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Post by oldwarrior56 on Apr 3, 2014 16:20:41 GMT -8
After Aztec Basketball, I think Smokey owned a night club near the stadium called Monks. Does anybody remember that place? That sounds familiar. One thing I know for sure - he had a bar called Smokey's in the Vons shopping center in Tierrasanta. I went there once in the late 80's with my roommate and we were the only white dudes there. Got a lot of stares, but they were cool. I didn't see Smokey there, but one of the regulars told us he was there often. Tried to do a 'where are they now' search for him. Wikipedia says he's currently athletic director for Memphis City Schools. Hope he's doing well. Ha, didn't know Smokey once owned that bar. I do know it was owned for quite a while by one time Charger Cid Edwards and was known as Cid's Pub.
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Post by oc74aztec on Apr 3, 2014 18:12:15 GMT -8
Michael Cage didn't have a chance to get to the NCAAs his last two years because we were on probation. All the charges were minor but the penalties were more harsh than the violations, two years with no post season and a loss of scholarships (3?).
Two violations that I remember were: 1) when Keith Lee visited, he spent the night in Michael's room. Two high school friends catching up but not allowed to stay the night in the dorm. 2) the center for Houston (Moses Malone ?) took Leonard Allen from Port Arthur out to lunch and told him to call Smokey. That was an illegal recruiting contact. Moses didn't know the NCAA rules because he never went to college. Smokey & SDSU didn't even know and didn't ask Moses to take Leonard Allen out to lunch...but again, a violation.
The probation is another reason that doomed Smokey at SDSU.
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Post by mojo56 on Apr 3, 2014 20:25:28 GMT -8
The short answer to the question is because Smokey couldn't coach.
I have a couple of Smokey stories. After a game at the Sports Aroma I went to the Captain's Galley or whatever that bar in the bowels of the building was called. I think they were doing a post game show or something but anyway Smokey showed up about 15 minutes after the game ended. When the crowd thinned out I got to talk to him. I told him how great it was that he was able to get Cage to come to San Diego. Smokey said he had a guard who almost committed but went to Alabama instead. "Just think how good we could have been if Ennis Whatley was here. I almost had him". Smokey was a great self promoter.
Then there was a game against BYU in '81 (Gwynn's last season). After a furious rally by the Zoobs led by Danny Ainge, TG hit a shot at the buzzer to win the game. The Sports Arena went nuts and it was my first and only court storming. I got to Gwynn right as a bunch of other people did so I kind of bounced off that pile and the next person I saw was Smokey so I ran over and hugged him and was jumping up & down. Oh to be young and drunk again.
Early in 1986 when I was opening up my bar & grill I had a chance to meet Eddy Gordon. Eddy was a sales rep for Valley Vintner and after the opening spiel we naturally talked Aztec basketball. I asked what he thought of Smokey as a coach. Eddy had too much class to just come out and say that Smokey was terrible. Eddy just said that Smokey had a lot of real estate & business interests and that his heart might not be into coaching anymore. Smokey was done at State after the next season.
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Post by bearfoot on Apr 4, 2014 8:32:58 GMT -8
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Post by oc74aztec on Apr 4, 2014 9:52:57 GMT -8
Thanks for the linked reference. At one time I read the full report when the penalties were issued. IMHO,that proved that the infractions were minor, especially if the Bradley incident was the biggest violation. The Bradley incident referred that he got credit for 5 units at SDCC where he didn't attend the classes, yet SDSU had quotes from Bradley's CC coach and attendance records from SDCC saying he did attend class. They took Bradley's word for an event that didn't even happen at SDSU, and yet penalized us for 2 years of no post season, 2 lost scholarships and 1 year no TV appearances? Again, punishment did not fit the crime.
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Post by ab on Apr 4, 2014 10:20:48 GMT -8
After Aztec Basketball, I think Smokey owned a night club near the stadium called Monks. Does anybody remember that place? Never went there, and I think it finally went belly up. Smokey bought Monk's and turned it into Smokeys. Later, it became McGregor's as it is today
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Post by ab on Apr 4, 2014 10:24:25 GMT -8
Smokey had to recruit out of a trailer on campus. He was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CLOSE to getting the team over the hump when got Cage and almost got Keith Lee too. There was a PG named Enis Whatley who chose Alabama over us. We were soooooo close.
I also suspect that he had very little backing from administration as that problem continued for years.
I've run into Smokey a few times at the Q before football games. He's a character to say the least. I do know he was involved in some nightclub in Vegas for awhile too.
No idea where he's at now or what he's doing at this time.
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Post by MontezumaPhil on Apr 4, 2014 11:02:52 GMT -8
He was said to be able to recruit like crazy, but apart from Cage and Percy Gilbert and a couple of other guys, he never really did. The Sports Arena was an albatross around the necks of all Aztec coaches back then, so you could say Smokey never had much of a chance. Percy Gilbert was a Tim Vezie recruit. Leonard Allen and Anthony Watson were solid recruits for Smokey. As was Eddy Gordon (Aaron and Drew's dad). Gilbert dated all the way back to the Vezie era? Wow, the memory does fade. Mine does anyway. Thanks for the correction.
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Post by K2Aztec73 on Apr 4, 2014 11:11:04 GMT -8
Percy Gilbert was a Tim Vezie recruit. Leonard Allen and Anthony Watson were solid recruits for Smokey. As was Eddy Gordon (Aaron and Drew's dad). Gilbert dated all the way back to the Vezie era? Wow, the memory does fade. Mine does anyway. Thanks for the correction. Yeah, Gilbert was at SDHS when my brother was there. My brother graduated in '75, I think Gilbert was the following year.
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Post by bub66ohm on Apr 6, 2014 10:24:39 GMT -8
The place on Clairmont Mesa Blvd was called the New Bacchanal and was frequented by a lot of those Chargers of the Bobby Ross era. I loved Smoky but he WAS a hustler. Always willing to talk though. Good memories.
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Post by AztecWilliam on Apr 6, 2014 11:13:14 GMT -8
Wow! That's amazing. . . in a bad way. Not to doubt you, but do you have solid evidence that NO ONE graduated during those years? Seems like one or two would have almost by accident. AzWm You act surprised, as though this kind of thing is wildly atypical. Surprised that not a single player graduated in a whole decade? Yes, that does indeed surprise me. I would not be surprised to learn that only 10-15% graduated. Alarmed, but not surprised. But ZERO graduates in ten years? Yes, that is remarkable. AzWm
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Post by aronoff on Apr 6, 2014 11:46:48 GMT -8
The academic support services program in today’s athletics is the key part of the graduation success – it did not exist for Tim Vezie or Smokey Gaines. Although it existed for Fred Trinkle – it failed to monitor his players and really provide the help like is done today.
Smokey wanted an institutional commitment to enroll “projects” like Steve Fisher had with Brandon Heath. Could not get the commitment. Vezie and Gaines worked with terrible facilities and 1 gym that had to be shared by fours sports.
Vezie, Gaines and Trinkle could have been very successful had the institution made their success a priority.
Ken Karr (69-78) was a basketball AD - member of the NCAA D-I basketball committee, delivered the Final Four to San Diego but did not believe in Vezie Hill was no help for Gaines or any other men's sport Miller believed the facility would solve the issues for a successful program Rick Bay's persistence in hiring Fisher and Fisher's patience with SDSU administration is a key reason for today's success.
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Post by sportnlyf on Apr 6, 2014 15:02:18 GMT -8
Never went there, and I think it finally went belly up. Smokey bought Monk's and turned it into Smokeys. Later, it became McGregor's as it is today
I believe ab's memory to be correct on this subject regarding McGregor's taking over Smokey's old location. I've lived in Tierrasanta since before the Von's Center went in and don't recall that Smokey ever had a thing to do with Cid's/JP's.
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Post by mykdanife on Apr 6, 2014 15:09:07 GMT -8
I'm surprised any long term Aztec views Smokey's tenure as a failure. He's the first San Diego State basketball coach to win 20 games during the DI era, and he did it twice. Despite horrible facilities and little support from the athletic administration. Working out of a run down trailer off of what could be only described as an alley (now "Aztec Walk")the real surprise is that he was able to recruit players that could win any games at all. Somehow he would convince recruits that they would be playing in the artist's rendering of what is now Viejas Arena that hung on the wall of his "office". Team meetings were pathetic as he frequently would not have enough chairs for the entire team. IMO Smokey just lost interest, and he had a number of interesting side deals underway that kept him busy. I suppose any of us can pick holes in what was accomplished or not accomplished more than 25 years ago, and the lack of any graduating seniors over an extended period of time is a real embarrassment, but let's look at Smokey's legacy for what it was...........decent results despite little or no support.
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Post by bearfoot on Apr 7, 2014 0:28:19 GMT -8
I'm surprised any long term Aztec views Smokey's tenure as a failure. He's the first San Diego State basketball coach to win 20 games during the DI era, and he did it twice. Despite horrible facilities and little support from the athletic administration. Working out of a run down trailer off of what could be only described as an alley (now "Aztec Walk")the real surprise is that he was able to recruit players that could win any games at all. Somehow he would convince recruits that they would be playing in the artist's rendering of what is now Viejas Arena that hung on the wall of his "office". Team meetings were pathetic as he frequently would not have enough chairs for the entire team. IMO Smokey just lost interest, and he had a number of interesting side deals underway that kept him busy. I suppose any of us can pick holes in what was accomplished or not accomplished more than 25 years ago, and the lack of any graduating seniors over an extended period of time is a real embarrassment, but let's look at Smokey's legacy for what it was...........decent results despite little or no support. Yes, the man could recruit. However, he was a horrible coach. Once his players had to meet entrance requirements, he could no longer get those players. So what that it was a long time ago? Vezie (sp) won 19 games the season before Smokey arrived, and those players along with a stud from Arkansas are the folks who won 20 games.
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Post by franklinmint on Apr 7, 2014 1:08:47 GMT -8
That sounds familiar. One thing I know for sure - he had a bar called Smokey's in the Vons shopping center in Tierrasanta. I went there once in the late 80's with my roommate and we were the only white dudes there. Got a lot of stares, but they were cool. I didn't see Smokey there, but one of the regulars told us he was there often. Monks was an institution near the stadium long before Smokey came to town. He purchased it and changed the name to Smokey's. That lasted about 4 or 5 years. The new owners changed the name to McGregor's. That's hilarious about the bar in Tierrasanta. I had no idea that was one of Smokey's places. I moved to Tierrasanta around '88 and still live there today. The place is now called JP's Pub. It has a couple of pool tables, some big-screen TVs, etc. But it used to be small, narrow, smoke filled and poorly lit. About a year after I moved to Tierrasanta, I got into a huge argument with my wife. It was about 10 p.m. and I yelled at my wife, "Screw this, I'm leaving!" "Where are you going at this hour?" she yelled back. "Out!" I hollered as I slammed the door behind me. I had no clue where to go at 10 p.m. in Tierrasanta, but I couldn't go back home, so I had to go somewhere. I hopped in my car and started driving. Then I remembered that I'd seen some pub next to the Vons before. So I figured I'd just go have a beer and cool down a bit. I walked into the bar, pulled up a stool, ordered a beer and then took a look around. There were probably 50 people in the joint. It was really crowded. And I was the only -- and I mean only -- white guy. I had clearly stumbled into a place not meant for me. I paid for my beer, took a couple swigs, walked out, hopped into my car and drove back home. My wife gave me a hug and said, "I thought you said you were leaving?" "Nah," I replied. "Changed my mind." I later told her the real story. We still laugh about it. I have no idea what the argument was about. LMAO!!! You're the one who inspired that bit in Animal House!How incredibly funny.Something similar happened to me at a lesbian bar once. Had fun going through this thread for the past few minutes and reliving some of the behind-the-scenes moments as a fan back then,and reliving some of the neighborhoods at the time. I grew up with Percy Gilbert and followed him into his limited playing days at the Sports Arena under Tim Vezie,who years later told me that Gilbert was greatest athlete he ever coached.After Vezie left,I continued following the Aztecs into Smokey's tenure because a good friend at the time had his brother play under Smokey (Kevin Gilbert.No relationship to Percy).Those were the days I tell ya.
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Post by mojo56 on Apr 7, 2014 7:11:07 GMT -8
One more Smokey story told to me by a fellow bartender from LA. This is from the mid 80's when the Showtime Lakers were the hottest ticket in LA. Magic Johnson gets woken up by a call early in the morning:
"Magic, do you have any tickets for tonight's game?".
Magic: "Who is this?".
"Smokey".
Magic: "Smokey Robinson?".
"No, Smokey Gaines from San Diego".
Click.
Not sure if it's true or not but I LMAO.
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Post by lloydc on Apr 7, 2014 7:22:58 GMT -8
This has been fun. I am 46 and only vaguely remember any of this. Lets hope this history is not lost for future generations.
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Post by ab on Apr 7, 2014 8:37:26 GMT -8
I believe ab's memory to be correct on this subject regarding McGregor's taking over Smokey's old location. I've lived in Tierrasanta since before the Von's Center went in and don't recall that Smokey ever had a thing to do with Cid's/JP's. I remembered it before AB did. Nope- You just posted it before AB did.
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bro24
New Recruit
Posts: 12
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Post by bro24 on Jun 28, 2014 6:52:24 GMT -8
By the time Smokey's third season rolled around my buddy and I wished he were gonzo. It was clear that he was a snake oils salesman and couldn't coach a lick. I really liked his wife and could never understand the attraction between the two. It never entered my mind to go to some place owned by S Gaines.
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