Date Posted:00:30:09 04/07/04 Wed Author: Where have you gone Joltin Joe? Subject: Re: WEEI last night In reply to:
Class of '83
's message, "WEEI last night" on 12:33:29 04/02/04 Fri
"But people at HC and Fordham need to be addressing the potential that this split may occur". Good point! No indication that the HC admin would concur. When patience has been required, they have exhibited patience; when decisive action has been required, they have exhibited even more patience. Ponder the following: From 1955 until 1982,
no Eastern team in NCAA championship game; from 1982 thru
2004, 10 Eastern teams in NCAA championship game,including
5 winners. Wasn't '82 the fourth yr. of Big East existence?
All-time record HC 42-UConn 21; until Calhoun became coach at UConn, UConn's NCAA record was 4-14. The record since he took over has been 34-10. Some folks clad in Purple missed the boat in '78 whether 'Gate Raider is willing to admit it or not. But let's not rectify but attempt to justify (the PL). Gimme a break!
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Re: WEEI last night -- JoltinJoe, 06:41:29 04/07/04 Wed
The Big East's formation in the late 1970's no doubt was a major event in Eastern athletic associations: a strategic alliance that put Eastern basketball on the map. Take a look at Seton Hall. No one except one man, Richie Regan, the former Seton Hall great and Seton Hall AD at the time, thought the Pirates belonged in the Big East. But realizing what was happening, and how important it was for Seton Hall to be included, Regan lobbied long and hard for Seton Hall's inclusion, and prevailed. Seton Hall was in a downward trend in basketball at the time, but Regan successfully played up the school's rich history in basketball from the 1950's. In my opinion, Holy Cross could have done the same thing. Perhaps even Fordham too, although Fordham's basketball tradition is not as strong as HC. HC's on-campus facility is certainly as good, probably better, than Seton Hall's, and its basketball tradition was even richer. Seton Hall was battered in the Big East for a long time, but made the national championship game in 1989, and but for a lame foul call with time expiring, might have been national champions. The Pirates have been national players ever since. Why this history lesson? Because the eight football playing members of the Big East are likely to opt to sever from the other eight, add four other football schools, and apply for a conference championship game -- and all the cash that goes with it (12 teams are necessary to qualify for a conference championship game). At that time there is going to be a major realignment of Eastern basketball associations which will govern for at least another generation. HC and Fordham should be recalling the lesson of Richie Regan now, in order to prepare for that day. When the merry-go-round stop, that's where you are going to be for another 25-30 years.
