NEW YORK – Gary Blair loves New York. The coach of Texas A&M’s eighth-ranked women’s team does not get too many trips to the Big Apple but enjoys each one thoroughly. “Last time we were here we played Rutgers in 1981. They had the Coyle sisters playing and Theresa Grentz coaching.” Back then Blair was an assistant at Louisiana Tech, a power with the likes of current Baylor coach Kim Mulkey in the backcourt. Tech won 67-60 on that day three decades ago. Sunday, at the Maggie Dixon Classic, Texas A&M was also victorious in a 79-50 rout of Rutgers.
“I love New York,” Blair gushed. “It is a great city it’s all about the highest level of basketball around. Madison Square Garden is the Mecca of basketball.” Beside basketball, Blair is enthused about what the city offers. He made it a point to bring his team on sightseeing trips after practices and walk throughs were negotiated. “We visited Ground Zero, we saw the tree at Rockerfeller Center, our kids were all over,” he said.
Despite a game that turned one-sided, Blair was thrilled with being on the Garden floor. “Just think,” he said, “LeBron James was here Friday, Prince on Saturday and we were next on Sunday. Look at the pictures in the hallway. Some of my kids (on A&M) do not know who Frank Sinatra was but they were impressed by his and pictures of other notables on the walls. I don’t know why anyone would not choose to come here. Don’t feel bad,” he told the media in a light hearted tone, “Cliff Lee turned us (Texas Rangers fans) down too but I can’t understand why he wouldn’t want to be here.”
Blair has been around quite some time in the women‘s game. “See the grey in my hair?” he asks a writer. “I got that coaching Dennis Rodman’s sister. Just like Dennis, she could rebound and defend the heck out of you but was quite a character off the floor.” Blair diverts to add, “Dennis (Rodman) probably will not get to the Hall of Fame. It’s a shame because he was a great rebounder, defensive player and his teams always won. But the other stuff…”
Blair has seen the growth in the women’s games from its “toddler” stage to “adulthood”. In the post game interviews he noted that back in 1981 for that Garden meeting with Rutgers, two of the New York papers sent their fashion editors to cover the game. “I look out there (in the media room) and see all you people with a genuine interest ,” he said. “That’s just how far the women’s game has come through the years.”
For Blair, the constant of loving New York is the same. “Just walking on the floor and seeing the banners from the rafters gets me excited.”
