Browlee play in question/Courtesy: Sabo-NYDailyNews.com
And there isn't anything they can do about it.
Rutgers faced off with St.Johns in their opening game at the Big East tournament Wednesday afternoon and gave the Johnnies a hell of a game.
The back and forth game ended with St. Johns getting the win, 65-63, but not without a pretty big controversy.
As the game wound down, St. Johns's Justin Browlee clearly steps out of bounds with 1.6 seconds left on the clock, but it wasn't called, time runs out and game over. It was one of a series of bizarre plays that happened at the end and could arguably call the officiating into question as at there were a series of no-calls that had an impact on things.
But as the rule states, none of these plays were reviewable, because the refs essentially swallowed their whistles.
Hey for those of you not tired of the college basektball coaching carousel, St. Johns finally convinced someone to take that job. Steve Lavin. Lavin, who hasn't coached in the past 7 years was working at ESPN as a college basketball analyst, which apparently is a good job for a former coach if you want to get back in the game.
The New York Daily News talks about the hire RIGHT HERE
((Steve Lavin coaching//Courtesy: Dunn/Getty))
Lavin, who last coached at UCLA at the beginning of the 21st century is apparently getting a 6-year deal that will total somewhere around $9 million.
The Red Storm had been having a tough time convincing a "Big Name" to take their job. Billy Donovan of Florida and Paul Hewitt of Georgia Tech both declined the opportunity.
Check out this video of University of Washington basketball player Quincy Pondexter interviewing Lavin. Thanks UWA Athletics/You Tube:
Well, it looks like Al Skinner is going to be fired as Boston College's Head Basketball Coach today. In fact, he already has according to reports. Skinner, who interviewed for the vacant St. Johns opening on Friday was notified late last night that he'd no longer be Boston College's coach.
The Globe also reports on BC's athletic director checking out his coaching options RIGHT HERE
((Al Skinner makes a point//Courtesy: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images))
We find this situation utterly fascinating for several reasons. BC athletic director Gene DeFilippo apparently does not want his coaches climbing aboard the carousel if they are under his employ. On several levels, that is kind of cool. When former football coach Jeff Jagodzinski went interviewing for a job with the Jets, DeFillippo didn't wait to see if he got the job, he just fired him. This sounds like a very similar thing.
The ironic thing is that Skinner isn't even the favorite to get the St.Johns job, Steve Lavin is. Skinner, who has had some success at BC will no doubt find a job coaching somewhere else but we just are amazed at the response in Boston.
In this era of zero loyalty and coaches just randomly jumping from one job to another for a little more money, it is refreshing that someone is taking a stand. Most schools just rollover and well, watch as their coach, in a lot of cases, the guy who improved the team and schools standing a lot, just walk out the door when a bigger school comes and courts them.
In this case, St. Johns isn't necessarily a better job and we do kind of wonder what Skinner was thinking. But he's a grown up too, and should have known that this scenario could have played out and it did.
Now DeFilippo will turn to the smaller school ranks and look for a new head coach himself. The negative part of his stand is that he may very well do the thing he is trying to keep his coaches from doing. While on one hand we admire the stand he is taking at BC, we also say that he is a bit hypocritical because he's doing exactly the opposite now in trying to find a coach.
In the meantime, here are some BC Highlights from ESPN, Courtesy: You Tube:
UPDATE.....UPDATE.....UPDATE:
OSG Sports contacted sources inside the Boston College athletic department who spoke on the condition of anonymity today and according to them Skinner is a goner. A press conference is expected this afternoon, probably around noon to announce that Al Skinner will be relieved of his coaching duties.
It appears that Boston College covets Cornell head coach Steve Donohue who led the Ivy League school to the sweet sixteen. Go ahead and pencil in Donohue at the top of Boston College's wish list.
Boston College has always been a enigma in the ACC during the Skinner era. There was talent but the effort to win seemed to be missing.
Whew! It just really hasn't been the best of weeks for Big East Basketball now has it? First Seton Hall fires Coach Bobby Gonzalez, then the 1st day of the NCAA Tourney sees Notre Dame, Marquette and Georgetown all lose in their 1st game and now this.
As we had told you last week, St. John's made it official today and parted ways with Head Coach Norm Roberts. The Red Storm did make it to the NIT Tournament, but lost their 1st game at the buzzer to Memphis.
More on the firing from the New York Daily News RIGHT HERE
((Norm Roberts//Courtesy: Cataffo/NYDaily News))
Roberts does leave the Red Storm in better shape then when he got there. However he was unable to get them to the NCAA Tourney, with this years NIT bid being their 1st Tournament action during his tenure. He had an overall record of 81-101.
There will be lots of speculation on who will take over the job since the cupboard is not bare. With a good young squad led by Anthony Mason Jr. (yes, the son of the former NBA guy), the talent level isn't bad. We had speculated last week that Georgia Tech Coach Paul Hewitt might be the guy, however, Hewitt's contract just rolled over at Tech and it would be an expensive proposition for him to leave Atlanta.
Here again is Lloyd Bridges from the Movie Airplane talking about a bad week: Thanks You Tube....
Success can be fleeting and in some cases it may not ever be. In the case of St. Johns University, they had success many years ago and have been trying to recapture it for many, many years. They haven't been very successful.
According to reports eminating from the New York area. The Johnnies are going to part ways with their current head coach, Norm Roberts. Roberts who has a career record of 81-100 hasn't exactly stirred the echoes in the Big East...or for that matter anywhere else. The Red Storm finished this season with a 17-15 record after losing to Marquette in the Big East Tournament. Though well liked and well respected by the schools administration and in coaching circles, it looks like that won't be enough for Roberts to stick around.
More on what is going down from the New York Post RIGHT HERE
((Norm Roberts is coaching//Courtesy: Jason Szenes/NY Post))
Undoubtedly there will be speculation on who will be the next coach to step into the chair. We at the OSG and our sources say that one name that will be high on the list will be Georgia Tech Coach Paul Hewitt. Hewitt who had a lot of early success at Tech has struggled over the past few seasons. He has many ties to the Big East and the New York area from his time at Siena and would be an excellent fit. Should Tech lose in the ACC Tournament to North Carolina and fail to make the NCAA Tourney with a very loaded team, Hewitt may find himself in some trouble and will undoubtedly explore his options. It will be something we'll keep an eye on.
In the meantime, enjoy a clip from vintage St. John's basketball...the national semi's from 1985 when Chris Mullen led them against Patrick Ewing and Georgetown. Thanks You Tube:
