The MAAC being turned upside down

[stuball888]

So in the MAAC tourney the numbers 1,2 and 3 seed have been eliminated. Rider, Canisius and Niagara are gone. That leaves Iona#4 (tim Cluess) going against #9 seed St Peters. Then #6 seed fairfield (Tom Parratta) going against #7 seed Quinipiac (TOm Pecora) in the other semi final.There is a 75% chance one of our old friends are going dancing. How crazy is that.

[Wags]

So in the MAAC tourney the numbers 1,2 and 3 seed have been eliminated. Rider, Canisius and Niagara are gone. That leaves Iona#4 (tim Cluess) going against #9 seed St Peters. Then #6 seed fairfield (Tom Parratta) going against #7 seed Quinipiac (TOm Pecora) in the other semi final.There is a 75% chance one of our old friends are going dancing. How crazy is that.

This is what I always pointed to when some HU fans in the past said we'd have a much better chance of reaching the NCAAT out of the MAAC than in the CAA.

While I agree that geographically and for some other reasons, the MAAC might be a better fit for men's hoops, there are of course the other sports to consider. But keeping it about men's hoops, the MAAC wouldn't have guaranteed anything.

That tournament is typically blown up like this year. The top seed in the MAAC tourney hasn't won since Siena did so as the 1 seed three years in a row, 2008-2010. So this will be eight years and counting that the 1 seed in the MAAC tourney has failed to reach the NCAAT.

[Polito]

Figures... Anyone but Iona please

[EvanJ]

4 seed Iona and 6 seed Fairfield will play in the Final.

[Polito]

Aahhhh, Cluess reminding us every year maybe what could've been.

Easy admissions or not, this guy just wins, and wins when it matters. And keeps sometimes challenging young men together to do so.

Truly jealous.

[Dooku25]

HU is truly snake bit in every facet of it's hoop program. That's 3 MAAC titles in row for Iona, and Cluess has gotten them to the title game 7 out of 8 years. The guy has been a flat out winner wherever he's coached. Does he have some recruiting advantages at Iona? Yes. But why do I get the feeling had HU made him the coach years ago, we somehow would have won at least 1 CAA title by now????

[Wags]

HU is truly snake bit in every facet of it's hoop program. That's 3 MAAC titles in row for Iona, and Cluess has gotten them to the title game 7 out of 8 years. The guy has been a flat out winner wherever he's coached. Does he have some recruiting advantages at Iona? Yes. But why do I get the feeling had HU made him the coach years ago, we somehow would have won at least 1 CAA title by now????

Now people see why I said back on CAAZone 8 years ago that I wanted him over a bigger name like Tim Welsh. But some said no, we need a "name."
Now CLUESS is a "name." And he PLAYED for Hofstra (after playing at St. John's). Would've been an easy marketing opportunity. Even easier now had he had half the success at Hofstra that he's had at Iona.

[HUSID74]

HU is truly snake bit in every facet of it's hoop program. That's 3 MAAC titles in row for Iona, and Cluess has gotten them to the title game 7 out of 8 years. The guy has been a flat out winner wherever he's coached. Does he have some recruiting advantages at Iona? Yes. But why do I get the feeling had HU made him the coach years ago, we somehow would have won at least 1 CAA title by now????

Now people see why I said back on CAAZone 8 years ago that I wanted him over a bigger name like Tim Welsh. But some said no, we need a "name."
Now CLUESS is a "name." And he PLAYED for Hofstra (after playing at St. John's). Would've been an easy marketing opportunity. Even easier now had he had half the success at Hofstra that he's had at Iona.

All you guys forget that the deal for Cluess was done at Hofstra until Iona wanted to blackmail Hofstra for something like a million bucks to buy out his contract. We were already paying Cassara's contract so rightfully we did not agree to the black mail.

Oh and yes, Cluess would not be able to bring in to Hofstra many of the players he has at Iona.

[Dooku25]

All you guys forget that the deal for Cluess was done at Hofstra until Iona wanted to blackmail Hofstra for something like a million bucks to buy out his contract. We were already paying Cassara's contract so rightfully we did not agree to the black mail.

Oh and yes, Cluess would not be able to bring in to Hofstra many of the players he has at Iona.

Not really placing blame on HU for not ending up with Cluess. I know we tried to get him. I was just pointing out how for whatever the reason, in this case black mail, things just never seem to work out for HU.

I have no idea what type of players Cluess would have brought in at Hofstra, but I'm sure he'd win the league somehow. All he does is win.

Btw, I saw some chatter recently on twitter about the Iona AD interviewing at Hofstra... If he gets the job, would he bring Cluess with him?

[Jojogunne]

Iona's going to The Dance.

[Jojogunne]

All you guys forget that the deal for Cluess was done at Hofstra until Iona wanted to blackmail Hofstra for something like a million bucks to buy out his contract. We were already paying Cassara's contract so rightfully we did not agree to the black mail.

Oh and yes, Cluess would not be able to bring in to Hofstra many of the players he has at Iona.

Not really placing blame on HU for not ending up with Cluess. I know we tried to get him. I was just pointing out how for whatever the reason, in this case black mail, things just never seem to work out for HU.

I have no idea what type of players Cluess would have brought in at Hofstra, but I'm sure he'd win the league somehow. All he does is win.

Btw, I saw some chatter recently on twitter about the Iona AD interviewing at Hofstra... If he gets the job, would he bring Cluess with him?

I'm not sure an AD from the MAAC is what we need.

[Flying Dutchmen]

I would take the Iona AD, Rick Cole in a second, he's done a good job there, and a great job as AD at Dowling, clearly under some tough times at the now defunct school.

[triplec2195]

Yeah maybe we would have less stringent requirements as to who we recruit? That's a two edged sword so be careful what you wish for. Thinking about Cluess why would he want to come here assuming we would want to make a coaching change? Over there he appears to be getting tired dancing here he might grow old and frustrated trying to get to the dance!!

[Dooku25]

Yeah maybe we would have less stringent requirements as to who we recruit? That's a two edged sword so be careful what you wish for. Thinking about Cluess why would he want to come here assuming we would want to make a coaching change? Over there he appears to be getting tired dancing here he might grow old and frustrated trying to get to the dance!!

Money talks, he's conquered the MAAC so time for a new challenge, and he's a Hofstra guy who has already expressed interest in the job in the past. There's 3 reasons for you.

[Polito]

Unreal.

Iona does it again. I mean man... that's what a winning program looks like. That's what a winning staff does.

Beyond jealous. HU upstaged by a mid major local again.

I know the standards are different, but I agree 100% with Dooku, that man flat out WINS everywhere he goes.

Also in with FD on the AD. HU needs an AD who has proven to be successful at the MID MAJOR level. Not some P5 guy who has no clue what he's in for here.

Just sickening what Iona has been able to do and HU can't fight it's way out of a paper bag. Vomit.

[Polito]

Man, Tim Cluess. I really can't get over it lol

Over the last 7 seasons including this one, he has lead them to 5 NCAAT's (including 3 straight) and 2 NIT's - what must that feel like... Incredible, for any mid major really

Can't help but think this should be HU:
https://nypost.com/2017/03/07/tim-clues ... -4-policy/

Forget Cohen, lol, Cluess is the standard - I really can't stand that program because of all their winning, but find myself so impressed so in awe and jealous, I can't deny it - that man is a flat out winner, and boy can Grasso recruit - and someone, one or both of them, have displayed a tremendous knack for building cohesive teams every year built on yearly new faces - it is really something, have to give these guys credit - yeah their admissions are a joke, but building a yearly winning team who shows up when it matters most made up of a bunch of transfers is not an easy task

They must be one of the best HC/Assistant combos in the mid major nation

And I am very curious about Grasso and how he might be as a HC one day - will he translate his recruiting/coaching prowess to that role? Can he succeed outside of Iona?? It's really a 50-50 scenario as he is completely untested... but seems to have that high risk high reward aspect going

Not saying this for HU necessarily, but a possibility, just curious in general.

[Flying Dutchmen]

We messed up not getting Cluess, back in '10. He really was available when TP left, that's when we missed our chance, going with Welsh.

Cluess coached so many dominant St. Mary's teams back when I was in HS at Chaminade, then immediately transferred success to Suffolk CC and Post. The guy is a complete winner. 7 straight NCAA/NIT appearances for Iona, he's maxed out that program. Wonder if he looks to jump to the next level now, especially if there's rumors going around that the Iona AD was looking at the Hofstra job, maybe Cole's looking to get out too.

[Polito]

I tell ya what FD, on your post about Cole I decided to take a look, and all of a sudden things got clear.

I think I am with you on him, at least enough to take a real look and give it a shot if the deal can be worked out. I do believe I would take him as the next AD - it could be a fantastic fit. He has had very good tangible success at lesser programs (ie tougher situations), has experience in fundraising, marketing, dept expansion, coaching, you name it.

And here's the real kicker/deal sealer for me:

*He could very well lead to either a Cluess or Grasso HC to follow up to JM*... I got jitters just thinking about that. Bring in Cole for this next year, and he brings in Grasso basically the year after that (whatever year the current contract is up).

Both are young, already live on LI, and have connections/ties to HU. The more I think about this, the more it should be a serious option. This could really lay the foundation and set HU up for the future.

Yeah, I think to be fair both would be a bit of a risk, but the reward could be HUGE, and I don't think the downside is much at all even if they don't pan out. Not like they are bad guys - both are known for strong character and family life/values.

I think both Cole and Grasso are on track for much bigger things, this could be HU's chance to finally be the one to get in on the ground floor instead of looking back at a Cluess situation like a guy who once turned down the once ugly duckling girl who now turned supermodel.

This right here is where VISION comes in...

[Dooku25]

Sounds like Cole is coming back to HU for a final interview. Who knows if these sources are credible, but the chatter is out there..

[Jojogunne]

Cole commutes to New Rochelle from Oakdale???

http://www.icgaels.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4113

I like him just for this:

"Two high-definition scoreboards were installed in the summer of 2014 in the Hynes Center arena, transforming game day experience during men's and women's basketball and volleyball home contests. The video boards have also been used during other athletic and college events."