PITINOS WISH FOR NEXT BE COMMISIONER

Media savvy and quick wit are very important in media perception. Bilas has that in spades.

This is sad, but if you gave me the chance to choose between Bilas and whoever is behind door #2 as chosen by BE leaders, I take Bilas after no more than 30 seconds of kicking it around in my head. Not sure if that means I really like Jay Bilas in general or really doubt the brain trust, but I think it's a bit of both.

Btw, just because Rick Pitino came up with the idea, it doesn't make it stupid. Slick Rick is no dummy, never was. He just has a lot to say and Twitter makes people talk too much. Something stupid is bound to come out now and then but this isn't one of those times.

I still think it was a trial ballon floated by the Bilas team despite denials that he doesn't want the job.

He never played football but he was the marketing director for the Olympics, then pr director for the Rams, and Rams GM. Before you start making these comparisons, do a minimal amount of research, maybe. He had a sports marketing background and a football background.

I agree with you. I think Bilas would be a poor choice... that being said he'd probably be better than whatever the "brain trust" in Providence comes up with.

Well, I guess I can't disagree with you on that point...

Of course Rozelle had other attributes. My point was don't simply dismiss Bilas by reason of his non-football playing background---but that's really not the essence of the issue here. We (BE) have a pretty huge image problem. We are seen as second tier. That perception is nurtured by the media. The long term solution of course is to win, fill stadiums and kick -a* --thereby raising the profile of our teams into must see TV. realistically, that's a ways off. One way to help overcome it short term is to put someone in charge who already has media respect and gravitas. (Bilas seems to appear on every athletic panel discussion as a voice of reason based on experience and rational thinking.) He has the sort of star power that would (could) attract a great team around him--the savvy negotiator types, steeped in the nuances of TV rights etc. He also would command air-time on those influential networks. And he appears to be a fighter who understands that image is important--i.e. NYC headquarters. Compare that to "Joe Shmutz", currently the assistant commissioner of XYZ Conference--Athletic Director at X University--Labor Attorney for X . Ultimately, like Rozelle, someone less well known could exceed expectations--but I'd rather opt for someone to help put us on the front page and cause the country to take notice.

Nostical,
The problem with Bilas is that he's a basketball guy. he just is. He is identified with basketball, he played basketball, he writes on basketball, he broadcasts baksetball, he screams basketball...the Big East has a huge problem in that it is viewed as a basketball conference. It needs to bring in a conference commissioner who will re-position the conference and if all you care about is basketball, might just as well give the job to Gavitt Jr or Bob Driscoll and keep the Providence College connection going. The Big East needs someone who knows the tv business, gets how to market the football side of the conference and can muscle into discussions with the other conference commissioners just like John Swofford does. Swofford is slime on toast, but you know what? They are now talking about the big 5 conferences on ESPN...when the ACC is a hideous football league...I don't know who the right guy for this job is, but I know that if Bilas gets it, the Big East football league will be treated as a mid-major appendage to the "real" Big East basketball conference.

No doubt you may be right about Bilas (whose name was merely floated by Pitino) but we do need to hire a guy that will move the needle, to use a cliche. There is a search committee assumedly hard at work to find the right fit, but my hope is we won't all be scratching our heads when we hear who it is.

I like the Bilas idea more and more. He is very well respected and too smart to be blinded by his basketball roots.

The new commissioner needs to be well known and add some cache to the league. Very few people can do that. Bilas is definitely an interesting idea.

Absolutely agree with you on that point. I just don't think Bilas moves the needle in the right direction...it would immediately be "See, we told you the Big East was only a basketball league."

Bilas would get airtime. If he says the right things, that goes away quickly.

What pitino wants pitino gets. Especially off the desert menu at fine restaurants

And what in heaven's name makes you think he would say the right things? He has zero football background. Ziltch. This is a basketball choice, proposed by a basketball coach and virtually everyone in favor is a basketball fan first and foremost.

This isn't a football coaching job, its an executive position. A Duke lawyer with media experience, high level athletic experience and the respect of people everywhere is a viable option. You will not convince me that Jay Bilas is ignorant enough not to see that football rules the day. He is too intelligent for that.

Look, I am not a Jay Bilas backer. I am just scared as hell that some no name schmuck will get the job and continue us on the path to ruin. There has been no evidence whatsoever that Big East leadership knows what they are doing to this point. At least I know Jay is smart, reasonable and respected. My choice is Kevin Weiberg based on what I have read. He has been mentioned many times as a good hire for us and based on what I can find on him, that's probably true.