We all knew Pat Croce was an eccentric super-ginger, but to what degree? Would you believe that the Flyers trainer turned Sixers owner is a SUPER Pirate Geek? Yar, Croce is intensely involved in buccaneering on all different types of levels: He’s written juvenile literature on the subject; he’s opened a $10 million Pirate Museum in Key West; he also opened a Pirate themed bar named The Rum Barrel adjacent to the museum; he owns three pirate themed miniature golf courses at the Jersey Shore; he backs his daughter’s Pirate Jewelry(?) line; he’s producing a movie about Blackbeard (which looks pretty cool, actually); he is funding a search for the actual wreckage of Captain Henry Morgan’s pirate ship in Haiti; and, he may or may not have a little skull and crossbones on one of his molars. We keep expecting to hear reports of him attacking trading vessels off the coast of Somalia. Apparently, Croce’s “passion for pirates” began when he saw Captain Blood starring Errol Flynn and was immediately obsessed. Okay, but we loved the Goonies but you don’t see us screaming “HEY YOU GUYS!” and sliding down the Moshulu with a knife. That being said: More power to you, Pat. Even though your pirate obsession has eclipsed any amount of Star Wars nerd-dom, at least you’re getting a doubloon or two out of the whole deal.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 4:30 pm.