The Explorers defeated Lafayette, 79-67, last night at the Gola, but we’ll get to that in a bit. We were more intrigued to learn that William “Speedy” Morris, the winningest coach in school history, was present and was even introduced to the crowd late in the first half. Morris hadn’t been back to 20th and Olney since being fired after the 2000-01 season. He’s being inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame next year along with John Chaney and Rollie Massimino. But his return really got us thinking. A lot. More after the jump.

Speedy Morris won 238 games in 15 seasons as the Explorers’ coach. Guys like Lionel Simmons, Doug Overton, Randy Woods, Kareem Townes, Donnie Carr and Rasual Butler played for him. He’s a Philly guy through and through, and he always recruited the city very well. His first six teams all made the postseason, including four NCAA trips. But after that last NCAA appearance in 1992, the Explorers made a disastrous move and joined the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Things then began heading south, and eventually La Salle jumped back eastcto the Atlantic 10, in 1995-96. The teams Morris would coach until he was fired in 2001 all had losing A-10 records, except for one: The 1998-99 team went 8-8 in the league and destroyed Saint Joe’s in a first-round A-10 tournament game at the Spectrum.

Dick Jerardi’s game story in today’s Daily News says last night was “the first time Speedy Morris had been at a La Salle game since he was let go.” But that’s not entirely true; it’s really the first time Morris had been at a La Salle home game since his dismissal. We’ve seen him at the Palestra for La Salle games several times in recent years. In 2004, the year Saint Joe’s had Jameer and Delonte and made it to the Elite Eight, Morris even sat among a group of Saint Joe’s fans on the day the Explorers got smoked by the Hawks. He wasn’t far from where we were sitting with a friend. And he even wore red. Now, we realize he’s the high school coach at Saint Joseph’s Prep, but the image has always stayed with us: Speedy Morris, at a La Salle game, wearing red and sitting with folks from Saint Joe’s. It just didn’t seem right, and it never would. And even last night, as Jerardi points out, Morris sat behind the Lafayette bench to cheer on Jim Mower, a guy he had coached at the Prep. But again, it doesn’t sound like he was there to see La Salle. And — we’re guessing here — he did the gracious thing by allowing himself to be recognized and introduced to the fans. But in some ways, you have to wonder whether he really wanted to. Not that Morris would ever come out and admit it. For all his faults as a coach — and there were plenty, especially in those later years — Morris always carried himself with dignity and class. He will forever be a solid representative of La Salle University, even if he chooses to wear Saint Joe’s red from time to time.

As for the game, La Salle got a solid all-around effort, with four players in double figures, a 42-26 rebounding edge, 53 percent shooting, and a nice, 19-point effort from Rodney Green, who had a really bad game at Villanova on Saturday. The school also announced that Ruben Guillandeaux, who also missed the ‘Nova game, would be out indefninitely with a stress fracture in his right foot.

Next up for the Explorers (4-2) is a home game Sunday against Hartford.

Link: La Salle wins, and Speedy was there! [Daily News]
Photo credit: [tedsilary.com]

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