Fordham Bball...Just a little less Whitty these days

He came, he screamed, he won, he danced with the fans. Then he lost. Then he lost again. Then he lost 94 times in six seasons.

Don't get me wrong. Derek Whittenburg was a great dancer. But even a Mono dance can't get somebody out of a 69-112 record.

It seemed that Coach Whitt was a great speaker, had high energy and superb relationships with administration. But was he a coach? Did he have the best facilities? And why didn't this guy get more quality P.T. during his reign?

LUUUUKKKEEEEE!!!

Coach Whitt:

What did he do?

He compiled a 135-162 record over 10 seasons and change. His best year came at Wagner where he led the Seahawks to the a 15th seed in the NCAA tournament in '03.

Wagner competes against powerhouses such as Central Connecticut State University and Farleigh Dickinson (Fairly Ridiculous) University in the NEC.

What does NEC stand for? That is not a rhetorical question. I actually have no idea.

He came into Fordham fresh off this NCAA tournament appearance/disappearance during a 20 point loss to Pitt. He was well-liked by the fans for his high energy and ability to recruit better talent than prior coaches.

After an 18-12 season my sophomore year and strong showing in the A-10 tournament, things looked good. Expectations were high for a team of returning seniors, including one Bryan Dunston, who is playing here in South Korea and doing quite well.

But, the next 2 years were atrocious. There seemed to be no set plays in his offense. It was run and gun, and miss.

It was like an Overlook game back at Kingsbury School in Waterbury. The days when it was ok to wear sweatpants and school shoes on the hardwood. Dads refereed and players ran back and forth faster than piano metronomes.

I was more inclined to go to the campus chapel or even the library.

His ability to coach and relate to his players came into question and ultimately, he was fired this past Thursday.

Gymnasium Archaism:

But was it all Whitt's fault?

Fordham University's Rose Hill Gymnasium is the oldest gym still in use in NCAA division I basketball...

How many times do you hear it if you're at Fordham? 15-20. How many times do you like hearing it? 2. I only liked hearing it when Hubert Davis said it during an ESPN game my junior year and when I heard myself telling other people that Hubert Davis said it during an ESPN game.

How many perspective players enjoy playing in it? 1. Matty Beck: walk-on, '10.

GREAT!! The Oldest Gym in America! That's like having the oldest version of the I-pod or oldest car in the high school parking lot.

You are constantly made fun of by others for your inability to measure up in size and style.

Who wants to play in the oldest gym in America? Does Fordham even have any kind of basketball history that would prevent Ram enthusiasts from tearing down the 3,740 seat arena?

Looked up Fordham Basketball History on Wikipedia:

At the time it was built, it was one of the largest on-campus facilities in the country, earning it the nickname "The Prairie." The Rose Hill Gymnasium has been the site of many legendary college and high school basketball games, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's final high school game. During World War II, it was also used as a barracks. New York City Mayor Ed Koch lived in these barracks for a time.

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Who cares? Can I get an A-1o Championship? Can I get a top 50 high-school player? We are in New York City. Let's build a new arena down by Lincoln Center and entice some talent from this huge NYC pool. Send a scout down to Rucker Park. Have Fat Joe "Make it Rain" basketball players on Eddies Parade. Prairie gots to go.