Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

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Wags
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Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by Wags »

So even while leading HU to America East titles, Jay was likely thinking more about his next job and what it might be like to lead Villanova where he led them tonight:

"It's a thrill, man. Like I said, I grew up coming to this tournament as a fan. When I coached at Hofstra, I would make sure, even if we were in the championship game, which was always 11:00, I'd come here to this tournament to watch Villanova. This is my favorite tournament.

I love the NCAA Tournament, obviously, but this is where we're all from. We're all from the Northeast. New York, Madison Square Garden is the Mecca, and so to come here and just play in it is a thrill for us. To win it, I can't even tell you. I don't know if it's really sunk in yet. I do know we're going to have to forget about it, though, on Monday."

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=107327
stuball888
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by stuball888 »

That is the difference between jay Wright and Tom pecora. We all knew one day he would go home back home to Philly. Afterall he met his wife at Villanova so there were no hard feelings when he left. with Tp it was a money grab.It felt like he left a sinking ship and his threat to hire Van macon or he would freeze us out of all new York recruits did not sit well Now if he was offerd the St Johns job that might have been a different story. One left with class the other was classless.
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HofstraHockey
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by HofstraHockey »

Villanova was also a big step up in class (AE to BE). Hofstra to Fordham was at BEST a lateral move. The Patriot (at that time) was NOT a better conference than the CAA>
Wags
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

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HofstraHockey wrote:Villanova was also a big step up in class (AE to BE). Hofstra to Fordham was at BEST a lateral move. The Patriot (at that time) was NOT a better conference than the CAA>
I hear what you and Stu are saying but this was Pecora's one chance to get his money after over two decades toiling as an assistant and head coach, and it was a big difference in money between what he'd have made staying at Hofstra and what Fordham offered him. When you have a chance to do that for yourself an for your family, you have to do it. Career wise, considering his lack of success at Fordham so far, we knew it was a bad move then, as we do now. But it's hard to blame a guy for going after the money when it's that much a difference and it's the one chance to do it. We might all do it in our own respective careers, given a similar situation.

Now if you want to criticize him for standing on the sidelines like an emotionless statue, with his arm folded as if he couldn't care less, while never calling a timeout as IUPUI started on something like a 21-2 run in that CBI or CIT game (whichever it was), his last game at HU, knowing full well he already had one foot out the door before it was officially announced, go right ahead.

As for Jay, I don't blame him at all for leaving for all of the obvious reasons. But as an HU fan, it was a bit disheartening to hear that he sounded more interested in going to watch Villanova play in the Big East tourney even on the same two days he was leading Hofstra to its two America East titles. But not that big of a deal, and I'll still root for Villanova in the NCAA tourney this year.
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HofstraHockey
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by HofstraHockey »

That's short term money instead of long term money. He stays at Hofstra and keeps building teams with even more success than he had the first go around, he could cement himself somewhere (see: Jay Wright). Once he's done at Fordham, where's he going to go? Who would take a guy that hasn't done anything in a decade, and at what price? He took the money instead of the right job, and it's going to cost him for the next however many years.
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HofstraHockey
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by HofstraHockey »

And I say Patriot because that was the plan for them that year, supposedly.
stuball888
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by stuball888 »

Wags it was when he left the threat he made about shutting us out of NYC recruiting. I understand you leave for better money but dont threaten your former boss. He was treated very well by Hofstra.
joeg1
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by joeg1 »

I think the term TP used was 'frightening glory' on the way at Fordham... well, he got the frightening part Wright!
Wags
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by Wags »

stuball888 wrote:Wags it was when he left the threat he made about shutting us out of NYC recruiting. I understand you leave for better money but dont threaten your former boss. He was treated very well by Hofstra.
Did he say he aspired to have Fordham recruit well in the NYC area in general, relative to all other D-I schools in the area, or did he specifically say he would shut Hofstra out recruiting wise? One is simply being optimistic (as he should) while starting a new job. The other is being classless (I guess), as you're suggesting.
Last edited by Wags on Sun Mar 15, 2015 5:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
stuball888
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by stuball888 »

he said he would shut Hofstra out if they didnt hire van macon + as their coach. Plain and simple.
Wags
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Re: Jay Wright's First Big East Tourney Title

Post by Wags »

stuball888 wrote:he said he would shut Hofstra out if they didnt hire van macon + as their coach. Plain and simple.
I remember that. Thought it was simply some bluster while trying to have the back of one of his guys.

Anyway, all that matters is what happens later. His tenure as been a failure at Fordham and Hofstra is now pointed in a good direction.
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