BY CHARLES COSTELLO

WFUV’s pregame interview Wednesday with Fordham head coach Dereck Whittenburg was one of the most highly anticipated of the year. Following last weekend’s New York Daily News article chronicling Fordham’s struggles in the Atlantic 10 (Fordham basketball nearing 14th straight year of pain in Atlantic 10), I would’ve liked to have heard more from Whittenburg about his thoughts on the story. But a pregame interview lasting three or four minutes, and taking place a couple hours before a conference game, isn’t the place for an in-depth discussion like that to take place. The focus, rightfully so, was on that night’s game against Temple.

Here’s what Whittenburg did say on WFUV when asked about the Daily News story:

“I think the morale with us is fine. We know our future is bright. We understand we’re going through a tough time but we’re not going to panic. We’ve got some good talent coming in [next year]. We have a chance to get in the conference tournament and that’s what we’re focused on.

“I think we’re getting some support. I think our administration has been supporting us. I’m humbled for the opportunity [to coach at Fordham].”

No follow up questions. Pretty standard answers.

Back to the article that got the basketball buzz going at Rose Hill. Whittenburg deserves credit for saying what he did. He was honest. And his remarks were right on. When asked by the Daily News whether Fordham was in over its head playing in the A-10, Whittenburg said, “I think that’s a question for the administration. To be honest with you, I don’t know why they’re in the A-10.”

Correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t Fordham fans been searching for answers from the administration for the past 14 years. And year after year, they’re frustrated by what they perceive to be the general apathy of the big shots at the university. Seems like a pretty fair comment to me.

When asked if the Rose Hill Gym hindered Fordham’s ability to recruit players, Whittenburg said, “No question. It’s a disadvantage. We have to be honest here, the joke is over. It was a great tradition in this gym. (But) when a guy comes and sees our gym and a guy comes and sees Rhode Island’s gym or he goes and sees Xavier’s, it’s not even a question of what he’s going to like more.”

I’m willing to bet that all Fordham fans agree that the basketball program needs a new arena with better facilities.

And when asked about Fordham’s high academic standards, Whittenburg said,  “We have a very good academic school in this league. One of the best. If you look at other programs, they’ve got good academics, too. But they’re not as academically inclined as we are. But by the same token, they want their basketball program at Xavier to have success. And they’re going to invest in it. Xavier’s goal athletically in basketball is to be one of the top teams in the country. Our goal is to try and compete (in the A-10) and competing is going to be cyclical, like a roller coaster. Change the coaches, do what you want, but you can bring Bobby Knight in here, and if you have these same things, their ability to recruit is going to be the same.”

Again, any surprises?

The real focus should be on comments made by Jeffrey Gray and Frank McLaughlin. Father McShane, Fordham’s President, was not quoted in the article. McLaughlin delivered his usual support for the program and commitment to the future, while Gray, the school’s Vice President of Student Affairs, said, “We don’t have the facilities we’d like to support our basketball team. But I don’t think anything will change for us in the short term from a facilities standpoint. We can’t change our physical infrastructure next week.”

Right. But as dorms, a library, a parking garage, and fields have been built and developed, it’s fair to expect an arena to enter the discussion. After all, Fordham joined the Atlantic 10 in 1995. Much has changed at Rose Hill since. The gym is still the gym.

To McLaughlin, the school’s Executive Director of Athletics, who said, “We like being associated with the Atlantic 10. I think the Atlantic 10 wants us to be successful because of the New York presence and the media market. Everyone here at Fordham, from top to bottom, wants us to be successful.”

That includes the fans. And they expect and deserve more.

I believe Whittenburg has done his part. In the six years he’s been at Rose Hill, he’s proven his allegiance to the university and he’s shown he can coach. His detractors were wrong to criticize his comments in the Daily News. They’re the same things they’ve been saying for years. Folks, Whittenburg is not the problem. He’s the most successful coach Fordham has had since joining the Atlantic 10. He’s also a quality guy who knows a thing or two about basketball.

The real need is for Father McShane, Jeffrey Grey, and Frank McLaughlin to start talking. Whittenburg aside, these three represent the public face of Fordham basketball. We need to hear from them. Not individually in a newspaper article, or in a random interview on the radio. The three need to be part of a public forum on Fordham basketball. Whittenburg needs to be there, the radio guys need to be there, and those of us who cover the team in print and online need to be there. And yes, fans should be invited as well. They deserve to hear and be heard.

It’s time.

Then, and only then, can the real story of Fordham basketball be told.

BY CHARLES COSTELLO

Last Saturday, the good people over at WFUV graciously invited me to appear on the One on One sports show. Over the course of an hour, we talked about issues surrounding the Fordham basketball program, from fan apathy, to the on-court play of the Rams, to head coach Dereck Whittenburg, to the Fordham administration. I learned a lot during that hour, and now having had a week to reflect on the show, I’ve reached some conclusions.

First and foremost, I have to once again thank WFUV. Since I started this website back in November, the help and support that Bob Ahrens and his staff have given me has been invaluable. I said on the show last week that without WFUV I couldn’t do what I do, and I meant that. When it comes to putting together a sports show, one of quality, substance, and insight, One on One is not just New York’s longest running, it’s New York’s best. Ahrens arrived as Executive Sports Producer in 1997 and transformed the sports department from a bunch of college kids talking sports, to professional broadcasters covering the sports scene better than anyone else out there. I had the honor of working at the station for three years while I was a student at Fordham. It’s an honor to be working with them again.

I owe a special thanks to Lou Barricelli and Mike Nastri, who were the hosts of One on One last Saturday. For one hour, we engaged in a productive and enlightening discussion about Fordham basketball. Barricelli and Nastri are professionals. They know sports, they understand Fordham, and they’re excellent on the radio. I’ve enjoyed my conversations with them throughout the course of the season, and last Saturday was a great opportunity to discuss Fordham basketball in a formal, on-air setting. I thank the both of them for sharing their show with me.

Now, moving on to what else I learned:

1. There is a crisis at Rose Hill, and I didn’t appreciate this until the listeners started to call in. Caller after caller commented on the lack of communication from Fr. McShane on down. They claim that this disconnect has resulted in a lot of the frustration emanating from the alumni toward the basketball program and the university. This started as a conversation about why students weren’t showing up at Rose Hill, and why the alumni were so critical and negative. It evolved into a conversation about an even bigger issue and one that now must be addressed. There is a disconnect between the administration at Fordham and the alumni, and it is a disconnect that has the alumni  upset and looking for answers. After listening to our callers, it’s hard to disagree. The alumni feel that the administration has done nothing to communicate to them their vision of Fordham athletics. It’s clear that Fr. McShane and Frank McLaughlin have to do better here. They have to be more accountable. They owe it to the alumni, who keep the school going with their money and spirit, to keep them informed and to do a better job of making them feel like they are a valued part of the school community. We’ll try to get some answers, but at least last week’s show opened the discussion.
2. Bill from Darien, Mike from Merrick, Mike from Yorktown, and Tom from South Carolina called in to the show and initiated the discussion about the Fordham administration. These four callers were great. They were honest, intelligent, and right on. They represent the very best of Fordham fans. I look forward to continuing a dialogue with them, and others. Again, I didn’t realize how deep the seed of discontent was. They truly feel that McShane and company have left them out of the loop. These callers have a vision for Fordham’s future and they’re not afraid to voice it. They expect the same from those in charge.
3. While Bill, Mike, Mike, and Tom represent the very best of Fordham fans, the ones who are the most negative, most critical, and most obscene continue to hide behind the curtain of the world wide web. Those who favor the internet as their main source of communication move the dialogue of Fordham sports along, and there’s not necessarily anything wrong with that. Unless you actually read some of what they have to say. I find it disturbing that the ones who post the most ignorant, and sometimes hateful comments, are the ones who would never call in to a sports show, would never identify themselves in public, and who don’t ever show up at games. It’s amazing how brazen a screen name can make one feel. These are the same people who, when given the chance to voice their opinions in public, whether it’s after a game on WFUV or during the One on One sports show, choose instead to identify themselves by a nickname and post their comments online, where there is no accountability, and where reason is not required. I question their knowledge of basketball and their understanding of what it takes to build and run a program. I also find it hard to believe that those who’ve been most critical of comments I’ve made in past articles are the ones who we didn’t hear from last Saturday. The administration owes nothing to those who remain anonymous.
4. Fordham needs a new arena. I know the economy is in the tank and other projects are in the works, but a new arena is vital. However, I also believe that fans first need to fill up the Rose Hill Gym. Seating capacity is 3200 and we can’t even sell that place out. Fans want the administration to show a commitment to the basketball program, but fans must first prove that they are committed. So far, that hasn’t been the case.  But this isn’t about the fans as much as it is about Fordham and the basketball program. The Rose Hill Gym is full of history and tradition. But so was Yankee Stadium. I’ll have much more to say on this topic in the future, but for now the discussion needs to start. According to last Friday’s New York Times, there is a major expansion plan in the works for Lincoln Center. That’s great and good luck with that going forward. But we need the same commitment at Rose Hill. We got the library, dorms, and parking garage. Now we need to spend some money on athletics. This is going to take some alumni dollars and a dedication on the part of the administration. Both must do their part.
5. The best of the alumni want to see the program succeed, and they’ve always been supportive of the university. We knew this. We’ve heard from the Fordham community. Now it’s time for McShane, McLaughlin, and Jeffrey Grey to talk. These are good people who care about the university. We’ll do our best to get the ball rolling.

BY CHARLES COSTELLO

If you’ve attended games at Rose Hill this year, and if you’ve bothered to look at the attendance figures put out by the university, you know the numbers are a bit misleading. Anyone who has gone to a game can see the empty student section or the half empty reserved sections. But that’s not the full story. There’s also the constant complaining, the defeatist words and attitude, the criticism of players, coaches, and administration. You see, my problem with Fordham fans is separated into two categories: The students, for not showing up at games. And the alumni, for the negativity and criticism that they spew. Let me describe in greater detail a problem that has plagued the Fordham community since the men’s and women’s programs joined the Atlantic 10 back in 1995.

The Students

For some home games this year (Princeton, James Madison, New Hampshire), no students showed up. Yes, they were played during Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, but as I’ve said in the past, Fordham is a local school, and thus, many students live nearby and can easily drive or take the train in. If they cared about their team, and wanted to show their support, they’d make an effort to get to the games. Even when students have been on campus, attendance has been poor. With the exception of opening night against Columbia and the following Saturday against Manhattan, student attendance has been pathetic. We’re really only talking here about games against Lafayette on Monday Dec. 8 and Fairfield on Thursday Dec. 11, when the student section was not even filled to one third of its capacity.

Now, I have to give credit to the students who have shown up. They’re enthusiastic, full of energy, and supportive. Good fans all around. But there’s not enough of them. The Rose Hill Gym holds 3200 people. The bleachers to the side of the visiting team’s bench are reserved for students. There have been far too many occasions where fans of the visiting team sitting behind their bench have outnumbered the students sitting behind the basket to their right. Inexcusable.

The big test is now here with the Atlantic 10 season beginning tonight. Given the history of student attendance, with students not moving back to campus until Sunday, I wouldn’t expect much tonight against St. Bonaventure, or even Sunday against Xavier, the No. 16 team in the country. But for games against Duquesne, Saint Louis, UMASS, Rhode Island, Richmond, and Saint Joseph’s, I would hope the student section would be filled to capacity. Hope, not expect.

The Alumni

Fordham University is blessed to have some of the most successful, generous, and active alumni in the country. From broadcasters to businessmen to politicians, the roll call of noted alumni is impressive, just take a look at pages 157 and 158 of this year’s men’s basketball media guide. If you’re a Fordham student or an alum and you need inspiration, career guidance, or support, you have it, perhaps better than at any other school in the country. And I mean it. I have a great deal of respect for Fordham alumni. They’re a family, and families stick together. 

So, then, why have they abandoned their team? At games, you can see it in their body language, hear it in their words, and feel it as soon as you walk into the Rose Hill Gym. At home, you can read it on the message boards. You often sense that they don’t like this team. They don’t think the players are Atlantic 10 players, they don’t think the coaches know their X’s and O’s, and they don’t believe the administration A) has what it takes to win, and B) wants to win.

Here’s my defense of the team, coaches, and university:

The players are young and inexperienced, but they’re talented basketball players, and if you watch them on a game to game basis it’s obvious they’re getting better. Jio Fontan may be the best point guard we’ve had here at Rose Hill by the time he graduates, and there are other young and developing players like freshman Alberto Estwick, sophomore Mike Moore, and junior Herb Tanner, who have shown promise. Sophomore Jacob Green is just getting going and Brenton Butler, before he got hurt, was looked upon as a go-to-guy. Add the inside presence of Chris Bethel and the leadership of Luke Devine and you have some pieces here. And don’t forget about the recruits coming in next year. Be honest, this coaching staff has shown an ability to recruit good basketball players and solid citizens.

As for the coaches, to criticize them on their X’s and O’s, while I understand this is what fans do, isn’t really fair. First, they’re coaching a young team and young players who are going to make mistakes, going to have bad nights and growing pains, and who need time to develop. And how is it fair to criticize a head coach, Dereck Whittenburg, who has been involved in college basketball as a player and coach since 1979. A coach who won a championship with North Carolina State in 1983. A coach who has experience playing for championship coaches like Morgan Wootten and Jim Valvano. Don’t you think he knows something about this game? Don’t you think that something is a whole lot more than you know?

And then there’s the administration, from Fr. McShane (President) to Jeffrey Gray (Student Affairs) to Frank McLaughlin (Athletic Director). It’s mind boggling that alumni criticize these three for their lack of commitment to the team and facilities. Do you realize how much money they spend on the basketball team each year, how much money big time college athletics costs? And they’ve shown a commitment, from joining the Atlantic 10, to renovating the Rose Hill Gym, to hiring coaches who are getting paid a decent sum, to showing up at games. What more do you want them to do? You want a new arena? We can talk about that one but the bottom line is you need the money, and in this economy with the capital projects Fordham has taken on in the past, this isn’t as easy as it seems. As for saying the administration doesn’t care about the program? Totally unfair. By the way, it cost two million dollars back in 2002 to renovate the arena.

By the way, Whittenburg has said nothing but positive things about the alumni and the support they give to his team.

The Challenge

Most fans tell me that when the team wins they’ll show up. To me, that’s pretty lame, but I understand that’s how fans work. When I was growing up in the 1980s and my dad would take me to Yankee Stadium there would be 15,000 there a night to see Rickey Henderson, Willie Randolph, Don Mattingly, and Dave Winfield. Why? Because they weren’t winning, certainly not like they win today. Once the winning came and October baseball returned to the Bronx the place was sold out.

But here at Fordham we don’t have that kind of time. We have a game tonight against St. Bonaventure, the start of the Atlantic 10 season. I think it’s safe to assume that the student section will be empty, at least empty in terms of students in attendance. Hard for me to understand, but I’ve followed this team for too long to expect anything different.

So that leaves it up to the alumni. What do you say we sell out the reserved seats on both sides of the court, and fill up the section to the left of the Fordham bench behind the basket, and put a few to the right of the visiting bench on the opposite end. Give me 2700 tonight at Rose Hill and I’ll stop complaining about your complaining, at least for now.

And people who think I’m obsessed with this attendance thing are going to love this next comment: I’m more excited to see how many people show up Sunday, and who those people are, than I am about the game with No. 16 Xavier, the best team to come to Rose Hill this year. With students moving back on to campus Sunday, and given their apathy when it comes to Fordham basketball, you can’t count on them to fill the place.

But that’s where the alumni come in. You, the alumni, must fill the student section and every other nook and cranny of the Rose Hill Gym. I expect a complete sellout on Sunday, 3200 to see the Rams and Muskateers. You sell that game out and I’ll leave you alone. At least until the next home game.

BY CHARLES COSTELLO

With the Rose Hill Gym set to open its doors for conference play Wednesday night when the St. Bonaventure Bonnies come to town to take on the Rams, the New York Post’s Lenn Robbins inadvertently provided some perspective for Fordham fans.

In last Wednesday’s Post, Robbins wrote an article on St. John’s, as the Red Storm prepared for their Big East opener that night at Providence (Beastly Big East Run Starts Today). The beginning of his article focused on the competitiveness of the conference, the deepest, most competitive, and most talented conference in the nation. Think about it, the Big East currently has nine teams ranked in the Top 25, including Pittsburgh at No. 1. Add to that the presence of Hall of Fame coaches Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), and Rick Pitino (Louisville). And the younger crop of coaches, like Jay Wright, Jamie Dixon, and Mike Brey, have all rebuilt programs (Villanova, Pittsburgh, and Notre Dame respectively) and, it appears, are on their way to legendary careers. Remarkable history, talent, and depth. The best conference I’ve seen top to bottom in my lifetime.

Inexplainable, then, how USA Today’s Jeff Sagarin, the ratings guru, has the Big East Conference ranked behind the ACC and the Big Ten (NCAA Conference Rankings). The ACC has five teams in the Top 25 (No. 2 Duke, No. 3 NorthCarolina, No. 4 Wake Forest, No. 12 Clemson, and No. 17 Boston College), while the Big Ten has three (No. 8 Michigan State, No. 14 Purdue, and No. 22 Minnesota). By the way, the Atlantic 10 is ranked ninth out of 32 conferences.

Robbins’ article then turns to the Red Storm, who have been trying for years to get their program back to where it was during the glory days of Lou Carnesecca, Chris Mullen, and full houses at Madison Square Garden. Back to the days when St. John’s basketball mattered. Being ranked 14th in the conference in a preseason poll, losing three three key players to injuries, and facing some of the country’s best teams night in and night out, all point to a very difficult time of rebuilding for the Red Storm.

Sound familiar?

Ironically, over at Rose Hill, Fordham is facing a similar situation. Though the Atlantic 10 isn’t at the level of the Big East (though Xavier is ranked 16th in the nation and Dayton is inching closer and closer to the Top 25), the Rams will spend the next two months battling opponents who, in most cases, will be more experienced and more talented. With Brenton Butler, one of a select few Rams returning from last year’s team, out with an ankle injury, and trying to rebuild with a freshman point guard and a host of other young, inexperienced players, the Rams are also experiencing the difficulties of trying to rebuild, and win, while competing in a big-time conference.

It’s been a struggle for the Red Storm since Carnesecca left on April 13, 1992. They haven’t qualified for the NCAA tournament since 2002, and winning seasons have been hard to come by. It’s been a struggle for Fordham, as well, since they joined the Atlantic 10 in 1995.  They have had only one winning season, back in 2005-2006, when Dereck Whittenburg’s team went 18-12.

St. John’s and Fordham. Local rivals. Different boroughs, different conferences, and different histories. But similar stories heading into 2009 conference play.

BY CHARLES COSTELLO

Final score aside, Fordham’s game yesterday at Bowling Green produced some memorable moments and intriguing storylines. Here are some of the highlights of the Rams visit to the Buckeye State:

• A bizarre incident took place on the Bowling Green bench during the early stages of the second half. Senior guard Darryl Clements, who is averaging 11.4 points per game, and head coach Louis Orr got into a screaming match on the sideline during a timeout. Orr got in the senior’s face, prompting Clements to jump up out of his chair, whip off his jersey, and head to the locker room. It was also reported that a chair may have been thrown. An assistant coach and team manager followed Clements to the locker room. According to a report on WFUV, Clements was later spotted sitting in the stands in street clothes. Clements had scored five points in 13 minutes of action. As if the episode wasn’t strange enough, here is some irony to add to the story: First, Orr, now in his second season at Bowling Green after spending five years at the helm of the Seton Hall Pirates, was known during his stint in New Jersey as a calm, laid back, and non-confrontational coach, certainly not one who would get into a public altercation with one of his players. Yesterday’s incident surely wasn’t a case of Orr being too soft. Also, in a profile of Clements on the Bowling Green basketball website, the guard says his most memorable moment was ”when Coach Orr smacked me in the back of my head on the bench.” While there were no reports of physical contact, Clements may want to add this most recent incident to his profile page. No word on what led to the altercation or what discipline, if any, Clements will face.
• With just under 10 minutes left to play in the game, Herb Tanner and Dereck Whittenburg had a moment as well, though nothing in comparison to what took place on the Falcons’ bench. During a timeout, Whittenburg was apparently disappointed with his junior guard and let him know about it during the stoppage in play. As described on WFUV, Tanner went right back at the head coach and had to be pushed away by senior Chris Bethel. We know what Whittenburg expects from his players: play hard, play smart, and play as a team. And we know that he isn’t afraid to let his players know when they need to give more or play smarter or be a better teammate. We don’t know what he said to Tanner, or for that matter, what Tanner said back to him. What we do know is that Whittenburg went back to coaching and Tanner went back to playing.
• And finally, there’s the history involved with Fordham and the state of Ohio. With the 65-59 loss to Bowling Green Saturday, the Rams are now 2-21 all-time in games played in the Buckeye State. That includes Atlantic 10 games against Dayton and Xavier, among others. Fordham has not won in Ohio since the 1953 season, year one of the Eisenhower presidency. The Rams return to Ohio on January 14 against Dayton, and again on February 14 againstXavier. Dayton is currently atop the Atlantic 10 with a 13-1 record. Xavier is a close second at 11-2. Ohio’s a swing state? Tell that to the Fordham Rams.

BY CHARLES COSTELLO

Though the story Tuesday night at Rose Hill seemed to begin and end with talk of Jacob Green’s debut, a lot more was on display as Fordham hosted New Hampshire on the eve of Christmas Eve. Here are some thoughts looking back on what was a pretty memorable night in the Bronx:

1) A Win Is a Win: Though it may have been closer, and a bit more gut wrenching, than they would have liked, Fordham did escape with a 60-56 win over an inferior New Hampshire team out of the America East Conference. You could point to the clutch layup and the two free throws in the game’s last minute by Jio Fontan. Or Mike Moore’s team-high 19 points, with 12 coming in the second half. While Chris Bethel’s 10 points and seven rebounds, after fracturing his nose in a game against Fairfield 12 days earlier, were much needed. And yes, Green’s eight points and eight rebounds were key factors, as was his overall presence on the court. The bottom line, however, is that a win is a win. And as the Atlantic 10 schedule looms following the trip to Florida and a visit to Bowling Green, winning non-conference games, and gaining confidence in their overall ability to compete, become more and more important for this young team.

2) Learning How to Win: How many times have you seen young, inexperienced teams play well for the majority of the game, only to fold down the stretch and explain afterward how in the future things will be different? Not the case Tuesday night. Despite giving up the lead (Fordham led by as many as 14 in the first half) and eventually falling behind late in the game (53-49 with4:41 to play, and 56-55 with 1:01 to play), Fontan and company hit some key shots and got some important defensive stops in the game’s final minutes to secure the win. Impressive for a team learning how to win, and a team that, in the past, hasn’t always finished games strong.

3) The Making of a Point Guard: Sitting courtside at Rose Hill and watching the continued development of freshman Jio Fontan has been an absolute joy. Fontan keeps getting better and better every time he steps on the floor, and improvement is evident with each game. It’s not just points. It’s court presence, leadership, and perhaps most important, good decision making. Fontan has improved in all areas. He’s passing more when Bethel, Luke Devine, and now Green are open on one of his drives to the basket. And he’s becoming more confident and finishing on his own penetrating drives, as evidenced by the layup he made to give Fordham a one point lead with 43 seconds left in the game Tuesday night. Fontan is 18th in the Atlantic 10 in points, averaging 13.0 points per game, 5th in assists with 4.9 per game, and 8th in the conference with a 1.57 assist to turnover ratio. And remember, he’s only a freshman, and has played in only nine collegiate games. The sky is the limit for this St. Anthony’s product.

4) Going “Green”: Yes, I have to mention Jacob Green, and yes, he was the center of attention Tuesday night. Green entered for the first time with17:48 left in the first half and exited late in the game (Green fouled out with2:03 left in the game) to a standing ovation. In between, the transfer from West Virginia, who sat out two semesters before becoming eligible, scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds in 29 minutes. It wasn’t perfect (3-of-10 from the floor, 2-of-6 from the free throw line, and three turnovers) but Green showed signs that his 6-9 frame, athletic ability, and Big East experience can help. His teammates seem to be comfortable with him out on the floor, as does head coach Dereck Whittenburg, who did not hesitate giving him minutes, and a lot of them considering it was his first game. Like Fontan, Green’s development will be fun to watch, and worth keeping an eye on.

5) Fordham “Unfaithful”: If you haven’t noticed, this is becoming a recurring theme, and one that I plan on addressing more in future articles. But for now, let me just say that the announced attendance of 1395 Tuesday at Rose Hill was a bit on the generous side. If you count cheerleaders (there were five) and players and coaches, plus game staff and media, you could possibly get away with saying 1000 were in the arena. But there were no students at the game (surprise, surprise), and a lot of alumni continue to say they won’t show up until the team wins (alarming yes, shocking no). I’m going to save most of my commentary for an upcoming piece, but it must be noted again that with all the criticism from alleged Fordham fans about the team’s play (unfair), about the coaching staff (unfair), and about the commitment of the athletic department (unfair), it is fair to expect from these same people that they at least do their part and show up at games. It’s like the old saying goes with voting: If you don’t vote, don’t complain about the results, including who wins and what decisions they make. Well in the case of Fordham basketball, if you don’t show up, keep your mouth shut and let the coaches coach and the players play. Something tells me that they know a little bit more about the game than you do.

BY CHARLES COSTELLO

For those of you who are as fascinated as I am with attendance figures, and I’m not just talking Fordham basketball here, Chris Elsberry’s column (http://www.connpost.com/elsberry/ci_11227515) in this past Sunday’s Connecticut Post was a great read.

First, the background: Elsberry had written a column (http://www.connpost.com/elsberry/ci_11164663) about a week earlier proclaiming that Fairfield University students were letting the Stags down by not showing up at the Arena at Harbor Yard, the off-campus home of Fairfield basketball. Harbor Yard is located in Bridgeport, seven miles from the Fairfield campus. With the exception of the 4,959 they drew for local rival Sacred Heart, Elsberry noted that the Stags were averaging 1,821 per home game.

In his more recent column on Sunday, Elsberry acknowldeged having received emails from angry readers who insisted that if the games returned to campus, they would show up. He also noted that the Stags have had just five winning seasons since 1980 and that, too, has kept people away. And now, even Fairfield’s head coach is being asked to address the issue of student attendance.

“I would love to see, love to see, our student body come out,” Ed Cooley said after a recent game (as reported in Elsberry’s column). ”I would love to see our community come out. I really think they’re missing something special going on here.”

Sound familiar?

Here was Dereck Whittenburg’s response when he was asked if he was disappointed with the student turnout at home games this year:

“There’s not much I can do about that,” he responded. ”For the first time the students don’t have to pay and I think their support is important. I’m kind of surprised because we have a young team and a talented team and a bright future. We need the support now. They’ll be back once things get good.”

Whittenburg would go on to praise the alumni for their support. Again, similar to Cooley, Whittenburg is too classy to knock the students. But that’s exactly what needs to happen.

The student attendance at the Rose Hill Gym against Princeton and James Madison was nonexistent, not one student showed up. And stop telling me it was Thanksgiving break. Most Fordham students are local, they can get to the games from home. Against Lafayette, turnout was pathetic. Just a handful of students showed up for Fordham’s first win of the year, on a night when the Rams put it all together and showed what the program could become. Attendance was better against Fairfield, but the student section was still only filled to about one third of its capacity.

I would have thought that Fordham students were better than the front runners who wait until their team wins before they show up at games, the ones you never see or hear from when their team is down. Proud enough to want to be part of something special, and smart enough to see that something special is taking place at Rose Hill.

Maybe they’ll come out to see seventh-ranked Xavier, or Rick Majerus and his St. Louis club, or maybe they’ll wait until Fordham starts winning some games. When the students do decide to show up, whenever that day may be, they are the ones who deserve to be the recipients of that old Bronx cheer.