Kresse to replace Cremins

Don't get your Irish up, Cougars fans. Former College of Charleston men's basketball coach John Kresse is taking current Cougars coach Bobby Cremins' place Wednesday, but it's not on the basketball court. Kresse will be leading the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade through the streets of Charleston instead of Cremins.

Cremins said he informed parade organizers that he might be involved in postseason basketball that would preclude him handling the duties of Grand Marshal. And that turned out to be the case as the Cougars travel to Eastern Kentucky for a 7 p.m. game Wednesday.

But Cremins found a willing substitute in Kresse, who took over on the promise of a free meal.

"I bribed him into taking my place. So the legendary coach on Wednesday morning will be leading the St. Patrick's Day Parade representing me. I hope he doesn't drink too much after the parade," Cremins said with a laugh.

The celebration begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday with a Catholic Mass at St. Patrick's Church on Radcliffe Street. The parade, which features several pipe bands and nearly 100 different entries, begins at 10 a.m., proceeding down King Street, turning onto Broad Street and ending at Broad and Legare. The Hibernian Society Parade, which travels down East Bay to Broad and ends at Hibernian Hall on Meeting Street, follows the King Street parade.