Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Coach Drops Bx. School like a Bad Habit
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Coach Drops Bx. School like a Bad Habit: Coach Drops Bx. School like a Bad Habit No Sooner is Manhattan Out of March Madness, Accepts Coaching Gig in Florida By Howard Goldin BRO...
Coach Drops Bx. School like a Bad Habit
Coach Drops Bx. School like a Bad Habit
No Sooner is Manhattan Out of March Madness, Accepts Coaching Gig in Florida
By Howard Goldin
BRONX NEWS, MARCH 26- March Madness is in full swing. The Sweet 16 will begin play on Friday. The excitement is high in New York City as the Eastern Regional will be held in Madison Square Garden, the “Mecca of Basketball”. It is the first time since 1961 that the NCAA Tournament will be at MSG.
Less than one week after the final game of the Jaspers for this season, reports were first heard at CBS Sports.com that Steve Masiello, the head coach of the Manhattan Jaspers, had accepted the head coaching position at the USF (University of South Florida). Those stories have since spread to many internet sites, newspapers, radio and television stations.
Masiello is a product of the New York metropolitan area. He was born in White Plains and educated in that area through high school. His relationship with Rick Pitino drew him away from the Northeast on several occasions. He first worked with Pitino in the late 1980’s when Masiello was the ball boy with the Pitino coached New York Knicks.
Masiello entered college at the University of Kentucky, where Pitino was the head basketball coach. Masiello, not greatly talented, but very gritty, was a walk-on. With Pitino’s encouragement Masiello began his coaching career after his graduation in 2000.
He stayed in the South for his first post-college year as he served as administrative assistant at the University of Tulane.
The next year, Masiello began the first of two tours at Manhattan College in the Bronx, where he was an assistant coach from 2001-5. The team improved during those few years and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and 2004.
Masiello’s mentor, Pitino, again attracted Masiello to the South the following year, when Masiello started a six-year tenure as one of Pitino’s assistant coaches at Louisville.
With Pitino’s blessing, Massiello returned to Manhattan in 2011 to accept the head coaching job. The Japers made the biggest turnaround in college basketball as they finished 21-13 in Masiello’s first season at the helm. In the previous year, they had only been victors in only six games.
The Jaspers this season automatically qualified for the NCAA by winning the MAAC Tournament with a defeat over Iona in the final. To the grave disappointment of both Masiello and Pitino, the teams of the two coaches met in a first round game in Orlando. The more talented Louisville Cardinals were victorious in a hard fought contest.
Five days after that contest, it appears that Masiello is moving from the Bronx to Florida to coach USF. Stan Heath, the coach of USF for the past seven years, was fired on March 14. A search has been underway to hire a replacement. Heath compiled a very disappointing mark of 37-89 during those tears. A new Athletic Director, Mark Harlan, took office on Monday.
It has been reported that Masiello asked the advice of his mentor who strongly encouraged him to take the USF job. Also, it was said that Chris Sullivan, the co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, and an important individual in Tampa, has been strongly supportive of Masiello’s hiring. Sullivan is a close confident of Pitino.
It has been reported Masiello will earn $1,000,000 per year for a contract lasting five years. There are several candidates that will now be considered for the vacant coaching position at Manhattan.
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Less than one week after the final game of the Jaspers for this season, reports were first heard at CBS Sports.com that Steve Masiello, the head coach of the Manhattan Jaspers, had accepted the head coaching position at the USF (University of South Florida). Those stories have since spread to many internet sites, newspapers, radio and television stations.
Masiello is a product of the New York metropolitan area. He was born in White Plains and educated in that area through high school. His relationship with Rick Pitino drew him away from the Northeast on several occasions. He first worked with Pitino in the late 1980’s when Masiello was the ball boy with the Pitino coached New York Knicks.
Masiello entered college at the University of Kentucky, where Pitino was the head basketball coach. Masiello, not greatly talented, but very gritty, was a walk-on. With Pitino’s encouragement Masiello began his coaching career after his graduation in 2000.
He stayed in the South for his first post-college year as he served as administrative assistant at the University of Tulane.
The next year, Masiello began the first of two tours at Manhattan College in the Bronx, where he was an assistant coach from 2001-5. The team improved during those few years and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and 2004.
Masiello’s mentor, Pitino, again attracted Masiello to the South the following year, when Masiello started a six-year tenure as one of Pitino’s assistant coaches at Louisville.
With Pitino’s blessing, Massiello returned to Manhattan in 2011 to accept the head coaching job. The Japers made the biggest turnaround in college basketball as they finished 21-13 in Masiello’s first season at the helm. In the previous year, they had only been victors in only six games.
The Jaspers this season automatically qualified for the NCAA by winning the MAAC Tournament with a defeat over Iona in the final. To the grave disappointment of both Masiello and Pitino, the teams of the two coaches met in a first round game in Orlando. The more talented Louisville Cardinals were victorious in a hard fought contest.
Five days after that contest, it appears that Masiello is moving from the Bronx to Florida to coach USF. Stan Heath, the coach of USF for the past seven years, was fired on March 14. A search has been underway to hire a replacement. Heath compiled a very disappointing mark of 37-89 during those tears. A new Athletic Director, Mark Harlan, took office on Monday.
It has been reported that Masiello asked the advice of his mentor who strongly encouraged him to take the USF job. Also, it was said that Chris Sullivan, the co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, and an important individual in Tampa, has been strongly supportive of Masiello’s hiring. Sullivan is a close confident of Pitino.
It has been reported Masiello will earn $1,000,000 per year for a contract lasting five years. There are several candidates that will now be considered for the vacant coaching position at Manhattan.
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Monday, March 24, 2014
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fire Destroys Shopping Strip
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fire Destroys Shopping Strip: Fire Destroys Shopping Strip By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 24- Firefighters battled a wind-fueled fire that tore through a row...
Fire Destroys Shopping Strip
Fire Destroys Shopping Strip
By David Greene
BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 24- Firefighters battled a wind-fueled fire that tore through a row of businesses along East Burnside Avenue, destroying at least two stores and at least two other stores suffered extensive damage.
Officials say the blaze broke out at 10:35 a.m. on March 23, inside of Fino men's clothing store at the corner of Walton Avenue.
The fire quickly spread to an adjacent 99 cent store. Flames ripped through the roof of both businesses and both were completely destroyed.
A plume of black smoke hovered eerily over the Mount Hope neighborhood for the first hour of the blaze, before it dissipated into a white smoke that blended into the approaching clouds.
Fire officials could not confirm, but it appeared that a cell phone store was also destroyed in the three-alarm blaze.
Fire damaged the rear of at least two businesses-- a meat store and a fruit store.
Nearly 140 firefighters from 33 units fought back the flames and were able to save the Radio Shack, an Amalgamated Bank and a furniture store on the opposite corner from where the fire began.
The blaze was eventually brought under control at 2:27 p.m., but two tower ladders sprayed the smoldering pockets of fire for the rest of the afternoon.
Three firefighters suffered minor injuries and were transported to local hospitals.
Fire marshals remain on the scene a day later and continue to investigate the blaze's origin.
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance: Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance By Howard Goldin BRONX NEWS, MARCH 24- The only team representing the Bronx in the Women’s NCAA Tournament,...
Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance
Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance
By Howard Goldin
BRONX NEWS, MARCH 24- The only team representing the Bronx in the Women’s NCAA Tournament, Fordham University, seeded 10th, played competitively throughout its first round contest against the seventh seeded California Lady Bears at Waco, Texas. A victor was not decided until the final seconds of the game.
The Lady Bears ran up their largest lead in the first half, six points, 13-7, with a three at 14:25. At that point, the Rams of Fordham began a 14-1 scoring run that raised their advantage to a game high of seven points, 21-14, at 7:51. The run was culminated by a three by Erin Rooney. After the last first half tie at 28, Fordham’s Emily Tapio sunk a basket that gave Fordham a 30-28 lead at the half.
During the second half, neither team displayed any intention to accept losing the contest. The score was knotted eight times and the lead changed hands on nine occasions.
Three of the lead changes took place during the final 31.5 seconds of play. With the Rams leading, 61-60, Afure Jemerigbe netted two free throw to give the Bears a 62-61 lead. The ball then was given to the star of each team, Erin Rooney of the Rams and Brittany Brown of the Bears to hopefully give her team a win. They are two of only three players in the NCAA this year who averaged at least 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists per game.
With 19 seconds on the clock, Rooney’s basket provided the Rams with a 63-62 advantage. Five seconds later, Brown’s layup gave the lead back to the Bears, 64-63. Rooney took the final shot of the game, but it was blocked by Reshanda Gray. The block was caused by a defensive switch made by Cal coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
The two backcourt leaders of their teams played outstandingly and achieved double-doubles. Brown scored 22, 16 in the second half, dished 10 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds. Rooney scored 17, hauled down 10 boards and passed for five assists.
Coach Stephanie Gaitley assessed the two, one day before the contest was played, “I think Erin is very disciplined. I think she is more of a disciplined guard and I think Brittany can really create her own shots and she does a great job of getting other people shots as well. In so many ways, what they both do for their teams is very similar.”
Although the Rams were narrowly edged in Saturday afternoon’s contest, their improvement since Gaitley assumed the head coaching position is remarkable. In the 2007-8 season, the Rams were 0-29. Under the helm of Gaitley for the past three seasons, Fordham has won 62 games, a Fordham record high of 25 in each of the last two years.
Two star Fordham seniors commented on the team’s rise. Rooney remarked, “I think it’s just nice to be able to put a school on the map. It’s a great school, and people, I think, think of it as more of an academic school, and to be part of a team that can put it out there in in the sporting world and get people to recognize it, it’s pretty special.”
Another Fordham senior, Abigail Corning, said, “It means a lot to be a part of the historical run that we’ve put together and really building our program up from obviously winning zero six years ago.”
Meaningful comments regarding Fordham were tweeted by Scarsdale native Lindsay Gottlieb, the classy and highly successful coach of Cal, “Major credit and kudos to @Fordham WBB. Well coached is an understatement. [They are] excellent players with a winning attitude.”
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Split for Jaspers
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Split for Jaspers: Split for Jaspers (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Gary Quintal BRONX NEWS, MARCH 24- Manhattan Softball split a pair of games Sunday afternoo...
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