I first met Bobby Cremins at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. We talked at a sidewalk cafe on the afternoon of the Gold Medal Basketball Game. I had tickets-he didn't. "But I'll get in," Bobby vowed, "And I won't get scalped." Cremins saw every moment as Phil Ford, Quinn Buckner and the USA pressure defense chewed up Yugoslavia. Years later he confided that he had slipped the doorman a $20.
Six years later Cremins took over at Georgia Tech, where his predecessor was better known for what he did on the bench (drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes) than what he did in recruiting. Cremins immediately brought top talent to Hotlanta. Mark Price, John Salley, and Bruce Dalrymple were just a few of Cremins' early signees who became ACC stars at Georgia Tech.
And then there was Ivan Joseph, the highly sought junior college center. Cremins drove to Miami to recruit Joseph-or tried to. His car broke down, but Cremins was not deterred. He hitched a ride to South Florida and signed the guy who would lead Tech to its first ACC title.
Cremins used his ties to New York City (he grew up in the Bronx) to bring superstars Kenny Anderson and Stephon Marbury to Tech. And does the name Matt Harpring ring a bell? There were a couple of more ACC Championships and a trip to the Final Four.
Six years ago, Cremins decided to step down at Georgia Tech. He had won 354 games there, but didn't appear to be having as much fun recruiting as he once did. And maybe the ACC's emphasis on complex, aggressive defenses made it more difficult for him to win at Tech. He remained popular with the media. At Cremins' final ACC Tournament game, some 50 media members saluted Cremins by wearing his famous yellow tie.
Cremins never lacked things to do in retirement. There were golf games, some tv work, and much socializing with friends. But Cremins decided he was at heart-still a coach. When Greg Marshall decided to remain at Winthrop after committing to College of Charleston, Cremins jumped at the chance to take his place. Cremins understood Mashall's move, having once committed to South Carolina, then announcing he was staying at Tech. "I'm the President of the "Flip Flop Club," Cremins says.
Now at College of Charleston, he has pledged to stay the course. Cremins will find good players-probably more than a few at his favorite neighborhoods in New York. He won't have to slip the doorman a $20 to get into the gym, and his car won't break down while he's recruiting. But Cremins has shown that if hutzpah and ingenuity are required, he will bring it.
