(Catholic hoops cropper) Once-powerful Catholic schools struggle mightily now

Sports Illustrated ^ | Wednesday March 1, 2006 | Frank Deford

[presidio9]

This article is a little misleading. Villanova, Gonzaga, BC, and Georgetown are all in the top 20. Some polls also have Marquette. It IS somewhat interesting that Jesuit schools seem to dominate in basketball. In addition to Gonzaga, BC, Georgetown and Marquette, the other historical powerhouses mentioned (Holy Cross, San Francisco, and Loyola are all Jesuit).

[Blagden Alley]

Fordham (Manhattan and Bronx (Rose Hill)) still concentrates on old-fashioned academics, of course.

[presidio9]

The fact that Fordham is not a powerhouse is an unending source of amazmement to me. What kid in his right mind would pick St. John's or Seton Hall over Fordham? Horribly run program.

[Cagey]

What kid in his right mind would pick St. John's or Seton Hall over Fordham?

It might have something to do with the fact that both Seton Hall and St. John's have been in the Final Four in the last 25 years.

[presidio9]

Really? Then why does Providence suck so hard?

BTW, kids are also picking Manhattan over Fordham.

[Ikemeister]

Yes, very misleading. Villanova is tied for first place in the Big East, which is the premeir conference in college basketball. 'Nova, Georgetown, Marquette, Gonzaga and Boston College are all locks for the NCAA tournament with Seton Hall on the bubble. Hardly a drought.

[Cagey]

I don't know all the reasons but it's a shame that Fordham, Manhattan, St. John's, and Seton Hall don't have the kind of rivalries and floor the kind of teams they are capable of even though all are relatively small schools.

A big part of the problem is that the New York area is just not a college sports part of the country. The Knicks, with their dismal season, will outdraw all four of these colleges combined.

[A.A. Cunningham]

At many of those universities, Catholicism has fallen much farther than the athletic programs have.

[mak5]

Villanova has a legitimate shot at the final four this year and may well be a #1 seed. Marquette was there (or was it the elite eight) two years ago and is looking pretty good this year as well.

[presidio9]

Incidently, the MAAC conference is going to be won by either Manhattan or Iona, and Holy Cross won't lose to Bucknell three times in one season, so they will win the Patriot League (Bucknell will then get an at-large bid).

[presidio9]

A big part of the problem is that the New York area is just not a college sports part of the country. The Knicks, with their dismal season, will outdraw all four of these colleges combined.

I don't think that's the problem, as Seton Hall and St. John's have both had dominant national programs in the not-too-distant past. The problem is that NYers don't support losers.

[Cagey]

The problem is that NYers don't support losers.

The JETS and Knicks sell out all the time.

[Blagden Alley]

" What kid in his right mind would pick St. John's or Seton Hall over Fordham?"

If they picked St. John's or Seton Hall, Fordham didn't pick them.

[presidio9]

The Jets sell out because they are an NFL team. The NFL plays 16 games a year, and features LONG waiting lists for season tickets. The Knicks were good more recently than either college program, and they STILL lie about their attendance. They claim sell-outs when the Garden is clearly at 80% of capacity.

Meanwhile, the Big East Tournament is currently the hardest ticket to obtain in NY sports. I go every year, and I didn't go to a Big East school. I know plenty of BC alums who have no intention of stopping either.

[riverdawg]

"... the Big East, which is the premier conference in college basketball."

I'm sure there are some ACC fans, myself included, who disagree. This is a down year for ACC hoops and, still, the conference has four teams in the top 25, including #1 Duke.

[presidio9]

If they picked St. John's or Seton Hall, Fordham didn't pick them.

Yeah right.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

ping

[presidio9]

Agreed. The ACC is without question the premier conference in college hoops. The Big East is having a good run presently.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

Marquette won it's Elite Eight game that year against Kentucky. I was there in Minneapolis for the game - it was an unbelievable experience and Dwayne Wade scored a triple-double.

I think MU is doing better than expected this year with a large number of freshmen and a new, tougher conference.