Agree with the premise of your post. Just wanted to point out that Langel is in his 12th year at Colgate. Have to wonder why other blue bloods haven't come calling. He's only 45 though.
Possible Coaching Candidates
- Thread starter MugCostanza
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Agree with the premise of your post. Just wanted to point out that Langel is in his 12th year at Colgate. Have to wonder why other blue bloods haven't come calling. He's only 45 though.
Prior to moving to Florida in 2022 I would attend approximately 3 Colgate home games per year. I was unimpressed by Langel. Yes, his teams win in the Patriot League more times than not, but Colgate provides him with many advantages which other Patriot schools do not provide their programs. In addition Langel is able to cherry pick high scholastic talented athletes against other low D1 schools including the non scholarship granting Ivies, which an real advantage in recruiting that would not exist at most high majors. The one starting players dad that I became acquainted with one season said his son chose to attend Colgate over other schools because of the Colgate’s academics, and over the lone Ivy because his family did not qualify for financial aid, and there would be no athletic scholarship at the Ivy.
Otis, why do you think Colgate has never had this level of success prior to Langel if they have such advantages over the other teams in their conference? They were 138-142 in patriot league games before he took over. He’s won 81% of patriot league games the last 6 years.
All valid points 54', but give me a hungry young coach over an old retread with "something to prove" any day of the week. Remember, both Lav and CMA had "something to prove", and the only thing they proved were that thier prior employers knew what they were doing.
Until around the year 2000 the Patriot League schools were not permitted to award athletic scholarships much like the Ivies. No Patriot team could have a full 4 year scholarship roster until 2003. Even after 2003 many Patriot schools continued with the Ivy no athletic scholarship policy. In fact Bucknell only began granting athletic scholarships in basketball prior to the addition of football scholarships in 2013.
For most of the pre-Langel time you referenced Colgate was a non athletic scholarship granting institution which put it and other Patriot schools at a real disadvantage in recruiting players against athletic scholarship granting programs, or against a non athletic scholarship granting Ivy.
Colgate is all in for its athletics and in my opinion Coach Langel enjoys many advantages at Colgate that his peer schools do not enjoy.
For most of the pre-Langel time you referenced Colgate was a non athletic scholarship granting institution which put it and other Patriot schools at a real disadvantage in recruiting players against athletic scholarship granting programs, or against a non athletic scholarship granting Ivy.
Colgate is all in for its athletics and in my opinion Coach Langel enjoys many advantages at Colgate that his peer schools do not enjoy.
Some Colgate history, my late friend Jack Bruen guided the Red Raiders to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 1995 and 1996, the first NCAA Tournament appearances in school history—and three Patriot League regular season championships. Adonal Foyle a big man who later played in NBA was his main cog. Syracuse was all over Foyle, but Colgate prevailed. The reason was this young man had a guardian in the USA who was a Colgate faculty member who steered him there.
We'd be a step down for Boynton, I would think. He'd probably use us to get leverage from OSU.
I still think it could be Grasso, in the end, and I think he would be a wonderful choice. Only 42, LI Native, recruits well, has a good record at Bryant (they took a slight step up competition wise this year, and are doing just fine).
Yes, it's a huge step up for Grasso, but it was a huge step up for Steve Pikell, when he went from Stony Brook to Rutgers, and look how that's turned out. I think Grasso can get similar results here.
I know everybody loves Pitino, but I worry that he is going to demand his own "coach-in-waiting", and I just won't give him that. If not, than I'm open to him.
MugCostanza
Well-known member
If Pitino would be open to coming here and they don't take him then it really might be time to fold up shop on this program and fully accept our status as a permanent DePaul type
Pikiell’s Stony Brook and Rutgers teams always defend, Grasso while successful seems quite the opposite.
Well, he defends his player's poor behavior.
If you think we play no defense now, wait u til you get a look at Grasso’s teams. He coaches offense, Pikell has always been defense first. Big difference.
Let me ask 2 questions to the chorus of Pitino advocates
1. have you seen the soon to be 71 year old Pitino coach his Iona team?
2. If the soon to be 71 year old Pitino is still the same great coach he was then why is he not dominating the MAAC?
Anyone who saw the seemingly clueless Coach Pitino this season as his team got drilled by both Siena and Quinnipiac while he watched with few if any adjustments would conclude that Pitino is not the savior he may have been 10 years ago.
1. have you seen the soon to be 71 year old Pitino coach his Iona team?
2. If the soon to be 71 year old Pitino is still the same great coach he was then why is he not dominating the MAAC?
Anyone who saw the seemingly clueless Coach Pitino this season as his team got drilled by both Siena and Quinnipiac while he watched with few if any adjustments would conclude that Pitino is not the savior he may have been 10 years ago.
And see, I think our problems are on offense. We're not good in the halfcourt, we don't make shots, that doesn't allow us to set up our press, which leads to the easy buckets for the other team. Other than Creighton and Xavier, we've had moments in most games where the defense was strong. It's when we have empty trips on offense, that lead to our defensive breakdowns.
It shouldn't take much to coach defense. Know where your man is, know where the ball is, know who/when to double, crash the boards, and that's about it. Most coaches make too much of it, IMO.
Offense is about plays, different variations, what we run with different combos on the court. Man offense, zone offense, small lineup, big lineup, etc. Much harder (there are very few coaches who actually coach offense well, especially late in close games). So yes, I would take an offense coach in a heartbeat. Hopefully, he's smart enough to bring in an assistant that will help with the D.
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MugCostanza
Well-known member
Yes. Parity in college basketball is at an all time high especially at the lower conferences where it's nearly impossible to be super consistent especially when dealing with all of the injuries that Iona has been dealing with.
Iona is currently 81st in KenPom (ahead of St. John's). Nobody else in the MAAC is in the top 125.
Again, if not Pitino, which undefeated coach would you advocate for hiring instead?
Dude a few weeks ago you were the biggest Pitino advocate. Now you are bashing him because he is not undefeated.
He is 9-3 and essentially in first place in the MAAC. So because he is not 12-0 in the league he is no longer a viable candidate?
What is your problem? You cherry pick a few games and now conclude he can't coach. Seriously?
MugCostanza
Well-known member
Oklahoma State was a strong program with Sutton for sure but have been pretty average since, haven't made the second weekend since '05. Boynton has had a lot of nonsense to deal with there with NCAA sanctions and a ridiculous one year postseason ban. The record and accomplishments haven't exactly been great for him there but they are definitely respectable in what has been the best conference in college basketball the past 5-8 years. His teams always defend at a high level and their metrics always seem to be better than their record which I guess can be considered either a good thing or a bad thing.
I would understand the hesitance with Boynton but think he'd be better than a lot of the names mentioned. We can do way worse IMO.
Johnnies7286
New member
jesus christ the guy has won about 80% of his conference games at Iona, won the conference tournament 2 years ago after basically coming right off a 2-week covid pause, won the regular season conference title last year, beat the first top-10 team in the history of the conference last year, and this year is tied for first place in the conference. what more do you want him to show?? the guy is allowed to lose games.
The Big 12 has been the best and toughest BB conference for a few years now. The parity in that league is insane. Last place Texas Tech (1-9) has a NET that is almost 30 spots above us. I think his record in the BE would be over .500.