Want a thankless job? Try convincing people to attend a Rutgers basketball game. Or to even talk about the men’s team. That’s how it goes with the Scarlet Knights.
Even students – you know, people without much else to do – couldn’t care less. Ryan Glanville bemoaned as much to the Courier News. “Even though I’m very enthusiastic, nobody ever seems excited about it,” Glanville said. “People say, “Nah, the team’s going to lose.’ “
But should they? Rutgers does have a new coach in Mike Rice, which is a fine start. Fred Hill didn’t do much other than antagonize his players and fans (and opposing coaches.)
Under Rice, Rutgers is starting to play differently. Not better, but with more effort. They play defense. They run. The offense is no longer a series of one-on-one moves. Best of all, Rice landed a prime recruiting class. If this season shows any promise whatsoever, the next few years could finally boost attendance over 5,000.
“The average (student) has an idea of it, they know about the recruiting class, but I don’t think they care too much about this year,” said Steven Miller, sports editor of The Daily Targum. “This is an important year for Rice in terms of building and putting his system in place, but they want to see the seven freshmen flying around the court.”
Yeah, that’d be a start. It’d almost be as good as winning.
Want more? I’m also on Twitter @BeyndArcMMiller.
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- kountryking - Apr 5, 2011 at 10:17 AM
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The fact that four months later there are no comments says a lot. The men’s team just doesn’t draw the quality players it needs to compete in the Big East. Once the Phil Sellers era ended a quarter century ago, it’s been as downhill for the men as it’s been uphill for Coach Stringer’s women.
The Big East has become a basketball powerhouse dominated in both genders by UCONN. Their program attracts the best. Rutgers women keep getting spots in the NCAA Tournament. The men can’t quite finish in the Big East Tournament.
I follow the women’s teams as closely as I can although I live in El Salvador. I listen to WCTC on my computer. But when I lived in the U.S. I enjoyed when ESPN telecast exciting Rutgers women’s games. Look at how many of Coach Stringer’s graduates are playing in the WNBA or in European leagues. And the men? We’ve watched more than one quality player defect to an ACC team in recent years where they had a chance for a national title. That’s disgraceful.
I wish Coach Rice the best in bringing glory back to the RAC.
