Jill Montgomery Bio

THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
by Jill Montgomery

Its NCAA Basketball Conference Tournament time. If you want to go to the Big Dance, you have to an invitation. But the biggest worry for coaches isn’t whether or not they are going, its what they are going to wear! Don’t act like you didn’t fret for hours on what you were going to wear, who was going to be there, or whom you might be dancing with. We all know how important the wardrobe is.

Well kids, I’m the luckiest girl at the party. I have slipped into my best Marchesa gown, strapped on my favorite YSL stilettos, because I get to go dancing with the best-dressed coaches in each conference. They get an automatic bid to the 2010 Runway to the Fashionable 4. Here they are:

AMERICAN EAST: Dan Leibowitz, I wanted to go Mike Lonergan, but Dan is certainly channeling his inner “Jay Wright”.

ATLANTIC 10: Richmond Coach Chris Mooney, preppy meets All-American athlete (come on he went to Princeton)

ACC: As much as I love Coach K. I have to go Virginia Tech’s Seth Greenberg for 1 reason: BALD IS SEXY!!!

ATLANTIC SUN: Jacksonville’s Cliff Warren, Denzel would definitely play him in a movie.

BIG 12: Now this one killed me, I love my KState Wildcats and Frank Martin, but I have to go Bill Self. The poor guy hasn’t made it out of the 1st round in 5 years! (Maybe this is your year Bill!)

BIG EAST: WOW! Everyone knows Pitinio will kill in the Fashionable Four this year but B.E. winner is Jay Wright. That’s like putting ANYONE up against Usain Bolt in a race.

BIG SKY: Even though Montana’s Wayne Tinkle has brought some fire in years past, there is a NEW fashion is to in the Big Sky Conference and his name is Brad Huse of Montana State. (Insert Bobcat growl here).

BIG SOUTH: You read Danielle's blog. Gardner Webb's Rick Scruggs gets the nod.

BIG TEN: Well come on, everyone knows that shoes make an outfit and Purdue’s Matt Painter has some of the best I’ve seen. Step on Matt!

BIG WEST: UC Davis, Gary Stewart, he has been a contender is past few years, but I think this year is his best.

COLONIAL: Bruiser Flint of Drexel. Past Champion of Fashionable Four and with a name like that, you know he dresses well.

CONFERENCE USA: Josh Pastner of Memphis. The young GQ ish coach has had some big shoes to fill following Calipari, and he’s done it in style.

INDEPENDENTS: Savannah State’s Horace Broadnax, keeping it very stylish in the south.

GREAT WEST: North Dakota’s Brian Jones. Are you kidding me finding the nice suits he wears in NORTH DAKOTA? He deserves to win.

HORIZON LEAGUE: Cleveland State’s Gary Waters…..NO BRAINER!

IVY LEAGUE: My “Mr. Snazzy Dresser” of the upper echelon of fashion conferences is Steve Donahue of Cornell.

METRO ATLANTIC ATHLETIC: Tom Parrotta of Canisius. Major dancer year after year.

MID AMERICA: Geno Ford of Kent State…(please refer to ACC winner): BALD IS BEAUTIFUL!

MID EASTERN ATHLETIC: Gil Jackson of Howard. He is the only man on earth that can rock suspenders.

MISSOURI VALLEY: Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall. He is getting more stylish every year. (Maybe he can help Coach Self).

MOUNTAIN WEST: Lon Kruger of UNLV. Been stylish so long they should coin “Kruger” labels in suits.

NORTHEAST: Monmouth’s Dave Calloway. He should have own “Jersey Shore” television show on style.

OHIO VALLEY: Billy Kennedy of Murray State. Because he is Billy Kennedy, enough said.

PAC 10: “Quack Attack” Ernie Kent of Oregon. He is every suit coats dream.

PATRIOT LEAGUE: Billy Lange at the Naval Academy. Former Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard dominated the league in year's past. He was VERY Blake Carrington (still is at Louisville). C’mon don’t act like you didn’t watch Dynasty back in the day, he was Regal!

SOUTH EASTERN: No question Georgia’s Mark Fox. That guy has a style swagger like no other.

SOUTHERN: Citadel’s Ed Conroy. This year’s COY for SoCon and is a major factor in the Fashionable Four.

SOUTHLAND: Bob Marlin of Sam Houston State. He has beat Self (KS) and Johnson (LSU). Guys got fashion chops.

SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC: Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s George Ivory. The Golden Lions have a “Mufasa-style” coach leading their pack.

SUMMIT LEAGUE: Scott Suttton of Oral Roberts. Keeping his game tight in the Mid-West.

SUN BELT: Kermit Davis of Middle Tennessee. One word: KERMIT!

WEST COAST: Now I know Kerry Keating is going to be mad at me but Pepperdine’s Tom Asbury is like the Godfather of style! (Sorry Kerry I know you will do well in the Fashionable Four).

WAC: New Mexico State’s Marvin Menzies. Keeping style caliente in Las Cruces!

Now members of the media, who talk, analyze and report on all these coaches don’t feel left out. I have saved a special dance just for you! There are a few men who bring more than their “A-game” of style when it comes to being on air. So my last dance of the night goes to:

Rece Davis of ESPN College Game Day, Seth Davis of CBS College Sports and last but certainly not least, Neil Everett of SportsCenter.

You boys have me watching your shows when I should be focusing elsewhere.

Keep it Sexy!