Yo Buck

Back in TigerBlog's newspaper days, he got to know most of the Princeton head coaches and almost none of the assistant coaches and athletic administration and support staff. Even the people TB did get to know were the high-profile assistants, a Bill Carmody in men's basketball, for instance.

This is probably the same from the vantage point of a Princeton fan. You probably know who Sydney Johnson (men's basketball coach) is; you probably don't know who Jon Kurian (men's basketball travel coordinator, among other important tasks, such as commissioner of lunchtime basketball) is. You probably know who Chris Sailer is (women's lacrosse coach); you probably don't know who Karen Malec is (overseer of event management for Princeton athletics).

In many ways, that's how it should be. Back in the newspaper days, TigerBlog could pick up the paper and see his name in it most days and his picture in it several times per week. When he first came to work here at HQ, all of that vanished. Even now, as Princeton's websites have become our primary focus, goprincetontigers.com almost never features a byline with its dozens and dozens of stories per week; only feature stories are claimed by an author.

And, to let you in on a little secret, TigerBlog is not TigerBlog's real name. In short, to be part of an athletic department like Princeton's (or many others) means that for the most part, you are in the background at all times.

On the plus side, it means that the motivation for the non-coaching staff at Princeton isn't selfish (unless you count the money part, and even that isn't why people work here). No, people are attracted to working for Princeton's Department of Athletics because of other reasons, such as the ability to work in sports, the people, the University and of course, to help the athletes here have the best experience possible.

In other words, it means you usually have to check your ego at the door.

The person who epitomizes this the most, perhaps, is someone who doesn't even work at Princeton anymore, technically. And, it's likely that you don't know this name either: George Boccanfuso.

His story is a remarkable one. His father spent 47 years at Princeton working on the grounds and athletic facilities, and George himself worked here for 42 years before he retired in 1991.

So why was he having surgery (successful, everyone was glad to hear) this week after he fell on the scaffold at Jadwin Gym before a basketball game?

Because even though he is nearly 85 years old and even though he retired nearly 20 years ago, he still comes out every morning to make sure Jadwin is clean as a whistle. That's not an easy task, by the way, since the building is used all day, every day, by coaches, athletes, staff, pickup athletes, recreational athletes and just about anyone else.

And that's how he got hurt. Through the years, when TB has needed anything last minute at a basketball game, he's turned to Boccanfuso. A surge protector? An extension cord? No problem.

When the shot clock malfunctions, out comes Boccanfuso to fix it. He's out there with TigerBlog Jr. and his friend Matthew to be something of a ballboy at basketball games. He has probably walked hundreds of miles back and forth on that court, sweeping it.

Boccanfuso has known thousands of Princeton athletes and hundreds of Princeton coaches, and it's likely that his favorite of all of them was former men's basketball coach Pete Carril. When TB first came to Princeton and did his first men's basketball media guide, Carril insisted that Boccanfuso have his picture and bio in the book, even though he had already retired.

Now it's nearly 20 years later, and he's still at it. His work ethic can't help but be inspirational, the kind of work ethic that is more uncommon than common in this world today. He's funny. He's personable. And he's an early riser; TigerBlog often drives past him as TB pulls into the Jadwin parking lot and Boccanfuso is pulling out of it.

Many people call him "Georgie Buck," including TigerBlog. Carril just called him "Buck," and he often could be heard bellowing "Yo Buck" throughout the building.

Yo Buck. Get better real soon. The place isn't the same without you.