Thursday, December 3, 2009

Quick Hits

Jayvaugn Pinkston to Villanova?

Great get by Jay Wright and company. Although I feel another local school would have been a great place for him in the tradition of undersized forwards who excel, the Villanova choice is not as bad as Collier to Oregon. Or was it Oregon State? same rain lol.

Villanova is hard to beat for local great players for a number of reasons whether you like it or not.

1. The school is an excellent academic choice
2. The school attracts NY Metro kids regardless if they play basketball or not.
3. The basketball team is popular and sells out on and off campus every game
4. The basketball team wins games and is a national type program
5. The team is going to the NCAA this year and years to come
6. Jay Wright is loved by most
7. Villanova is close to NYC and NJ
8. The kids on the team do a great job of recruiting other kids
9. Jay Wright knows how to close the recruitment
10. The Kids Graduate!!!!!!!

So Villanova is a great choice for most kids based on them having a great role on the team. But despite this, I still feel St. Johns would have been ideal for young Mr. Pinkston from day 1! He would have been a stud right out of the gate and from what I saw on TV watching SJU, he would have been part of that special new beginning. He could have been the King of NY in the mode of a richer version of Anthony Glover.

Speaking of St. Johns

Watched the game on TV and came away quite impressed despite a score closer than it should have been. Loved how Alumni Hall/Carnesseca Arena looked on TV. Much better than the job St. Joe's did when they kept that same ceiling and walls from what I could see in pictures.

The pace was electric like it was years ago when tickets were hard to get. Despite having around 3500, the place looked like it had 5500. Great look and the new scoreboard was big time!

St. Johns does have players and they will give Seton Hall a great game when they meet up.

Watched New Mexico against California at the "PIT" If you have never been to the "Pit" you have missed being at one of the most intimidating and loud arenas in America. Now they are doing a huge renovation of the Pit and I hope it remains close to what it was with all the new bells and whistles.

Again I wonder why certain D1 programs do not switch conferences or drop to D2. Why embarrass the school and the kids in the program. FDU? What the heck are they doing playing for the guaranteed money? Come on! Plus they seem to be putting zero into the program. So even if Greg Vetrone works his butt off it is hard without the proper support. What a waste! And could someone again please explain why they took out all the end bleaches and made the FDU gym look smaller than Hackensack HS? NJIT? Come on!!! The experiment failed now get back down to D2 or D3! The phone must be ringing off the hook with request for wins...I mean games. I felt the same about St. Peters for a long time but now I can see some improvement although I do not ever see them getting to the NCAA tournament in the next 25 years. But at least they are competitive!

Chris Washburn got back to me on my blog with some updated and angry information concerning his son and ex wife. He also took time out to really dog Dave Britton who seems to be in charge of what is going on right now. I will delete what he wrote but would be glad to talk to him and put something on here less graphic. By the way, the Chris Wasburn I met years ago is nothing like the guy folks assume he is. The Chris I met and took around was very nice, intelligent, understanding, and very approachable. I remember we went to Sweet Waters night club for a great show and all he wanted to do was wear his paisley tie.

Lastly, DePaul is really doing what it is supposed to do. Win every game they are supposed to win. Ditto SHU! That puts less pressure on a team to have to come up big at certain away games in The BE.

Finally lets see what happens at Fordham. Will they let Fontan out of his commitment? They should! Why keep a person who does not want to be with you?

6 comments:

oldbigeastfan said...

If this is how you really feel...

"Again I wonder why certain D1 programs do not switch conferences or drop to D2. Why embarrass the school and the kids in the program. FDU? What the heck are they doing playing for the guaranteed money? Come on! Plus they seem to be putting zero into the program. So even if Greg Vetrone works his butt off it is hard without the proper support. What a waste! And could someone again please explain why they took out all the end bleaches and made the FDU gym look smaller than Hackensack HS? NJIT? Come on!!! The experiment failed now get back down to D2 or D3! The phone must be ringing off the hook with request for wins...I mean games. I felt the same about St. Peters for a long time but now I can see some improvement although I do not ever see them getting to the NCAA tournament in the next 25 years. But at least they are competitive!"

Then you absolutely have to admit that Rutgers is about 20 years overdue for a move to NCAA Division III (or NAIA) where they truly belong. RU should be playing with the rest of the NJ state schools anyway. Why is RU the only state school allowed to throw millions away on an athletic "program" no one really cares about anyway? Look at the attendance records if you need further proof!

LFBall said...

LOL. I have to take the 5th on Rutgers. Very little knowledge about what is going on there. Most feel they will never win regardless who the coach is. Thats why FHJ might be there for the next 3 years. No one cares, and RU is not ready to fix that broken product with updated facilities, a new RAC, a better budget, and better marketing plan. They just seem not to care. The ones who should be raked over the coals are The School President, AD, Board of trustees, etc. It is a shame and a pity where Rutgers is at this time in the eyes of poteential fans and program contributers and supporters. As for FDU, I am stunned how that program has been ruined. They would not win the NJ Conference. NJ basketball really is bad this season with the exception of Seton Hall. Princton horrible (What happened here?), Monmouth with a new gym horrible, Rider aaverage, St. Peters better but still a long way off, NJIT PLEASE, FDU UGGGG, Rutgers...Jury still out but it looks like no one even cares or is watching.

nickfdu22 said...

I wouldn't call Rider merely average at this point. They've beaten teams they should beat, will contend to win the MAAC and have a very impressive road win over a Top 25 SEC team. They have the most impressive win of any of the New Jersey Division I schools so far this season.

Princeton cannot be judged until the Ivy League season is underway.

As for NJIT, I think you need to give them more than a couple of years at the Division I level before passing judgement on their move. Coach Engles has already made significant progress with that program. Building a program takes time and NJIT deserves a little bit more before their move is considered a success or failure.

LFBall said...

OK will do. I need to check out Rider a bit more. Are they ever getting that new gym? The place they play in ios similar to the old FDU Rutherford gym. But you are right, I need to reserve judgement.

As far as Princton, FDU, and NJIT, they are what they are. And FDU and NJIT need to do a self assessment to understand what they need to be successful and it will take more than World Wide Wes and friends to the program lol.

oldbigeastfan said...

Gee, you have to "take the 5th on Rutgers"? What a friggin' homer! They DO NOT belong in NCAA Division 1 and certainly don't belong in the Big East, you know it, I know it and the rest of the free world knows it! You have no problem throwing smaller programs with more success than RU (St. Peter's and FDU) under the bus but you have a big problem admitting that RU should be playing the rest of the NJ state school?

And what the hell is your problem with NJIT? They aren't wasting the millions that RU is for as long as RU has! If they suffer the same futility (or worse if that is even possible) for 20 plus years like RU has then make your case for NJIT dropping back down. Until that happens maybe you should start focusing on getting the worst school (that would be RU you clueless wonder) out of Division 1.

What a hypocrite you are! Schools with more success or new to the game should give up and drop down but you have no problem with RU continuing to waste money, embarrassing the state and the Big East in the process? Get a clue will you?

LFBall said...

LOLOL. Is this how you really feel? Thanks for the cooments. Interesting to say the least. I guess you are not a Rutgers fan.