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FB Recruiting

Can This Man Challenge SU hoops?

Posted: Ted Conroy

The Fizz’s own D.A. joined the Axeman yesterday “On the Block” ¬†to talk about how¬†the Boston College job opened up.

“Al Skinner actually came into this season without any recruits… I mean, zero recruiting class, which is unheard of.”

Oops! Well, that opened the door for the Cornell’s Steve Donhue, who gets new digs and a much better situation, with pretty decent potential to be a prominent Northeast basketball program.

Why is that? Donohue has this to work with at Boston College.
1) He’s not the second fiddle in his region. Sure, it’s not a college town, because of the presence of the Sox, Celtics, Patriots and Bruins, but BU and Northeastern still aren’t anywhere close to competing for the same recruits. And Boston is a huge market so getting fans in the seets shouldn’t be too difficult.
2) Donahue can really recruit now. Consider his 2009 accomplishments: He got a 7 footer on his team, and a few lethal shooters, despite the fact that he couldn’t even give scholarships. Add the ACC conference (hello national television) plus a BCS school (hello funding.) He now has the resources to build.
3) The Northeast is still fighting for a fourth power school. Syracuse is the clear number one, with the most history and embedded tradition, along with the longest tenured coach. Pitttsburgh and Villanova both share spots in the upper echelon.

However, Rutgers, Seton Hall, and St. John’s are all mediocre programs at this point, with one coach who likes to cause trouble at baseball games.

There is an opening for a school to take the lead. Steve Donahue BC that potential. The popularity of basketball in the Northeast should allow for at least one more successful team in this region.

In theory, it’s a perfect fit. As we Fizzed here last week, Steve Lavin being hired at St. John’s creates a competition for that 4th spot.

Does this affect the ‘Cuse? Absolutely. Donohue takes his upstate New York show on the road – to an elite conference and a school that felt 7 trips to the NCAA tourney in 10 years wasn’t good enough. With Lavin and Donohue there’s a few more players in the Northeast.

Somehow we feel like those guys won’t have a zero recruiting class.

(Listen to D.A. join Axeman to discuss the inherent advantages and disadvantages of Donohue’s jump to Boston College)

The Fizz is owned, edited and operated by Damon Amendolara. D.A. is an ’01 Syracuse graduate from the Newhouse School with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

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