Tonight the first of many tests for Fairfield

As the Stags prepare to face the Pioneers tonight at the Arena at Harbor Yard, there is a buzz in the air, writes Chris Elsberry. The excitement on campus is palpable.

But, for a second, look deeper than this game. Consider that Cooley and company, despite what in many respects was an admirable loss against Memphis last Saturday evening, are clear-cut favorites in this game, a position Fairfield does not normally find itself in too frequently. A win is just a job well done; a loss could be catastrophic.

Fairfield flies to Puerto Rico four hours after tonight's game ends, and there waiting for them will be three opponents from powerhouse conferences. Even the most optimistic fan will tell you that 1-2 is probably a best-case scenario.

The Stags then come back to campus for two of their more challenging out-of-conference games: a Thanksgiving weekend game at Alumni Hall against American, last season's Patriot League champions, and then Holy Cross, a talented team that downed Sacred Heart in its season-opener and has beaten Cooley in each of his first two seasons.

Translation: If the Stags lose tonight, they could be staring at 0-6 going into MAAC play. Another slow start. The same script all over again.

Granted, in the Metro Atlantic conference, the only chance that Fairfield has to clinch a berth in the NCAA tournament is to run the table in Albany come March. Still, a second preseason ranking means higher expectations. The best way for Fairfield to match those expectations is to win the games the are supposed to win. No more St. Francis or Yale games, like a year ago.

Tonight is one of those games.

___________________________________________________________

• Siena looked every bit the team they are projected to be last night in their home-opener against Boise State. Still, we won't see what this team is really made of until those out-of-conference stunners: Pittsburgh, Kansas, and (in just nine days) Tennessee.
  
• Albany and Siena: the perfect couple. The Times-Union center has become the place to be in the Capital Region, writes Mark McGuire.
• Niagara's Tyrone Lewis stepped right in to the go-to scoring role in the team's 79-62 win over Towson. It will be interesting to see the Purple Eagles offense evolve sans Charron Fisher. Up next: No. 23 Villanova.
• BC spanked Jimmy Patsos and the Greyhounds on Monday night, 90-57. Anyone get the hint that Cooley leaked a word or two to get back at their rivals? Just saying.
• The good news for the 'Hounds: Providence transfer guard Jamal Barney scored 18 points and looked dangerous. Very dangerous.
• St. Joseph's (Pa.) defeated Rider, 69-57, in the Broncs' season-opener. Not sure what to make of this one, but I can't say that it is a bad outing for a team that: 1) just lost its best player to the NBA, 2) was playing a great mid-major and a regional rival, and 3) had its best freshman (Jermaine Jackson) and point guard (Justin Robinson) hurt. All things considered, not bad at all.
  

Reflections on Ted Spencer

Now that the dust has settled and reality is beginning to kick in, here's a few things that have been kicking around in my head over the past 24 hours about Ted Spencer and his new position at FU:

• I can't say that this is bizarre timing given the end of his contract, coupled with the realignment of Men's Lacrosse divisions, especially the ECAC. The Stags have been overly unimpressive since moving into the division in 2006, finishing with a cumulative 8-13 conference record no higher than tied for fourth overall. Maybe Doris and Co. felt a change was needed to take "the next step".
• 13 seasons is an awfully long time for anyone to be a head coach at one school. Dianne Nolan and the Coach K's and Jim Calhouns of the world aside, Spencer should be considered a tenured and successful face of the program.
• Spencer's coaching career was a remarkable run that will be remembered as a watershed moment for Fairfield Athletics. Before Spencer, Fairfield lax was an infant; today, its a national powerhouse. That alone is his legacy, and he earned every bit of it.
• Did the game pass him by? Doubtful, but sometimes a new voice is needed. I can remember sitting in the stands with Tom Cleary (we used to sit in the parents section for a different angle) late last season and hearing a few voices of displeasure at the team's offensive schemes against the Loyola zone defense. Some of that was probably due to the five freshman on the field on offense, but it's possible coaching had something to do with it.
• Favorite Spencer story: Coach and I would talk about once a week in his office during lax season about the team, upcoming games, and other random stuff. He was really a genuinely great guy who would love to sit down and talk about his passion. Anyway, one day my freshman year I made the mistake of wearing a 'WE ARE ND' green shirt to his office (I'm a big Irish football fan. I know, I know...) I could tell he noticed - he kept glancing at it the entire interview. Finally, at the end of our talk, he stopped me as I walked out and pointed to a picture of the game winning goal in South Bend from back in 2002. "Greatest game of my career," he said with a huge smile. "Remember now, Keith, you're a Stag now," he threw in for good measure. It was the first time I really fell apart of the Fairfield family.
• For those who were unhappy with the team's progress (see above about Loyola game), than maybe this move is a necessary evil. But you have to say this about Spencer: even in the face of an expiring contract and after a comeback from cancer, he still had the presence of mind to begin a youth movement and turn to a talented freshman class last year. It must've been challenging - imagine that conversation with Matt Scanlon or Chris Atwell - but he did not shy away from going young on the field (especially on offense). Whoever inherits this team gets some fantastic underclassmen and (from what I'm hearing) another impressive incoming group.

Which brings me to my next topic: Who is next in line?

More to come.

K-Rock's March Bracket Brawl

For those of you who are either Rock fans and/or live in the NY area, K-rock radio (NY's number one rock station) is holding a March Madness-esque bracket matching up the greatest bands in rock history. The regions are: '70's, 80s, '90s, Modern Rock. Really, really tough. Some of my favorites:



Here's some thoughts:

• My Final Four: Zeppelin, Foo Fighters, Metallica, and Chili Peppers. Kind of a no brainer.
• Some good match-ups in the '70s: Sweet 16 saw Hendrix vs. Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd vs. Led Zeppelin. Does it get much better?
• '80s: I love U2, probably one of my favorites, but Guns n' Roses had to get the nod to go to the Elite Eight. Unfortunately, they saw Metallica.
• '90s Sweet Sixteen: Pearl Jam vs. Chili Peppers and Sublime vs. Nirvana. Love it.
• Modern Day had some good match-ups from the outset, probably since big time bands are still establishing themselves. For me, it came down to Foo Fighters and Green Day (Linkin Park gave a run, though)

Head on over to Krockradio.com to try one yourself. Any thoughts?

Change of Plans

Not many people read the 'Mirror Sports Blog'. Sad, but true. Even less read my own personal blog. As a result, I'm changing the running NCAA blog over to our main page (hopefully we'll pick up a few RSS feeders and stuff Cleary's Gmail box). So head on over there for more coverage. I'll just stick to random thoughts and Duke on this page.

More to come, though.

Surprises Abound in Noon Games

I'm a little shocked to say the least at a few of these games. It's currently halftime all around, so let's do a quick run down:

• Tennessee leads American, 29-22 - That's it? I'm a little surprised with the Vols. This is the same team that our Stags defeated handily a few months ago. I'd expect a big half from Bruce Pearl and Co. coming out of the half.
• Gonzaga leads Davidson, 41-36 - Disclaimer: I'm one of the few that picked Davidson as a sexy sleeper in my bracket. That being said, I'm expecting better from Davidson in the second. The 'Zags have been out of their mind shooting in the first half. Almost too good. Gray has 15 on 5-of-5 from three alone! I expect a drop off. At least I hope.
• St. Mary's leads Miami, 32-27 - Not too shocked by this one. Miami seemed like the big conference school that had a few big wins to sneak in (cough, Duke). St. Mary's is a legitimate team from the WCC, an extremely underrated conference that has produced three (count 'em, three) NCAA teams. Mary's should win.
• SHOCKER OF THE DAY: Western Kentucky leads Drake, 47-38 - It's come to this. Now it's a shock when a little darling school like Drake is losing. Personally, I liked Drake so much that I had them taking down UConn (don't tell Cleary) in the second round. What's the story here? The Hilltoppers are shooting the lights out. 60% from the field and seven threes to boot. The Gonzaga effect may kick in here too.

Much more to come. Stay tuned

Mid-Majors All Around

It's another great day to be a hoop fan (obviously), but it is a particularly good morning to be a fan of mid major teams. I'm splitting my time between a Cinderella 7/10 battle between Gonzaga and Davidson. On my laptop, I'm checking out St. Mary's trying to upset Miami in the East Region's 7/10 game.

If that's not enough for you, American (yes, the same American that Fairfield beat earlier this season) is giving Tennesse a run for its money early on. I'm not sure how far that will last, but so far they've looked good.

I guess Belmont inspired everyone a little.

Updates at the half.

Cats' Show Fight, but Marquette Moves On

Ramel Bradley's three pointer with 24 seconds pulled the Wildcats to within two, but it was just not enough. The Golden Eagles pulled away with some late free throws, and they're moving on up in the tournament.

A plus for KU: Joe Crawford was an absolute monster in this game - 35 points on 13-of-22 shooting. He single handily kept Kentucky in this game. The stats do not even do justice considering some of these points were during Marquette's two second-half runs.

Marquette's guard play and fast-break offense are downright scary. Jerel McNeal and Dominic Jaynes (with Lazar Hayward at the 3) were fantastic - scoring 20, 15, and 16 respectively.

It'll be interesting to see how Marquette's quickness and speed matches up with (presumably) Stanford' two big boys.

Two Things I'm Lovin'

It's only a few hours into the '08 Tourney, but here's two things I already love about this year (and it has nothing to do with the actual Dance itself):

1) Jordan's Nike Jumpman 23 commercial. "There are no Cinderellas". So intense, from start to finish. I love seeing practice, sprints, weight lifting.. it's a great message and some amazing scenes. I loved the cameo clips of J.T.III with a whistle in a Georgetown gym and Boise State practicing the 'Statue of Liberty' play.

2) Pat Forde has a great column on ESPN today. I always love satirical writing (Bill Simmons and Rick Reilly are two of my favorites). Forde does a great job putting his spin on all 64 teams and their dreams/nightmares. As a Duke fan, I can appreciate the puns on Coach K's lame 'American Express' ads. Good stuff.

Honorable Mention: Two words - Gus Johnson.

I'll admit when I'm wrong

I'm a humble guy, so I'll admit that I've made a little mistake in an early-round prediction. I bit the mid-major apple in the 8-9 game between UNLV and Kent State, another one of the games that tipped at 2 o'clock.

The score right now: 37-15 Runnin' Rebel. 18:17 left. In the second half.

That's right, Kent State is shooting 22% (6-of-22) from the floor. Chris Singelatary is the team's leading scorer with 6 points. 6!

Ten points at the half is all that needs to be said. Tough one for another mid-major school against an at-large premier team.

Golden Eagles' Pulling Away?

Sure seems like it. It's a 12-2 run for Marquette - which now gives them a 7-point lead. That marks the largest lead of the game for either side. Billy Gillespe calls a timeout and rightfully so. The Wildcats desperately need to slow the pace of the game down and stop the bleeding.

Case in point, Marquette's last three baskets were on easy dribble penetration and drives. If they get those kind of points, it is going to be a long day.

More to come.

UK/Marquette and Sleeper Bubbles Burst

So far so good out of this game between the Wildcats and Golden Eagles. Coming in, I wasn't so sure that Kentucky would match-up well with Marquette's fast paced offense and perimeter play. After one half, though, I'm convinced they can. Guard Joe Crawford has 19 and looks strong. If could only get some help on offense..

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is handling Oral Roberts (39-18 with 3:00 to go in the first half) and Purdue seems to be in control against Baylor (43-27 with 2:30 in the first). Many pundits (including Sports Illustrated's March Madness special) predicted both of these games to be possible early-round upsets. A few of my friends who took that advice. Such is life.

In the tournament, it seems like it's best to pick the favorite and just hold your breath.

More to come.

Xavier survives, advances

It was far from what you would expect out of a '3-14 game', but Xavier got exactly what it wanted out of its first-round game: a win. Muskateers advance, 73-61. In a survive-and-advance type of tournament, there will undoubtedly be hectic games like this along the way for a high seed.

It just so happened that a steaming hot SEC Champion was a 14. When's the last time you heard that?

In any event, the Muskateers' victory is great for the A-10 and mid majors everywhere (Farifield included); it would've looked terrible if a 20+ win team with big-time hype couldn't take down a power conference team that finished one game over .500 in the regular season. (Also, this is graet news for all those who have Xavier as a sleeper team to take down Duke and/or UCLA.)

More to come. Marquette/Kentucky is next.

The Ballad of Jimmy Patsos

Loyola (Md.) enters tonight's game against Fairfield with a young core of athletes who, despite a slow start, found a way to connect. The reason for that connection? Most would point to Loyola head coach Jimmy Patsos, the man behind the operation.

We've all heard the stories by now - an eleven-year veteran under Maryland coach Gary Williams, a tireless worker who turned around a one-win program, a Maryland native who desired to build a program on his own accord.

For better or for worse, the legend of Jimmy Patsos has spread like wildfire throughout Baltimore and the MAAC alike due to his unique, loud style of coaching. Loyola loves him. Fans clad in green at last season's MAAC tournament wore 'We love Patsos' t-shirts and embraced him after the game.

Patsos explained his approach in his own word's after a win over Canisius in 2005 (at the time, Loyola was a paltry 3-11 in the MAAC): ""You aren't getting anywhere in life -- forget basketball -- in life without emotion." (Credit: Washington Post)

While he is most certainly brash, confident, enthusiastic, his style bodes ill of relations with coaches and screams of controversy.

Take for instance last year's MAAC Tournament opener against Fairfield - a game ultimately won by the Greyhounds. Aside from his Gary Williams-eque screams throughout the contest, Patsos proceeded to scream in the face of Fairfield point guard Jonathan Han as he attempted to break a press. Ed Cooley took offense.

Patsos' post-game group hug with fans after the Greyhounds' win, in the midst of Fairfield Country at Harbor Yard, illustrated how much one's view of Patsos is all a matter of perspective. The Loyola faithful viewed him as the ultimate people person, taking a personal moment to bask in a victory with a few loyal fans. Some in the Red Sea saw a coach whose exhumed arrogance.

Regardless of one's opinion on the man (or Ed Cooley's for that matter), his success cannot be discredited. And, as a famous motto goes, "controversy creates cash". According to many close to the man, he has already started his attempt to take it down a notch. This much is sure: As long as he's behind the bench for Loyola, Patsos will continue to wear his emotions on his sleeve.

For better or for worse.

All Maac'd Out

We've only been here for five hours, and I'm already having trouble keeping my eyes open. Such is life here in Albany, N.Y. this weekend - where the MAAC tournament is in full form.

As we speak, the Fairfield ladies are doing a fine job taking care of hometown Siena. It'd seem as if Joe Frager and company will avenge last season's loss in the first-round at Harbor Yard. Again, there's still 17 minutes left (you never know in tournaments), but a 15-point lead seems safe in the hands of a veteran team.

As for the Mirror Crew and I, it's been an interesting morning to say the least. We left Fairfield around 7a.m. after spending three hours trying to convince Public Safety and Res Life that Chris Simmons and I were harmless enough to let us in for the night. Once again, being "on the list" follows us everywhere.

Here's some thoughts:

• The Men's Basketball team is practicing - as we speak - a few blocks down in the Albany Convention Center. I'm sure that a walk-through and shootaround will follow at some point this evening.
  
• ResLife lady Ophelia (great accent, too) came up huge to allow Simmons and I to get into Loyola last night. Ophie, you rock, mon'!
  
• Looking for a random way to get up to Albany? Simmons' GPS led us to Route 8 -a scenic tour of the back roads and randomness that is Western Connecticut and Massachusetts. Wow. That's all I can say. Unless you're into beaver storage and Berkshire Hillbillies - and those are direct quotes - then 8 and Jeff Foxworthy are something to look into.
• Yanks take on the 'Stros and the new-look Rays in two split-squad games. I'll have my eye on both during down time.
• Caffeine, anyone?
• We've got a blogger right in front of us, Ben Doody blogging to my right - I'd like to think the Mirror Sports Blog has started a craze. At least you're all getting your full of MAAC coverage.
• Breakfast d' Albany: cinammon buns. With no napkins.
  

More to come.

Stags' Key Stretch Begins Tomorrow

Ed Cooley walked away from the court, shaking his head and looking around the building, perhaps searching the rafters of the Hynes Center to find some answers. His son, Isaiah, who had sat courtside behind his dad, ran along the benches to meet his father, confused with his father's actions.

Make that two confused Cooleys.

It wasn't that a road loss to a well-rested Iona team was the end of the world; it was the team's mannerisms. A four-point game at half turned into a sloppy display of defense. Poor perimeter coverage made Milan Prodanovic (five consecutive three-point shots to start in the second half) look like the second-coming of J.J. Redick. Constant turnovers left the Stags without momentum on the court.

When the Stags hit a shot, the Gaels answered. It was that kind of night.

After the game, Cooley summed it up easily: "Right now we're a team trying to find that identity".

The road back to finding an identity for Fairfield began with a 70-64 victory over St. Peter's at Alumni Hall, one that was certainly not easy but a win nonetheless. The Stags expected to win, and finally did win a game in which they were the "alleged" favorites.

Cooley was still not pleased. "We were too unselfish," said Cooley. "We need to do a better job defensively". For the coach of a young, promising bunch of up-and-comers still looking to mesh, it seems as if the head coach wants to instill the notion that simply winning is not good enough. To be great, you can't just get by.

A critical stretch begins tomorrow night at Harbor Yard, as the Stags begin a series against Canisius Golden Griffs. It is no secret that the Griffs have struggled mightily this season (only one MAAC win). With Niagara games in between both Canisius contests, the Stags would love to sweep the Griffs and build off the momentum of the Alumni Hall win. In an ideal Fairfield world, the Stags could potentially split games with the Purple Eagles or better (not too out of the question given Niagara's play of late).

As we have seen all season, though, it mainly comes down to the Stags team we see on the court this weekend against the MAAC's Buffalo tandem. Is it the Stags' team that showed flashes of brilliance against St. Pete's?

Or the team that a confused head coach walked away from last Friday night?

- Keith Connors

[Photo Credit: Fairfield University S.I.D.]

"It's disturbing, it really is"

Here are the team's post-game comments following their 74-61 to Siena:

Head Coach Ed Cooley:

On another loss in the final minutes
“It’s been the same script for four straight games”

On an energy-less loss to Siena
“We had a bad performance tonight. We were not good from start to finish. We were lackluster. We were energy less. We looked puzzled. We didn’t play well at all. We have to find out who we are and where we want to go because right now we’re not a (consistent team). We’re in a funk that I haven’t seen us (in). It’s disturbing, it really is. I saw a different Fairfield team today.

On whether a lack of preparation was the cause of the Siena loss
"I thought we had two good preparation today. We knew exactly what Siena wanted to today. Against a press that was a peek-a-boo press. I mean, wow. Against a regular zone… They must have played a new form of basketball tonight. Basketball, 2008. That’s what we must have saw tonight. But right now, we are not a good team”

When asked if Siena is a difficult team to match-up with
“I don’t think (Siena) is difficult to guard at all. It was our lack of understanding their personnel. It’s not the first time we’ve played them – (Siena) played the same system a year ago. It’s a lack of understanding. It did not translate from practice to the game. It could be Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman out there playing. It’s basketball. It’s jump to the ball, its close out, it’s beat your man to the dribble. Right now, our guys are allowing to much of that.”

On Fairfield’s myriad of issues
"I didn’t think we did a good job of taking away some of the easy thing. They made ten (three-point shots) on the night, I’d bet that eight of them were uncontested. Our rotations were bad defensively. We’ll right it, though. I’m down, I’m disappointed. We’ve got 14 days to see where we’re going. It’s early in the season and we’ve played a lot of young guys. We’ll take care of it.”

Yorel Hawkins:
“It’s frustrating. It was a lackluster game. They were picked to win the league and we didn’t come out there energized. Everyone is lackadaisical out there. I mean, it’s frustrating.

Herbie Allen:
“It’s tough. They shot 55% from three. We made a run, but they made a three here and a three there – it was frustrating. We prepared for them for two days. It seemed like we just threw the stuff that we learned (in) last two days out the window.”

- Keith Connors

'That's My Record'

Head coach Ed Cooley's post-game comments on the Stags' overtime loss against Yale (70-66) at Alumni Hall. For a recap of the game from Tom Cleary, as well as commentary on Coach Cooley's post-game words, check out this weeks edition of The Mirror.


on the 70-66 OT loss to Yale - “A very disappointing loss. I will go on record to say that this was the most disappointing loss I’ve had as a head coach. At home, our crowd was terrific; the atmosphere was great. We are just not a smart basketball team. We’ve had the same script for four straight games. Coming down the stretch, our lack of execution, our lack of understanding what we need to do is just not there. Right now, we are not a good basketball club based on our inexperience on the floor and right now it’s showing because of our turnovers.”

on how to fix the mistakes of a very youthful Stags team - “Keep working with them. Keep stressing the importance of how valuable the ball is. Time and score means everything. Not only that, I think we scout teams as well as anyone in the country when it comes down to what they’re doing. Coaches coach and players play, and put people in a position to win basketball games. Apparently right now I’m not doing a very good job of that. We’ll look at these mistakes and see if we can’t get better.”

on Fairfield's 13-of-26 foul shooting on Tuesday night - “No, that’s just a lack of concentration. We’ve had a couple of games now where we’ve shot a very subpar free throw percentage. That’s just a lack of concentration. That’s not youth – these kids have been playing basketball for a long time. And you’ve been shooting free throws since they were babies if you’re playing this sport. That’s just bad."

on the state of Fairfield Basketball - “Right now, we are not a good basketball team. We are trying to grow. We have a league game (against Siena) on Friday which is very important. I’d like to be 1-0 after Friday. That’s the most important thing on my mind right now. We’ll learn from this and we’ll move on. "

on the Stags' up-tempo start to the Yale game - “I thought we came out of the gate really well. You have to sustain it. Right now, we are having trouble sustaining that level of concentration. "

on the responsibility for the four-game losing sterak - "2-6 isn’t the end of the world. You get to the NCAA (Tournament) in the MAAC by winning the MAAC (Championship). That’s our goal. Right now, our (2-6) record is more about the coach. That’s my record. Our team record right now is 0-0 in this league. That’s the most important thing we have to stress to our kids."

Looking ahead - "We will get better. Those mistakes these kids were making (vs. Yale) will not be made in the near future, I promise you that. It’s a matter of us getting better on a daily basis."

on if there is any consolation knowing the MAAC games are still ahead - "I always think the game you play is the biggest game. There is zero consolation in losing a game. If you’ve ever coached a sport, you don’t sleep when you lose, you don’t sleep when you win because you’re preparing for your next opponent. We won’t sleep tonight because we will be watching hours upon hours of film on Siena. That’s just what our job is. And it’s my job as a head coach to let them know that our head coach is not disappointed, just a little down."

- Keith Connors

Plenty of Fights Ahead

When Jon Han got up from the floor on Tuesday night against Holy Cross, he lost control. There was certainly a lot of frustration in his actions - as he charged after Holy Cross guard Kyle Cruze. After all, the Stags were handled by Wake Forest last Saturday and were being tossed around by Holy Cross the entire night.

Said Cooley, "I was very disappointed with the way our team responded to (Holy Cross') physicality."

Lesson learned. A few days later, the Stags were able to get a win over American University in D.C. - the first of hopefully many in the win column. The team stormed out of the gate with a 14-0 second half run - and, from what I've heard, it looks as if Cooley may have found some rhythm with his personnel after last night's halftime.

Which brings me back to my original point: patience. The reasoning behind Fairfield's brutal out-of-conference schedule is to prepare them for the MAAC. As Cooley said after the Wake game, "We're not trying to compete with Wake Forest. We're trying to compete with Loyola and Siena".

If the Stags can pull some positives out of the sketchy start to the season, it's that they have played against some of the best and come out better for it.

Whether or not they turns those lessons into victories remains to be seen.

• Holy Cross did a great job getting to the line and converting; whether or not it was a merited opportunity remains to be seen. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Cooley was not pleased with the officiating. The Crusaders' breathed a sigh of relief that the got a W on the road without big man Tim Clifford for most of the game.
  
• Jon Han vowed that the team would pick itself up and learn after the Holy Cross loss.
  
• Jimmy Patsos got some pub in the recent edition of Sports Illustrated, which is the 2007-08 college basketball preview. The Greyhounds took down American a few days before the Stags came to town.
• Team source told me that the best story of the D.C. trip to American was the bus driver not showing up to drive the team to the pre-game shoot around. Luckily for them, Cooley called in a favor with John Thomson III and got the Stags into Georgetown's practice facility just in time.
• Assistant coach and coordinator of scouting Tim Fuller has resigned. Coach Cooley confirmed the news yesterday in an interview - but it's something that we've been hearing about for a few weeks now.
  
• Without Fuller in the equation, one can only speculate whether or not it had an impact on former signee Jamal Turner. It's hard to say that the two aren't connected.
• Head Coach Ed Cooley is not unfamiliar with Sacred Heart, as Mike Puma writes here. It's been a while.
  
• Sacred Heart just won't stop talking. They'll be up for this one. The Pioneers are off to a rough 1-3 start. They recently dropped a game to lowly Hartford. But it's a hyped game and they'll be up for it - as will SHU's "Big Red" faithful.
• Regardless of how you feel on the Sacred Heart game, it is no more a rivalry than Holy Cross - which was as intense a game as you can find.
  
• Early scouting report on SHU: a lot of athletes, not as many basketball "team" players. FU is looking to go in often to Greg Nero (who exploded with 13 second-half points vs. American) and Anthony Johnson to counter the Pioneers' small team. Execution will be key for the Stags, but it is a very winnable game.
  

- Keith Connors

[Photo Credit: Connecticut Post]

Let The Games Begin

Last Friday night at Harbor Yard, we got the appetizer.

It wasn't pretty, but Fairfield gave us a glimpse into the season ahead. One thing is for sure: this is a deeply talented team that has a lot of options beyond the starting five. One can look no further to that fact that Marty O'Sullivan and Mamadou Diakhate, two returning veterans, did not play as much as Lyndon Jordan and Sean Grzeck.

Now, in all honesty, it is only a scrimmage. But if we learned anything about head coach Ed Cooley last season, it's that he isn't afraid to go to a younger lineup.

It's hard to envision Fairfield finishing sixth in the MAAC. Still, with a young roster of up-and-comers, it isn't out of the realm of possibility than 2007-08 still may be a rebuilding process. However, one can't help but think that there is a chance that things may gel, the team may hit the ground running, and the Stags could find themselves playing basketball in March.

And it's not out of the realm of possibility that Cooley and the gang could pull a 180-degree turnaround and perform well in a tough out-of-conference schedule. With powerhouses like Kentucky and Michigan State falling to small, mid-major schools in scrimmages, why can't the Stags follow in suit? Especially given the transitional nature of Wake's team right now.

Oh, the beauty of the pre-season.

• Jon Han was The Man for Fairfield against Bridgeport. The Stags were able to overcome a sluggish start and hold on for a win over the Purple Knights.
  
• Ed Cooley did his best to rotate players and avoided going into the playbook all night. After the game, he was as calm as ever. He told me, "I just can't wait to go home and watch (the Boston College) Eagles game tomorrow, man."
  
• Wake Forest, after a tumultuous off-season, is ready to roll. In many respects, the season begins with a heavy heart for the Demon Deacons. For many, like junior guard Harvey Hale, it's to focus on the game; a welcome distraction after a tough loss. As a Duke fan growing up, I can say that Skip Prosser's Wake teams were as tough as they come. It's a loss that will most-definitely be felt.
• As Lenox Rawlings writes, a pre-season prediction for Wake to finish near the bottom of the pack in the ACC (the team is starting four freshman and a red-shirt sophomore) just adds fuel to the fire for hard-workers like Hale.
  
• There are plenty of questions surrounding the Deacs as they head into the season.
  
• Early Scouting Report on Wake from a Fairfield perspective: expect to see a lot of match-up zone. From what I've heard, Fairfield has prepared all week to face a lot of the 2-3 zone on Friday night - probably due to a lack of respect for the Stags' outside shooting sans Michael Van Schaick.
• Fairfield signed a blockbuster deal with Cablevision that will provide game coverage as early as this season. AD Gene Doris hopes that this will develop into a great partnership - with a possible full season televised schedule on the horizon. Great news for FU from an exposure and public relations standpoint.
  
• To add more fuel to the so-called Cooley/Jimmy Patsos rivalry, Loyola (Md.) has received a great deal of publicity in the pre-season, as his Greyhound squad is largely considered to be the favorite in the MAAC. The reason? Senior guard Gerald Brown (22.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.7 apg), a 6'4" kid from Baltimore who led the MAAC and ranked eighth in the nation in scoring. He's that good.

For our final tidbit of prep heading into the season, here's a little history lesson. After some research (after all, I've only been a part of the Fairfield family for 14 months), it seems that there's some reason for hope that a Fairfield upset in Friday night's contest is possible. One simply needs to look to the past.

The 1997 miracle run of the Stags was one of the more remarkable in the school's history. After an injury-plagued, underachieving season, Fairfield caught fire just in time for the MAAC tournament. The Stags (11-18 on the season) downed St. Peter's, Canisuis, and top-seeded Iona to clinched an NCAA tourney berth.

In the 1-16 game, the Stags pushed North Carolina to the brink. The Stags started the second half strong and took a 37-28 lead early, but their bid to become the first 16 seed to claim a top-seed as their victim, but ultimately fell short, 82-74.

The host city of that game? Winston-Salem. The arena? Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Hey, you never know.

As the Calendar turns to November

The last time I wrote from Harbor Yard, a teary-eyed Michael Van Schaick was trying to put a first round loss to Loyola (Md.) into words, and Ed Cooley was vowing that 2007 would have a far different ending.

7 months have passed and now we return to the start and wonder what the road ahead will bring. How will Fairfield respond to losing their leader? It will be difficult to decipher at first, as the Stags once against face a daunting early season schedule from the outset.

One thing is for sure, with eight underclassmen, this is still a young team - and a sixth-place MAAC projection in the coaches' poll proves expectations are low.

But that's fine with Fairfield.

• Herbie Allen is in line for some serious playing time from the get-go. He's projected to be opening day starter. In this Chris Ellsbury piece, the presence of some new freshmen guards may have motivated him.
• M.T. Church hits the nail on the head: scheduling is tough.
• Warren Edney, Yorel Hawkins, and potential starter Lyndon Jordan are not polished yet, but they are exciting. The potential is certainly there.
• Season one for any coach is challenging. Add in a new hometown, an inheritance of players you are unfamiliar with, and an underachieving program and you've got yourself a tough task. Ed Cooley welcomed it, and felt like it was a tale of two seasons. Now, it appears as if he's in a comfort zone at Fairfield.
• Say what you will about Cooley, but he knows how to get through to his players.
  
• New women's coach Joe Frager makes his debut tonight in the scrimmage with Bridgeport. Unlike Cooley, he inherits an experienced, contending team.
• Fairfield alums want to see more meat in the seats after Harbor Yard. One could certainly sense a difference in atmosphere between the opening night thriller against America and a majority of the games down I-95. Still, one would hope that some more victories to the credit of both teams will make the change. On a positive note, the MAAC tournament game against Loyola (Md.) here was phenomenal.
  
• Whether it is our choice or not, Sacred Heart has been thrust into the spotlight as our rivals. However, it's more geographic proximity than hard-feelings between the two Fairfield, CT schools. Apparently Sacred Heart is loving the idea of taking the town: they sent a Pioneer over on Halloween to the Barone Campus Center, and threw around some "Go Big Red" flyers around the Walsh Center, just in time for basketball practice. Motivation already?
• Greg Nero likes Kanye West.
• Bob Huessler is a local legend. I'll admit that, as a New York sports fan as a kid, it was pretty cool to be able to cover a game a few feet away from a bonafide professional. We're lucky to have him here at WVOF.
• Fairfield has just signed a deal with Cablevision/News 12 Connecticut to broadcast some MAAC games later in the season (Rider was one definitive answer).
• It's still nine days away, but it's never too early to start thinking about the competition when you're dealing with a powerhouse like Wake Forest. That powerhouse, though, is undergoing some changes.
  
• On a personal note, tomorrow is the "Super Bowl" of New Jersey. As a Bergen Catholic alum, it's not just a choice to be there, it's an obligation

- K.C.