Kevin Joyce Q&A
posted by Brian Shoemaker, Thursday, August 02, 2007
GamecockCentral.com: I know you wanted to come back last year for the reunion, but you had a prior commitment. How important was it to come back this year?
Kevin Joyce: I think it's really important to get the old guys back and get everybody together and be like a family again. It gives up something to rally around.
GC: How significant is it having John Roche here today?
KJ: Coach Odom said John was coming back. I though it was great. I know John has not been back in a while. I think he's enjoying himself now and you'll probably be seeing a lot more of him.
GC: Why do you think John and others have not been back before now?
KJ: We all go our separate ways, especially when it's geographical. John is an attorney in Denver and I'm in New York working on Wall Street. We (USC) don't get the media coverage up there like we do here. They have pro sports teams and so much else going on. You don't get the feel (of USC) up there like you would here.
GC: You were part of some very special teams under Coach McGuire. How did all of that come about?
KJ: It was special and we had it all planned out in high school, especially with Coach McGuire's roots being from New York. Bobby Carver came down first from Long Island. I came the next year and we talked Tom Riker into coming. Brian Winters followed the next year. So, we knew we we're going to have a good team.
GC: How hard was it to get players here from New York?
KJ: It was tough, at first, to get us to come down to South Carolina but our coaches and parents all knew about Coach McGuire and they knew he would take care of us. When we got here we found great weather and the beach. It was great. The decision was made easier after we visited here in the spring.
GC: What are some of your best memories?
KJ: There are a lot of great memories, on and off the court. I remember the Indiana game and the Marquette game here along with the big fight. My jersey being retired was a great day and all the games in the ACC. It still sticks me that we are no longer in the ACC. However, the SEC is still a great conference.
GC: When you guys walked on the court you expected to win. Did that start with Coach McGuire?
KJ: It really started in high school. Everybody came from winning traditions. It's what we were used to. There was no pressure to win. However, we knew how to and always felt we could.
GC: What was the relationship like with Coach McGuire?
KJ: He was very strict on the court. There was no walking into his office with flip flops or long hair but he really left us alone off the court. We respected him and he made you play for him. Probably the biggest thing he did was to get you motivated. You were loyal to him and he played on that loyalty factor.
GC: Do you remember the Maryland game?
KJ: Oh yeah, I think it all started with Tom Riker and then the benches cleared. Jimmy Powell grabbed coach Lefty Drisell from behind. I remember there was a picture in the New York Daily News that showed John Ribock with his fists back, ready to throw a punch. That's all I can remember about it. I really didn't see much. But I do know we won the fight and the game.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Kevin Joyce, a three-year letterwinner in men's basketball and member of USC's Hall of Fame, scored 1,400 points during his career and led USC to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances in the early '70s. Joyce was in Columbia on July 24 for the press conference to kickoff USC's '100 Years of Gamecock Basketball' celebration. Afterwards, GamecockCentral.com's Wayne Turner spoke with Joyce for a few minutes.
GamecockCentral.com: I know you wanted to come back last year for the reunion, but you had a prior commitment. How important was it to come back this year?
Kevin Joyce: I think it's really important to get the old guys back and get everybody together and be like a family again. It gives up something to rally around.
GC: How significant is it having John Roche here today?
KJ: Coach Odom said John was coming back. I though it was great. I know John has not been back in a while. I think he's enjoying himself now and you'll probably be seeing a lot more of him.
GC: Why do you think John and others have not been back before now?
KJ: We all go our separate ways, especially when it's geographical. John is an attorney in Denver and I'm in New York working on Wall Street. We (USC) don't get the media coverage up there like we do here. They have pro sports teams and so much else going on. You don't get the feel (of USC) up there like you would here.
GC: You were part of some very special teams under Coach McGuire. How did all of that come about?
KJ: It was special and we had it all planned out in high school, especially with Coach McGuire's roots being from New York. Bobby Carver came down first from Long Island. I came the next year and we talked Tom Riker into coming. Brian Winters followed the next year. So, we knew we we're going to have a good team.
GC: How hard was it to get players here from New York?
KJ: It was tough, at first, to get us to come down to South Carolina but our coaches and parents all knew about Coach McGuire and they knew he would take care of us. When we got here we found great weather and the beach. It was great. The decision was made easier after we visited here in the spring.
GC: What are some of your best memories?
KJ: There are a lot of great memories, on and off the court. I remember the Indiana game and the Marquette game here along with the big fight. My jersey being retired was a great day and all the games in the ACC. It still sticks me that we are no longer in the ACC. However, the SEC is still a great conference.
GC: When you guys walked on the court you expected to win. Did that start with Coach McGuire?
KJ: It really started in high school. Everybody came from winning traditions. It's what we were used to. There was no pressure to win. However, we knew how to and always felt we could.
GC: What was the relationship like with Coach McGuire?
KJ: He was very strict on the court. There was no walking into his office with flip flops or long hair but he really left us alone off the court. We respected him and he made you play for him. Probably the biggest thing he did was to get you motivated. You were loyal to him and he played on that loyalty factor.
GC: Do you remember the Maryland game?
KJ: Oh yeah, I think it all started with Tom Riker and then the benches cleared. Jimmy Powell grabbed coach Lefty Drisell from behind. I remember there was a picture in the New York Daily News that showed John Ribock with his fists back, ready to throw a punch. That's all I can remember about it. I really didn't see much. But I do know we won the fight and the game.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Previous Blog Entries
Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.