Bob, as I have mentioned before on this forum, the final chapter is the most likely explanation of the decline in the once proud program.

I plan to re-read this tome again, just for the history and as an antidote to the current downward spiral being witnessed in real time this season. Plus it is such a great story!

Dang, Finoli tosses nickels around like manhole covers. 

How much more will my book be worth after you sign it?

WashPaRick wrote:

How much more will my book be worth after you sign it?

Black-market value of book should triple or so after that.

I received a copy of Kings on the Bluff as a Christmas present.  I read it cover to cover on a recent flight to the west coast.
I really enjoyed learning the historical perspective of that NIT Championship season, how the city of Pittsburgh viewed DU Hoops then, insights to the Dick Ricketts & Si Green personas, and the summary on the program's "fall from grace"
Great read.
The book complemented my childhood & teenage memories of driving to games at the Arena w/my Grandfather & listening to him share his stories of the "Glory Years" and my own experiences of Dukes Hoops as an undergrad @ DU in the late '80s.

This section was telling to me and I wanted to share an excerpt for commentary.
Based on the many posts on this site concerning defense and building a program - making a comparison to today's game w/the 3 point line & a shot clock adds a wrinkle, but does not take away the fundamentals listed below:
Kings of the Bluff (pages 153-154)
"It was a joyous time for sure, one that was a long time in the making.  After all the close calls the Pittsburgh Press had the perfect headline stating:"Next Year is Now for Duquesne's NIT Champs."  A lot of attention had been on the fact that Green and Ricketts scored 56 of the teams 70 points in the final, but sportswriter Carl Hughes properly gave credit to the one thing Moore concentrated on that most coaches of the time didn't: the Dukes' possession offense that led to their stingy defense.  The team's 59.2 points allowed per game was fourth best in the nation and Hughes gave the credit to the head coach.  "it's a strategy learned from Chick Davies and that has always been a Duquesne trademark---'the other team can't score as long as you've got the ball'.  It's percentage basketball based on slick ball control and taking only good shots.  It also calls for tight harrying defense when the other team has the ball.  Dudey like Chick insists that defense is just as important as offense, yet many coaches ignore it because it's the toughest phase of all to teach, as well as the most painstaking to learn."

I can appreciate that sentiment.

To add to it - I was in Pgh last weekend.  My sister ( '84 DU Grad.) & I made a last minute decision to go to the Rhode Island game.  We sat in the lower end zone opposite the student / pep band section.
I became so uninterested/disconnected in the game, I fell asleep at the 7 minute mark of the 2nd half.
She woke me up as the final horn sounded.

Box & One wrote:

I can appreciate that sentiment.

To add to it - I was in Pgh last weekend.  My sister ( '84 DU Grad.) & I made a last minute decision to go to the Rhode Island game.  We sat in the lower end zone opposite the student / pep band section.
I became so uninterested/disconnected in the game, I fell asleep at the 7 minute mark of the 2nd half.
She woke me up as the final horn sounded.

Bless you for sticking that game out. I was engineering the home radio broadcast, and even I almost fell asleep. It was that bad

PhoenixRising2 wrote:

Gene Collier article on the 50's Dukes.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/gene-collier/2017/01/29/Remembering-a-night-when-the-Bluffites-ruled-at-Duquesne-Gardens-Duquesne-men-s-basketball/stories/201701290070

Phoenix, sorry, I created a new topic for this. Didn't see that you had already put it out there.