live and work. So from that fateful April 3rd of 1976, it's turned out pretty well for both of us. Happy Birthday, Jimmy B.