If you ask me -- and I doubt anyone is -- there was just a little too much respect going on in the Dawg Pound last night in the field house during the OPRF boys basketball team’s final regular season game against York, a team the Huskies will see again this Tuesday at the same location in the semifinals of the Class 4A Oak Park Regional (8:10 p.m.). 

I don’t mean to sound snarky, but WHO, WHO, KEPT THE DAWGS IN? WHO WHO? Seriously.

In the bleachers beyond the south basket, normally designated for the loud, rowdy, face and body painted Dawgs, a large group of students sat quietly throughout the game wearing black t-shirts with the word RESPECT emblazoned across the front. The group, part of the drill team, put on a splendid halftime show, but was a far-cry from the sixth-man punch the Dawgs usually provide for the basketball team during many home games. And the Huskies could have used an infusion of excitement in the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s loss. (Click here for the story on the game).

My hope is the Dawgs took Thursday off to be better prepared for Tuesday night’s playoff game. Perhaps they were busy making some placards with Al Allen’s face on them, in order to distract York’s very good free throw shooters. If they need a stake for those placards, might they use the former head-turned-assistant coach’s cane. Allen has already ditched the trusty crutch after suffering a debilitating stroke last month. He was back at full throttle last night, was his old self again, and it was good to see.

Hopefully, the Dawgs will be back at full throttle Tuesday night. 

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