Big East Commish and Conference Headquarters

AJerseyGuy with updates on the new Big East and the search for a Commish and conference headquarters.

Here are a couple snippets from AJerseyGuy's article.

"The new Big East Conference is closing in on naming a commissioner to get it operational by its July 1 official opening and according to several sources familiar with the process West Coast Commissioner Jamie Zaninovich has emerged as the leader in the clubhouse after a series of meetings between the candidates and a group of University Presidents representing the league."

"The league will become operational on July 1, but has yet to hire a commissioner or a staff or even find a headquarters, although a decision to use the New York City area as the main hub seems almost certain at this point."

Sounds like the new commish is likely to be a JT3 guy. I do like the idea of the conference headquarters in New York, sure don't want it in DC as I don't want Georgetown to think they alone are running the whole show.

http://ajerseyguy.com/

I spoke to someone involved with the conference a while ago and asked if XYZ was a candidate for commissioner. Response was, "No, he didn't go to Georgetown." He was joking, but maybe only a little.

Larry Williams and Zaninovich are buds too where LW chaired the WCC AD council at Portland. Both have roots to Ted Leland, retired Stanford AD, who Zaninovich worked under and who Pilarz appointed first thing to review MU's Athletic Department and where LW's name surfaced. Leland now is at his alma mater, the University of the Pacific, and Zaninovich just swung a deal to get Pacific to jump to the WCC...which if the BE hire is made, may put Leland in the position to be a candidate to replace Zaninovich as WCC Commisioner.

Seems like a whole lot of back-scratching going around. But I guess that's nothing new.

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Originally Posted by Phantom Warrior

Seems like a whole lot of back-scratching going around. But I guess that's nothing new.

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I also didn't mention that new MU Executive VP, Mary DiStanislao, was also on that MU Athletic Review Committee, and has UND ties with LW.

Reading BLT's posts you really have to wonder.

Yes, relationships make the world go round, but when hiring an AD at a major University, shouldn't the job go to the best overall candidate to fit your athletic program instead of someone who was hand picked by a member of the University review panel because of a prior relationship?

Here we have John Wooden, the greatest coach in the history of college basketball! (But sir, this unknown candidate was on a panel that reported to me 5 years ago, so I say we go with him). Done!

So the University review committee (was it just athletic or university wide?) had three people. One of which was hired by the University, another who handpicked the AD. Who was the third member of that panel? There may be a big favor coming their way.

If those two factors came from that "review committee", the whole thing just stinks of scam.

Way to go Pilarz - create a fake review committee just to get your people in place.

Just want to be clear, although we can debate how things transpire at MU, I just wanted to point out the MU connections to the Big East decision...it isn't all GTown driving this. MU would be very happy with Zaninovich. He would be a top flight commisioner. And, Leland is one of the best known AD's out there, really transformed Stanford and is nationally recognized for his athletics, university and community leadership. But, connections are important in any job, but more so in a commisioner's role.

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Originally Posted by Marquette

Reading BLT's posts you really have to wonder.

Yes, relationships make the world go round, but when hiring an AD at a major University, shouldn't the job go to the best overall candidate to fit your athletic program instead of someone who was hand picked by a member of the University review panel because of a prior relationship?

Here we have John Wooden, the greatest coach in the history of college basketball! (But sir, this unknown candidate was on a panel that reported to me 5 years ago, so I say we go with him). Done!

So the University review committee (was it just athletic or university wide?) had three people. One of which was hired by the University, another who handpicked the AD. Who was the third member of that panel? There may be a big favor coming their way.

If those two factors came from that "review committee", the whole thing just stinks of scam.

Way to go Pilarz - create a fake review committee just to get your people in place.

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Maybe you should criticize SP for legitimate reasons and not because you have built yourself some sort of scenario based on innuendo mixed with paranoia.

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Originally Posted by TheSultan

Maybe you should criticize SP for legitimate reasons and not because you have built yourself some sort of scenario based on innuendo mixed with paranoia.

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Innuendo mixed with paranoia? I understand that you work in university administration, but just because you do doesn't mean you have to go to extremes to back up everything the administration does.

Here is what you consider my my innuendo mixed with paranoia:

Pilarz hand picked a three person review committee: FACT

Mary DiStanislao was one of the three people that Pilarz picked for the review committee and she was later hired by the university: FACT

Ted Leland was one of the three people that Pilarz picked for the review committee: FACT

Ted Leland has direct ties to Larry Williams and Larry Williams was hired as MU's AD: FACT

So where is the innuendo and paranoia? Looks to me like it is all fact as laid out above by BLT.

Let me add one more fact. Anytime anyone criticizes Marquette's Administration, no matter what the issue, no matter what the facts are, Sultan will attack the poster in defense of the administration no matter how little he knows about the subject: FACT

Grow up.

You called it a "scam" with "fake review committee" apparently just so he could hire Pilarz...without any evidence to suggest that Pilarz ever really knew or wanted LW ahead of time: INNUENDO MIXED WITH PARANOIA.

Perhaps Leland simply suggested to LW that MU would be a good place for him since he knew the place so well. Perhaps Leland suggested to SP that LW would be a good candidate. That kind of stuff happens all of the time when people have connections. Doesn't nearly have to be as sinister or as underhanded as you lay it out.

I am perfectly happy with criticizing the administration when they do something that they deserve criticism for. I'm not going to criticize them for b*llshit assumptions like the ones in your initial post.

Good news that the new headquarters will probably be somewhere in the New York City area.

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Originally Posted by TedBaxter

Good news that the new headquarters will probably be somewhere in the New York City area.

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I would say that is great news.

Pilarz didn't hire himself.

I never said he did it all just to hire Williams, if that is what you meant.

I didn't call it a scam, I said it stinks like a scam.

I never suggested Pliarz knew Larry ahead of time, I doubt he did.

I stated facts. Two of the three people brought in to review the athletic department were rewarded. Pilarz hired Disanislao and Leland hand picked the AD.

I would rather the AD search committee would have hired someone that was the best candidate, as opposed to someone that that was tied to a member of a different committee.

Telling me to grow up and saying I am making ******** assumptions? Sure seemed to have struck a nerve with you Sultan,

Nope. I just think it's pathetic when people build straw-men and make assumptions and pass them off as truth. Like you just did again....

How do you know LW wasn't "the best candidate?" Do you have any idea who else applied? Any idea of what they were looking for? Didn't think so... More assumptions.

Here is the latest from JerseyGuy - BOTH Gavitt and Zaninovich have been ruled out and the Big East Presidents are looking at a MLB or NBA front-office guy. They may have their choice named prior to next week's spring meetings.

http://ajerseyguy.com/

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Originally Posted by ge1974

Here is the latest from JerseyGuy - BOTH Gavitt and Zaninovich have been ruled out and the Big East Presidents are looking at a MLB or NBA front-office guy. They may have their choice named prior to next week's spring meetings.

http://ajerseyguy.com/

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This is a solid idea as long as this person surrounds himself with smart basketball people.

I appreciate ajerseyguy's connections, but his insights are a little over the top. Honestly before reading that, the whole "announcing the conference so close to Newtown" thing never came up that I recall. And let's be honest, Gavitt would never have even been given an interview if it wasn't for his last name. He doesn't have nearly the connections that the others seem to have.

"No one said that Gavitt should have been hired. But to not even talk to him beyond a perfunctory interview is also mind-boggling."

I mean...why? We should give people interviews based on who their father was?

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Originally Posted by TheSultan

I appreciate ajerseyguy's connections, but his insights are a little over the top. Honestly before reading that, the whole "announcing the conference so close to Newtown" thing never came up that I recall. And let's be honest, Gavitt would never have even been given an interview if it wasn't for his last name. He doesn't have nearly the connections that the others seem to have.

"No one said that Gavitt should have been hired. But to not even talk to him beyond a perfunctory interview is also mind-boggling."

I mean...why? We should give people interviews based on who their father was?

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Ummmm.Gavitt is actually quite good. Sure he got his start with Dad, but he has proven himself......

Nukem, I know what he does, and IMO that is not the background you want for a new commissioner. You want someone connected to television and someone to promote the conference accordingly. Running tournaments, which is what he did for the BE and the NCAA, isn't the same skill...and IMO is one that is easier to find elsewhere.

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Originally Posted by TheSultan

Nukem, I know what he does, and IMO that is not the background you want for a new commissioner. You want someone connected to television and someone to promote the conference accordingly. Running tournaments, which is what he did for the BE and the NCAA, isn't the same skill...and IMO is one that is easier to find elsewhere.

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Ummmmmm....you said something about interviewing him just because his dad was Dave Gavitt...so much for your straw man....!

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Originally Posted by Nukem2

Ummmmmm....you said something about interviewing him just because his dad was Dave Gavitt...so much for your straw man....!

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A hint for you. When commenting on a post, I usually read more than the last line. Because I specifically said he doesn't have the connections (and that was a poor word on my part) than the other candidates mentioned.

But apparently you would rather say "Ummmmm" a lot.

Whatever, Terror Skink. Why do you always want the very last word...? And, why do you change your name? Works at that weird Scoop, but not here young man........

No need to make it personal. If you don't want me to respond to your posts, don't respond to mine.

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Originally Posted by TheSultan

No need to make it personal. If you don't want me to respond to your posts, don't respond to mine.

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Why do you want the very last word every time on whatever board. Many disagree with you. Simple as that young man. You are not the last word.