Fordham hires Colgate's Dave Roach as AD

[Fordhamanhattan]

Great Hire!http://www.anygivensaturday.com/images/smilies/smile2.png

[RichH2]

I am surprised. Hope it works out.

[DFW HOYA]

The Fordham message board seems nervous that this may be the first step to dropping to the PL in all sports. Generally, those type of decisions don't revolve around the choice of an AD.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Real interesting choice. Hard to ignore that Roach knows the Patriot League inside and out, and if Fordham were going to join in all sports, there would be few people better than Roach to guide them through that.

Having said that, it's hard to say whether that's the direction. In any event, isn't McLaughlin still in the athletics department?

[RichH2]

Possible prelude to PL full. Did not think in that direction. Roach was not a good fit at Gate ,perhaps fits in at FU. Certainly knows PL.

[Fordham]

Would love to know what Gate fans think of him (strengths, weaknesses ...).

Personally hoping for the best but have no idea what to make of the hire.

[Fordham]

Possible prelude to PL full. Did not think in that direction. Roach was not a good fit at Gate ,perhaps fits in at FU. Certainly knows PL.
There was an internal candidate who was former AD's right hand man. Could have saved $$$ and just hired him to bring us back if that was the intention IMO.

[TheValleyRaider]

Interesting move

Never really felt like a good fit at Colgate, though I'm not sure how much of that is the alumni base that posts on the internet (which admittedly isn't much) that generally dislikes the broader direction of the school (athletically and otherwise) in the last 30 years. I'll admit that I was never a huge fan, though my interactions with him were mostly as a student, and I generally don't care for many university administrators. The administration certainly seemed to like him, and it's entirely possible his leaving was related to the recent hire of the new president

His greatest strengths are going to be his ability to raise money (he apparently brought in a ton of corporate money to Colgate athletics) and his connections in the NCAA. He was a higher-up in national AD groups, and it at times felt like he might be more focused on that than us. Still, those connections are real, and can't hurt

I always had the impression that he was looking to move up in the world, that he saw Colgate as a stepping stone to bigger things, which could suggest Fordham is looking at going elsewhere beyond the PL (but that is pure speculation on my part)

[Fordham]

Thanks Valley. Appreciate the take! Hoping for the best

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

This is definitely a McShane hire, old and conservative. I don't expect too much too change when it comes to Fordham athletics. They'll continue to be over their head in the A10 despite spending gobs of money.

I'll be interested to see what happens to Pecora after this year. He's not Roach's guy and FU is paying him a ton of money to lose a lot of games. Things don't figure to be any better this season.

[Go...gate]

Would love to know what Gate fans think of him (strengths, weaknesses ...).

Personally hoping for the best but have no idea what to make of the hire.

As I have a soft spot for Fordham (I have family who are alumni/ae), a couple of thoughts off the shoulder:

He knows how to make the most of a limited budget and physical facilities, and did this well at Colgate. A good thing given the crummy economy.

You may come to have a much more intimate relationship with the NEC (and NJIT) in football and hoops, again because of the more favorable financial results.

He is willing to schedule ambitiously in Men's Basketball, which is good for Fordham.

[Bogus Megapardus]

The Fordham message board seems nervous that this may be the first step to dropping to the PL in all sports. Generally, those type of decisions don't revolve around the choice of an AD.

The "drop" would be in basketball only - but you know that already (the Rams already have found the A-10 floor in basketball). If anyone starts to hear rumblings in the Bronx about adding men's lacrosse, then I'd say that PL is a done deal. xcoolx

[Go...gate]

Funny how there is such a panic among some Fordham people about a highly unlikely all-sports return to the PL.

But no matter how unlikely, I believe the PL membership and policies now in place now would give FU some greater comfort.

Fordham is a hell of a lot better fit with us academically than the A-10, the PL is a scholarship conference, and the PL has just added another Jesuit school for all sports.

[Pard4Life]

I think all of us, including myself, overlooked Fordham as a PL "expansion" member lol...

[PJ McJorma]

Think this will be breakout year for Fordham basketball in A-10. Will patriot league expand it's football membership? William & Mary, Richmond, Villanova?

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Think this will be breakout year for Fordham basketball in A-10. Will patriot league expand it's football membership? William & Mary, Richmond, Villanova?

Break out year? This will be the deepest the A10 has been in years. Fordham will be lucky to win 3 conference games. Pecora has done very little to increase the talent level in the Bronx.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Think this will be breakout year for Fordham basketball in A-10. Will patriot league expand it's football membership? William & Mary, Richmond, Villanova?

The PL already would have expanded to include those teams as football affiliates if it could. It can't. Beginning with the implementation of scholarships next year, it will take several seasons of competitive play - beyond full implementation - plus a number of other conference reorganization factors, for that to happen. No one is holding their breath right now. William & Mary, Richmond or Villanova just aren't coming to PL football anytime soon.

Fordham is a different story. Fordham once was a full PL member. It left in the early 90s because of scholarship issues. As it stands right now, Fordham likely would not get an NCAA basketball bid as a PL member - the Rams would be middle of the pack, at best. The Ram's other sports, in general, are on par with the PL. The Fordham athletic department is keenly aware of this. The question at Fordham seems to be - (1) are the Rams capable, eventually, of sustained competitiveness at a much higher level and (2) can the Rams advance to FBS football at some point? If not, the PL would seem, at least to many outsiders, to be a logical choice.

The PL will not, under any circumstances, accept Fordham if Fordham's desire is to "park" its teams in the PL until things get better and they can advance to a more nationally prominent conference and/or establish FBS football. Again, Fordham is well aware of this. The only path for Fordham into the PL would be to accept a long-term commitment to the PL philosophy, just as Navy, Army and now Boston University have done. My sense it that they are unwilling to do that.

So Fordham will remain in the A-10, and will continue to play football (quite reluctantly) in the Patriot League, until a better offer comes along. Conversely, those in the PL like to think that they are the better offer. You can see how it isn't going to work.

[Go...gate]

You got to love it. One of the Fordham posters on their board (not Rambacker) called the PL a group of pretty good academic schools with "so what" athletic programs. The poster then went on to call the conference "just nothing". Now, this is only one poster, but there are other posts where spleens are being comparably vented.

[Bill]

Does anyone else think this is a strange move (from Colgate to Fordham?)

Excuse the ignorance here, but does Roach have ties to Fordham, or perhaps NYC?? I realize the basketball differences - for now, but this appears at best to be a lateral move, not to mention salary, cost of living, etc.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

You got to love it. One of the Fordham posters on their board (not Rambacker) called the PL a group of pretty good academic schools with "so what" athletic programs. The poster then went on to call the conference "just nothing". Now, this is only one poster, but there are other posts where spleens are being comparably vented.

In the last 40 years, Fordham has won zero NCAA men's basketball tournament games. Other Patriot League schools have won three. You'd think that would end the debate.

[ngineer]

Too many Fordham fans living in the past (like some Holy Cross people) glories and failing to realize the cannot succeed where they are. Need to smell the coffee and join a league where they at least have a chance.

[ngineer]

Oh, yes, I forgot. Will Fordham call their athletic videos "Roach Clips"??? (;-)

[TheValleyRaider]

Does anyone else think this is a strange move (from Colgate to Fordham?)

Excuse the ignorance here, but does Roach have ties to Fordham, or perhaps NYC?? I realize the basketball differences - for now, but this appears at best to be a lateral move, not to mention salary, cost of living, etc.

When Roach left, the release from the university used the phrase: "to pursue new opportunities within collegiate athletics." Vague enough that it could mean just about anything, Perhaps he thought he was lined up for a better job, or maybe he sees Fordham as a step-up (A-10 and all that), and it in fact suggests the Rams are further distancing themselves from the PL for all sports. Or was just tired at Colgate after 8 years and wanted some change in scenery

[Sader87]

Too many Fordham fans living in the past (like some Holy Cross people) glories and failing to realize the cannot succeed where they are. Need to smell the coffee and join a league where they at least have a chance.

I resemble that remark.....have you not heard of Vince Lombardi or Bob Cousy???? :)

[Fordhamanhattan]

The Fordham board is filled with malcontents and those with hidden agendas. These clowns have $100 opinions with zero contributions. A great old Fordham benefactor Jack Corcoran, a classmate of Lombardi, who used to drink scotch with Mr. Lombardi in the Tap Room of the New York Athletic Club, once said of these hooples, "They spill more in potato chips at receptions than they ever gave to the school".

[carney2]

Will patriot league expand it's football membership? William & Mary, Richmond, Villanova?

Inevitable. Unlikely.

[carney2]

have you not heard of Vince Lombardi or Bob Cousy???? :)

One is dead. The other is close.

[RichH2]

One is dead. The other is close.

So are we referring to the respective schools or persons. My guess is both

[Sader87]

One is dead. The other is close.

Classy as always...the Cooz is actually a physical wonder for his age, routinely shooting his age at his beloved Worcester CC, staying active in various business and philanthropic efforts etc. etc.

[DFW HOYA]

Inevitable. Unlikely.

I'll go with the latter. The AI is a firewall to these programs.