How this era began...
Gone are Drexel's multiple zone defenses and often frenzied running game, both trademarks of the departed Eddie Burke. In their place, Bill Herrion has installed a 40-minute man-to-man defense and a slow, deliberate, work-the-ball offense. "We're going to play man-to-man all year because we want to impress upon them the importance of defense and an attitude out there," said Herrion.
Longtime coach Eddie Burke is out at Drexel
After 14 Seasons, Burke Is Dismissed By Drexel
March 09, 1991 By Mike Jensen, Inquirer Staff Writer
After 14 Seasons, longtime men's basketball coach Eddie Burke was dismissed by Drexel University on March 8, 1991.
Burke, in the final year of a three-year contract that expires in June, was let go after 14 seasons at the school.
"Basically, it's about wins," Burke said.
Drexel has had three straight losing seasons, and this season finished 12-16. Last weekend, the Dragons were eliminated from the East Coast Conference tournament in the first round for the fifth straight year.
Burke's overall record was 205-189; he led the Dragons to an ECC championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament in 1985-86.
Burke, 45, a former La Salle player, said that Drexel president Richard D. Breslin had told him in May that a contract extension would depend on how Breslin thought Burke did in the 1990-91 season.
Burke was informed of the decision yesterday by Richard E. Woodring, Drexel vice president for student life. Burke said he felt sure the decision had been made by Breslin, who is in his third year as Drexel's president.
"I'm kind of devastated when an athletic decision was made by non-athletic people," said Burke, whose assistant coaches were neither fired nor told they were being retained.
Woodring, who said a search committee would be formed to name a successor, said that Drexel administrators wanted to head in a "new direction" as the university moves from the ECC into the North Atlantic Conference in 1991-92.
Woodring said there was a need for "more enthusiasm for our basketball team, from everyone - from students, from the university, from Philadelphia basketball fans."
Drexel players, aware that Burke might be let go, expressed surprise nonetheless.
"I really and sincerely felt he was going to be around for my senior season," said junior guard Michael Thompson. "Coach Burke, he's a good man, an excellent coach. He definitely had respect from his staff as well as his players, and I think the team, I'm speaking on behalf of the team, everyone's disappointed."
Because of limited TV and radio contracts and home attendance that was usually lower than the city's other Division I schools, Drexel scheduled a number of road games each season against top competition, for a guaranteed fee.
"If somebody comes and tells you they want wins, then you don't play Villanova and Boston College and Arkansas State and teams like that," Burke said. "You go out and make a schedule that at least you have a shot of winning. We play name teams, and, of course, we get guarantees. To help the program, I was willing to suffer losses."
Drexel's men's athletic director, John Semanik, has announced his retirement, as of June 30 - his wife, Mary, the women's athletic director, will retire at the same time - and Woodring said a new AD could be named in the next two weeks.
Big Five executive secretary Dan Baker, who said his job was in danger of being reduced or eliminated, said he had approached Breslin in January about the AD position. "He indicated that his priority would be to hire from within," Baker said.
March 09, 1991 By Mike Jensen, Inquirer Staff Writer
After 14 Seasons, longtime men's basketball coach Eddie Burke was dismissed by Drexel University on March 8, 1991.
Burke, in the final year of a three-year contract that expires in June, was let go after 14 seasons at the school.
"Basically, it's about wins," Burke said.
Drexel has had three straight losing seasons, and this season finished 12-16. Last weekend, the Dragons were eliminated from the East Coast Conference tournament in the first round for the fifth straight year.
Burke's overall record was 205-189; he led the Dragons to an ECC championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament in 1985-86.
Burke, 45, a former La Salle player, said that Drexel president Richard D. Breslin had told him in May that a contract extension would depend on how Breslin thought Burke did in the 1990-91 season.
Burke was informed of the decision yesterday by Richard E. Woodring, Drexel vice president for student life. Burke said he felt sure the decision had been made by Breslin, who is in his third year as Drexel's president.
"I'm kind of devastated when an athletic decision was made by non-athletic people," said Burke, whose assistant coaches were neither fired nor told they were being retained.
Woodring, who said a search committee would be formed to name a successor, said that Drexel administrators wanted to head in a "new direction" as the university moves from the ECC into the North Atlantic Conference in 1991-92.
Woodring said there was a need for "more enthusiasm for our basketball team, from everyone - from students, from the university, from Philadelphia basketball fans."
Drexel players, aware that Burke might be let go, expressed surprise nonetheless.
"I really and sincerely felt he was going to be around for my senior season," said junior guard Michael Thompson. "Coach Burke, he's a good man, an excellent coach. He definitely had respect from his staff as well as his players, and I think the team, I'm speaking on behalf of the team, everyone's disappointed."
Because of limited TV and radio contracts and home attendance that was usually lower than the city's other Division I schools, Drexel scheduled a number of road games each season against top competition, for a guaranteed fee.
"If somebody comes and tells you they want wins, then you don't play Villanova and Boston College and Arkansas State and teams like that," Burke said. "You go out and make a schedule that at least you have a shot of winning. We play name teams, and, of course, we get guarantees. To help the program, I was willing to suffer losses."
Drexel's men's athletic director, John Semanik, has announced his retirement, as of June 30 - his wife, Mary, the women's athletic director, will retire at the same time - and Woodring said a new AD could be named in the next two weeks.
Big Five executive secretary Dan Baker, who said his job was in danger of being reduced or eliminated, said he had approached Breslin in January about the AD position. "He indicated that his priority would be to hire from within," Baker said.
Bill Herrion named Drexel Head Coach
Drexel To Name Herrion As Coach
April 18, 1991 By M. G. Missanelli, Inquirer Staff Writer
Drexel finally has a new basketball coach: He's George Washington assistant Bill Herrion.
Drexel Vice President Richard Woodring confirmed yesterday that Herrion - who last week turned down the job - will be named the school's head coach today at a news conference at 3:30 p.m. Herrion, 33, was the top assistant to GW head coach Mike Jarvis last year and previously had spent four years with Jarvis at Boston University.
"We're delighted," said Woodring. "We feel that Bill is the perfect person to lead us as we try to take this program to a higher level."
"Drexel is an excellent opportunity," Herrion said. "They are making a solid commitment to the program. Philadelphia is a great basketball area - it may be the mecca of basketball. And it's a great recruiting area."
The selection of Herrion ends a somewhat awkward search for a coach to succeed Eddie Burke, who in March was let go by Drexel president Richard D. Breslin after 14 years at the helm. Two weeks ago, Woodring announced that Herrion and Dayton assistant Tom McConnell were the two finalists for the job - only to have both men turn it down the following week. Woodring continued a dogged pursuit of Herrion, however. And the Drexel vice president said that Herrion called him late Tuesday night to accept the position.
"When we first offered the job to Bill, I believe it was a matter of us acting too quickly," said Woodring. "We really didn't give him a chance to talk to people within the athletic department. So we gave him a little more time to digest things, talk to more people. And that was something with which he felt more comfortable."
Woodring said that one of Herrion's concerns had been that the school did not have a permanent athletic director in place. But according to a source close to the situation, the school will name Drexel soccer coach Johnson Bowie - who had been acting AD - permanently to the post at the same news conference today. Longtime Drexel athletic director John Semanik stepped down earlier this year.
Herrion joined Jarvis at BU after a stint as an assistant at Merrimack College, where he also played his collegiate basketball. Woodring said his familiarity with the North Atlantic Conference - to which Drexel will move beginning next season - was a factor in the new coach's selection.
"We'd like to go into those areas to recruit," Woodring said.
New Drexel Coach Hopes To Field Competitive Team
April 19, 1991 By M. G. Missanelli, Inquirer Staff Writer
In his seven years as an assistant coach, Bill Herrion has learned that building a solid, national-caliber college basketball program takes time. But while the new Drexel coach is bracing himself for growing pains, he expects the Dragons to be competitive immediately.
Herrion, 33, Mike Jarvis' top assistant at George Washington last season and at Boston University, was officially named head coach at Drexel yesterday. He will succeed Eddie Burke, who was the Dragons' head coach for 14 seasons before being let go in March.
Drexel Vice President Richard Woodring also announced yesterday that Johnson Bowie, who had been the school's acting athletic director, would assume the job on a permanent basis.
"Our goal is to be one of the top teams in our league," said Herrion, who next season will escort the Dragons into the North Atlantic Conference. Drexel had been a member of the East Coast Conference for the last 18 years.
"One thing you can expect from this team is that we will play hard every night we step on the floor," Herrion said. "We will play with intelligence and discipline. We will play good, hard defense. And we will be in great condition. You can't turn things around overnight - but we'll try to do it as quickly as possible."
Herrion's hiring is part of an attempt to beef up Drexel's program that will include increases in coaching salaries and recruiting and travel budgets. Herrion will be paid $60,000 per year, according to Woodring - about $20,000 per year more than Burke.
Herrion, who has yet to hire any assistant coaches, said he planned to interview Burke assistants Joe Cassidy, Walter Fuller and Bob Stephens sometime soon.
April 18, 1991 By M. G. Missanelli, Inquirer Staff Writer
Drexel finally has a new basketball coach: He's George Washington assistant Bill Herrion.
Drexel Vice President Richard Woodring confirmed yesterday that Herrion - who last week turned down the job - will be named the school's head coach today at a news conference at 3:30 p.m. Herrion, 33, was the top assistant to GW head coach Mike Jarvis last year and previously had spent four years with Jarvis at Boston University.
"We're delighted," said Woodring. "We feel that Bill is the perfect person to lead us as we try to take this program to a higher level."
"Drexel is an excellent opportunity," Herrion said. "They are making a solid commitment to the program. Philadelphia is a great basketball area - it may be the mecca of basketball. And it's a great recruiting area."
The selection of Herrion ends a somewhat awkward search for a coach to succeed Eddie Burke, who in March was let go by Drexel president Richard D. Breslin after 14 years at the helm. Two weeks ago, Woodring announced that Herrion and Dayton assistant Tom McConnell were the two finalists for the job - only to have both men turn it down the following week. Woodring continued a dogged pursuit of Herrion, however. And the Drexel vice president said that Herrion called him late Tuesday night to accept the position.
"When we first offered the job to Bill, I believe it was a matter of us acting too quickly," said Woodring. "We really didn't give him a chance to talk to people within the athletic department. So we gave him a little more time to digest things, talk to more people. And that was something with which he felt more comfortable."
Woodring said that one of Herrion's concerns had been that the school did not have a permanent athletic director in place. But according to a source close to the situation, the school will name Drexel soccer coach Johnson Bowie - who had been acting AD - permanently to the post at the same news conference today. Longtime Drexel athletic director John Semanik stepped down earlier this year.
Herrion joined Jarvis at BU after a stint as an assistant at Merrimack College, where he also played his collegiate basketball. Woodring said his familiarity with the North Atlantic Conference - to which Drexel will move beginning next season - was a factor in the new coach's selection.
"We'd like to go into those areas to recruit," Woodring said.
New Drexel Coach Hopes To Field Competitive Team
April 19, 1991 By M. G. Missanelli, Inquirer Staff Writer
In his seven years as an assistant coach, Bill Herrion has learned that building a solid, national-caliber college basketball program takes time. But while the new Drexel coach is bracing himself for growing pains, he expects the Dragons to be competitive immediately.
Herrion, 33, Mike Jarvis' top assistant at George Washington last season and at Boston University, was officially named head coach at Drexel yesterday. He will succeed Eddie Burke, who was the Dragons' head coach for 14 seasons before being let go in March.
Drexel Vice President Richard Woodring also announced yesterday that Johnson Bowie, who had been the school's acting athletic director, would assume the job on a permanent basis.
"Our goal is to be one of the top teams in our league," said Herrion, who next season will escort the Dragons into the North Atlantic Conference. Drexel had been a member of the East Coast Conference for the last 18 years.
"One thing you can expect from this team is that we will play hard every night we step on the floor," Herrion said. "We will play with intelligence and discipline. We will play good, hard defense. And we will be in great condition. You can't turn things around overnight - but we'll try to do it as quickly as possible."
Herrion's hiring is part of an attempt to beef up Drexel's program that will include increases in coaching salaries and recruiting and travel budgets. Herrion will be paid $60,000 per year, according to Woodring - about $20,000 per year more than Burke.
Herrion, who has yet to hire any assistant coaches, said he planned to interview Burke assistants Joe Cassidy, Walter Fuller and Bob Stephens sometime soon.
Dragons to leave East Coast Conference; will join the North Atlantic Conference in '91
Drexel Says It's Leaving ECC For North Atlantic
October 14, 1989 By Mike Jensen, Inquirer Staff Writer
Drexel, the last Philadelphia member of the East Coast Conference, announced yesterday that it would leave the ECC for the North Atlantic Conference after the 1990-91 season.
The Dragons will be joining a conference that currently includes Boston University, Northeastern, Hartford, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Colgate, although Colgate will leave for the Colonial Conference in 1990-91.
Drexel athletic director John Semanik said his school likely would have remained in the ECC had Bucknell, Lafayette and Lehigh not announced last year that they were leaving for the Colonial Conference in September 1990.
"We had weathered the storm of losing an awful lot of teams from the East Coast Conference," said Drexel basketball coach Eddie Burke. "St. Joe's, La Salle, Temple, West Chester, American U. Now with three more, our natural rivals have not been there."
St. Joseph's, Temple and West Chester left the ECC after the 1981-82 season. La Salle left a year later and American a year after that.
Drexel President Richard D. Breslin said other schools will be invited to join the NAC in an attempt to form a "southern tier" of the conference. St. Joseph's and La Salle are among the schools expected to be invited, along with American, George Washington and Towson State.
According to Semanik, "There is going to be a lot of looking around at other conferences, re-evaluating the conferences that they're in, based on what happens in the NCAA in basketball and some other things."
Right now, 30 conferences, the NAC among them, get automatic bids to the NCAA basketball tournament and that cap will remain through 1998. But the addition of three new conferences - the American South, Big South and Colonial - in the next three years means that three conferences now receiving bids will lose them.
Marist, Maryland-Baltimore County and Central Connecticut will replace Lafayette, Lehigh and Bucknell in the ECC in 1990-91. Fairleigh Dickinson and Wagner, both members of the ECAC Metro Conference, also are expected to be invited to join the ECC.
"We are very sorry to see Drexel leave," said ECC commissioner John B. Carpenter in a prepared statement. "Drexel has been a very viable member of the ECC and we've enjoyed a great relationship.
October 14, 1989 By Mike Jensen, Inquirer Staff Writer
Drexel, the last Philadelphia member of the East Coast Conference, announced yesterday that it would leave the ECC for the North Atlantic Conference after the 1990-91 season.
The Dragons will be joining a conference that currently includes Boston University, Northeastern, Hartford, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Colgate, although Colgate will leave for the Colonial Conference in 1990-91.
Drexel athletic director John Semanik said his school likely would have remained in the ECC had Bucknell, Lafayette and Lehigh not announced last year that they were leaving for the Colonial Conference in September 1990.
"We had weathered the storm of losing an awful lot of teams from the East Coast Conference," said Drexel basketball coach Eddie Burke. "St. Joe's, La Salle, Temple, West Chester, American U. Now with three more, our natural rivals have not been there."
St. Joseph's, Temple and West Chester left the ECC after the 1981-82 season. La Salle left a year later and American a year after that.
Drexel President Richard D. Breslin said other schools will be invited to join the NAC in an attempt to form a "southern tier" of the conference. St. Joseph's and La Salle are among the schools expected to be invited, along with American, George Washington and Towson State.
According to Semanik, "There is going to be a lot of looking around at other conferences, re-evaluating the conferences that they're in, based on what happens in the NCAA in basketball and some other things."
Right now, 30 conferences, the NAC among them, get automatic bids to the NCAA basketball tournament and that cap will remain through 1998. But the addition of three new conferences - the American South, Big South and Colonial - in the next three years means that three conferences now receiving bids will lose them.
Marist, Maryland-Baltimore County and Central Connecticut will replace Lafayette, Lehigh and Bucknell in the ECC in 1990-91. Fairleigh Dickinson and Wagner, both members of the ECAC Metro Conference, also are expected to be invited to join the ECC.
"We are very sorry to see Drexel leave," said ECC commissioner John B. Carpenter in a prepared statement. "Drexel has been a very viable member of the ECC and we've enjoyed a great relationship.
Ax Falls On Burke
Coach Says Drexel President Is Behind It
March 09, 1991 by Dick Weiss, Kevin Mulligan and Dick Jerardi contributed to this report
Eddie Burke had been head basketball coach at Drexel for 14 years. He won 205 games, went through 12 consecutive non-losing seasons in the East Coast Conference and graduated 39 of 42 players.
Apparently, that was not good enough for the university administration.
Burke, 45, was informed yesterday by vice president for student affairs Dr. Richard E. Woodring that his contract would not be renewed.
"I feel devastated," said Burke, who said he is not sure what to do next. ''I guess I'll take two and hit to right.
"Right now, I feel like just another Philly guy getting bleeped."
Speculation about Burke's replacement involves three names: St. Joseph's assistant Phil Martelli, Villanova assistant Jay Wright and Boston College assistant Frank "Happy" Dobbs, a former Villanova player.
In a statement, Woodring said the move was being made as Drexel's athletic program undergoes two transitions later this year: the switch from the ECC to the North Atlantic Conference and the retirement of John and Mary Semanik, the longtime men's and women's athletic directors, respectively.
"Drexel has honored coach Burke's contract, which expires at the end of June, but I have recommended that his contract not be renewed," Woodring said in the statement. "Drexel's president, Dr. Richard Breslin, has renewed and approved my recommendation."
Burke blamed Breslin for his dismissal.
"I asked Woodring, 'Are you doing Breslin's dirty work?' and he said, 'If you want to look at it that way, fine,' " Burke said.
"I think he (Breslin) had his mind made up when he came. He did the same thing when he was at the University of Charleston.
"I'm really upset about non-athletic people making athletic decisions. Dr. Jack Ramsay came in and evaluated us last year and he said he felt we were doing a great job.
"It seems kind of ludicrous in this day and age, when everyone is always screaming about the student-athlete and the school still being competitive . . . All the things they talk about, we do.
"When he (Woodring) called me in, he said, 'We feel we're going into a new league and we want to move in new direction.' But the bottom line is that they wanted more wins."
Neither Breslin nor Woodring could be reached for comment last night.
No timetable has been set for naming a new coach. Part of the holdup is that Drexel is searching for replacements for the Semaniks, who will retire after this school year.
But any delay could all but kill Drexel's chances with the three better than average high school recruits: guard J.J. Smith, of Roman Catholic, 6-8 Stephen Pierce, of Smyrna, Del., and 6-8 Geoff Schneock, of Easton, Pa.
Drexel has retained assistants Joe Cassidy and Walt Fuller, whose contracts run through June. Their future will be decided by the next coach. Martelli, who did not want to comment on the Burke firing, did say he was not approached by anyone regarding the opening. Wright, Dobbs and Breslin all have ties to Villanova, where Breslin was the dean of the college of Arts and Sciences from 1972 through '78.
Burke won nine of his last 13 games this season. But after the Dragons lost in the first round of the conference playoffs for the fifth consecutive year, concern about his future started to grow.
Burke said he got the first inkling he might be in trouble when he met with Breslin last May.
"He told me, 'Whether you stay here at Drexel depends how I perceive you,' " Burke said. "You are going to let one man judge you.
"John Semanik had nothing to do with this. Here's a guy with 30 years experience down here and they're not listening to him. They listen to somebody with three years of experience down here."
Burke said he was never specifically told how many games he had to win or what goals he needed to achieve in order to keep his job. He was always hamstrung by a brutal non-league schedule that constantly put the Dragons below .500 when the league season opened.
He also said he never knew how much money he had to spend. "I never knew what my budget was," Burke said.
Burke, who reportedly was making $40,000, still managed to create the nucleus for a team that could make waves in the NAC next season. The Dragons return all five starters, including a pair of juniors - guard Michael Thompson and center Jonathan Raab, who both made the All-ECC first team - and 6-6 freshman forward Mike Wisler, who made the conference All-Rookie team.
Wisler, who set an ECC Tournament single-game record for three-point goals with six against Rider, credited Burke for much of his development and has indicated he would consider his options if Burke were not retained.
"When you play basketball for a long time, you're going to win and lose a lot of games," Wisler said. "Coach Burke is somebody who was a really good person, who cares about you. To lose him is 100 times worse than any (game) loss."
Burke has been a fixture in the local basketball community. He played in the Catholic League and then at La Salle. he coached in the Catholic League from 1968 to '77 before accepting the coaching job at Drexel. Burke coached the Dragons to one NCAA Tournament appearance in 1986 and was the first Division I coach at Drexel to win more than 200 games.
He lives in Havertown with his wife, Bette Ann, and three children.
"He is a good guy," Dragons junior forward Dan Leahy said. "But there's nothing you can do . . . What are you going to do? This type of thing goes on all the time."
March 09, 1991 by Dick Weiss, Kevin Mulligan and Dick Jerardi contributed to this report
Eddie Burke had been head basketball coach at Drexel for 14 years. He won 205 games, went through 12 consecutive non-losing seasons in the East Coast Conference and graduated 39 of 42 players.
Apparently, that was not good enough for the university administration.
Burke, 45, was informed yesterday by vice president for student affairs Dr. Richard E. Woodring that his contract would not be renewed.
"I feel devastated," said Burke, who said he is not sure what to do next. ''I guess I'll take two and hit to right.
"Right now, I feel like just another Philly guy getting bleeped."
Speculation about Burke's replacement involves three names: St. Joseph's assistant Phil Martelli, Villanova assistant Jay Wright and Boston College assistant Frank "Happy" Dobbs, a former Villanova player.
In a statement, Woodring said the move was being made as Drexel's athletic program undergoes two transitions later this year: the switch from the ECC to the North Atlantic Conference and the retirement of John and Mary Semanik, the longtime men's and women's athletic directors, respectively.
"Drexel has honored coach Burke's contract, which expires at the end of June, but I have recommended that his contract not be renewed," Woodring said in the statement. "Drexel's president, Dr. Richard Breslin, has renewed and approved my recommendation."
Burke blamed Breslin for his dismissal.
"I asked Woodring, 'Are you doing Breslin's dirty work?' and he said, 'If you want to look at it that way, fine,' " Burke said.
"I think he (Breslin) had his mind made up when he came. He did the same thing when he was at the University of Charleston.
"I'm really upset about non-athletic people making athletic decisions. Dr. Jack Ramsay came in and evaluated us last year and he said he felt we were doing a great job.
"It seems kind of ludicrous in this day and age, when everyone is always screaming about the student-athlete and the school still being competitive . . . All the things they talk about, we do.
"When he (Woodring) called me in, he said, 'We feel we're going into a new league and we want to move in new direction.' But the bottom line is that they wanted more wins."
Neither Breslin nor Woodring could be reached for comment last night.
No timetable has been set for naming a new coach. Part of the holdup is that Drexel is searching for replacements for the Semaniks, who will retire after this school year.
But any delay could all but kill Drexel's chances with the three better than average high school recruits: guard J.J. Smith, of Roman Catholic, 6-8 Stephen Pierce, of Smyrna, Del., and 6-8 Geoff Schneock, of Easton, Pa.
Drexel has retained assistants Joe Cassidy and Walt Fuller, whose contracts run through June. Their future will be decided by the next coach. Martelli, who did not want to comment on the Burke firing, did say he was not approached by anyone regarding the opening. Wright, Dobbs and Breslin all have ties to Villanova, where Breslin was the dean of the college of Arts and Sciences from 1972 through '78.
Burke won nine of his last 13 games this season. But after the Dragons lost in the first round of the conference playoffs for the fifth consecutive year, concern about his future started to grow.
Burke said he got the first inkling he might be in trouble when he met with Breslin last May.
"He told me, 'Whether you stay here at Drexel depends how I perceive you,' " Burke said. "You are going to let one man judge you.
"John Semanik had nothing to do with this. Here's a guy with 30 years experience down here and they're not listening to him. They listen to somebody with three years of experience down here."
Burke said he was never specifically told how many games he had to win or what goals he needed to achieve in order to keep his job. He was always hamstrung by a brutal non-league schedule that constantly put the Dragons below .500 when the league season opened.
He also said he never knew how much money he had to spend. "I never knew what my budget was," Burke said.
Burke, who reportedly was making $40,000, still managed to create the nucleus for a team that could make waves in the NAC next season. The Dragons return all five starters, including a pair of juniors - guard Michael Thompson and center Jonathan Raab, who both made the All-ECC first team - and 6-6 freshman forward Mike Wisler, who made the conference All-Rookie team.
Wisler, who set an ECC Tournament single-game record for three-point goals with six against Rider, credited Burke for much of his development and has indicated he would consider his options if Burke were not retained.
"When you play basketball for a long time, you're going to win and lose a lot of games," Wisler said. "Coach Burke is somebody who was a really good person, who cares about you. To lose him is 100 times worse than any (game) loss."
Burke has been a fixture in the local basketball community. He played in the Catholic League and then at La Salle. he coached in the Catholic League from 1968 to '77 before accepting the coaching job at Drexel. Burke coached the Dragons to one NCAA Tournament appearance in 1986 and was the first Division I coach at Drexel to win more than 200 games.
He lives in Havertown with his wife, Bette Ann, and three children.
"He is a good guy," Dragons junior forward Dan Leahy said. "But there's nothing you can do . . . What are you going to do? This type of thing goes on all the time."
Some things never change...
The Big 5 Show Has Drexel Coach Green With Envy
February 12, 1988 By Joe Juliano, Inquirer Staff Writer
At one end of the room stood John Chaney and Rollie Massimino, joking and poking and hamming it up for the many cameras that recorded the hype for the Temple-Villanova game.
At the other end of the room, smoking a cigarette in solitude, sat Eddie Burke. The only attention he received was some good-natured ribbing about his electric green warm-up suit, which led to the nickname: "The Emerald of 33d Street."
For all the attention Drexel has been receiving lately, maybe it would be a good idea for the Dragons to dress in the same shade of green as their coach.
The Dragons are 15-6 going into tomorrow night's game against East Coast Conference leader Lafayette at the Palestra. One of their victories was over St. Joseph's. They have one of the city's best players in senior guard Michael Anderson.
But not many folks know much about Drexel, mainly because of the fine seasons being enjoyed by top-ranked Temple and Villanova and La Salle. Couple that with the spotlight enjoyed annually by the Big 5 as a whole, and that leaves little attention for the Dragons.
Burke surveyed the scene at Monday's Herb Good luncheon at Temple and shrugged.
"At times, it's disheartening," he said. "Any time you go up against tradition you're going to be overlooked. In Philadelphia, such tradition is the Big 5. And people really don't know what to do with us. At times, they ignore us.
"But we have to learn to accept things as they are. We do what we can to get the publicity. It's just that we have to do a little more than anybody else does."
Helping with the publicity has been the play of the 5-foot-11 Anderson, a leading candidate for the Naismith Award that goes to the nation's outstanding basketball player under 6 feet tall. Anderson, who holds 30 school records, is averaging 23.9 points per game this season and has scored 2,040 points in his career.
"It's crazy that more people haven't seen him," Burke said of the former Engineering and Science High star.
The Dragons are more than a one-man band, though. Junior forward John Rankin of West Catholic is averaging 20.6 points. Sophomore guard Todd Lehmann of Riverside, N.J., is scoring at a 15.6 clip.
Going into the game with the Leopards of veteran coach Butch van Breda Kolff, the Dragons are in a three-way tie for second in the ECC with Delaware and Lehigh at 6-3.
The ECC postseason tournament begins on March 5 in Towson, Md., with the winner getting a berth in the NCAA tourney.
February 12, 1988 By Joe Juliano, Inquirer Staff Writer
At one end of the room stood John Chaney and Rollie Massimino, joking and poking and hamming it up for the many cameras that recorded the hype for the Temple-Villanova game.
At the other end of the room, smoking a cigarette in solitude, sat Eddie Burke. The only attention he received was some good-natured ribbing about his electric green warm-up suit, which led to the nickname: "The Emerald of 33d Street."
For all the attention Drexel has been receiving lately, maybe it would be a good idea for the Dragons to dress in the same shade of green as their coach.
The Dragons are 15-6 going into tomorrow night's game against East Coast Conference leader Lafayette at the Palestra. One of their victories was over St. Joseph's. They have one of the city's best players in senior guard Michael Anderson.
But not many folks know much about Drexel, mainly because of the fine seasons being enjoyed by top-ranked Temple and Villanova and La Salle. Couple that with the spotlight enjoyed annually by the Big 5 as a whole, and that leaves little attention for the Dragons.
Burke surveyed the scene at Monday's Herb Good luncheon at Temple and shrugged.
"At times, it's disheartening," he said. "Any time you go up against tradition you're going to be overlooked. In Philadelphia, such tradition is the Big 5. And people really don't know what to do with us. At times, they ignore us.
"But we have to learn to accept things as they are. We do what we can to get the publicity. It's just that we have to do a little more than anybody else does."
Helping with the publicity has been the play of the 5-foot-11 Anderson, a leading candidate for the Naismith Award that goes to the nation's outstanding basketball player under 6 feet tall. Anderson, who holds 30 school records, is averaging 23.9 points per game this season and has scored 2,040 points in his career.
"It's crazy that more people haven't seen him," Burke said of the former Engineering and Science High star.
The Dragons are more than a one-man band, though. Junior forward John Rankin of West Catholic is averaging 20.6 points. Sophomore guard Todd Lehmann of Riverside, N.J., is scoring at a 15.6 clip.
Going into the game with the Leopards of veteran coach Butch van Breda Kolff, the Dragons are in a three-way tie for second in the ECC with Delaware and Lehigh at 6-3.
The ECC postseason tournament begins on March 5 in Towson, Md., with the winner getting a berth in the NCAA tourney.
Tribute to the late Eddie Burke.
EDDIE BURKE: 1945-2009 Fixture in Phila. basketball won titles as player, coach
March 24, 2009 By Frank Fitzpatrick
Eddie Burke, 63, the rumpled epitome of a Philadelphia gym rat, one whose coaching resume included Drexel's first NCAA tournament appearance and back-to-back Philadelphia Catholic League titles with different teams, died unexpectedly at home yesterday. The cause of death was unknown.
Mr. Burke's playing career at St. Joseph's Prep and La Salle University and his long tenure as a coach in the Catholic League and at Drexel allowed him to cross paths with most of the city's basketball elite over the last half-century.
"He was a unique Philadelphia basketball personality, and we've been losing a lot of those people," said St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli, who played for Mr. Burke on St. Joseph's Prep's 1971 Catholic League championship team. "He touched so many eras of Philadelphia basketball and so many of its personalities."
Mr. Burke coached Martelli in high school, played at La Salle when Temple coach Fran Dunphy was a freshman there, and hired Villanova coach Jay Wright as a Drexel assistant in 1986.
"He was very instrumental in mentoring me," Dunphy said. "He's really going to be missed."
Dunphy said he often saw Mr. Burke at the Havertown bar, Burke's Inn, that he and his family have operated for 70 years.
"Eddie had been running the place in recent years, and he was really enjoying himself," Dunphy said. "He gave himself the 3-to-6 shift."
Whether he was in his office or at his bar, Mr. Burke loved to tell stories about Philadelphia basketball. His knowledge of Catholic League history was encyclopedic.
He was a crew-cut junior point guard at the Prep and a member of its 1962 Catholic League championship team. Future NBA coach Matt Guokas, Tom Duff, Bill McFadden, and Vince Curran were also on that team, which lost the city title game to West Philadelphia, 61-52.
A year later, Mr. Burke led the Catholic League in scoring. He went on to play three years at La Salle and, following graduation in 1967, returned to the Prep as an assistant. He soon became the head man there, and his 1971 team, led by Mo Howard, won another Catholic League title.
"He made coaching personal," recalled Martelli, a member of that team. "It was about you as a person. He used a lot of humor. He made you want to practice, and he made you want to play.
"He was more than just your coach. He was a part of your life. He was almost mythical. I'm just stunned."
Those 1962 and 1971 championships, which Mr. Burke had a large hand in winning, were St. Joseph's only titles between 1947 and 1973.
March 24, 2009 By Frank Fitzpatrick
Eddie Burke, 63, the rumpled epitome of a Philadelphia gym rat, one whose coaching resume included Drexel's first NCAA tournament appearance and back-to-back Philadelphia Catholic League titles with different teams, died unexpectedly at home yesterday. The cause of death was unknown.
Mr. Burke's playing career at St. Joseph's Prep and La Salle University and his long tenure as a coach in the Catholic League and at Drexel allowed him to cross paths with most of the city's basketball elite over the last half-century.
"He was a unique Philadelphia basketball personality, and we've been losing a lot of those people," said St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli, who played for Mr. Burke on St. Joseph's Prep's 1971 Catholic League championship team. "He touched so many eras of Philadelphia basketball and so many of its personalities."
Mr. Burke coached Martelli in high school, played at La Salle when Temple coach Fran Dunphy was a freshman there, and hired Villanova coach Jay Wright as a Drexel assistant in 1986.
"He was very instrumental in mentoring me," Dunphy said. "He's really going to be missed."
Dunphy said he often saw Mr. Burke at the Havertown bar, Burke's Inn, that he and his family have operated for 70 years.
"Eddie had been running the place in recent years, and he was really enjoying himself," Dunphy said. "He gave himself the 3-to-6 shift."
Whether he was in his office or at his bar, Mr. Burke loved to tell stories about Philadelphia basketball. His knowledge of Catholic League history was encyclopedic.
He was a crew-cut junior point guard at the Prep and a member of its 1962 Catholic League championship team. Future NBA coach Matt Guokas, Tom Duff, Bill McFadden, and Vince Curran were also on that team, which lost the city title game to West Philadelphia, 61-52.
A year later, Mr. Burke led the Catholic League in scoring. He went on to play three years at La Salle and, following graduation in 1967, returned to the Prep as an assistant. He soon became the head man there, and his 1971 team, led by Mo Howard, won another Catholic League title.
"He made coaching personal," recalled Martelli, a member of that team. "It was about you as a person. He used a lot of humor. He made you want to practice, and he made you want to play.
"He was more than just your coach. He was a part of your life. He was almost mythical. I'm just stunned."
Those 1962 and 1971 championships, which Mr. Burke had a large hand in winning, were St. Joseph's only titles between 1947 and 1973.
Prior to this era, the elite Drexel Basketball players include...
Dan Promislo, 1955.
Bob Buckley, 1958.
Bobby Morgan, 1963.
Mike McCurdy, 1966.
Ron Coley, 1972.
Greg Newman, 1974.
Bob Sweeper Stephens, 1980.
Len Hatzenbeller, 1981.
David Broadus, 1981.
Randy Burkert, 1982.
Richard Congo, 1984.
John Rankin, 1988.
Michael Anderson, 1989.
Todd Lehman, 1990.
Bob Buckley, 1958.
Bobby Morgan, 1963.
Mike McCurdy, 1966.
Ron Coley, 1972.
Greg Newman, 1974.
Bob Sweeper Stephens, 1980.
Len Hatzenbeller, 1981.
David Broadus, 1981.
Randy Burkert, 1982.
Richard Congo, 1984.
John Rankin, 1988.
Michael Anderson, 1989.
Todd Lehman, 1990.