Tom Pecora (gohofstra.com)
BY CHARLES COSTELLO
St. John’s, Seton Hall, Wagner, and, of course, Fordham – all New York area schools - are searching for head coaches. The hot name right now is Hofstra’s Tom Pecora, who could land at any of the aforementioned schools with the exception of Wagner. Over the weekend, Pecora was mentioned as a possible candidate for the Red Storm job. The speculation was that if Pecora does not land in Queens, then Rose Hill becomes a likely destination. Robert Morris coach Mike Rice and Cornell’s Steve Donahue are also being mentioned as candidates, though interim coach Jared Grasso is still in the mix. A decision is expected soon. Pecora has been the head coach of the Pride for the past nine seasons. He has an overall record of 155-126 at Hofstra. During his tenure, Hofstra made three consecutive appearances in the National Invitation Tournament from 2004 to 2007.
I had to laugh the other day when I saw and heard some people suggest that Fordham should go after Bobby Gonzalez. This is a guy who doesn’t get along with anyone and who disgraced himself at Manhattan and Seton Hall. The Pirates couldn’t wait to get rid of him, and go back and look at what his former athletic director at Manhattan, Bob Byrnes, had to say about him. Gonzalez is also responsible for bringing in players who were more likely to appear in the police blotter than the sports section. Seton Hall, in the midst of a very difficult economic time that recently forced the university to cut sports, was still willing to pay Gonzalez to go away. That tells you all you need to know.
With plenty of returning players, I think St. John’s should have given Norm Roberts one more year.
Ryan Ruocco, a 2008 Fordham grad, is a refreshing voice on 1050 ESPN Radio. Knowledgeable and polite, Ruocco is a breath of fresh air at the station, whether he’s doing updates or hosting his own show. Unfortunately, he proved Sunday night that he’s been drinking a bit too much of the ESPN cool aid. The network’s motto, “Kiss every athlete’s fanny no matter what just to ensure they’ll visit our Bristol studios,” usually does not apply to the folks over at 1050. Michael Kay, for example, delivers honest, opinionated talk that would make Mike Greenberg, the poster boy for ESPN’s “kiss-but” mentality, pass out on top of those bobble head dolls he sits in front of during his radio show. But apparently Ruocco had just gotten off the phone with Greenberg Sunday night when he suggested that ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi conducted a hard-hitting, insightful interview with Tiger Woods. In case you missed it, Woods didn’t answer any questions that would have actually given us some explanation for his abhorrent behavior. And, shockingly (or not because this is ESPN after all), there were no follow-up questions. Typical ESPN. Atypical of Ruocco, who’s so much better than that.
In an effort to put me out of business, the WFUV sports department is making its presence felt on the internet. Twitter, Facebook, and a blog are all part of Bob Ahrens’ plan to expand his department’s coverage to the web. Smart decision, too, and one that will benefit Fordham fans.
Lady, our other family dog, died unexpectedly over the weekend. She was 10, and she’ll be missed. This post is dedicated to her and the happiness and friendship she brought into our home. Nellie now has her sister back - in heaven.
