Jio Fontan

is leaving Fordham.

Think he'd look good in red & white?

It will be hard to say now, since he won't be playing against us.
If he is good, we'll be without a point guard when he would become eligible.

 

Good job outta Hurley Sr

Hurley screwed him.  Was he granted his release?!

If only Norm could get on this... my gosh, Fontan would be nice on this team.

Why did Fontan pick Fordham in the first place?

http://www.zagsblog.net/

Fordham coach Dereck Whittenburg was fired Thursday afternoon and assistant Jared Grasso will replace him on an interim basis.

“We have great respect for Dereck as a coach and person, and appreciate his contribution to Fordham, his integrity and his dedication to the student athletes,” said Fordham AD Frank McLaughlin. “We wish him and his family well.

“This was a difficult decision, but we felt that we needed a new direction for the basketball program at this time. It’s a priority of the University to have a successful program in the competitive Atlantic 10 Conference.”

Whittenburg is in his seventh season at Fordham. He compiled a 69-112 record with the Rams, 136-162 overall in eleven seasons as a head coach.

Grasso is entering his fourth season as an assistant coach with the Fordham program. He served as an assistant at Quinnipiac University, his Alma Mater, in 2005-2006, before arriving at Rose Hill. Grasso was also an assistant coach at the University of Hartford (2003-2005) after serving as a graduate assistant at Hofstra University in 2002-2003.

Grasso is a strong recruiter who has ties to prep powerhouses St. Anthony and Paterson Catholic, as well as many of the New York City schools.

The news comes on the heels of the announcement by sophomore point guard Jio Fontan that he intended to leave the school at the end of the season.

Jorge Fontan, Jio’s father, said he had no immediate comment on the coaching change and needed to speak with his son.

This is one of the few times I will ever say "good."  Whittenburg wasn't doing anything with that team.  You can't go 3-25 and be one of the worst teams in all of college basketball.  And the Fontan situation - and the other defections - were a sign that he couldn't build a program at that level.  Here's hoping Grasso does well.

Frachilla rumored.....rut roh!

is leaving Fordham.

Think he'd look good in red & white?

of Rutgers realistically

If Fred Hill keeps his job.

I'd love to see Fraschilla at Fordham.  Or, in truth - since I kinda liked Fraschilla - maybe not.  It's not a good job.  Not enough money to make things look flashy, really tough league, a recent losing tradition, fairly apathetic alum/ fan base, and they're like the 6th fiddle in NY area, after St. John's, Seton Hall, Hofstra, Rutgers, Manhattan, Iona. Not to mention the mid-majors like Siena that take the mid-level talent out of the city.

Fordham is ranked as one of the top 60 academic schools in the country.
SJU and Seton hall can't compete with that.

It can be turned around, they just need to recruit smart kids.

If Fordham waits till the end of the year to name a permanent  replacement look for current Robert Morris mentor Mike Rice to get serious consideration.  He’s a Fordham alum who’s had good success in the NEC.  His teams have been to the conference finals two straight years, winning last year and earning an NIT bid in his first season as regular season conference champions. Fordham is his alma mater, he’s served there as an assistant as well as on Jamie Dixon’s staff at Pitt.  There are sexier names but he may be the best choice.

What a disgrace!

http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/2009/12/07/fontan_gets_release_cant_go_to_tristate_schools

Fontan, who was averaging 15 points and 4.2 assists in five games this season, said his release stipulates that he is not allowed to transfer to any school in the Tri-State area.

http://www.zagsblog.com/2009/12/07/fontan-already-getting-calls/

Fontan Already Getting Calls
Posted on Dec 7, 2009 8:00 pm

Jio Fontan got a conditional release from Fordham Monday and has already heard from a handful schools.
Southern Cal, Miami, Indiana, Oklahoma State and Kansas State have reached out to the Fontan family and Jorge Fontan said they may visit USC this coming weekend.
“Yeah, we’re probably gonna go,” Jorge said. ”USC already called and offered him a scholarship. They want us to go out this weekend.”
Jorge said the other schools have already called, and he expects that Arizona may call as well.
“We want to try to take every visit we can,” Jorge said.
According to the conditional release Jio cannot play for any other Atlantic 10 schools or any schools in the tri-state area.
Fontan must sit a year before suiting up in December 2010, at which point he will have a year and a half of eligiblity left.
Asked what the timetable was, Jorge said: “Obviously, before the end of the month.”

Is limiting where he can go a standard practice?

Seems petty and bush league to me.

Is limiting where he can go a standard practice?

Seems petty and bush league to me.

NO idea, I dont know why a kid would ever go play there again

Is limiting where he can go a standard practice?

Seems petty and bush league to me.

It is not a standard practice but it is not unheard of.

In my experience most releases are "full" releases.

The "conditional" release is less common and seems totally unfair in the instance of a coach getting canned.
 
I can see precluding an in conference transfer, in fact many conferences have internal rules to prevent or delay this, but beyond that seems wrong.