DePaul head coach Jerry Wainwright was fired today after five seasons.
So, with Tom Brady and his boos, and Mark McGuire and his juice dominating the sports headlines today, two little stories about former Richmond coaches hit the wire today with little if any notice. And the two coaches are going in opposite directions.
First, Jerry Wainwright was fired from DePaul today after 22 consecutive Big East regular season losses. DePaul ended the last year’s regular season recording all “L”s in conference play. Strangely, the Blue Demons beat Cincinnati in the first round of the Big East Tourney and almost took down Providence in the second round. This season, DePaul was off to a good start, winning their first four games before starting the free fall eventually losing the first three conference games of the year. While at Richmond (2002-2005) Wainwright posted a 50-41 record, going to the NCAA Tournament once (2004) and the NIT once (2003), both times losing in the first round. Ironically, it was Providence who knocked them out of the 2003 NIT.
Michigan Coach John Beilein agrees to a contract extension to coach in Ann Arbor until 2016.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the court, Michigan’s John Beilein, who coached Richmond for five seasons before Wainwright, signed a contract extension that will keep him in Ann Arbor until 2016. Beilein left the Spider program in 2002 to take over the West Virginia program before moving to Michigan in 2007. Last season, Beilein brought the Wolverines back the NCAA Tournament for the in ten seasons and while this season has been up-and-down, he is recruiting solid talent and shows no signs of slowing progress.
Too bad the same can’t be said for former Mountaineer Rich Rodriguez.
File under: Keeping it in the Family – according to AnnArbor.com, former South Florida guard Jordan Dumars, son of Piston great Joe Dumars, will be transferring to Michigan.
It’s halftime during the Minnesota/Purdue game. We are back to the studio where Karl Ravich and Steven Bardo are looking at highlights of the UNC/College of Charleston upset for which Steven Bardo said,
“College Basketball players are like teabags. They need hot water to bring out the flavor.”
Steven, could you have come up with a better analogy? I’m just sayin’
Today that ESPN.com reported that the World Wide Leader of Sports will be broadcasting sporting matches in 3D this summer.
ESPN 3D will showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, beginning June 11 with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match, featuring South Africa versus Mexico, ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer announced.
Other events to be produced in 3-D include the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, college basketball and football contests, up to 25 World Cup matches and the Summer X Games. Additional events will be announced at a later date.
What does that mean for basketball fans? Well, just think of what we missed so far. I have drafted out what I expect the brochure to say:
With ESPN’s new 3D broadcasts, you can:
- Dodge the chair thrown by Bobby Knight.
- Wipe off the tears of a young Greg Paulus.
- Feel the silky texture of Bob Huggins’ gold on gold suit.
- Experience the free fall of last season’s Georgetown Hoyas.
- Actually read the same-color names on the Oregon Uni’s
- Push John Calipari back in the coaching box.
For those monitoring the business side of college basketball, this article provides a good overview of the machinations underway between the NCAA and CBS. In a nutshell, the NCAA can opt out of its contract with CBS at the end of this year and is hinting that they may take the NCAA tournament to cable in order to, wait for it, expand the field to 96 teams.
While I’m all for letting in the underdogs, I will go on record as opposing this plan. Not only would missing an additional week of work play havoc on my finances, but I cannot imagine even pretending to have the requisite knowledge to fill out a bracket that big.
Ok, I know it might be a beating, but what else are you doing when you are at your favorite bar on a Saturday? Cheer on the St. John’s Red Storm as they go down to Duke and combat Scheyerface, Shampoo Singler, and the rat-faced coach. 3:30 PM on your ESPN 2. Check out the East Coast Bias preview (SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION).
Things to know:
a – #1 on St. John’s is DJ Kennedy. He’s the team’s best player.
b – Yes, St John’s would like the game to look that ugly.
c – If St. John’s did it, it was TOTALLY not a foul.
I’ll be cheering from Chicago,
Midwest Minister Pico Dulce.
Dereck Whittenburg was most famous for being the N.C. State play who threw that infamous high lob pass to Lorenzo Charles, during the 1983 National Championship game. Charles then slammed the ball in the hoop for a game winning dunk, leading to the famous footage of N.C. State Coach Jim Valvano running around the court with his arms out looking for someone to hug.
Anyone who has gone to a game at Fordham will tell you that Rose Hill Gymnaisum is one of the most fun places to go to a game. It is small and very intimate, located on the center of campus, you are put right along side the action and that can make it very loud and intimidating for any opposing team. Former UMass Coach Travis Ford (now with Oklahoma St) said that the locker rooms are under the student bleachers, so when students get pumped up before a big game, the noise can block out any pregame speech.
Purdue at Indiana, 3:30 pm Different: Purdue is not the upper-tier of the Big Ten in football. In fact, even with a win, Purdue will not be bowl eligible this year. But Purdue is still a dangerous out. The only Big Ten team to defeat both Michigan and Ohio State this season, Purdue also nearly upset both Notre Dame and Oregon. Same: Indiana is sick and tired of losing to Purdue.
Why is carolina still ranked? Look, I know they are talented but they are young and not ready. Think about it.07:59:02 PM January 16, 2010
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In NFL news, the Giants hire Perry Fewell as DC. But, I thought Jane's Addition was getting back togev-wer.09:16:32 AM January 15, 2010
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