MAAC'S KNACK The competitive mid-major even Jeff Van Gundy loves
Entering Sunday, the MAAC hasn’t been entirely overtaken by parity, but the fact is the difference between first place (Monmouth, at 7-4) and last place (Canisius, 4-8) is as thin as in any basketball conference in the country. Nine teams are within 2¹/₂ games of each other. Every time two MAAC teams battle, you’re getting all of the best of college basketball: ancient rivalries, ferocious competition, excellent coaching (specifically, check out the job Jay Young has done in his first year at Fairfield) and toss-up games all over the place.
As much as ever, the MAAC is a celebration of good local basketball, even as its boundaries have grown beyond the New York border. It remains a pity that Fordham doesn’t play in the league, but a long time ago the perennial fools on Rose Hill made a grievous mistake leaving for the then-non-scholarship Patriot League (in a move that unwittingly signaled a clear de-emphasis of basketball) then compounded the error by joining the Atlantic 10 — a rivalry-free league for the Rams in which the highlight every year is to see Dayton and VCU come to Rose Hill, fill the old gym’s seats with visiting fans and hammer the hapless home team. There ought to be room for a 12th MAAC team, and hopefully someday Fordham returns home (and if not, charter member Army would be a nice fit, too).
For now? The MAAC will be the most reliable form of basketball entertainment available — whether you trek to Jersey City or Lawrenceville, Hamden or Riverdale, Loudonville or anywhere else these games are played — with a ferocity and a passion you just don’t see every night in the Big East or ACC, with a skill level a step above many other mid-major leagues. What was true in the fall and winter of 1998-99 is ever more true now: One of these years, they’re all going to go 10-10. It’s that kind of conference. The best kind....
I remember van Gundy singing the league’s praises on Mike and the Mad Dog during the NBA lockout. Not surprising, Mike couldn’t believe the Knicks coach wasn’t off finding Big East games. But Van Gundy said he loved the competitiveness and the coaching that went on in the MAAC. A few nights later he was sitting alone in the big bleachers at Alumni.
excellent coaching (specifically, check out the job Jay Young has done in his first year at Fairfield)..........It remains a pity that Fordham doesn’t play in the league, but a long time ago the perennial fools on Rose Hill made a grievous mistake leaving for the then-non-scholarship Patriot League (in a move that unwittingly signaled a clear de-emphasis of basketball) then compounded the error by joining the Atlantic 10
Glad to see Van Gundy recognize what a great job Jay Young has done...... especially on the defensive end.
By The Way...... The (#22) MAAC has bypassed the (#23) Patriot League according to Pomeroy. This is no real accomplishment for the MAAC as it is still one of the weakest years in MAAC history. But it is Ironic that in the MAAC's worst year, it still bypasses the Patriot's better years.
excellent coaching (specifically, check out the job Jay Young has done in his first year at Fairfield)..........It remains a pity that Fordham doesn’t play in the league, but a long time ago the perennial fools on Rose Hill made a grievous mistake leaving for the then-non-scholarship Patriot League (in a move that unwittingly signaled a clear de-emphasis of basketball) then compounded the error by joining the Atlantic 10
Glad to see Van Gundy recognize what a great job Jay Young has done...... especially on the defensive end.
By The Way...... The (#22) MAAC has bypassed the (#23) Patriot League according to Pomeroy. This is no real accomplishment for the MAAC as it is still one of the weakest years in MAAC history. But it is Ironic that in the MAAC's worst year, it still bypasses the Patriot's better years.
Reading the article, it seemed to me the van Gundy quotes about the MAAC were from the NBA lockout season of '98-'99. The comment about the job Jay Young has done in his first year is made IMO by Mike Vaccaro, the author of the article.
excellent coaching (specifically, check out the job Jay Young has done in his first year at Fairfield)..........It remains a pity that Fordham doesn’t play in the league, but a long time ago the perennial fools on Rose Hill made a grievous mistake leaving for the then-non-scholarship Patriot League (in a move that unwittingly signaled a clear de-emphasis of basketball) then compounded the error by joining the Atlantic 10
Glad to see Van Gundy recognize what a great job Jay Young has done...... especially on the defensive end.
By The Way...... The (#22) MAAC has bypassed the (#23) Patriot League according to Pomeroy. This is no real accomplishment for the MAAC as it is still one of the weakest years in MAAC history. But it is Ironic that in the MAAC's worst year, it still bypasses the Patriot's better years.
Last year was the worst, wasn't it JS? Something like #28-#29, right? So compared to that there is some hope the league is starting to recover. Anyway, this is a nice article.
I remember van Gundy singing the league’s praises on Mike and the Mad Dog during the NBA lockout. Not surprising, Mike couldn’t believe the Knicks coach wasn’t off finding Big East games. But Van Gundy said he loved the competitiveness and the coaching that went on in the MAAC. A few nights later he was sitting alone in the big bleachers at Alumni.
Well I don't remember if it was the same night, but I remember him sitting court-side at a game directly across from the benches. Actually he was there with his brother Stan, also an accomplished NBA coach and administrator. Certainly that night there was basketball royalty in the house!
As much as ever, the MAAC is a celebration of good local basketball, even as its boundaries have grown beyond the New York border. It remains a pity that Fordham doesn’t play in the league (MAAC), but a long time ago the perennial fools on Rose Hill made a grievous mistake leaving for the then-non-scholarship Patriot League (in a move that unwittingly signaled a clear de-emphasis of basketball) then compounded the error by joining the Atlantic 10 — a rivalry-free league for the Rams in which the highlight every year is to see Dayton and VCU come to Rose Hill, fill the old gym’s seats with visiting fans and hammer the hapless home team. There ought to be room for a 12th MAAC team, and hopefully someday Fordham returns home (and if not, charter member Army would be a nice fit, too).....
Yesterday Fordham lost again and at home to A-10 Richmond. The Rams are now (7-15)(1-9) and (6-8) at home and #13 in the 14 school A-10 league.
Glad to see Van Gundy recognize what a great job Jay Young has done...... especially on the defensive end.
By The Way...... The (#22) MAAC has bypassed the (#23) Patriot League according to Pomeroy. This is no real accomplishment for the MAAC as it is still one of the weakest years in MAAC history. But it is Ironic that in the MAAC's worst year, it still bypasses the Patriot's better years.
Reading the article, it seemed to me the van Gundy quotes about the MAAC were from the NBA lockout season of '98-'99. The comment about the job Jay Young has done in his first year is made IMO by Mike Vaccaro, the author of the article.
Yeah I read it the same way as you. And in that regard it's a good way to transition to his main point that the league has a lot of strong points for real fans of local college basketball not the least of which is the parity and competitiveness of the games. If nothing else this means most evenings are exciting and entertaining because most contests will be in doubt even in the last minute. However that said, I have to say Vaccaro used some exaggerations to try to pump up the league, so maybe a little grain of salt is recommended when you read this. For instance when he refers to MAAC games as having "ferocity and passion you don't see every night in the Big East or ACC," well that's certainly not true of course, as all people who watch those games can attest. Also, by saying the "skill level is above many mid-majors," that kind of assumes the quality of the ball is clearly above quite a few other similar leagues, and to be fair (and that's all I'm trying to be) that is simply not true, at least at this time. One other comment; to not include the Siena run in the late 2000s as one of the great periods of success is an oversight I think. Certainly that was just as noteworthy as LaSalle (back in the day) Manhattan (1995) and Iona now. In some ways their success was even better than all of the above because they managed not one, but two victories in the NCAA Tournament! But anyway, this is a good read.
By The Way...... The (#22) MAAC has bypassed the (#23) Patriot League according to Pomeroy. This is no real accomplishment for the MAAC as it is still one of the weakest years in MAAC history. But it is Ironic that in the MAAC's worst year, it still bypasses the Patriot's better years.
Last year was the worst, wasn't it JS? Something like #28-#29, right? So compared to that there is some hope the league is starting to recover. Anyway, this is a nice article.
Last year was the worst, wasn't it JS? Something like #28-#29, right? So compared to that there is some hope the league is starting to recover. Anyway, this is a nice article.
If you look at it without bias, it's clear that the advantage the MAAC used to have over the Patriot Lg has turned into a dead heat the last 6 seasons. When I add up the positions the last 6 years, I get 128 for MAAC and 129 for PL.
Last Edit: Feb 9, 2020 13:54:59 GMT -5 by dannynoonan
#MAACHoopsmaachoops Five games decided by a total of 11 points. #MAACHoops is fun.
Also in the NY POST by columnist Mike Vaccaro:
Not to be a broken record about this or anything, but there were five games played in the MAAC Friday night decided by one, one, two, three and four points … and that four-pointer was an overtime win by Monmouth over Marist.
