By Tim Robertson
Ah, the mystique of the Mack.
A spectator strolls in through the plainly painted double doors, walks in with non-descript bleachers on all sides and run-of-the-mill team banners on each side. Yep, the Mack is the 1990s basketball cookie-cutter arena.
But, don’t worry, I wouldn’t part ways with Hofstra without spilling a fantastic idea I have.
What do all great arenas and stadiums have? Hint: Shuart Stadium across the pike has a few of these fantastic things.
Retired jerseys. Ah, yes, the ever-so-coveted retired number. Untouchable numbers. Numbers hanging above the game – as the players who once wore them seemed to do.
To kick-off the Mack’s inaugural retired jersey class, let’s begin, with… I don’t know… the number 13, with all of its unluckiness and all.
As fans learned before the men’s basketball team disposed of the Dragons of Drexel, who hail from the scary part of Philadelphia, Pride (or Flying Dutchmen) basketball existed in the ’60s.
All fans received – if they wanted, and if they showed up on time – a limited edition, soon to be up on eBay “13” sign with a picture and stats of this guy named Steve Nisenson (I spelled it right, my T-shirt says so) in really tight Hofstra garb. I’m serious, I don’t think the Recreation Center was around in the rebellious ’60s.
At any rate, Nisenson, as we all absorbed through countless stories over the past few weeks, held Hofstra’s scoring record for 43 years. The old no. 13 tallied 2,222 points in just three years – without that three-point arc that Agudio enjoys so much. Talk about a Dick Vitale Prime Time Player!
(Nisenson by the way really should consider modeling for Just for Men. He’s over 60 and no gray hair! Now that’s reason enough to retire his number.)
Along with the deuces wild mark, Nisenson averaged 26.2 points per game. Side thought: if he only played three seasons and averaged 26.2, do you think he could suit up for Richmond this weekend?
The original no. 13 once made 20 free throws in a game (20-22 against Lycoming), holds the single-season free throw mark with 230 and the all-time mark with 602 free throws made – again, in three seasons. Man, he got hacked a lot. In his junior season, Nisenson made an eye-popping 91.3 percent of his free throws, and sunk 88 percent of the freebies in his career.
There lies case numero uno why 13 should rise to the rafters of the Mack. And, as Howie Carr would say, now for page two.
Making the choice to retire a jersey of a recent – or even current – player poses problems, because fans and the all-important decision makers have his feats too close to the front of their memories. For a player to receive the honor of having his number retired, the process must allow for some time to pass.
I’m not at all saying Antoine Agudio isn’t worthy of such accolades. I believe by breaking the point record he solidified his place – to be absolutely cliché about it. Without the basket against the Blue Hens that notched 2,224, would we mention Agudio and retired jersey in the same sentence? After all, the most successful Flying Dutchman Speedy Claxton doesn’t see his no. 10 in the rafters – another discussion for another day.
Back to Agudio though.
Just watching Agudio play mixed with his record-breaking statistics makes the argument. A starter in all four years, three N.I.T. performances, which, in terms of a career, makes him a major part of one of the best runs in Hofstra Pride/Flying Dutchmen basketball history.
Agudio holds made three-point records for a season and career. The Huntington Station native also leads the team with 22.5 points a game, a season after he averaged 20.1 points. His 20.1 mark is more impressive considering he shared the rock with Carlos Rivera and Loren Stokes, who both averaged around 20 points a game.
I think it’s about time the Mack gets a number to hang alongside the bright yellow postseason banners, and the first number that should rise above the game – 13.