Republished from Volume 2, Issue 32 of Inside Connecticut Sports Magazine

Wayne Norman and Robert Porter have done it! They’ve chronicled the long overdue greatest memories of UConn men’s basketball. With chapters on the most important and exciting times in the history of Huskies hoops, their new book: Hoop Tales: UConn Huskies Men’s Basketball is a terrific read that breathes new life into some of the most memorable times in the annals of UConn basketball from the 1950’s through the present.

Porter, a UConn alumnus, sports writer, and international banking consultant is a passionate, knowledgeable, long-time Huskies fan, while Norman, the 25-year Huskies color analyst for WTIC radio, has rare insight, access, and connections to the Huskies team that few have, giving him the ability to look back on many of these great moments from an insider’s perspective.

The authors were able to get terrific insight into the events covered in Hoop Tales from former players, coaches, and people associated with the program. Through that process they managed to deliver terrific quotes and a fresh new look on the events at hand from the key figures involved.

While reading about the Huskies early history, from Art Quimby and the 1954 Holy Cross upset through the Dee Rowe era, I was pleasantly surprised at how exciting and interesting the authors made reliving events that took place mostly before I was born. Other chapters in early UConn history include Dom Perno and UConn’s 1963-64 NCAA team (The first UConn team to battle with Duke deep in the NCAA tournament) and the Wes Bialosuknia era in the mid-sixties. With quotes from Dom Perno, Toby Kimball, Fred Shabel, Wes Bialosuknia, Tom Penders, Dee Rowe, and many more, old stories spring to life again with new excitement and insight.

"The early stuff has gotten the most reaction," confirmed Norman. "Probably because fewer people know or remember that history. Old timers especially really liked reminiscing about Wes (Bialosuknia) and Toby (Kimball). I think the Calhoun era stuff is good too, but more people remember it, so there’s less new information there. But we did find some new nuggets."

Indeed they did find some "new nuggets." With chapters on Jim Calhoun, the 1988 NIT Championship, the 1990 "Dream Season", the 1994-95 Ray Allen led Huskies, and the two national championship seasons (1999 and 2004), the authors get a fresh perspective on the events with quotes from Jim Calhoun, Tate George, Chris Smith, Donny Marshall, Rashamel Jones, Rashad Anderson, Ben Gordon and many more, including "The Voice of the Huskies" Joe D’Ambrosio and several former and current assistant coaches. Interesting new insight is breathed into the events that have molded the Huskies into the elite basketball powerhouse that they are today.

Norman and Porter have certainly put together a gem and a must read for Huskies fans of all ages. Not only do the authors relive the greatest times in Huskies history; but they do so with a strong passion for the team and understanding of the game that shines through in their writing. They also bring an insider’s perspective as well as keen new insights into the events through interviews and quotes from a plethora of former and current players, coaches, and those close to the program.

Hoop Tales is a fast-paced, fun read consisting of 176 pages and 11 terrific stories of UConn’s greatest basketball history. The book is also laced with interesting one page tid-bits throughout including pages on "The Loudest Field House Crowd", "UConn’s All Time Starting Five (Pre Jim Calhoun)", "Top Husky Players Under Jim Calhoun", "The Ten Greatest UConn wins", and much more.

An informative, entertaining and fun read with a fresh new look on the best of UConn basketball and a retail price of just $9.95, Hoop Tales: UConn Huskies Men’s Basketball is a must read for Huskies fans of all ages and makes a terrific gift for the UConn basketball fan in your life.

Hoop Tales is available at major book stores and can also be purchased conveniently online at www.Amazon.com.

Click here for more Inside Stuff.