Basketball Insight and Personal Feelings

College Basketball Happenings

Here is where I get a few more folks upset. But what else is new? I have a hard time accepting what is happening to Fred Hill Jr. The main reason is it makes you not trust folks in high positions. Please do not get it twisted, I know Fred and I are far from buddies and certainly not on the level we were many years ago. But I have this thing in me that makes me speak my mind and call it as I see it.

Just as I said with the Binghampton University Coach Kevin Broudus who was treated unfair in my eyes, I say the same thing about Fred Hill Jr. Just as I defended Gary Waters who also was not treated fair, I defend Fred Hill Jr.

I am not saying Rutgers did not have a reason to fire FHJ a few weeks back based on where they wish the basketball program to be at this time. That's their right even though despite my personal feelings about the entire RU staff I felt he deserved another year at least if they could not get a home run choice to come in as a coach. So they give him the extra year based on various factors including the NJ State Budget crisis.

Now they go the sneaky route and look to fire him for cause in a money saving effort. Think he will not fight that and WIN based on timing and reasons for termination? It is a sneaky low down thing to do when you plan and scheme on a person in an attempt to fire them. I honestly felt if this was the plan and wishes of the Rutgers President and AD, it should have been done weeks ago and done in a way that would not make potential coaches scared to accept positions at RU based on how and why FHJ is fired if it comes down to that. Again, all I am saying is it looks sneaky and makes RU come off looking untrusting.

Lastly. So he cursed on the sideline of a baseball game involving his Dad in front of 100 people if that many were there. I would bet if he had won 22 games last year and this year people would be defending him. If he hid drug test results did he do it for himself or to protect the kids? Furthermore though it is not a good thing, coaches all over America do the same thing and way more often. In fact one thing that makes the job at RU so hard is they have no slush fund to use as they please or boosters to make it happen if you know what I mean.

Well I will stay tuned for RU developments as most people will.

Seton Hall Basketball

Seems Seton Hall is getting great PR with the new coaches and direction. Great to see them on the circuit but really looking forward to seeing them on the recruiting road getting BE quality players. I say BE quality and not national top 10 players because in all honesty it takes more than recruiting, coaching, facilities, and campus to get 90 percent of the super recruits.

I really hope Seton Hall adds a great big man coach with connections. Though they might not get those top 15 kids now, as soon as they start averaging 14,000 in that Newark Palace to go along with the great SHU Education we could soon see some top notch talent at The Hall.

I also hope all of the players who declared for the draft from SHU return to school. With that returning talent SHU will be very good next season. Now add the incoming freshmen and the depth could be much better than this past season.

St. Johns

Sorry to see the dream staff has not come together YET. However if anyone knows Tony Childs, they will tell you he is a GREAT addition to the St. Johns. A NYC person who graduated from Columbia University who just happens to have some of the best connections in New York City and the entire eastern seaboard. They could not have hired a better non controversial person than COACH Tony Childs.

Again I say St. Johns has returned to Broadway with Madison Avenue PR behind them. They will get 15,000 in Madison Square Garden and sell out most of the home games in Queens. I honestly can see SJU back on many of the top NYC and NJ player lists.

Lastly. I again say Ron Roberts will be a special player at St. Johns

Wagner

I am happy and I am sad that Dan Hurley is the new Wagner Coach. Happy for him because he will do a very good job. Sad because I now will have to start looking for other schools for my Grandson Logan who is 2 and 3/4 years old and in the 100th percentile Internationally height wise, to attend since Danny will no longer be coaching HS basketball.

Wagner is a place that could develop into a super mid major program. The people on Staten Island will turn out and sell out that 2500 seat gym. Danny has a chance to really get it going. He is also strong enough to hire a strong staff who will work the pavement for him and Wagner. Alot of guys on the Ferry as we speak heading to Staten Island to try to get an interview.

St. Francis Brooklyn

Honestly if there are 360 D1 schools in America, St. Francis could be number 350 in regard to campus, campus life, facilities, commitment. very good academic programs and very good faculty. But building is in downtown Brooklyn in Brooklyn Heights next to office buildings, stores and more. What a hard sell! They need the right person. Again I say Darryl Jacobs who would be a perfect fit and a person to build the program up. But again a hard sell.

Columbia University

Always a step child sports wise in the Ivy league and in NYC, but a GREAT University. This would be the place for a guy like Norm Roberts. he would do a terrific job here and build the program to new heights. Norm would also be very good at Binghamton University.

Iona

Might have made the best hire of all the local teams. Coach Cluess is not a good hire, he is a GREAT HIRE and an Excellent Coach. He will have Iona in every game and they will win some they were supposed to lose.

The one great thing about recruiting players for Iona is the kids that graduate get GREAT JOBS! Always!!!! The alumni network at Iona does a better job that all the others in the NY Tri-State area when it comes to job placement for basketball players. Those ex Iona players do a great job assisting current players as mentors, intern supervisors, and future employers.

While thinking about Iona I have to say how ugly the Ruland incident was. I still remember when all that was happening and the whispers at various tournaments on the AAU circuit. Ruland really deserved better.