Exclusive Club Has Its Own Dinner

ATLANTA (AP) During a weekend of dinners, meetings and parties for every group imaginable connected with college basketball's Final Four, one is so exclusive no more than four new invitations are

Monday, April 2nd 2007, 7:38 pm

By: News On 6

ATLANTA (AP) During a weekend of dinners, meetings and parties for every group imaginable connected with college basketball's Final Four, one is so exclusive no more than four new invitations are possible each year.

For the second consecutive year, the National Association of Basketball Coaches sponsored the Final Four Coaches Dinner, a reception and meal for those men who have taken a team to the NCAA tournament's national semifinals.

Besides the food and drink, each coach receives a custom-designed blue blazer.

Forty-eight coaches were at the inaugural dinner last year in Indianapolis. At this year's event, six men were presented jackets. Dean Smith, former Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton, Paul Hewitt and Mike Montgomery were attending for the first time.

Jim Larranaga of George Mason and John Brady of Louisiana State, who made it to their first Final Fours last season, were given their jackets by Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, the incoming president of the NABC.