Gonzo Ball: FanPosts

Other Linda Gonzalez archives

2010-07-09T18:00:02Z

Here's some other stuff that I have saved on my computer that seems to be generating some interest on the net lately.

Linda Gonzalez's blog post from June 16, 2010, titled "Ridiculous"

"On Lunacy and Antics" from January 28, 2010

and snippets from "On NY Times Article" from March 8, 2010

These were all accessed freely using Google search cache and were at one time posted in their entirety on PirateCrew and several other forums. They are being archived here for anyone who is curious about the actions that led to Bobby Gonzalez's dismissal from Seton Hall in 2010.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Ridiculous
The conversation went something like this: tell Bobby to take the
$275,000 or so or we'll drag him through the mud again.

You can guess the answer.

So Hobbs and company leak a lie to the press, (not even the press -
Adam Zagoria no less) the only thing they could possibly make
believable because they had nothing else. Bobby is accused of swearing
at his boss. In a last minute scramble to find something, anything, to
show cause. But there's no smoking gun. Never was.
This isn't one either and in fact is a total lie. Never happened.
Worse for Seton Hall, they can't prove it either. You can't have a
tape of something that never happened. So they put themselves in an
even worse position. How patient will a judge be with an
administration who tries to make a hearsay phone conversation into a
main point of contention.

But what else have you got? Nada. Zilch.

Still Hobbs had to try and come up with cause. Even though his own
attorney knows this isn't cause. There's no language verbage in the
contract. Seton Hall was out of time. They spent three months and
thousand upon thousand of dollars flying around the country trying to
dig up dirt on Bobby and came up with zilch.

That's what Bobby meant when he made his statement about not having
any "sex scandals" or DWIs or NCAA violations. He knew and his
attorney knew the school was scouring the countryside. And they also
knew they wouldn't find anything.

Poor Hobbs. He had to do something, the counterclaim was upon him. So
this was his answer. Unfortunately his attorney screwed up. He didn't
file it on time or properly, so the counterclaim is null and void.
(You would think Seton Hall could find an attorney that knows the
difference in rules between state and federal courts.)

Still fans are quick to jump on it with asinine obversations. Oh so
this explains it all for them. Ahh they knew there was a reason. Still
blind. Still stupid. Unbelievably so. It's easy for Seton Hall and its
minions to paint Bobby as an unstable, raving lunatic and then get
fans on board because fans are easily led and basically so unhappy and
miserable with their own lives that they salivate over this nonsense.
Forget never acknowledging for a second that they could in fact have
it all wrong.

A couple say Bobby could not have survived Robert Mitchell's arrest
that no one could. He could have if there was a single person in the
administration that was honest.

Here's where the real injustice lies: Robert Mitchell is Hobbsies
Baby, not Bobby's. And it is Pat Hobbs who should've been fired, not
Bobby. Hobbs has been lying this entire time about that. When he knew
the arrest was coming, some in the middle of the night phone calls to
save his own ass, resulted in the decision to fire Bobby. It was not
weeks before as he said. Not even close.

Bobby brought Robert Mitchell in for sure. He readily admits that he
fell for the Coach, I want a clean start, I'll work hard, focus on
basketball, blah, blah, blah. And for a year or so, Mitchell did in
fact work hard. Fans called him the glue guy. Problem is, fans forgot
to notice when he changed. They assumed it was a playing time issue.
Never for a second did they think there might be something wrong with
the kid.

Seven months before Mitchell's actual arrest for home invasion, police
were on campus to question Mitchell for another home invasion. They
didn't have the evidence to charge him. There were other issues with
pot and girls. There were verbal assaults on the assistant coaches
with threats of physical assault. There were lies and more lies.

Hobbs knew it all. Bobby wanted Mitchell off the team at the beginning
of last season. Hobbs insisted Mitchell stay on the team. Why? Fear
that fans would get mad at him. Swear that's the only reason. Fear of
fan reaction. Message board morons harped continuously on Poor Robert
getting screwed on playing time, coach is unjust, unfair to poor
Robert. Lazy slimeball reporters like Pelzman pick up on it and write
things and start to follow Robert Mitchell around. The kid starts to
get a feeling of entitlement and starts to treat his teammates like
he's better than they are. He's disrespecting everyone in sight.

But Hobbs, instead of agreeing with Bobby and knowing full well the
kid had turned, still insisted he stay on the team. He forced the
basketball staff to read emails from the message board maniacs
complaining about Robert's playing time.

Bobby keeps telling Hobbs the kid is out of control, that he's ruining
the team. Hobbs maintains his stance.

Mitchell quits the team in February. He goes to the administration and
lies about the basketball staff. He lies about his teammates and
accuses them of all sorts of stuff. Quinlan is in his glory. But it
turns out all to be untrue.

Mitchell regrets his decision within days. Goes to the coach and begs
to be let back on the team. He makes more promises, tells more lies.
bobby lets him back on because Hobbs tells him to let the kid back on.

Enter JP Pelzman. He follows Mitchell around for weeks and confronts
him after every game. He wants Mitchell to go on the record with his
playing time complaints.

Mitchell plays in the Big East Tournament and almost single-handedly
gives away the Providence game. It is obvious to everyone that he
wants to hurt his team and the coaching staff. Bobby has had it with
him and wants him gone. He tells Hobbs that.

Hobbs is arguing the point to keep Mitchell on no matter what.

Mitchell gives in to Pelzman and goes on the record with his BS.

Bobby has a heated conversation with Pelzman and he tells him that
this story will hurt the kid. Pelzman prints it anyway.

Bobby dismisses Mitchell from the team. He and Hobbs get into a heated
discussion about it. No MFing, just business. Bobby told him Mitchell
was uncoachable and was out. Hobbs said this is not a good
conversation, we'll talk about this another time. (he didn't hang up.)

News that Mitchell was going to be arrested had come the day of the
Texas Tech game. Now Hobbs was in a bind. He's the one who insisted
Robert Mitchell stay on the team but the only other people who knew
that were Joe Quinlan and Bobby and a few outsiders (witnesses now).
Quinlan, Hobbs hates, but he used him to help with a hurry up smear
campaign centered around blaming Bobby for Robert Mitchell so the
school and especially himself would not take the hit.
Bobby is not to blame for Robert Mitchell. Hobbs is. Bobby saw his
responsibility back in September and tried to do what was right. Hobbs
would not let him. Hobbs is his boss so the choice was taken away from
him at least until push came to shove eight months later.

So like I said, this is only one of Hobb's moves. Can't see how when
the other stuff comes to light, on top of this,that Hobbs survives.
Maybe he would like to talk about drug testing in court and his role
there. Or maybe he would like to discuss Cancun? How about that Mr.
Hobbs? Would you like to discuss Cancun? Then there's the myriad of
indiscreet conversations involving Seton Hall's financial affairs and
other employees for whom Hobbs had plans. There are dinners involving
associates and doners to Seton Hall who were privilege to certain
conversations with Hobbs regarding Bobby. There were plenty of
conversations involving Quinlan. The list is long, long, long.

And there's always the stuff that came out years ago when Hobbs was
first considered for law school dean. Maybe that can be rehashed too
since Hobbs made such a big deal out of standing in front of the press
crying honor and integrity. The press just loves a guy that does that.
And a Catholic school. What have you got yourselves now?

Hobbs won't survive a trial. Can't. Sheerans legacy is a sham. He's
known for temperamental firings and deceit against those he's fired.
Like it or not, it's who he is and what he will be remembered for.
Quinlan is the worst AD in the country to anyone not associated with
Seton Hall, and frankly a tool who is actually allowing himself to be
used as one by Hobbs. But not for long. Hobbs will rid himself of
Quinlan as fast as he can when this lawsuit is over.

Bobby took the fall for an out of control, out of his head, acting
athletic director caught up in his own arrogance, partying and
parlaying himself into some sort of fame. There's little more to him
than that.

Would fans still be writing "Hobbs gets it" if they knew about this
other stuff. Don't think so.

But then they're Seton hall fans. Always defensive, always on the
attack, always delusional and always cruel. Not once have I ever seen
the majority get anything right. But that never stops them.
They have short memories for sure. Not once do you hear any fan
acknowledge Seton hall's history of firing people and then not paying
them. They do not acknowledge their standard practice of smearing the
reputations of the people they fire. Now they want to paint Bobby as a
bad guy and that this is the reason for his being fired. Yeah, he's
mean and emotional and on and on....blah, blah. So he had to go.

Really? Louie Orr was a nice guy. Did that stop Seton Hall from
badmouthing him and refusing to pay him. How about George Blaney? He
too was a nice guy. Did that stop them from badmouthing him and
refusing to pay him.
We know of a law professor (friend of Rich Ensor) who was fired and
the school badmouthed him and refused to pay him. He had to file suit
to get his money. How about the priest that was considered a
presidential candidate? They smeared a respectable man who never even
worked a day for Seton Hall.
How about the assistants who lost their jobs and who the school has
been badmouthing ever since. Does Dermon Player, Scottie Adabato,
Murph or Kaz deserve to have Joe Quinlan and Pat Hobbs telling people
not to hire them. Make no mistake, that is exactly what they're doing.

One fan wrote that this was likely only the tip of the iceberg and
that there would be much more so Bobby should tread lightly.

Wrong. This is the entire iceberg for Seton Hall. It's Bobby who is
holding all the cards close to the vest. It is Seton Hall who needs
now to tread lightly.

The "indiscretions" which are not yet known to the general public, are
mindboggling.

The false information out there actually put out there by the school
is unbelievable.

Take the so called loan of $125,000. There was no loan. The $125,000
was the buy-out from Manhattan. The school, in their usual cheapness,
put it on their books as a loan forgiveable by the year for their own
budget purposes. MAKE NO MISTAKE - it was not a loan to Bobby. It was
an obligation Seton Hall had to Manhattan College. End of that story.

The reason behind the firing is the largest cover-up in Seton hall's
checkered histor (minus the dirty money they took for years)

Pat Hobbs fired Bobby to save himself.

In all honesty, if he didn't like him his personality, he would've
been better off saying I fired him because I thought he was a jerk.
Instead, he talks about Catholic honor and badmouths bobby's players
as bad kids even as he hires a guy recommended by a known adulterer
who paid for his mistresses abortion and does everything short of
standing on his head to keep the so called bad kids on the team.

It wasn't enough to fire Bobby. They had to orchestrate a smear
campaign from coast to coast to bolster up their own tarnished image
that was tarnished long before Bobby ever got to Seton Hall. It was a
strategic attack in the hopes of avoiding the bad press that they got
when they fired Orr.

Maybe they even started believing their own lies and became convinced
that there was a smoking gun.

Three months and thousands of dollars in travel expenses to try and
dig up dirt on Bobby. Nothing.
Not a surprise to me. He ran a clean program so I knew they would
never get him on NCAA violations.
It got so bad for the administration that they had to resort to the
NYTimes article which isn't even about Seton Hall or anything that's
happened at Seton hall, to find dirt to print.

So the worst they could do was accuse him of cursing, first his boss
(which didn't happen) and then reporters which did. Yeah, I'm sure
coaches all over America are saying shame on you. You have got to be
kidding. They're shaking their heads. If the school is relying on
other coaches to back them, good luck. Bobby has heard from half the
coaches in America offering to help him anyway they can. And a few NBA
coaches as well. Maybe Fred Hill, or Rick Pitino when his own trial
dujour is over.

As for Politi, Carino and any other BS artist with their he'll never
work again. Get serious. He wins. He has no scandals, no violations.
He's been trashed by Seton hall writers and fans jumping on the bully
pulpit bandwagon, out for blood.

That will turn. On them. And there's always a book deal to make sure
that happens.

ON “LUNACY” AND “ANTICS”

leave a comment »

I have long wanted to comment on all this nonsense about my brother,
Bobby Gonzalez” sideline demeanor. It’s hard being forced to sit back
helplessly and listen while Seton Hall fans heap scorn and ridicule on
their own coach. That these fans don’t get him is patently obvious,
but what is worse is that they do not realize how wrong they are to do
what they do or how much they hurt themselves.

Let me preface this subject by saying, I can miss some things by
inches, but I seldom, if ever, miss it by a mile. And this time, on
this subject, I’m 100 percent absolutely correct.

There are two basic categories of writers and fans who constantly
shout the shout of “grow up “or refer to the coach as a “lunatic,” or
refer to “sideline antics.”

There is that group of whiners and tantrum throwers (who
coincidentally do what they accuse the coach of doing) and there is
the quieter, more reasonable group who talk about how Bobby has toned
down his sideline behavior and they talk of this as a good thing. They
sound reasonable so it sounds plausible.

Both are dangerous.

The last thing you want to do to try and change the character or the
way a coach coaches. It is the single largest mistake you can make as
a fan group. For writers it just shows a lack of insight.

Bobby’s sideline demeanor is him. His emotion and passion on the
sidelines is not “lunacy” or “antics,” It is how his coaching emotion
and passion translates. You should want that.

Forget all you know about what “YOU” want to see on the sidelines and
what “YOU” are comfortable with. Try and come at this from a different
perspective, one that says you are looking at something you don’t
understand and are not comfortable with but for the greater good you
are willing to let him give everything he’s got to give and see what
happens. In this case maybe you shouldn’t lean on your own
understanding. Just because you are not comfortable with something or
it doesn’t jive with your sensibilities, doesn’t mean it’s something
that should change.

To want toned down is a big mistake, huge, huge mistake.

The more energy he exhibits the better it is. Players feed off that
energy and passion.

The more you tone it down, the more you hurt the team and your own chances.

I’ve seen this before from fans when Bobby was at Manhattan. And yes,
I know it’s the MAAC and not in the same class as the Big East.

The first two years, fans did the same thing. Always yapping and
screaming about Bobby’s “behavior.” And then something changed with
them. Probably because across the country ESPN and other announcers
constantly talked about how his players played continually hard and
all pumped up from feeding off the energy of their coach. The
competition, especially opposing coaches, understood it perfectly and
talked about it. More than the “he makes coffee nervous” was “he
should bottle that energy and sell it because other coaches would buy
it” by the pundits.

The opposition certainly gets it. It is to their advantage to get to
writers or Seton hall fans and to paint Bobby as some maniac. The
more the opposition can get Bobby to tone down, the better it is for
them.

When fans got it at Manhattan, everything accelerated. There was no
stopping Bobby’s teams. That’s the reality. Would he have had success
without the fans ? Most likely, but probably would’ve taken longer.
What happened was instead of criticizing, they got behind the energy.
Instead of wanting him to shut up when it came to officials, they were
yelling, “get him Bobby,” and “tell him Bobby,” and the more animated
he was on the sidelines, the more fired-up the fans became. The air
was always electrified, the players were always juiced by it. They
defended every possession as though their lives depended on it in
every game.

It got to the point where it made opposing fans furious. Manhattan
fans would chant “we love Bobby and opposing fans would answer with
“we hate Bobby” and the players would laugh and play harder.

Did Bobby get technicals? Of course. And so what? Technicals are part
of the game. 99 percent of the time, they’re a good thing for firing
up a team. If that one percent of the time, two points hurts? So what?
He’s worth two points. And frankly, what fans don’t actually keep
track of is that usually if he says something to the officials, it
generally keeps the next 8 to 10 calls fair.

Officiating would be killing us no matter what Bobby does. I seem to
recall a press conference with Louie Orr regarding Big East
officiating that made every news channel. And Orr was hardly combative
or animated out of the ordinary on the sidelines. What he was – a
rookie Big East coach likely tweaked the egos of the officials some.
But mainly, the officials were doing the same things they would do
anyway. They protect the HOFs, there’s always home-cooking at certain
venues, some more than others, and there’s always those officials
whose own egos get in the way. Just how it is. And if that’s the case,
why not fight for your team? The idea that this costs us games is
ludicrous. If I’m a player, I’m wanting my coach to fight for me.

Bobby kept quiet during the Uconn game a couple of weeks ago, at
Storrs, and I believe it ultimately cost us the game.

Writers and fans don’t always see things like this. They would not
notice how and when (other than a few random) the calls came against
us chronologically or notice the imbalance from one end of the floor
to the other. They’re probably not supposed to anyway. After all,
fans watch to enjoy the game. At least most do.

Some fans only want what their preconceived ideas about things tell
them they should want. If you work in an office, you are used to
people behaving in a civil, passive manner. It’s just how the world
has to function.

But why in the world would you want that in your sport? If that’s the
type of coach you want then why not hire an IBMer and not a life-long
gym rat?

I happen to think that the fans who are always whining about so called
antics are likely themselves either conservative, passive people or
flat -out without passion, maybe even lazy or one of those (who the
tv zooms in at games) sitting glumly in their seats and who look like
it would take dynamite to blast them 0ut. The height of passion for
other fans is to rant and rave on an internet message board. Anger
issue resolved and all that.

All I can say about that is how about not getting angry about it and
again, try to come from a different perspective. If it doesn’t work
you can always go back to moaning and groaning.

Point is, it all worked before and will work now.

Now granted the Big East is a larger venue and fans in not so intimate
a setting but still….

It all works the same, just on a larger scale.

Believe me, the last thing you want to do is ask the coach to tone down.

You want passion – the more the better.

You want energy – the more the better.

You want fiery – the more the better.

Make life easier on yourselves and get behind it. You might enjoy it.
I know I will. I want more of the fire. More, more, more. Enough of
this toned-down crap.

Let them all know we were here!

On NY Times article-

We got word a while back that a reporter at the Times was trying to do
some hatchet piece on Bobby Gonzalez. People - and I mean lots of them
- had been called by this reporter and asked questions all leading and
all negative. Some complained that they were downright sleazy. It was
obvious that the reporter was attempting to find any dirt he could.
Unfortunately he couldn't really find any. So he had to go back and
rely on old anecdotes from Bobby's earlier days at Manhattan College.
When you see a story like this, timed to come out the day before the
opening of the Big East Tournament and on a coach who hasn't done
anything to deserve having a newspaper suddenly run a hit campaign on
him, you have to ask yourself why. Yeah, why? Why this coach? Why
now? You have to ask yourself about the motives. You have to ask, Who
benefits? And you have to follow the lie to get your answers.

Follow the lie. It's fundamental reporting. I'm mentioned in the
story. Gee, how flattering - a sister fighting for her brother - what
earth shattering news. He said I "frequently" call reporters to
complain about negative reporting. Not true. As a former reporter, I
often serve in an advisory capacity for Bobby that's more sisterly,
motherly stuff, but only with reminders now and then.

Byrnes is on the list. Most of the rest of these articles are just so
stupid that it's better to let them stand without comment and hang
themselves with their lack of explanation and credibility.

This is a badly pieced together story. And careless. For instance,
the Big East never suspended Bobby for sideline behavior and being
critical of officials. They have never suspended a Big East coach for
anything. Never happened. Seton Hall University applied that
suspension and it was for being critical of officials.

They take a cheap shot at Seton Hall for firing Louie Orr after he
made the NCAAs which they did. But it didn't occur to this reporter
that the NCAAs had nothing to do with why the school saw Orr as a bad
fit. They take another cheap shot at our record which, by the way, is
a winning record and better than any of the other metropolitan area
schools

...

I asked the above questions: Why this coach, why now, why all the
negative questions, the gist of the story, etc. etc. and his answer –
now here is the lie - the Big East Tournament is next week and Seton
Hall is a bubble team.

...

Linda Gonzalez on the man purse theft

2010-07-08T00:28:08Z

Since Linda Gonzalez has once again removed her words from the Internet, I figured that I'd do my part as an archivist.

Posted to the PirateCrew message boards under the name "lindag"

"Please leave my family alone, we have been through enough.
This incident is no more than a misunderstanding and one, I'm afraid,
is my fault.
Bobby did not steal anything, he did not shoplift anything. I was on
the phone with him and I blindsided him with bad news about my
mother's health. I was trying to explain to him a test they wanted to
do on her the next day. His reception was going in and out and he
said, I'm going to hang up, and I will call you right back. He walked
out of the store, didn't realize he had the bag. He went into a
restaurant next door, tried to call me back, still bad reception, then
realized he had the bag. He gave it to two girls said it belonged to
the store next door. They returned it for him, while he ran out of the
mall to get back to me. He did not leave the mall with a bag. He did
not steal anything. He did not remove tags on anything. If there was a
tag removed, it was that way when he picked it up.
Because he left the store with the bag and because he was recognized,
the store filed a complaint anyway. That's it.
I would appreciate it if you would stop the sarcasm and cruel
nonsense. It is undeserved and plain wrong."

Seton Hall Lands 2011 Commit Cosby

2010-06-28T15:03:32Z

According to a report from Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com, Seton Hall and Coach Kevin Willard have their first 2011 commit- Aaron Cosby.

Cosby, a 6'2" guard from Louisville and Northfield Mount Herndon (Mass.), was recruited by several schools, including Providence and Indiana along with Boston College, Northwestern, and the Pirates.

From the linked article above:

"Yes, it was a comfortability with the coaches," Cosby said by phone. "I built a relationship with the coaches . They recruited me the hardest these last three months. Coach [Kevin] Willard and coach [Dan] McHale have been seeing me since I was a freshman in Louisville."

REACTION: From what I've seen and heard of Cosby, he's very much like Keon Lawrence- he can score, but he's trying to become more of a true point guard as well. Assistant Coach Shaheen Holloway should help tremendously in this regard. He also is capable from beyond the arc, something that Lawrence has yet to show in a Seton Hall uniform.

A good get for the Hall, as they appear to have signed a potential replacement for Jordan Theodore down the road. Cosby also has some hops, as you'll see in this video.

Commentary from JP: SHU vs Bobby Gonzalez Gets Ugly

2010-06-15T23:24:13Z

We all knew that Bobby Gonzalez was dismissed last March because of things that occurred off the court (mostly). What we didn't know until today was the exact nature of those things.

Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv and Zagsblog.com reported that one of the major things that ousted Gonzo was a profanity laced tirade at not just JP Pelzman of the Bergen Record, but also at Patrick Hobbs, the SHU Law School Dean who is overseeing the basketball programs at Seton Hall.

It's safe to say that the plot has officially thickened.

Gonzalez is currently in the process of suing the Hall for the remainder of his contract, which he says he is owed. Seton Hall's stance is that he breached the contract, and is thus owed nothing.

The counterclaim states that Gonzalez committed "malicious and repeated breaches of his Employment Agreement during the 2009-2010 basketball season."It also says that Gonzo owes Seton Hall $50,000 from an outstanding loan given to Gonzalez in 2006.

But the really interesting development is what Gonzalez did prior to his firing, according to the counterclaim. According to the court documents obtained by SNY, Gonzalez fired two separate profane tirades: one at Pelzman, the second at Hobbs. The Pelzman tirade was related to comments made by former Pirate Robert Mitchell when Pelzman called Gonzalez to inform him of the comments, which led to the tirade. Dean Hobbs received word of this, and called Gonzalez to ask him about it shortly thereafter. This led to another tirade, which according to the documents included this rather shocking quote, even for Gonzo:

"Nobody's gonna tell me how to run my motherf---ing program. Not you, not Monsignor, not Joe Quinlan. This is my f---ing program. My f---ing program."

Follow the jump for more commentary from JP:

I'll let that sink in for a moment.

Here's more from the documents: "Predictably, Coach Gonzalez's termination for cause followed shortly thereafter - he was fired effective immediately on March 17, 2010, and his termination was memorialized in the Termination Letter two days later, on March 19, 2010 - as does this action for compensatory and punitive damages to redress the harm wrought by his flagrant and appalling disregard for his contractual obligations to Seton Hall."

"Coach Gonzalez earned a public reputation for obnoxious, combative and irresponsible behavior... He antagonized players, coaches and Seton Hall and Big East Conference officials and developed an adversarial and at times ugly relationship with the sports media."

"As his reputation grew worse and worse, he grew more and more defiant," the counterclaim states. "Eventually, Dean Hobbs. .. came reluctantly to the conclusion that Coach Gonzalez was simply an unmanageable, self-destructive individual who was either unwilling or unable (or both) to honor the conduct provisions of his Employment Agreement.

"In March 2010, Dean Hobbs correctly determined, based upon his close observation of and contact with Coach Gonzalez throughout the entire 2009-2010 basketball season, that he simply could not be trusted with furthering and safeguarding Seton Hall's mission, integrity and reputation as a Catholic university and a member of the NCAA and the Big East, and that the University had no choice but to terminate him."

REACTION:

If this isn't the end of Bobby Gonzalez as a coach, I don't know what will be.

If this counterclaim holds up, Gonzo will never be hired again. I don't care what Gonzo said in his video interview with Brendan Prunty of the Star Ledger. Sure, other coaches have done worse personal actions, but you don't hear about those guys cursing out their bosses. I thought his statement that Monsignor Robert Sheeran (the outgoing President of Seton Hall) should be ashamed of himself was the worst it could get. Needless to say, I was wrong.

I am ashamed to have ever rooted for him to have success on or off the court. To actually think that the Pirates were "his motherf---ing program" is such a misguided statement it blows my mind every time I even consider it. Gonzo actually thought it was his program after FOUR YEARS. Four.

It's SETON HALL'S Basketball Program. Not Gonzo's. It never was Gonzo's program. It will never be Willard's program, nor will it belong to any of the future Pirate head coaches. It is Seton Hall's program. Just because the institution hires you to head up the program for a while does not by any means make it yours. If it was Gonzo's program, he wouldn't have to answer to anyone. But he did, and it was ultimately his downfall.

This is just further proof of what we already know: the man is nuts.

Poll

WIll Bobby Gonzalez ever be hired again as a coach?

Yes

43 votes

No

62 votes

105 votes | Poll has closed

Seton Hall's Schedule Begins to Take Shape

2010-06-10T01:04:46Z

One of the things that various people liked to harp on concerning the Pirates last season was the outrageously weak strength of schedule. This included games against the likes of NJIT, LIU and Monmouth. It was discussed at length by the sports staff at WSOU, myself included, and it made the rest of the season that much harder- when your most impressive non-conference game is a win over Cornell, that's one weak S.O.S (strength of schedule), even though the Big Red competed with the likes of Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.

The non-conference schedule basically stated that if the Pirates were going to make the NCAA Tournament, they needed to a) take care of the teams they should beat, and b) beat a couple they weren't supposed to. This occurred for most of the season, but hearken back, Pirate fans, if you will, to December 26th and 29th of 2009.

Seton Hall played West Virginia and Syracuse on those days. The general consensus is that if the Pirates had won EITHER of those games, they would have been in the NCAAs. And honestly, they were in a position to win both games. But they didn't, and a stronger strength of schedule would have helped the Pirates' case dramatically. Coach Willard seems to realize this as well, and so far the schedule is shaping up to be pretty good.

The non-conference schedule includes a road game at Temple (part of a home-and-home that started last season) and a home game with defending NIT champion Dayton (starting a similar home-and-home). Both of those games are great- they are both A-10 teams with recent success, and considering the A-10 is one of the best non-power conferences for basketball, these two games should help Seton Hall tremendously. One or both (more likely Temple) may even be ranked when they play the Blue and White.

Follow the jump for more 2010-11 schedule analysis from JP.

The other two contests that are known are both against SEC schools. One of them is Alabama, who Seton Hall will play in the first round of the 2010 Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The winner will face the winner of Iowa-Xavier in the next round while the loser will face the loser of that matchup. Ironically, Alabama is the last SEC school that the Pirates played- the two teams met up in the 2001 NIT, with the Crimson Tide winning 85-79.

The other was just recently announced, as the Pirates will face the Arkansas Razorbacks in the SEC-Big East Invitational at Freedom Hall in Louisville. This is the matchup that I am practically salivating over for one reason:

Rotnei Clarke.

Most recently, Clarke scored a jaw-dropping 51 points against Alcorn State last season, but his excellent shooting ability is well-documented. As one of the best shooters in the country, watching Clarke go up against Jeremy Hazell should be one heck of a subplot. I'm already excited for this matchup, and it's not even happening until December. The Pirates have never faced Arkansas before.

With Dayton, Temple, Alabama, Arkansas, and either Xavier or Iowa slated to face Seton Hall next season, the Pirates' non-conference slate is great. It's already good, and it may get even better (for example, the Pirates could end up facing Clemson later in the Paradise Jam). Seton Hall doesn't officially release their schedule for some time, but I already like how it looks.

JP's Thoughts on Remaining Scholarships (UPDATED)

2010-06-02T23:40:57Z

With Jamir Hanner spending another year with NIA Prep, let's break down the remaining scholarships Seton Hall will be able to dish out.

Hanner had previously given a verbal commitment to former Pirate coach Bobby Gonzalez, and was reportedly "shocked" that Gonzo was fired. Nevertheless, he decided to spend another year at NIA Prep (Newark, NJ) about a week prior to this latest update.

While his de-commitment doesn't hurt the team directly (since he wasn't signed), it still narrows by one the possible guys who could fill out Seton Hall's scholarship roster for 2010-11.

The Pirates currently have 11 players under scholarship for the next season (including the 3 new recruits Edwin, Auda and Okoloji). This means that they are allowed to sign two more players to scholarships (and maybe three if the rumors surrounding Melvyn Oliver are true).

With the roster makeup right now, they would do well to use the freed-up scholarships. Here's what I think Coach Willard and Co. should do:

1. Sign a backup PG.

People may disagree with me on this, but I think this is crucial. The Hall needs someone who can handle the ball behind Jordan Theodore, especially with a ruling on Keon Lawrence and his wrong-side-of-the-parkway driving case still pending. Even if Lawrence gets off scot-free, he isn't by any means a natural point man. This is why one of these 2/3 'ships should be used on a point guard.

There are still some guys out there who can play. One of them is Desmond Wade, a New Jersey native and former all-state performer in high school who is transferring from Houston. He's looking at some non-power conference schools right now, and at the moment his list doesn't include SHU. But he's a 5'8" ball of defense and energy and a terriffic, unselfish guard (think Paul Gause-ish with better passing skills). If a Big East school like Seton Hall came calling, he'd have to listen.

Now, he isn't even my first choice right now due to the NCAA Transfer Rules- he'd be sitting out this year, which doesn't help the here-and-now one bit. But I think he's gotta at least be considered by Coach Willard- he seems like he'd be great playing for a guy who emphasizes defense. And just think about next year's possibilities: Theodore and Wade at the point is quite a unit. Opposing PGs would be on lockdown. If Wade is signed, next year's possible point guard situation would be fantastic.

Of course, it also means that Pirate fans would be basically praying for Theodore to stay healthy every night before they tune in. A point guard out of high school/prep school would be more appropriate.

UPDATE: According to Zagsblog, former Hofstra point guard Chaz Willams (5'9", 170 lbs.) took an unofficial visit to Seton Hall on Friday. I have not seen Williams much, but here are his numbers from his freshman season with the Pride: 9.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.6 spg, .372 FG%, .383 3P%, .733 FT%. He was second on the team in scoring and 3-point percentage, first on the team in assists. The 4.2 rebounds per game would suggest that he's a tough little guy. In fact, his numbers are eerily similar to Wade's. The fact that he was second to Metro Player of the Year Charles Jenkins in scoring is a pretty good achievement as well. Either Wade or Williams would be a great fit at the Hall. Both, however, are transfers who would have to sit out a year.

Follow the jump for further analysis from JP on how the Pirates should use their remaining scholarships.

2. Sign a BIG man.

There's a reason I emphasize BIG. I'm sure Pirate fans know why, they've been doing it for years now.

I've heard so many bleeders of blue and white pine for a true center over and over again, even in my short time at Seton Hall. Herb Pope's situation is looking up, but the depth behind him isn't fantastic. Ferrakohn Hall, while he is one of my favorite Pirates, isn't really a center (neither is Pope, by the way, but he's more suited to the position than Hall). Yes, Hall is 6'8", and yes he may add some muscle over the summer and fall, but this move is as much about the future as it is the present. Whoever this BIG man might be, he may not get much PT this coming year. But look at next year, when:

a) Jeff Robinson will be gone, and

b) Pope might join him.

Well, look at that! The depth chart just got a lot more open. Next season, the only post players will be Hall and Patrik Auda. If there's a center in that mix, it would be one great-looking unit.

Now I don't have any names on anyone that might be looking at Seton Hall, nor do I really have any suggestions. If Seton Hall signs a BIG man, you can bet that he'll be a good defender (per Willard's commitment to defense). It would be great if he could rebound, too.

3. Sign a 2-guard

This isn't as crucial due to the fact that the Hall has Jeremy Hazell and Jamel Jackson in toe. This means that whoever is potentially brought in wouldn't get playing time, and 2-guards in particular don't like to be deprived of time to shoot/score on the court. Seeing as Willard will likely sign a pretty good 2-guard for next year (2011-2012) due to the fact that there will most definitely be playing time, with Hazell and Jackson both being gone (Jackson is a senior), it isn't so crucial that this 'ship be filled.

Final Word(s): I think that Coach Willard needs to try and fill these scholarships. No, they don't necessarily have to, but I would advise them to. Seton Hall was able to successfully dodge injuries last season, which is great. But that doesn't happen too often to a college sports team, especially a college basketball team. The Hall isn't quite as deep as last year right now; losing Eugene Harvey, John Garcia and Robert Mitchell is bigger than a lot of people think.

With this roster, the Hall could go back to the NCAA Tournament next March. But all it would take is one injury to one of the big guns (Theodore, Hazell, Robinson and Pope) to derail those plans. With the aforementioned guys gone, the depth of last year just isn't there. Sure, filling the 'ships would make Seton Hall young and deep, but youth can grow up and emerge. You can replace veterans with youth and have it work out OK, but you can't replace depth with anything but depth and expect the same results. Adding more players would also take some pressure off the new guys to immediately step up and perform, and that helps everyone.

It really doesn't matter to me how many of the remaining scholarships Coach Willard decides to fill. I don't really care what he does with them (although my suggestions have been expressed in this post), just that he does something, and doesn't leave all of them unfilled. That would tempt fate/karma a little too much.

And you know what they say about karma.

Poll

What should the Pirates do with the remaining scholarships?

Nothing- SHU will be fine. They've already got decent depth

8 votes

Fill them, but not with transfers

21 votes

Fill them!

20 votes

49 votes | Poll has closed

Auda, Okoloji Officially Signed - JP's Reaction, Prediction, and Welcome

2010-05-22T06:21:13Z

Editor's Note: I'm thrilled to announce the addition of J.P. Guerette as a contributor to Gonzo Ball. J.P. has done an outstanding job covering the Pirates over at his blog, Seton Hall Basketball - A Student's Perspective and can be followed on twitter @JPGuerette. I'm very excited to have him on board through the remainder of the offseason and the upcoming 2010-2011 season.

Also of note, JP put together the majority of the article below before information came out that Melvyn Oliver would be leaving Seton Hall. The news on Oliver first surfaced on the message board, PirateCrew.com and Melvyn would later confirm that he would be leaving with a less than flattering message for the members on the board. We've been awaiting official word from Seton Hall that Melvyn won't be returning before we posted the news, but SHU will probably wait a few weeks longer before we see that type of statement.

First of all, let me say that I am thrilled to be posting on Gonzo Ball for the first time. A special thank-you to the editor for letting me on board this ship (I promise to keep the pirate references to a minimum). I look forward to being a recurring and consistent poster on Gonzo Ball, and sharing the posts with the Gonzo Ball community. Check out my profile for more on me and what I do.

Now, on to the article!

On Friday, Seton Hall announced the signings of two players- Patrik Auda (Brno, Czech Republic) and Anali Okoloji (Brooklyn, NY).

Auda is listed at 6'9", 235 pounds, otherwise known as roughly the same size as Herb Pope.

He has been compared to former Pirate forward Arturas Karnishovas in terms of his playing style. His coach at Canarias Basketball Academy in the Canary Islands, Rob Orellana, had this to say:

"He’s a driver, he’s a shooter, he’s a passer, an unselfish player," Orellana said. "I was at UNLV many, many years ago and I used to watch Arturas Karnishovas play for Seton Hall. This is a very similar type of player. He hits threes, he puts it on the floor. He’s got toughness and he knows how to play. And he’s passionate about the game. We’ve been done for the last three weeks and today he came in and hit 1,500 jump shots."

Follow the jump for video, what this means for Seton Hall's roster and further analysis from JP!

Here's a video of Auda (he's number 11 in black):

Also officially a Pirate is 6'8", 220-pound small forward Anali Okoloji. Okoloji is also a versatile player, according to those who have watched him, and his numbers in his lone year at Impact Basketball Academy (FL) suggest just that; Okoloji averaged (AVERAGED) a 25-11-6 at Impact, where he landed after playing at Banneker High in Brooklyn.

Here's a video for your viewing pleasure (he's number 25 in black):

What this means:

These signings, plus the signing of Fuquan Edwin gives the Pirates a real solid 3-person class that may or may not stay that way; the signing period has ended, but recruits can still sign scholarship papers to attend Seton Hall or any other school for that matter. However, they are not bound to that school through a National Letter of Intent. Seton Hall has one scholarship left (they are allowed 13) for this purpose.

Regardless, in the press release from Seton Hall on Friday, Coach Willard said that he expects the recruiting class to "make an immediate impact," and once you look at the Pirates' roster, you can surely see the reason for his expectations. The Pirates' current roster looks like this:

Point Guard: Jordan Theodore, Keon Lawrence*, Darnell Gatling (walk-on)

Shooting Guard: Jeremy Hazell, Jamel Jackson

Small Forward: Fuquan Edwin, Anali Okoloji

Power Forward: Herb Pope**, Jeff Robinson, Ferrakohn Hall, Patrik Auda, Matt Cajuste (walk-on)

Center: Melvyn Oliver

*- awaiting ruling on court case involving assault-by-auto charge

**- awaiting medical clearance to play

As you can see, the Pirates' roster could potentially be full of holes, meaning the newest Pirates could be counted on right away. This makes the non-conference schedule extremely important- this is when the new guys get their legs under them. As this team learned last season, this is a crucial period of time- the home game vs Temple was the game that Bobby Gonzalez was forced to adapt, on the fly, to the additions of both Lawrence and Robinson. This was very difficult, as during that game, the Pirates began to struggle on the offensive end, and with the two new players, Gonzalez had no idea who to play down the stretch, leading to the Pirates' first loss of the season.

That game was the second-to-last game before Big East play started, and I think that really messed with the team chemistry- not super-drastically, but enough that the team didn't have enough of it when they took on West Virginia and Syracuse. In fact, as you may recall, Gonzo didn't really settle on a set rotation after that point last season, save the few games (the home games vs. Louisville and Pitt) that he actually kept the rotation steady. This is why the non-conference schedule is so critical. It is the time when the coach settles on a rotation, and the team builds chemistry in preparation for the Big East season. I believe that if the Pirates hadn't experienced such a radical change in personnel at that point in the season, they may have beaten West Virginia/Syracuse.

Auda being compared to Arturas Karnishovas is good news for Pirate fans. Karnishovas could be tough inside, but he also had range extended out to 3-point range and a nice face-up game; he was a very versatile player whose name is scattered throughout the Seton Hall record books. Auda, from what I have seen of him, can certainly do those things. He (like Okoloji, ironically) is a lefty, which alone should be good for a few buckets via fooling opponents (who generally defend as if their opponent is right-handed)- Pirate fans saw this with Jeff Robinson last season. He needs to work on his footwork and athleticism, but those are things that can more easily be improved unlike, say, a solid jump shot or a great post-up game. And the fact that he was named to the All-Tournament team at the National Prep School Invitational (which also included the likes of Pitt- commit JJ Moore and Syracuse signee CJ Fair) is a very good sign.

Okoloji, meanwhile, can do several things on the court- as you can see from the video, he has a pretty sweet- looking stroke, especially from the free throw line. He has 3-point range on his jumper and also showed some handle. While he may not be exactly 6'8", he is pretty athletic and you absolutely cannot deny his prep-school averages (see above). He will be a very nice complement to Fuquan Edwin at the 3, who is much more of a slasher and who is also extremely athletic- a true Gonzo recruit.

Now the big question is Herb Pope's health. His mentor, former Pitt star Charles Smith, has said that he expects Pope to make a full recovery, but we won't know until he is cleared to play by the team medical staff. This situation will affect the roles of Robinson, Oliver, Hall and Auda. Without Pope, these four MUST step up their games, especially the latter three. Potentially replacing the best rebounder in the Big East is no small task.

With Pope cleared, this team can make the NCAA Tournament and finish Top-8 in a rather young Big East. Without him, it will be tough unless the new Pirates can adapt themselves.

I do not expect Coach Willard to be like Coach Gonzalez in the sense that I believe that Coach Willard will find a rotation that works and STICK TO IT, unlike Gonzalez. Doing so will be a crucial part of the team next season- it could dictate just how far the team goes.

With all this recruiting talk, I am not looking forward to waiting 6 months for the start of the first season of the Kevin Willard Era. I'm sure you are all just as eager as I am to once again don your Pirate blue and white and cheer loudly and proudly for the New Seton Hall Pirates.

Poll

Which little-used/new Pirate will have the greatest impact next season?

Melvyn Oliver

2 votes

Patrik Auda

44 votes

Anali Okoloji

11 votes

Fuquan Edwin

28 votes

85 votes | Poll has closed

"Bobby Gonzalez Truth" Archives

2010-04-04T01:38:01Z

Here it is! The archive of the Bobby Gonzalez Truth website, before it was taken down in last month. Enjoy!

Bobby Gonzalez Truth

We are a group of friends and associates of Bobby Gonzalez who believe there has recently been a smear campaign of lies orchestrated by Seton Hall Administration and perpetuated purposely by members of the press.

INTRODUCTIONS

We are a group of friends, associates, former associates and supporters of Bobby Gonzalez. We believe that Seton Hall University, with the help of certain reporters in print and other media have engineered and orchestrated a deliberate smear campaign to destroy Bobby’s career and damage him both professionally and personally.

You can join in or comment however, we have moderators who must approve your comments. Frankly, though, if you’re not with us, you’re against us. Keep in mind we are not interested in your defensive posturing or knee-jerk reactions to something we write that you don’t like. You’ve had four years to say anything and everything you’ve wanted to say, whether it be in news print, blogs or message boards. You have printed or said every conceivable negative thing, acted with cruelty and malice and flat-out lied and deceived. You have had your contemptible way without reprisal long enough.

We are especially interested in Pete Thamel and Kevin Armstrong of the New York Times, Lenn Robbins, Sean Brennan, Tim Sullivan, of the New York Post; JP Pelzman, John Rowe of the Bergen Record; Steve Politi, Brendan Punty of the Star Ledger; Jerry Carino of the Herald News. There are others like Ian O’Connor, Adrian Wojonowski, Pat Forde; Adam Zagoria, Jeff Goodman, Gary Parrish, and then there are specific message boards such as Piratecrew.com among others.

Now it’s time for the truth.

This blog will also serve as a journal of sorts, a running diary on slander and defamation if you will. We are now keeping track of who writes what, when and where. We are sure this will come in handy in the next few months as legal issues take shape. We have enough people to cover all the necessary social media networking pages as well as internet blogs and message boards.

Disparaging comments that appear in print anywhere or have already appeared in print will be noted. We will set straight where we can set straight.

Most important, what really happened behind the Seton Hall walls will be on the record here.

We are going to set the record straight and we know all there is to know.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Bill Reynolds: The ‘Gonzo’ I knew was anything but ‘toxic’

Posted via web from bgtruth's posterous

Saturday, March 27, 2010

"Gonzalez sends out Feelers for Hofstra job." LOLOL

By TIM SULLIVAN

_______________________

You people just make this stuff up. This is an outright lie.

Posted via web from bgtruth's posterous

"Septic Tank?" Ridiculous.

March 22, 2010

St. John's wise to weigh coach's metro ties

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/basketball/local_radar_JTfxterPVIAHpxEwfJkqAP#ixzz0jQvlqsQx

"Seton Hall has the toughest task. The next coach will have to clean the septic tank left behind by the fired Bobby Gonzalez. Welsh, who coached at Iona before Providence, or Steve Lappas, who coached at Manhattan and Villanova, would be perfect there.

It's easy for an athletic director, under great pressure to make everyone happy, to get lost in a world of big names and fancy resumes. Find someone who knows the streets and let him work the corners."

____________________

Our response:

“Septic tank” implies that there was an actual mess with the Seton Hall program under Bobby’s watch. That is not the case. That has never been the case.
Had Bobby not been fired, the team minus Robert Mitchell who had been dismissed, would be intact and preparing for an NCAA run next season. It was all set. All players were returning and new recruits ready to come in. Robbins is part of that group of reporters helping to perpetuate a false image with inaccurate reporting and outright lies.
We are going to reserve further statements on Robbins. We have a special page planned for him alone.

Posted via web from bgtruth's posterous

Editorial in the Star Ledger, March 27, 2010.

Editorial in the Star Ledger, March 27, 2010.

http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2010/03/seton_hall_universitys_basketb.html

Seton Hall University's basketball team needs a cooler head to prevail

Seton Hall University sports czar Patrick Hobbs is hunting for the college’s next men’s basketball coach. After the mess left by uber-abrasive Bobby Gonzalez -- who recruited players of questionable character, then forgot to babysit them -- Hobbs, dean of the law school, is looking for a coach who better embodies the college’s Christian values:

Someone who doesn’t believe profanity is a part of speech. Someone who won’t need a bail bondsmen as an assistant coach. Someone the players and administration can trust. Someone of impeccable integrity who can win, too.

Seton Hall had a coach like that -- Louis Orr. The soft-spoken Orr led the Pirates to two NCAA Tournament berths and a spot in the National Invitation Tournament, but he was kicked to the curb because, critics said, he wasn’t fiery enough and he couldn’t recruit.

So, Monsignor Robert Sheeran, Seton Hall’s president -- with state Sen. Richard Codey whispering in his ear -- hired Gonzalez. Not surprisingly, Gonzalez, with the personality of a spitting volcano, racked up enemies faster than victories. He recruited castoffs and misfits who created trouble on and off the court ? and in and out of the courts. Hobbs now must find a coach who will restore Seton Hall’s good name.

If Orr’s qualities weren’t the right match for Seton Hall back then, one thing is certain: They are now.

________________________

Our response:

First sentence: sports czar? Dean Hobbs is a law school dean with no basketball background. He was an obscure quiet man until he befriended Bobby. Then he got into the public eye and lost his mind. Having lunch with sports celebrities,wining and dining among the basketball elite and seeing his name in print on a daily basis, pushed his aforementioned quietness into full-scale egotism. Lunching with Doug Gottlieb not something he's about to give up.

Problem is he has yet to see the other side. Wait until the press praise he so covets turns around and hands him his head.

"Mess" and "uber-abrasive:" There was no mess. That is a lie put out by the school in order to attempt to fire Bobby "for cause." With the exception of Robert Mitchell who was dismissed from the team - finally and by the coach even after the administration requested that he stay on the team - and Melvyn Oliver who was taken off the team to concentrate on academics, the basketball team is all in good standing, the program is run cleanly, there are no NCAA violations, minor, secondary or otherwise, and there are not now nor have there been any behavior or conduct issues with Bobby. As for the "uber," there are probably 1,000 video tapes that can be viewed regarding Bobby and the marketing of the Seton Hall program. He was always a positive face for the University in spite of the thousands of knives in his back.

He kept smiling.

Someone is going to have a heck of a time trying to prove that as true.

"Who recruited players of questionable character then forgot to babysit" them: commenting on the character of another is a an extremely slippery slope. This writer has insulted in print every member of the basketball team, flat-out calls them "questionable" then adds that they in fact need a "babysitter." This doesn't just insult and slander the coach, this insults every player, their parents and their upbringing. Wow.

"Hobbs, dean of the law school, is looking for a coach who better embodies the college's Christian values":

This is offensive on so many levels,We are not sure where to begin. Bobby was raised in Christian schools by “uber” Christian people. He lives these values on the court and off.

To question someone's Christianity like this in print, while ignoring their own scurrilous behavior much less the college's behavior and what with the adninistration's lies and deceit. They actually made it all up folks. They had to try and find a way to fire for cause. That they continue to destroy and damage a man's livelihood is beyond abominable. It goes to violating a person's constituional rights. It goes way beyond defamation.

"Someone who doesn't believe profanity is a part of speech. Someone who won't need a bail bondsman as an assistant coach." "Someone the players and administration can trust." "Someone with impeccable integrity that can win too:"

Bobby was fired as a basketball coach for reasons fast becoming frivolous and now the Star Ledger wants to add language to the already made-up list of offenses? Do people swear? Do Star Ledger employees swear?

A bail bondsman? This again, is an attack on the entire basketball team, their parents, their upbringing and their character. It is racism, pure and simple and violates the privacy and civil rights of the players.
Bobby had a coaching staff made up of hard-working assistants who are fine men. This slur goes to the heart of the credibility of the writer and is indefensible.
Add to that, the administration of Seton Hall interviewed and accepted, happily, every one of these players.

"Trust" and "integrity." Bobby has never committed any kind of offense that would demean his integrity. The school has never been given any reason for "mistrust." This is fact.
This demeans his character, questions his integrity and says he can't be trusted to run a program and that, again, sounds like a constitutional violation. It goes beyond defamation and strikes at the heart of a person's right to life, liberty and the pursuit of just about everything..

They then compare Bobby to Louis Orr. They are saying that Louie Orr is all of these things. That he had integrity, could be trusted, didn't bring in kids of questionable character, didn't swear and didn't have players arrested. We wonder, does the school have access to all of their press conference material back then? No? How about all the news articles in which the administration is quoted? No? That’s okay. We have them.

The school, and the Star Ledger, have a very short memory. They accused Orr of all of these things. He did have players arrested. Kelly Whitney, recently arrested with Robert Mitchell, is Orr's player. The school has tried to lump him in with Bobby's recruited players but it is in fact, absolutely untrue.
As to Orr being "soft spoken?" There are press conferences on film with Orr loudly criticizing Big East officials. There is plenty of game film.

The picture the Star Ledger is attempting to paint with this comparison is pure fiction. And their own archives will prove that.

"So, Monsignor Robert Sheeran, Seton Hall’s president ? with state Sen. Richard Codey whispering in his ear ? hired Gonzalez. Not surprisingly, Gonzalez, with the personality of a spitting volcano, racked up enemies faster than victories. He recruited castoffs and misfits who created trouble on and off the court ? and in and out of the courts. Hobbs now must find a coach who will restore Seton Hall’s good name."

"If Orr’s qualities weren’t the right match for Seton Hall back then, one thing is certain: They are now."

The "spitting volcano" and "racked up enemies" are a product of a writer trying to be inventive and using adjectives designed to provide the most derogatory and disparaging picture imagainable. But the "castoffs and misfits" is extremely damaging to the coach and again, to the basketball players. Herb Pope, Jeff Robinson and Keon Lawrence were not castoffs and misfits nor are the rest of the players.

The statement is vague, general, cryptic by design.

The "Orr's qualities" comparison: The Star Ledger is not in position, now or ever to be qualified to judge a person's qualities nor to perform a comparison. It is as slippery a slope as you can go down.

A person is defamed when a newspaper shows an actual malice or/ reckless disregard for the truth, when it makes damaging statements concerning a person's professional character or standing. The news media has what is called "qualified privilege." News stories, even opinions and editorials, must be "fair, accurate and complete, without malice, and published for justifiable ends."

A newspaper has an obligation to: responsibility, objectivity, even handedness, accuracy, impartiality, fairness, balance and credibility.

If ever a person was defamed by an all-out constructed and orchestrated effort by a college and a newspaper, this is it.
There isn't even a debate.

Add to that maybe a very real civil rights violations and offenses both on the coach and the players. Sounds real anyway. We’ll see.

As for a mess: well there wasn’t one before, but there sure is now. Players came to Seton Hall to play for Bobby Gonzalez. They’re gone. Ha ha. If stupidity were misinformed fans, Seton Hall would be the wealthiest school in the nation.

As for Seton Hall's "good name:" that is something that is seriously open to debate. Seton Hall has never had a good name. Never. Back in its 80s glory days which they have been reliving every year since 1989, PJ Carlisimo was (and is) known to be one of the most abusive coaches in college basketball but he is continually honored by this hypocritical school and their mockery of their own Christian values.
Let’s see, internet accounts called Blaney "lazy," Amaker an "empty suit," Orr, "lazy and preacher" among a host of other things.

Gee, seems fans have turned against every coach that has ever been at Seton Hall.

Bobby was warned repeatedly by multiple sources against taking the job at Seton Hall because of Sheeran and his administration's reputation for unfairness, temperamental decision making and downright deceitful, lying, cheating behavior.

Which certainly is continuing.

No, not a good name at all.

Posted via web from bgtruth's posterous

BREAKING NEWS: SETON HALL TO LEAVE THE BIG EAST FOR THE A-10.

2010-04-01T19:46:50Z

A source close to the school under the condition of anonymity told me today that Seton Hall will leave the Big East following the 2011-12 season along with DePaul for the Atlantic 10. It's going to be a trade as Xavier and Temple will both be moving to the Big East. This is obviously not the news new coach Kevin Willard wanted to hear as after three days of recruiting, he now can no longer use playing in the Big East and at MSG every year for the tournament as a selling point. This news also should frustrate Seton Hall students, alums and fans who no longer can be guaranteed of a tourney bid if they win 20+ games. I, for one, have expected this to happen for many years already since the Big East is too big, but I didn't expect a trade off with the A-10 powers. I will further analyze this news after the jump.

APRIL FOOLS EVERYBODY!!!!

re: your choice for coach

2010-03-18T17:25:47Z

My choice to be the next head coach of Seton Hall is Chris Collins, the current assistant coach at Duke. He was Amaker's assistant coach at Seton Hall for three years and was the primary recruiter that built the 2000 Sweet 16 team Seton Hall had. With those points in mind, he is a Coach K disciple, has had loads of experience on the bench for the NCAA Tournament, and is, more importantly, a Seton Hall man who is aware of the standards expected of him both on and off the court.

With that in mind, I believe it is clear why I want him to be the coach of Seton Hall. What do you all think?

It's Time for The East Coast Bias to Walk The Plank Part 2

2010-02-17T19:44:19Z

GonzoBall vs. The East Coast Bias Part 2

GonzoBall: What's the deal with Carnesecca Arena, why aren't the Johnnie's playing this one at MSG? Two NYC-area schools with fan bases that could easily fill MSG, is St. John's trying to capitalize on the home court advantage?

East Coast Bias: Personally, I love that St. John's plays Seton Hall in Carnesecca Arena. MSG is big, relatively cavernous, and frankly, a lot more easily accessible for the Pirate fans - taking away the home-court advantage. It has to cost a lot more to put on a game there than it does on-campus... and I have my doubts that two struggling programs would make it worthwhile. MSG is expensive - why pay the money to have an arena half-filled with blue? Additionally, Carnesecca is close to the actual St. John's students, is close and intimate, and obviously bothers Bobby Gonzalez. Despite the best efforts of security, the younger student fans can get a little exuberant - which is something St. John's needs to build on, that homecourt frenzy. Every game doesn't have to be a polite tea party.

GB: The Pirates have struggled mightily in recent years at Carnesecca, none more frustrating than 07-08 when Anthony Mason Jr. drove a knife through the hearts of Seton Hall with his game winning 3PT attempt. Do we have another classic in store, or do you see one team having a significant advantage over the other?

ECB: That was an awesome ending. I think the teams are similar in that they're not that good. Seton Hall is a much better offensive team. But St. John's is a far better defensive team. Last year it was evident that when one team gets to impose its style on the other, that's the recipe for a win. If I see Malik Boothe taking 12 shots again, and the team catching up in a fast-paced game, I'll expect the Hall to win. If I see long possessions and Jeremy Hazell held to under 15 shots, I'll expect a St. John's win. I do think the Red Storm have a decent ability to make runs when they are confident, and Seton Hall can get hot - it has become a good, solid rivalry game.

GB: D.J. Kennedy has been having a nice season, where would this current St. John's squad be without him? We know he can fill it up, but outside of Kennedy, who are the best scorers and rebounders for the Red Storm?

ECB: The thing about Kennedy is that he is a playmaker. He's not the greatest shooter, but he's improving nicely. He's a fair ball handler, a good assist man, a dogged rebounder, a capable defender (I think he could be better), and just understands how to play. I've always thought of him as one of those scrappy, fundamental players you would see at Indiana - tall, rangy, less super-athletic than competent, smart, and if such a thing as "clutch" exists, he is that - he has ice water and the team will look to him at the end of games.

Outside of DJ Kennedy, Dwight Hardy is a get-hot-quick kind of scorer. He can really light it up in a hurry. He can be streaky, especially if he has to create his shot off the dribble. Paris Horne is a good spot-up shooter and can make some plays off the dribble.

Justin Burrell has really come on recently to be a competent rebounder and a fantastic scorer with range out to the three-point line, post moves, and the aggressiveness of his freshman year. Sean Evans is a very good rebounder, can dribble a little (not as much as he thinks he can) and in a speed game, could be an x-factor. He hasn't played much recently, but is athletic and powerful. He is similar to Justin Brownlee, who has some range on his shot (not as much as he thinks) and can also run. Dele Coker is the shotblocker and can rebound well. He probably won't play much, if at all, against the small Hall.

GB: St. John's sports an AST/TO ratio of 1/1, whereas the Pirates take better control of the ball at a rate of 1.4/1. As we discussed earlier, the Pirates get more steals, than non-steal TOs. How would you describe St. John's turnover problem? Lazy passes that get picked off? Or are they generally careless with the basketball?

ECB: I wouldn't say the Johnnies really have a turnover problem, but that comes from watching the team - they are much, much better at protecting the ball against pressure this year. There are two parts of the ratio, obviously, and one is that the team isn't always concerned with passing to another player in shooting position. That is to say they score off the dribble a lot. And when certain players get the ball, they're looking to score and pass as a last resort; the motion offense they run looks for one-on-one opportunities, not for shots at certain times in the flow of the offense.

When they do turn the ball over, sometimes it's because of pressure (but they are improving against the press) but often because a player gets stripped, or a player gets caught in bad offensive position, or a player (especially the small point guards) get caught in a trap. The Red Storm have been good at ball protection, but I believe they can be stolen from.

GB: Speak a little on the Norm Roberts era. From the perspective of a college basketball fan that isn't close to the program, Roberts looks to be nothing more than consistently bad. What is the situation and why hasn't he been fired yet? Does he possess naked pictures of the AD's wife?

ECB: This could be an essay - the forums are all about it, I have written a bit about it, and it's a little frustrating. Roberts' teams have been consistently bad on offense, and started out great on defense... went down to mediocre, and are now good - but not good enough to make up for their inability to score against good teams. Part of the problem is that his system might win if he had superior athletes, but superior athletes don't come to a losing situation unless there are... inducements involved. And sometimes, not even then.

The fans have been murmuring for a change for 3 years. Here's why I believe it hasn't happened: the Athletic Department doesn't believe that the job Roberts is doing is simply winning games. He's there to improve the standing of the basketball team in the community, set moral standards, graduate players, be an ambassador to the University, build contacts to AAU programs the right way, and slowly build a program the school can be proud of. The idea, I think, was to build a sense of stability around the program that had Fraschilla for 3 years until some scandalous kerfuffle, Mike Jarvis for 5+ until he was booted from his scandalous team (who then found a hooker in Pittsburgh)... the administration was looking for stability. And once Norm Roberts made inroads, he would start keeping some of the hard workers at home, building a class of tough-nosed players and starting to win. They thought it would take time and patience. They really like him.

Some will say that even building/ rebuilding a bad program - like St. John's, Rutgers, and other lower-level Big East schools - is a 4+ year process. While there is some truth to that, and it is more difficult in the 16-team league, a fan would like to see progress as opposed to years of beatings by other teams. St. John's is closer this year, but to close the efficiency gaps... that's a big gap, and Roberts has shown that he probably can't coach the offense to a level where the team should win 50% of their Big East games - a low threshold, but it would be better than consistently fighting to stay just out of the bottom 4 in the league. It's not working with Norm Roberts. He's done good by the University but he has a class of 9 graduating next year. After that, with maybe an NIT appearance, which 9 freshman are going to come to St. John's? MAAC level players. Guys who should be NEC stars. Players who would be A-10 middle of the pack players.

That won't work.

The decision-maker is school president Father Harrington, and I surely hope Norm doesn't have incriminating pictures of him. That would be a far, far bigger issue. I do think that, barring a miraculous month, this is his last year. But they have already won 2 in a row... if they beat the Hall and win 4 of their next 6, he might be back.

GB: For the rest of my life, I'll forever remember Felipe Lopez on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline, "Super Freshman Felipe Lopez." I don't know what it was about that cover, but it made me feel like I had discovered this Felipe character before the rest of the world. It was telling your buddy about this kid in high school, "Lebron," before there was, you know, Lebron. It's sad that the majority of the sports world today would tell you that Felipe Lopez was a free agent second basemen who had recently fired Scott Boras. What is your lasting memory of Felipe?

ECB: My Felipe Jersey. Those were ugly arse uniforms and I wore the top like it was gold. I wore it to parties and hip-hop shows. Thing is, I wasn't even the same kind of dedicated basketball fan as I am today, so I don't have strong memories. I just remember thinking, wasn't the team supposed to be better? I remember Kentucky fans in 1996 gloating and me saying that Felipe was going to lead St. John's to a Final Four. I remember people asking if I knew Felipe (I went to school in the Midwest, so they don't know who knows who in NYC).

And I liked Felipe as a pro, always hoped someone else would bring him in as a defensive player with some serious athletic upside... but the NBA passed him by. But man, that cover was a thrill, wasn't it?

Special thanks to Pico, from The East Coast Bias for the Q&A and the stroll down memory lane.

It's Time for The East Coast Bias to Walk The Plank Part 1

2010-02-17T19:23:20Z

Today, GonzoBall sat down with the boys from The East Coast Bias.com to talk about tonight's upcoming game with some interesting takes from both sides.

TheEastCoastBias: At 5-7 in conference, what's the feeling about Seton Hall now - is this what the staff expected? What the fans expected? How has the team disappointed you? How have they exceeded expectations?

GonzoBall: Obviously it's been a roller-coaster of a season. They dropped their first 3, were a bleak 1-4 before impressive victories (UL & PITT) at home restored faith in the fan base as the Pirates sat at 3-4 ready to embark on a three game road trip. At that point, I expected the Pirates to make a mid-season push by making a bit of noise on the road, possibly winning 2-of-3. I envisioned Seton Hall defeating USF and winning one of Nova or Pitt. Obviously, things didn't work out the way we would've hoped as the Pirates were swept by USF, 'Nova and Pitt. At 3-7 and 4 road games remaining for a team that has yet to win their first, Hall fans were left thinking, "NIT? More like CBI, CIT."

As far as expectations, let's put things in perspective. The Big East media and coaches ranked the Pirates 10th in pre-season rankings, stirring up many of the players and coaches. Well, twelve games into the season and here we are, tied for 10th place with USF. Before the season started, Bobby Gonzalez stated the team goal was to make the NCAA Tournament and you can't fault him for saying it. However, the offseason hype machine was pumping and Seton Hall fans were angered when the preseason rankings didn't align. At this point, you'd have to say the prediction of finishing in the bottom half of the conference was a dead accurate assessment.

ECB: I notice the team gets a lot of steals but not a lot of non-steal turnovers - the traps and forcing teams to toss the ball out of bounds that other teams sometimes work on. In fact, the team's allowing opponents to shoot quite efficiently from the floor, especially in Big East play (1.12 points per possession). What are the big problems on D? Do they happen every game, or only against better teams? What does a good defensive game from the Pirates look like, and who is the ace defender?

GB: It's true, the Pirates average 7.7STL per game and have shown strong ball hawking tendencies through much of the season. That said, their full court press hasn't been the reason behind many of the turnovers. In fact, Seton Hall's full court defense is about one trap away from being extremely effective. It seems as if the opposition has trouble when they're first pressed and sometimes after the first pass, but once they get the second pass off towards half court or the front court, they're in the clear. Look at their game against Villanova for example, I tweeted and wrote after the game that Villanova was able to score in 7 seconds or less on the majority of their possessions. They broke the press early and often and launched quick shots that kept falling, keeping the Pirates at a distance.

There's been games where the defense has had multiple breakdowns, with defenders not particularly aware of where their man is, allowing them to streak free for an easy lay in. I spoke a little on Seton Hall's perimeter defense in last week's Q&A with Notre Dame that they've been wildly inconsistent. Sometimes, they'll step up, cut out a team's inside game and other games it's the complete opposite as they've struggled against the BIG EAST elite. Let's look at the evidence: Kevin Jones and Devin Ebanks of West Virginia combined for 41PTS/32REB, Wesley Johnson 20PTS/19REB, Jarrid Famous 15PTS/14REB and Gary McGhee 12PTS/11REB during the second Pit game. On the other hand, they were able to limit Greg Monroe to 8PTS/9REB and Gary McGhee to 6PTS/4REB in the first contest.

ECB: Give me a rundown on the roster - starting lineup, key bench players, who's making an impact at each position (is John Garcia even playing? How about Melvyn Oliver?).

GB: Well, Bobby Gonzalez has altered the starting lineup 301 times since BIG EAST play began after he broke up the consistent lineup that delivered a 9-1 start to non-conference play. Against out of conference competition, Gonzo started a conventional lineup of: Harvey, Hazell, Stix, Pope and Garcia. However, once the fall semester came to a close, Gonzalez had to account for transfers Keon Lawrence and Jeff Robinson, both of whom have worked their way into the starting lineup. The most likely starting lineup against SJU will be a three-guard mix of: Harvey, Keon, Hazell, JRob, Pope. Keon Lawrence, a transfer from Mizzou has been ineffective on offense shooting terribly at 29%. However, he has worked his way into the starting lineup and kept his spot due to his defense. Keon is our best defender who is capable of stopping or at least slowing down the opposition's #1 option. Despite averaging 5PTS and shooting under 30% through 14 games, he's still seeing 22 minutes, which is entirely too much. I recently lobbied for an increase in Robert Mitchell's playing time as Bobby can't keep giving Keon extended minutes when he can't produce on the offensive end. His defense is nice, but the minutes can be cut if it means replacing Lawrence with a more productive option, such as Robert 'Stix' Mitchell.

ECB: How have all the new players integrated into the Seton Hall system? Of all the players, new and old, who has fit in seamlessly? Who has found a hard time with their role?

GB: As stated above, Keon Lawrence hasn't been the player we thought we were getting when he decided to transfer to The Hall last year. In two seasons at Mizzou, he averaged 10.4PTS, while shooting 43%, certainly better than he's performed this year. Sure, Seton Hall and Mizzou are two different systems, but I feel it's more than that and justifiably so. Lawrence was arrested three days before the season began for driving the wrong-way on the parkway injuring another motorist and conflicting reports have emerged regarding his consumption of alcohol that night. Last month, he turned himself in and was released pending an upcoming court case. On a positive note, Jeff Robinson has fit in quite well since Bobby has worked himself into the lineup, so much so that he's earned the starting 4 nod and has become one of the top options for a Pirates offense who often struggles when Hazell isn't lighting it up.

ECB: Bobby Gonzalez: is he on the hot seat?

GB: The University announced prior to the season that they have extended Bobby Gonzalez through 2014-15. It's unclear whether Bobby has actually signed the contract, however, you'd be crazy to think he won't be picking up the pen in the offseason. Say the Pirates don't make the NCAA Tournament, it'd be the 4th time in his 4 year tenure that he failed in bringing them to the postseason, a stat that won't go over too well with many fans and you'd have to believe, the administration. Still, the University granted the extension without knowing how this year would turn out in a move that made little sense as he still had a year remaining on his contract. It's hard to say he's on the hot seat, even if there's a buyout clause in the contract (current or extension), Seton Hall is not a University that would easily accept paying a coach for unused services. Say they were able to rip up an, "unsigned extension," and terminate Gonzalez, what coach would then take on a job after a University didn't honor an extension they previously offered? None of it makes much sense, but it's safe to say, he's not on the hot seat, yet.

Halftime Notes: Seton Hall 49, Notre Dame 39

2010-02-12T01:17:47Z

Sometimes, there's no place like home.

After struggling mightily on the road the past three games, Seton Hall has come back to the Rock to lead Notre Dame by ten after one half of play. This half for the most part was a back and forth affair; when one side was turning the ball over, so would the other. Then they would trade three's. The Pirates would break this trend by ending the half on a 21-10 run, with success with both Jeremy Hazell on and off the floor.

Hazell has bounced back thus far with 17 PTS tonight and he's made a much bigger impact, obviously than he did on Saturday. Disclaimer: ESPN's game page isn't up-to-minute and I can't give you complete stats for every player.

His superstar counterpart, Luke Harangody, has been in some foul trouble and finished the half with 6 points on 1 for 5 shooting. Jeff Robinson was playing better than him with a couple of jumpers in Harangody's face. Interesting note: Brendan Prunty tweeted that our student section chanted "Shrek" when he was at the line, not sure why myself.

Notre Dame was very sloppy with 9 turnovers when they average 10 a game. They also had mental blip and intentionally fouled Harvey on a fast break.

Seton Hall cleaned up as the half progressed and had a lot of key contributors. Stix Mitchell hit a pair of big 3PT shots when Hazell sat down, Lawrence started to use his speed to make plays after some frustrating jumpers we have come to expect. JT came off the bench tonight and also made a couple of jumpers. Pleasant surprise.

The second half has started, let's hope the Pirates can keep up the good work and keep Harangody from taking over down in the post.

Keys to the Seton Hall/Villanova Tussle

2010-02-02T20:23:33Z

No need to call this one a huge game as the Pirates head down to Philly to take on the No. 2 Wildcats. After losing that horrible game to South Florida, the Hall is in need of another season-defining win and one over a once-beaten Villanova squad qualifies and, honestly, erases the bitter defeat, at least in my eyes. A loss, and the Pirates would have to wait for either their rematches with Pitt and/or West Virginia for that resume-building win. Enough talk, here's what Seton Hall needs to do to win tonight.

1. They must somehow contain Scottie Reynolds. Big shock, I'm sure everyone reading this says the same thing. Which only makes it more important to slow him down. Keon Lawrence had one of his best defensive games slowing down Dominique Jones and now should have the chance to do the same here. Make Reynolds take difficult shots, fight through screens, and deny as much as possible.

2. Bobby G. needs to return Jeff Robinson to the starting lineup. In a night of many bad decisions by the Pirates, it all started Thursday when Gonzo started Jeff Garcia instead of J-Rob. Despite a 7-1 start, it wasn't sustained and as you can expect, Garcia had very little in terms of stats. Robinson has been the most consistent of the transfers (yes, including Herb Pope) and having him and Pope up front allows Seton Hall to funnel the offense inside-out better since neither guy is the liability that Garcia is.

3. This can't be a game Jeremy Hazell decides to chuck it up 25 times. Seton Hall can ill afford any repeats of the Georgetown game with regards to Hazell. Hazell must continue to play the team game with him looking for open teammates since we all know Villanova will double and possible triple-team him at times and dare guys like Lawrence to shoot. If Hazell turns tonight's game into his own personal HORSE contest, we'll lose unless Jeremy hits 60 percent (not likely). I'm not worried though as I think Hazell should come through and if the Pirates lose, it won't be because of Jeremy.

Chances for the NCAA Tournament

2010-01-29T02:29:53Z

Before tonight's loss to South Florida, this was what I thought Seton Hall needed to do to make the tournament. Win their four home games, and beat the Bulls and Rutgers on the road. Even if they lost to St. John's and/or Providence, they still would probably need to win one or two Big East Tourney games.

Now? They have to now get a win on the road against any of Villanova, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and probably have to get one of St. John's and/or Providence, along with the four home games and Rutgers. They still can do it, but not if they play like they did tonight.

Halftime Notes: Seton Hall 28, South Florida 27

2010-01-29T01:11:15Z

After a very disjointed first half, Seton Hall leads South Florida 28-27. The Pirates started quickly with a 7-1 lead, but more or less played a lackluster half, missing on key opportunities to have a larger lead. The main culprits were their inside scoring and free throw shooting. Seton Hall had so much trouble scoring in the post, whether they drove the lane, set up inside or hitting their offensive put backs, leading to 32 percent shooting from the floor. Herb Pope's first half is indicative, as he had 0 PTS/ 9REB. As for FT shooting, the Pirates shot 58 percent from the stripe, not very good at all.

Jeremy Hazell was the best Pirate by default since he scored 11 PTS adding a REB/STL/BLK each. South Florida did try to avoid letting him beat them, but Hazell was able to shake them off a few times and for the most part is taking good shots.

Jordan Theodore was again the best Pirate PG on offense, scoring 4 PTS/3 REB/1AST. However, he slowed down as the half ended. Keon Lawrence once again wasn't that good shooting the ball, but was assigned to Dominique Jones and held the Bulls star to 6 PTS on 3 of 6 shooting. Lawrence did have an impressive drive and finger roll finish to go along with a beautiful assist as his lone highlights.

South Florida was more efficient on offense and was able to move the ball around better than the Pirates did.

SHUBigEBall10 added about the Bulls play, "USF is looking to exploit the size differential of Theodore, interesting to see how Bobby adjusts to this. Also, the Bulls need to keep up their defensive intensity to have a chance in this game."

Great job by ESPN2 to showcase our guys at WSOU, in which their call on Hazell's give and go three was terrific.

Second half has started, hopefully the Pirates can up the intensity and pick up this road win.

Astro Bull Q&A with GonzoBall

2010-01-28T17:54:19Z

Last night, GonzoBall editor, Bob Yelenak, answered a few questions from Ken over at USFBullsBlogs.com in advance of tonight's game. The transcript is below:

I’d like to thank Bob over at GonzoBall.com for doing a little Q&A for tonight’s game. Check out his site when you all get the chance, its another great one over at SBNation.

1. I know this one will be easy, but what matchup are you looking forward to for tonight’s game?

The easy answer would be Jeremy Hazell and Dominque Jones as they are #2 (22.2ppg) and #3 (21ppg) in the Big East in scoring. If it weren’t for the 5 point game Jones had at Louisville, he’d most likely be #1 in the conference at this point. That said, the matchup I’m most looking forward to would be Herb Pope and Jarrid Famous. Sure, I expect Fitzpatrick to help a bit, but I see Famous and Pope battling it out on the glass all night. I figure Hazell and Jones will each get theirs, but the game will ultimately be decided by a combination of rebounding and ball security.

2. How much of a surprise has Herb Pope been for you guys this season?

Saying there was a lot of hype around Pope before the season began would be an understatement. For that reason, I’d say Pope is doing a great job at living up to the expectations. Keep in mind, coming out of high school Pope was the 9th rated PF in the 2007 class. In terms of talent alone, he was widely regarded throughout basketball circles as being a top 10 player in the nation, but had several question marks surrounding his character. When Pope transferred out of NMSU and came to Seton Hall University, it was really a gift that fell into our laps. He’s the dominant inside force that the team has been lacking since the Kelly Whitney era. He’s also the best future NBA talent the Pirates have had since the Dalembert/Griffin days.

3. How has Gonzalez done with recruiting this season? Do you think that the program is finally turning the corner?
The Pirates had two players sign letters of intent this season, in Jesse Morgan and Fuquan Edwin. Gonzo has had a reputation of recruiting what I’ll call, “academically-risky” players out of high school. Recently, we’ve heard that Gonzalez would stray away from recruiting these types as he was burned in the past by high profile recruit Michael Glover. Well it happened again, just last week Jesse Morgan enrolled early… at UMass. The Big East doesn’t accept non-qualifying SAT scores and Morgan couldn’t get his score up so he chose to enroll at UMass and play for the A-10, a conference that will accept non-qualifiers. At this point, we’re stuck with one recruit for next year. If Pope and/or Hazell decide they’re going to test waters at the next level? There will be big trouble brewing for the Pirates, stay in school boys.

4. Who scores more, Hazell or Jones?

Coming off of 46 points, you’d have to think Jones is out of gas. Or maybe, it’s just me hoping that he’s out of gas. In all reality, Hazell has shown glimpses of changing his game over the last couple of games, taking smarter shots and playing a style more beneficial to his team. The Pirates are most dangerous when Hazell distributes and gets his teammates involved opposed to when he takes 25 shots in an attempt to notch 30 points. I’d prefer he limit his attempts to 10-15 per game and focus on penetration and getting the the big men involved. So Jones will score more. However, not only will Pope outscore Famous, but so will the 6′6 forward, Jeff Robinson.

5. Random 5th Question: Can you watch the 1989 Title Game, or do you throw the remote when it is on ESPN Classic?

I’d watch it, the P.J. Carlesimo story is legendary. The man led a Pirates team (that was previously shut out of the dance) to an at-large bid in 1988. They even won their first round game. The following year? The national championship, despite losing in overtime, it was still quite remarkable what Carlesimo accomplished at Seton Hall.

Thanks again to GonzoBall for helping out. I’ll have a preview up today on the game.

BREAKING NEWS-Joe Quinlan and Seton Hall Set to Part Ways

2010-01-23T01:10:38Z

According to Jerry Carino (and tweeted by Paul Tyahla), Joe Quinlan is about to no longer be Seton Hall's AD. This appears to be the end of a tenure which the men's basketball team has only made the NCAA's once; his first season. This was also a tenure which the entire athletic program was particularly weak, as women's basketball, baseball and soccer weren't successful. Carino writes:

Four sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed that Quinlan’s contract was not renewed when it expired in September, and that he has been working on an "at-will" basis this year, which is unusual for someone in his position. A potential landing pad is Loyola (Md.), where he began his career as sports information director from 1984-86. Loyola’s longtime AD, Joseph Boylan, is retiring in July. A search is underway.

To be honest, this is a good day for Seton Hall, because the tenure of Quinlan was not a successful one at the very least. There's a Facebook group calling for his ouster, created while I was still an undergrad. It also ends a battle of wills between Quinlan and Bobby Gonzalez, which turned into Gonzo's favor after signing a contract extension before the season.

However, now is a huge dilemma for the Pirates as they not only have to bring in an athletic director who will allow Gonzalez to continue to build the program into a real program, but needs one who can help the other sports to experience some success. Remember, Seton Hall used to have a baseball program that developed players such as Matt Morris, Mo Vaughn and Craig Biggio. Why can't Seton Hall have a baseball program like that again? Those in charge at Seton Hall can't take this search for a new AD lightly or the ramifications that will result will lead to a worse era of Seton Hall athletics. Perhaps a Rutgers-like NCAA drought would result on the wrong person. The right person, however, can help bring this program back to late-80s, early 90s levels of success.

Halftime Notes: Seton Hall 46, Louisville 36

2010-01-22T01:11:39Z

After a terrible performance against Georgetown, Seton Hall played the first half much better against Louisville back at home. Offensively, the Pirates haven't played this well since Big East play started as they shot 59 percent from the floor and moved the ball as well as they have all season. They played mediocre defense against a lesser Cardinals squad from last year's Big East champs, though picked their spots and forced the usual turnovers. The best thing you can say about the Pirates in the half was they didn't have the lulls that have typified this team all season long. It was a 40 minute effort, which the Pirates looked for good shots and crashed the boards as well as they have all year.

-Last week, I wondered if Seton Hall was capable of starting fast, instead of going down early and burning an early timeout, before frantically trying to comeback. Tonight, the Pirates started the game with a 12-4 run, causing Rick Pitino to call the early timeout.

-Jeremy Hazell played an entirely different half tonight than his game down in D.C. Last week, Hazell only cared about shooting. Tonight, his all-around game is much better with 3REB/1AST/2STL. He scored 15PTS and took his circus shots, but he's been hitting them, shooting 6 for 7, and 3 for 4 behind the arc.

-For once, Herb Pope was able to avoid foul trouble, scoring 10PTS/5REB, however, that doesn't begin to state his impact on the floor. His fellow big, Jeff Robinson, was also superb, scoring 6PTS/4REB.

-One of the issues facing Seton Hall in recent weeks has been their point guard play. Tonight, Keon Lawrence, Jordan Theodore and Eugene Harvey have all played well in spurts. Lawrence set the tone early, playing the role of facilitator on offense, though his 3PTS/AST don't tell his story. Theodore picked up the slack when Lawrence got into foul trouble, using his speed to make plays on both sides of the ball, adding 8PTS/2AST. Harvey would finish the half, adding 2REB/2AST. Late in the quarter, Harvey drove the lane with the shot-clock winding down and instead of going for a tough layup, he found an open Pope for the two. Smart play by all three PGs.

-Louisville has tried to press the Pirates, but it hasn't worked at all, which is not a huge surprise since Seton Hall sees the press everyday in practice. Meanwhile, the Pirates haven't pressed as much, picking their spots and making plays when they did.

-The Cardinals did shoot 54 percent from the field, but they were only 2 for 6 from three, while Seton Hall was 5 for 10 behind the arc. Free throws also tell the story as Seton Hall is outshooting them at the stripe 88% to 55%. Even Pope made both of his free throws.

-The crowd looks weaker than it was in the West Virginia game. Unfortunately, I can barely hear the student section with the ESPN telecast.

-As long as the Pirates can continue playing well in the half-court, they should be able to hang on here. Enjoy the second half.

SHU vs. Louisville, Potential Tie-Breaker?

2010-01-20T22:30:17Z

What does the upcoming basketball game between the Seton Hall Pirates and the Louisville Cardinals mean to each other?

Seton Hall:

Well...quite simply...This is it. The pirates can't afford many more losses, especially to teams they are fighting with for postseason bids (regardless of the tournament). The record, isn't impressive, the out of conference, isn't impressive, the quality wins are non-existent. The Seton Hall Pirates are just not impressive this year. The big transfers, aren't impressive as a whole, and are lacking the play making ability that we all thought would make this a banner year. I don't think anyone will deny that this team is talented, but probably not as talented as other teams in the conference. That doesn't mean they can't beat the other teams. It comes down to actually winning. Just because you can beat them or you should beat a team doesn't put the W in the win column. This game can start a run for the Hall, when you start a winning streak-- the first win is the hardest.

Louisville:

If you look to your right and left on a sinking ship you will see a lot of cardinal red. This team lost its first two games against ranked opponents, one in overtime, after having a lead in the second half. Sound familiar? The only difference between the Cardinals and the Pirates is that the Cardinals were blessed with a few lesser teams earlier in their schedule. With wins over St. John's, Providence, and USF, the streets of Louisville were getting rowdier than the streets of South Orange! The Cardinals have chances left, five ranked teams (as UCONN just fell out), to get their dancing shoe sizes out to the selection committee. If they upset a few down the stretch, and the Pirates can do the same, it could very well come down to the tie breaker. While the Cardinals are in better shape, they need this win as badly as the Pirates. This goes for the same with the games against Notre Dame, Cincinnati, and St. John's. No one likes ties, but for the Cardinals to go dancing, they need a tuxedo...without a tie.