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FeedMan of Substance: Why We Love Villanova Coach Jay Wright
Nova's men’s basketball coach is more than just a pretty face. He knows it, and so should you. We've got the expanded web story on this powerhouse right here.
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Back in 1994, when Jay Wright took over as head coach at Hofstra University, the Flying Dutchmen—as they were then known—were downright rotten. “We were ranked something like 310th out of 320 teams,” Wright recalls.
Then-assistant coach Tom Pecora sums it up better: “The running joke was that, during the first year, all of Jay’s halftime adjustments involved his tie, hair and handkerchief. There was nothing we could do with that team.”
That first season, Hofstra traveled to Notre Dame. “Before the game, Jay tells the team, ‘The officials are going to put it to us, but we can’t lose our composure,’” says Pecora.
Hofstra responded to the challenge by playing its best first half of the year. The Dutchmen stayed close, but fell behind at the half when the Irish went on a late run. Just as Wright predicted, the referees were creative in their interpretation of the rules. As the teams left the court, Pecora looked for Wright but couldn’t find him. He finally saw him—yelling at the refs. Villanova University’s future men’s basketball coach was doing exactly what he had told his players not to do.
Reader Comments:
I'm sorry Michael but he does have to take a lot of the blame for that slide. That slide didn't start with the 6 game slide, it started in late January at that Georgetown game. They should have lost to Depaul a terrible team. And that opening NCAA game they just choked. This team was a #2 seed who should have lost the first NCAA game in 2010. Then they got smoked by a #10 seed. He's done a fine job but you should have mentioned that the last 2 seasons have been a big dissapointment.
Also I don't think they deserved an NCAA bid. I know their RPI(BS)was higher then some mid-majors but I would have taken a mid-major team with a little lower RPI, but who was playing better.