2008 Woodie Awards
Coaches change fans minds on Fox basketball
Brian A. Hodge
Issue date: 1/25/07 Section: Sports
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Flashback to my freshman year of college, some three-plus years ago: The women's program had fallen on difficult times in the increasingly competitive MAAC conference. The men's team was making a routine of finishing in the bottom tier of the league and playing before a host of nonchalant fans.
Enter two new coaches, new attitudes, and newfound success.
When I was just a doe eyed freshman, Brian Giorgis - a hugely successful local high school coach (451-44 in 19 seasons) - was in his second year of collegiate coaching and was in the process of implementing his successful style of coaching at Marist.
That year, he led a team that was picked to finish seventh in the conference all the way to the NCAA tournament. And now, he has very quickly built what appears to be a perennial conference power.
His teams have claimed at least a share of the MAAC crown for three straight seasons and made the NCAA tournament twice.
This season, the team has raced out to a fabulous start, winning their first eight conference games. They dominated probably the second best team in the league by 21. They lead the nation in turnovers per game (under 11.8 per game) and they've even received votes for the Top-25 this year.
Clearly, we are in the midst of something special here.
Matt Brady inherited a team that won just six games my freshman year and has turned them into the unanimous favorite to win the entire conference. They have played (and won) multiple games this season on national television. They already played three games during Thanksgiving weekend, a venerated national television holiday.
Plus, they are packing The 'Cann with fans. My freshman year, there was no "Sixth Man" section to speak of. It was just me and a couple of my drunk friends standing on the last row of the bleachers, tossing our "Let's Go Marist" cheers into an endless abyss of silence.
Now? You can hardly find a seat. They added bleachers, shifting the Sixth Man section to almost on the court and all the team has done is go 13-1 at home. Even with the increased capacity, there are worries of future games this season selling out. We even have a fight song.
Enter two new coaches, new attitudes, and newfound success.
When I was just a doe eyed freshman, Brian Giorgis - a hugely successful local high school coach (451-44 in 19 seasons) - was in his second year of collegiate coaching and was in the process of implementing his successful style of coaching at Marist.
That year, he led a team that was picked to finish seventh in the conference all the way to the NCAA tournament. And now, he has very quickly built what appears to be a perennial conference power.
His teams have claimed at least a share of the MAAC crown for three straight seasons and made the NCAA tournament twice.
This season, the team has raced out to a fabulous start, winning their first eight conference games. They dominated probably the second best team in the league by 21. They lead the nation in turnovers per game (under 11.8 per game) and they've even received votes for the Top-25 this year.
Clearly, we are in the midst of something special here.
Matt Brady inherited a team that won just six games my freshman year and has turned them into the unanimous favorite to win the entire conference. They have played (and won) multiple games this season on national television. They already played three games during Thanksgiving weekend, a venerated national television holiday.
Plus, they are packing The 'Cann with fans. My freshman year, there was no "Sixth Man" section to speak of. It was just me and a couple of my drunk friends standing on the last row of the bleachers, tossing our "Let's Go Marist" cheers into an endless abyss of silence.
Now? You can hardly find a seat. They added bleachers, shifting the Sixth Man section to almost on the court and all the team has done is go 13-1 at home. Even with the increased capacity, there are worries of future games this season selling out. We even have a fight song.
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