What Do We Have Here?

BEVERLY HILLS (MI) – Brian Gregory and the Dayton Flyers are on the precipice of possibly winning the Atlantic 10 Championship. To do so, the Red and Blue have to get past the Dukes tonight and then take on the winner of the Temple/Eggsovereasy debacle on ESPN2 at 6:00PM Saturday evening.

Whatever happens from now until the end of the post-season, one thing is abundantly clear:

The University of Dayton Basketball program is and will continue to be something special.

Just watching the video of Charles Little on Senior Night and the one of the players going into the stands to thank the Flyer Faithful after the last home game made several MB posters here a little misty, which is a good thing. You can find them here:

http://www.daytonflyers.com/

I read this article in the Detroit Free Press earlier this week and couldn’t help but to be struck by the amazing similarities between the environment that Tom Izzo has created at Michigan State and what BG is building at UD:

http://www.freep.com/article/2009031...SMRsY1jr0dU%3D

In my mind if we were making this into a movie, the cast would be as follows:

Tom Izzo = Brian Gregory

Mateen Cleaves = Chris Wright

Lupe Izzo = Yvette Gregory

Frances Cleaves = Ernestine Grigsby

BG has already seen the movie, based on his long association with Izzo and the MSU program. He’s written the screenplay, casted it and is now living it. Best of all, we all get to watch!

As critical as it was for Izzo to sign Mateen Cleaves and open the “Flinstones” conduit, getting Morris Peterson, the 2nd Flint kid was equally important. One player is a fluke; two kids is a trend; three of ‘em is a freakin’ pipeline.

If Mateen was the Pied Piper of Spartanville, Chris Wright now fills that role for the Flyers:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/con...svc=7&cxcat=36

Say hello to Josh Benson, Matt Kavanaugh and Juwan Staten.

Are you listening Adreian Payne?

Enjoy the ride, boys and girls. As Claude Rains so eloquently put it in the film classic “Casablanca”:

“This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

Thanks, BG.

That’s it “From the Swamp.”
You can email me at: swampy@udpride.com

	Chris Wright CHRIS WRIGHT 6-8 225lb | Trotwood Madison, HS (OH) A10 All Rookie Team. Preseason 2008 2nd Team All A10. Member of the UD Flight Club with a 40+ inch vertical leap. Consensus Top-75 national recruit. Uncle is former Flyer J.D. Grigsby. Nickname is Top Flyght. CAREER STATS 2007-08 10.4ppg 5.7rpg

	Flyer Faithful FLYER FAITHFUL Best college basketball fans in the country. Knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and loyal. Help to create one of the toughest home courts in the nation at UD Arena. Over 12,000 fans a game put the Flyers in the Top-30 nationally in attendance. Fan spirit and support growing to other UD sports and athletic programs as well.

	Temple TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple College became Temple University in 1907. Located in Philadelphia, Temple is a comprehensive public research university with 34,000 students, 8 campuses, and 300 academic degree programs. Notable alumni include Bill Cosby and Daryl Hall. Temple's nickname is the Owls and are fellow A10 Conference members.

	Duquesne DUQUESNE Duquesne University is a private, coeducational university, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania located on 48 secluded acres, on a bluff above downtown. Founded in 1878 as a Catholic college by the Order of the Holy Spirit. It is the only Spiritan institution of higher education in the world. Duquesne offers 10 schools of study and 100 degree programs to 6,000 undergraduates and 3,800 graduate students. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Dukes.

	Brian Gregory BRIAN GREGORY UD Men's Basketball Head Coach since 2004. Groomed by the likes of Judd Heathcoate and Tom Izzo at Michigan State, as well as Kevin O'Neill and others, Gregory's defensive-minded leadership has led Dayton to NCAA and multiple NIT appearances. A good recruiter, BG has elevated the athleticism of the squad in recent years and kept top area talent at home. Still looking for that breakthrough season with his own players that catapult him to the NCAA tourney. Graduated from Oakland University.