OT-Rollie Massimino: Still Coaching and Rutgers

[RU-Choppin-Ohio]

I was watching a little of the MSU basketball scrimmage on BTN and the announcer stated that Rollie is still coaching at 81. Turns out he was coaching for Northwood and against MSU

For the RU basketball historians and those close to the program, I am curious, did Rutgers ever make a play for Rollie Massimino during any of our many coaching searches?

Based on his age he would have been a possible option during the Bannon or Waters hires. My guess is money would have been the biggest obstacles, although Rollie did coach at Cleveland State from 1996 to 2003 so he certainly was not making big bucks at that time.

 

[ecojew]

I can't recall any rumors involving Rollie and RU but others here will be more familiar with the situation. I do believe that his star had fallen at Villanova which is likely how he ended up at Cleveland State in 1996, which would have been around the time that Bannon was hired. Unfortunately, RU did hire a coach out of the Big 5 in the mid-1980s but it was the wrong one.

 

[Mr_Twister]

Rollie and Coach Pikiell both coached at Stony Brook. Rollie had lots of issues at Cleveland State.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollie_Massimino

 

[TDIrish27]

EJ

Rollie left Nova for UNLV and alot more money.

Relative to his record and his coaching peers he was very underpaid at that point in time.

 

[RUMBA-JK]

further OT -
This past Friday (October 28) at their "Hoops Mania" the Villanova team got their championship rings - and - Villanova head coach Jay Wright related to the packed Pavilion how when he first came to the school as an assistant coach in 1987, Massimino had given him a 1985 championship ring although he had not been on that staff. On this night, Wright returned the favor, handing Massamino a 2016 NCAA national championship ring.

 

[Hamilton's Cannon]

Rollie never really achieved to the level expected again after the 85 team IIRC, he left for good dough to go to UNLV but got caught up in a scandal about illegal practices. He was out at UNLV and that was the end of him as a top tier coach.

 

[rutger80]

Of course, there's the 1980 Massimino story. He had been named Eastern 8 coach of the year for going .500 for Villanova in 79-80. The story went that he was ripped up and down by WRSU on Knightline. Well, apparently his mother heard the show and told him about it. When a couple of guys tried to interview him at the Eastern 8 tournament in Pittsburgh, he basically chewed them out and told them to get lost (in G rated terms here)