I am in no way jealous of Iona. I am embarrassed for Iona.
I would rather lose every game than to do what they just did.
In the long run, these are just basketball GAMES. They are not life and death. They are not something that you risk your reputation for.
One of my neighbors used to work at the (now closed) Lorton Prison in northern Virginia. We had an interesting discussion about prisoner rehabilitation. I remember asking him how effective prison rehab programs were? How many of these guys, upon being released, end up walking the straight and narrow path?
His response ... virtually none of them. They are who they are.
It is great to think, and hope, that Mr. Pitino will become Saint Rick ... but it is unlikely.
You can rationalize hiring ANYONE if you simply wipe away their past misdeeds. But if you hire them, don't be surprised when they end up embarrassing you.
I certainly wish Pitino well, and hope he leads a laudable life from now on, but if I were in charge of hiring, I could not justify bringing him in.
I am a Xavier graduate from the days of Pete Gillen as head coach as well as a student athlete. I'm not a die hard of the program, but still a fan and financial contributor to the school. If Xavier hires Rick Pitino, or a coach with a similar history, that would be the last check I ever write to them.
Because at the end of the day, my check (maybe not mine specifically but a collection of them) will speak louder than anything.
We'll see if that is the backlash that Iona receives from their decision. I kind of hope it does.
I would rather lose every game than to do what they just did. I completely agree. Basketball is important to me, but not that important.
Last Edit: Mar 23, 2020 8:11:49 GMT -5 by sonofdoc
We'll see if that is the backlash that Iona receives from their decision. I kind of hope it does. I would rather lose every game than to do what they just did. I completely agree. Basketball is important to me, but not that important....
Most of the Gael basketball fans are ecstatic with the hiring as is the Iona AD and President but my guess is that probably not their alumni base or faculty. Time will tell.
We'll see if that is the backlash that Iona receives from their decision. I kind of hope it does. I would rather lose every game than to do what they just did. I completely agree. Basketball is important to me, but not that important....
Most of the Gael basketball fans are ecstatic with the hiring as is the Iona AD and President but my guess is that probably not their alumni base or faculty. Time will tell.
And it's not like they have an extremely large 'base' of fans supporting the team if you could equate their attendance at most games over the years. They have obviously been the best MAAC team by far over the last decade yet most nights they have failed to even come close to selling out their 2,600 seat Hynes Athletic Center both in its old form and now with the modernized setup. So with that in mind I'm sure there will be quite a bit of push-back from the alumni and faculty, and that in itself could create some internal problems within the school even if in the near future sellouts will be the norm.
While Pitino is not a good fit at Fairfield, I disagree with the sentiment that we have too much too lose. We have nothing to lose. Our program is a joke right now. We’re going to play in an empty Harbor Yard for at least 2 seasons. The only national reference to Fairfield is “former Fairfield head coach Ed Cooley.” Our academic reputation hasn’t taken a hit with a non existent basketball team so why would it suddenly drop off with a sketchy coach?
I hope Jay Young can recruit. He has a massive uphill climb right now. Hopefully some increased exposure of the conference with Pitino can pay dividends for us.
A school that hires someone like Pitino has everything to lose. Iona already looks bad enough by making this hire. How much worse could it get?
What will they look like if/when the NCAA penalties come raining down on him?
What will they look like if/when he/his assistants/his players do something reprehensible again?
The message that Iona is sending is quite clear. They are saying "We will do ANYTHING to ensure that we win basketball games."
I guess it is consistent with the "brand" they have created over the years, so I can't fault them in that respect.
But they just hired someone that no one else would touch. Think about that. All of those corrupt big time programs that sold their souls a long time ago ... not one of them would consider hiring Pitino.
But Iona did.
It can takes years to build up a good reputation, but it only takes a few seconds to tear it down. I sure hope that Fairfield would never make a move like this, and I think it is reasonable to be concerned that we are affiliated with a school that would.
In a weird way I think we're saying the same thing. Iona actually has something to lose. Relevancy. They get that through their basketball program. When it comes to basketball we have nothing to lose...because there is nothing there. There's not a single team in our conference worried about Fairfield basketball. There is barely a fan base that and student support will all but die as we wait for this Convocation Center to be built.
I seem to be in the minority here and that's fine. Just please spare me the complaints you have about changing conferences, student support, and more years of irrelevancy. I'll be watching Iona play games on ESPNU and probably in the NCAA tournament. We have zero to offer anyone in basketball.
If the Stags had hired Pitino, I'd certainly want him to be held to the highest standards - but I'd be very excited about the prospects for the team. I can only imagine Iona fans feel the same way.
Whether people here like it or not, he's the coach. The MAAC is going to get some exposure. Iona is likely to be very good. Embrace the opportunity. Enjoy what should be a new level of interest and intensity in the league.
They have obviously been the best MAAC team by far over the last decade yet most nights they have failed to even come close to selling out their 2,600 seat Hynes Athletic Center both in its old form and now with the modernized setup.....
Next season Iona's home attendance should dramatically increase with sell outs because of Rick Pitino but this past season Stag Basketball played only 5 games off campus at the WBA in downtown Bridgeport and 8 games on campus in Alumni Hall and finished ahead of Iona in home attendance. Playing all games off campus next season is not gong to help Stag attendance and probably just the opposite.
Whether people here like it or not, he's the coach. The MAAC is going to get some exposure. Iona is likely to be very good.Embrace the opportunity. Enjoy what should be a new level of interest and intensity in the league.....
Not sure if the "new level of interest and intensity in the league" will go beyond Iona Basketball? Will it really effect the rest of the MAAC teams unless they are playing Iona or at Iona? Will anyone other than their own fans and alumni now care more about the MAAC teams?
If Pitino turns Iona into a very good team... let's say top-50-ish... with a nice share of publicity... it's a good thing for the MAAC. If you're Fairfield and you've got a new arena opening... you're not longer in a virtually obscure league. <- this matters. Maybe it plays a factor in a someone's decision to sit on BC's bench or play for Fairfield.
Kids know Pitino. Some will want to beat him, others will find it attractive to play against him. Sure - it doesn't make it any easier for Fairfield to win the MAAC - but it may make it easier for Fairfield to have a better team.
If Pitino turns Iona into a very good team... let's say top-50-ish... with a nice share of publicity... it's a good thing for the MAAC. If you're Fairfield and you've got a new arena opening... you're not longer in a virtually obscure league. <- this matters. Maybe it plays a factor in a someone's decision to sit on BC's bench or play for Fairfield.
Kids know Pitino. Some will want to beat him, others will find it attractive to play against him. Sure - it doesn't make it any easier for Fairfield to win the MAAC - but it may make it easier for Fairfield to have a better team.
Yeah I think that's a realistic way to look at this. And rather than complaining until the cows come home (isn't that a Mad-Dog Russo phrase?), I think from a Fairfield standpoint we have to make the best of the situation. Other schools in the league too actually. But maybe we now can indeed get a little better grade of recruits that might help us become a better team, one that might improve our overall record, especially in OOC games. Now maybe Iona will be odds on favorite to finish #1 in the regular season. Does that mean we or anyone else cannot upset them in a tournament setting in any particular game? How about this, the Stags win the tournament and the Gaels get an at-large bid. That could become a realistic possibility in the near term. And on top of that our league NET rating should jump up quite a few spots and that could help get a little higher NCAA seeding than a typical MAAC winner gets. Point is, it's happening, there's not much we can do about it, at least in the short term, so let's make the most of it.
Last Edit: Mar 23, 2020 12:35:13 GMT -5 by nashvillestag
Iona hired Rick Pitino two weeks ago shortly after Tim Cluess stepped down from the position. Pitino offered JUCO sharpshooter Tahlik Chavez three days later, and the guard couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play for a legend.
“Hard to lose the opportunity to be coached by Rick Pitino,”Chavez said. “And with the connections he has, as long as I take care of my business, he’ll take care of me.”
Chavez is the only 2020 commit for the Gaels at the moment but expect that to change real soon with Pitino in the fold.
Iona hired Rick Pitino two weeks ago shortly after Tim Cluess stepped down from the position. Pitino offered JUCO sharpshooter Tahlik Chavez three days later, and the guard couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play for a legend.
“Hard to lose the opportunity to be coached by Rick Pitino,”Chavez said. “And with the connections he has, as long as I take care of my business, he’ll take care of me.”
Chavez is the only 2020 commit for the Gaels at the moment but expect that to change real soon with Pitino in the fold.
According to this website (under 'recent posts'), this isn't Pitino's first commitment. It appears as though Christ The King's guard Ryan Meyers is also coming to New Rochelle. Slick Rick is working fast, but ironically maybe this could help the Stags in that (remember) he had supposedly offered our target Ryan Woodrich from Ohio and maybe now that's not so likely to happen. Offered a week ago, the kid has already been recruited over, something I suggested might happen.
Dick Vitale says Rick Pitino has now added his 2nd Recruit..... Ryan Myers...... a PG who can score. HEY......That is what we need. ✔ @dickiev The @ionagaelsmbb added 2 quality recruits in Christ the King HS NYC’s RYAN MYERS a scoring pg who avg 21 ppg plus shot 45% from 3 / also TAHLIK CHAVEZ Garden City CC Kansas avg 21 ppg & shot 43% from 3 @rick_Pitino Loves his guards to have scoring ability .
Last Edit: Mar 23, 2020 13:21:13 GMT -5 by JoeStag
Now that Ryan Myers (PG) has chosen Iona to go along with Chavez(2G), and they have returnee starters Gist (2G) and Washington(PG)...... maybe Pitino won't go after Marty Silvera.
Last Edit: Mar 23, 2020 18:39:45 GMT -5 by JoeStag