Article on Pikiell’s hiring
- Thread starter MadRU
- Start date
"I’ll walk the Turnpike to get this job."
I think that about says it all about how much Pikiell wants to be at Rutgers.
I think that about says it all about how much Pikiell wants to be at Rutgers.
That was local sports journalism at its finest. Great read.
I get the sense that Coach Calhoun had a bigger part in this decision. Always got the.sense, he had an affinity for Rutgers, no coach speak, in all the years he played against us in the old Big East. He genuinely liked Rutgers and their fans.
Think there is truth in this ...of all the top dog coaches in the league, he was one that always went out of the way to say good things about the RAC and he was far more complimentary of us than we deserved
agreed a good read. really believe we need to support positive articles like this even by papers or writers that we done like or see normally excessively harsh towards RU to show we will support them if they support us.
Outstanding article. It's indisputable that he built the SBU program from the abject depths to consistent winners and an NCAA berth. One nit-pick and a little hyperbole re the "annual butt-kicking" they gave the America East. To be fair, both Vermont and Albany enjoyed some success during that period as well. Of course, neither had to rise from the ashes like SBU. Rutgers is really fortunate to have him, and a deserved nod to Hobbs on an incredibly insightful hire.
After we make the tournament and Pikiell wins B1G coach of the year (and probably national coach of the year) we better be prepared to give him a nice new contract!
I think the sign guys in the student section have something to work with here.
I'll walk the Turnpike to get into the NCAA Tournament !
Been saying it since year one, i love this guy. Charisma off the charts and clearly an excellent game coach who squeezes the most out of the roster.
Forgot Jay Williams wanted the job. That would not have been good.
At the time, I didn't know a ton about him, but as I read more about what he inherited and accomplished at Stony Brook, I was happy with the hire. We really needed someone who knew how to conduct a massive re-build.
This:
“We’re trying to build a program,’’ Pikiell said. “I’m fortunate. I have a good staff and there’s good people here. I love Rutgers, I love the whole environment, I love the fans, I love my team. We built it and we just have to keep climbing the ladder.’’
Add to him constantly saying we're in the best league in the country and he can, rightly, call the shots to keep himself On The Banks forever....
“We’re trying to build a program,’’ Pikiell said. “I’m fortunate. I have a good staff and there’s good people here. I love Rutgers, I love the whole environment, I love the fans, I love my team. We built it and we just have to keep climbing the ladder.’’
Add to him constantly saying we're in the best league in the country and he can, rightly, call the shots to keep himself On The Banks forever....
I know this will never get out but I wonder what school was scheduled to meet with him the following day. Not sure the timing of the other hires but programs open that year in link below. Regardless glad Hobbs did not let him out the door.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...-firings-college-basketball-coaching-changes/
https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...-firings-college-basketball-coaching-changes/
When the job opened someone, right here in this very forum, said that Rutgers should talk with Steve Pikiell :popcorn:
Would guess in 2016 the other job he was going to get on a plane to interview for was Pittsburgh. He would’ve been a great hire after the Stallings Disaster
I was thinking that one too. That one made the most sense and he would have been a good fit there. Glad he never got on the plane wherever it was going.
Nitpicking a bit but Albany's success was similar to Stony Brook's.. Will Brown was literally the only assistant still on staff when they transitioned to D-1, and he's been their only coach through their D-1 entirety. He didn't have anything to start with either
That said, comparing the two is a no brainer - if any high major programs were interested in Brown, he wouldn't be at Albany anymore
From the list of openings I guess it was Pitt or maybe UCF that was interested.
Old timers might remember that Fred Gruninger was widely criticized for meeting a football head coaching candidate at a diner on Rt 22, I forget who it was, it might have been when Anderson or Graber was hired.I guess NYC diners are more retro-hip.
Old timers might remember that Fred Gruninger was widely criticized for meeting a football head coaching candidate at a diner on Rt 22, I forget who it was, it might have been when Anderson or Graber was hired.I guess NYC diners are more retro-hip.
Most of the people on the Pitt board wanted Hurley. I told them they really didn't know what they were asking for with that guy. I really think he's got some issues between the ears. Not Antonio Brown type issues but issues.
‘We did the deal on a handshake’ over coffee and eggs | The inside story of how Rutgers hired Steve Pikiell to rebuild its men’s basketball program
‘We did the deal on a handshake’ over coffee and eggs | The inside story of how Rutgers hired Steve Pikiell to rebuild its men’s basketball program
The untold story of how Rutgers athletics director Pat Hobbs hired men's basketball coach Steve Pikiell.
Good idea for an NIL fundraiser is the Steve pikiell - “I’ll walk the turnpike for Rutgers basketball.”
While you may not get permission to actually walk the turnpike a walk from somewhere north of Piscataway say 10 miles and get people to do mile sponsorship amounts $1, 2, 5, and 10. Get a few hundred people could bring in some decent $$$ for nil.
While you may not get permission to actually walk the turnpike a walk from somewhere north of Piscataway say 10 miles and get people to do mile sponsorship amounts $1, 2, 5, and 10. Get a few hundred people could bring in some decent $$$ for nil.
"Hi, I'd like a permit to do a charity walk through two towns to get to the RAC for something?"
"What's it for?"
"Name, image and likeness."
"Uh huh. What's that"
