While we wait for Selection Sunday II.....

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I've heard this about Quinnipiac U. before, but this is the first I've read in print --- everyone wants to be a part of the Big East of course. 
I don't ever see it for QU.


http://www.nhregister.com/sports/20170311/sunday-gravy-sorting-through-possible-tom-moore-replacements-at-quinnipiac

Sunday Gravy: Sorting through possible Tom Moore replacements at Quinnipiac

• There was a fairly decent case to be made for Quinnipiac retaining men's basketball coach Tom Moore at least one more season.

He'd recruited a couple of foundational guards in Mikey Dixon and Peter Kiss, freshmen scorers to rebuild the program around. Teams in his 10 seasons were highly competitive until falling on hard times last year. And he was an extremely likable personality committed to coaching others — be it the Bobcats or a bunch of 8-year olds at his summer camp — and not, as is so often the case, marketing himself or building a brand.

But coaching at the Division I level is a business driven by results. A university has every right to be troubled when there's years with no return on an investment of a salary in the neighborhood of $500,000. Successive 20-loss seasons are enough to put any coach on notice.

Athletic director Greg Amodio was hired two years ago to get men's basketball on par with Quinnipiac's other revenue-driving sports. The school elevated to the MAAC in 2014, with the intention to make itself attractive for another upgrade. School president John Lahey has said he believes there's Big East potential here.

So it was no secret to anyone in the athletic department, or even Moore himself, that his job security likely hinged on a comeback campaign this season. Moore was certainly capable of making the Bobcats a winner again. He won't get that chance. That's too bad. But in this cutthroat business, it's the nature of the beast.

The New York Post reported on Thursday that disgraced former Rutgers coach Mike Rice is "a leading candidate" to replace Moore at Quinnipiac. Rice, you may recall, was fired in 2013 when video surfaced of him physically and verbally abusing players at practice.

No one we spoke to could confirm whether there's real interest of if the rumor was floated by Rice's agent. But it's hard to believe Quinnipiac would seriously consider this route, especially after it went through a similar scandal just two years ago with women's hockey coach Rick Seeley, fired in the wake of allegations of verbal and physical abuse. Seeley, who'd just signed a contract extension, filed a wrongful termination suit against Quinnipiac.

There's no understating the importance of this decision for Amodio, hired in 2015 specifically to upgrade the men's basketball program. Rice as a candidate here seems preposterous. The very existence of that video, easily pulled up off YouTube by any rival assistant coach, is recruiting poison against any school that hires Rice.

Quinnipiac can't afford the risk. And there are far more attractive candidates with no extra baggage sitting in the school's backyard.

• Iona assistant Jared Grasso, an 2002 Quinnipiac graduate, and Hamden's Scott Burrell, a former Quinnipiac assistant now the head man at Southern Connecticut State, are two potential replacements for Moore.

And if Matt Kingsley, Yale's associate head coach, isn't on Quinnipiac's radar, he should be. The Hamden native and former Notre Dame-West Haven standout is considered one of the nation's best mid-major recruiters.

• Two names believed to be on Quinnipiac's short list are longtime Albany coach Will Brown and Vermont coach John Becker. Both have enjoyed success in America East. Quinnipiac, sources say, is ponying up an annual salary that will make the job even more attractive.

[warriorchick]

Thanks for the laugh.

[muwarrior69]

Maybe they (i.e. Quinnipiac) should take a poll to see if that is true.

[wildbillsb]

Forget TV Happy News.  There's some, hard-hitting print journalism, me buckos!

[#UnleashSean]

I guess they could compete with DePaul

[brewcity77]

I guess they could compete with DePaul

At this rate, they might be competing with Georgetown

[jsglow]

Hey, it's almost noon.  Beer me.  (Central Daylight Time, me likey!) 

[Stretchdeltsig]

When are the selections announced?

[ChuckyChip]

5:30 pm EDT

[T.V. Diener 34]

Big East would never take them.... the only team the Big East has any interest in is UCONN... if they get rid of football it is a done deal they will join the Big East.  The Big East won't even take Dayton (who wants to be in) because they're all about protecting their own and if Dayton joined, it would not be good for Xavier.

[chapman]

"Elevated to the MAAC" 

Next up, America East.  Then the Patriot.  Then the A-10.  Their second NIT appearance and first NCAA appearance ever somewhere in there.  2070 seems like a good estimate for the Big East invite if all goes well.

[THRILLHO]

It would be hard to pass up the chance to add the Hamden TV market...

[Dr. Blackheart]

"Elevated to the MAAC" 

Next up, America East.  Then the Patriot.  Then the A-10.  Their second NIT appearance and first NCAA appearance ever somewhere in there.  2070 seems like a good estimate for the Big East invite if all goes well.

Crean is practicing his "IQ/IQ" speech

[skianth16]

Big East would never take them.... the only team the Big East has any interest in is UCONN... if they get rid of football it is a done deal they will join the Big East.  The Big East won't even take Dayton (who wants to be in) because they're all about protecting their own and if Dayton joined, it would not be good for Xavier.

The idea that keeps getting floated here of a major university dropping a football program as a prerequisite to enter the Big East is crazy. Finding a different conference for football is one thing, but dropping the program is over the top.

That said, I think it would be great for the conference to get UConn back. They have a huge basketball fan base and are part of the Big East legacy. Then we could look to add a school like Dayton, Rhode Island, Temple, or St. Joe's to have an even twelve.

[warriorchick]

The idea that keeps getting floated here of a major university dropping a football program as a prerequisite to enter the Big East is crazy. Finding a different conference for football is one thing, but dropping the program is over the top.

That said, I think it would be great for the conference to get UConn back. They have a huge basketball fan base and are part of the Big East legacy. Then we could look to add a school like Dayton, Rhode Island, Temple, or St. Joe's to have an even twelve.

Any school that has D1 foot ball is a school that will make football its #1 athletic priority.  The Big East is a conference where basketball must be your #1 priority.

[MU82]

We could take UConn and Quinnipiac.

I mean, talk about a heated in-state rivalry. I laugh at Duke-UNC!

[Pepe Sylvia]

I'd take Norte dame back.

[T.V. Diener 34]

The idea that keeps getting floated here of a major university dropping a football program as a prerequisite to enter the Big East is crazy. Finding a different conference for football is one thing, but dropping the program is over the top.

That said, I think it would be great for the conference to get UConn back. They have a huge basketball fan base and are part of the Big East legacy. Then we could look to add a school like Dayton, Rhode Island, Temple, or St. Joe's to have an even twelve.

You misunderstood me... UCONN's football program is hemorrhaging money and has been for some time now.  Once they get a new president who isn't so invested in the program I would suspect they drop the program and join the Big East.  Their current president is the one that is invested and will never get rid of the football program as long as she's around.  Once she's gone, things should get interesting.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Thanks for the laugh.

Thanks Chick.  I did the same.  Glad someone understood the pre-selection show post!