An interesting article in NJ.com on how Tim Cluess and Iona has changed the MAAC:
Four years later, the answer is crystal-clear: Cluess has not only been successful, but he and the Gaels have changed the way the league plays.
"Teams are playing faster and freer in our league," the 54-year old Iona head coach said this past weekend. "It's a fun league to be in. People like to see offense. Everyone plays hard defensively, but everyone's got some very good offensive players.".
His first season, Iona set a new single-season record for points scored, besting a mark which had stood for 11 years. The next year, his team scored the fifth-most points in league history. Last year? The sixth-most. As Iona's success rose with its scoring totals under Cluess' watch — the program has made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances — the rest of the conference took note. That in order to win in the MAAC these days, you'd have to score, and score big.
Entering play on Sunday, six MAAC teams were ranked in the top 85 in the country in points per game. Four teams were in the top 40 — as many as the Big East, ACC and Big Ten, combined.....
Critics have derided the change in philosophy conference-wide. They say that while high-scoring offenses have made the league more exciting, it's been at the expense of defense. Entering the weekend, nine of the 11 schools were ranked 200 or worse in terms of points allowed per game. Five were worse than 300th place...
Through 27 games this season, the Gaels are averaging 83.7 points per game — good for fifth-best in the country. Now comes the hard part for Cluess and his program: Staying ahead of everyone else as they try to speed past him.
"We've just got to be better at it," Cluess said with a smile. "That's all. Fortunately, we've got a lot of experience playing this way."
One of the main reasons that Iona and the MAAC are top scorers is that most teams play as a fast pace (Tempo). Iona is the 18th fasted paced team, and the MAAC as a league in #1 in pace of play. Stags rank 183 in pace of play.
A more appropriate title for the article would be: "Iona's high recruiting of JUCO and transfer players has ushered in new era in MAAC".
I think Hawk's comment points to the basic discussion with whom do you want to play.
FU has some important decisions to make if they don't want to become the doormats of the MAAC.
When you have other schools playing by different rules or standards, your ability to compete becomes increasingly difficult.
People point to Stanford, Georgetown and others who have excellent academic standards and great sports programs.
But, it becomes more difficult when you are Fairfield who does not have the academic or sports reputation at that level.
That said, my point is FU will not accept how you need to recruit in D1 men's basketball at this level.
I will not go into my rants that we should be in the Patriot League, but we are in limbo. We want to be competitive, but we are not willing to do the things that will make you competitive in the league as do some other schools--nothing illegal but certainly living in the gray.
So if you want to compete, you need to play by the same rules as your competition. That says you move to a like minded league OR start doing the things that will make you a top performer every year. The FU approach has kept us out of the NCAA for years (and we got lucky in 1997 when we finished the season at the bottom of or the MAAC). Even if you do compete at the top of the MAAC for a few years, history has told us you never have the horses to take it all, unless you get lucky.
My point is, IMO at this level you cannot have both ways in spite of what many on this board believe. FU has always shied away from JUCOs and as we have recently learned, that will not work in the MAAC. And, the great transfer from 4 year schools are rare (Rakim was a very unique situation).
Either way, make a decision and stop this mediocre approach. I know which way I would take it, but at this point I don't care. Just do it!
I believe Cooley had the charisma and skill to elevate the program to some sustained success had he stayed , even against those teams who reload with questionable student types. It's about having someone in charge with some presence, bravado, wit, whatever, who has a vision and actually "walks the talk". Those special traits can convince kids to sign on and excite the fans.
Sydney being a 180 from Cooley has been a rough adjustment for players, fans and media. Perhaps that sparks some of the disappointment but the fact is we would not care much about the coaching change if the wins were being delivered.
Last Edit: Feb 28, 2014 9:42:55 GMT -5 by stagparty
Ed Cooley was also a presence on campus, in the BCC and even at AH for the women's games working to generate interest and support by engaging with the students every year. He was the face of Stag Basketball.
Former Associate Athletic Director Roy Brown's Marketing & Promotion position is still being filled by his Graduate Assistant.
The Stags are averaging only 1,650 fans at the WBA which is the lowest attendance in Bridgeport since the move off campus for the 2001-02 season. Only two games had more than 2,000 fans (Manhattan-2,135 and Siena-2,035) which was aided by the visiting team's fans. Two of the WBA home games barely had a 1,000 fans (Holy Cross-1,052 and Monmouth-1,035). Stag Basketball is currently ranked 8th in MAAC home attendance which really needs to mean something to somebody in charge at some level but better yet at all levels!
I remember being on campus in October of Ed's first year. I had been arm twisted to speak in a class and afterwards I was curious about the new coach and decided to walk over to Walsh. Walking up the sidewalk I see this big guy in FF sweats come out of the building beaming. He sees me, comes right up to me, shakes my hand, introduces himself, and tells me to watch out for Stags basketball. In that instant I was hooked and confident. I turned and watched him walk all the way to BCC and by the time he walked that short distance he had 5-6 students walking along, enthralled by his conversation....sort of like a Pied Piper. He was a rare guy indeed.