|
|
Pennsylvania: College Basketball’s Most Stylish State
By Angela Lento
When Bruiser Flint (right) and Jay Wright arrived at their new respective schools this past off-season, they brought with them a track record of success. They also brought something else to the state of Pennsylvania. They brought a sense of style.
“I walked into Boyd’s, which is a well-known men’s shop in Philly and they started giving me a hard time,” laughs new Drexel head coach Bruiser Flint. “The guy said to me ‘you know Jay Wright’s in town now and he’s very stylish.’ I told him to tell Jay that I was in town.”
Last season, while still at UMass, Flint was crowned the best-dressed coach in college basketball. Two years prior it was Jay Wright, then at Hofstra, who claimed back-to-back best-dressed honors.
Now the two majestic mentors take up residence in Pennsylvania, which has become the fashion capital of the college basketball world.
“This is truly the most stylish state now,” says Lehigh coach Sal Mentesana. “When Jay [Wright] got to Villanova he called me up and started bugging me to go shopping. He wanted to know when I was coming to Philly so we can go to Boyd’s. We have some coaches that take their fashion seriously.”
Mentesana, who works his trade in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, gained instant notoriety for his regal approach when author John Feinstein wrote about his stroll down the ‘Runway to the Fashionable Four’ in his book, ‘The Last Amateurs.’
“That summer I had more people than you can imagine come up to me and give me a hard time about that,” says Mentesana who was named America’s most stylish in 2000. “I have been in coaching for a long time and I never received as much attention as I got from being named best-dressed.”
What began in 1998 as just a welcome little distraction for coaches has become a rather serious competition.
“I was with coach [John] Calipari during Memphis’ run in the NIT last season,” says Flint. “After the game we were all sitting around talking strategy, but it wasn’t x’s and o’ s it was all about fashion. I was giving Cal a hard time for not being as fly as me. People might laugh at it, but coaches take it more serious than people think and everyone has a lot of fun with it. It has really become the talk of the summer months.”
When Drexel plays its’ home-opener on Dec. 5, Flint will be presented with his award for style.
“Everyone down here is making a big deal over this,” says Flint. “Drexel is actually going to start a contest for the best-dressed student on campus and the winner at the end of the season will get to sit on the bench with me.”
Most college basketball analysts agree that it won’t take long for both Flint and Wright (right) lead their respective programs to bigger and better things. Flint has somewhat of a rebuilding process to implement at Drexel, while Wright must find a way to replace departed All-American Michael Bradley at Villanova.
But that’s on the court. Will there be any wrinkles on the catwalk?
“I feel like I have put so much time and effort into coaching that I have neglected my responsibilities of being a dapper coach,” Wright says. “I work hard on my attire everyday and now I will have to work even harder on it.”
Awards, contests so what else is down the road?
“We need to have a tournament or something,” laughs Mentesana. “Phil Martelli (St. Joseph’s) and Bobby Jones (St. Francis PA) are pretty fashionable so maybe we can have the fashion equivalent to the ‘Big 5’ and hold it in Philadelphia.”
The 2002 ‘Runway to the Fashionable Four’ will officially begin next week when the spotlight will shine on the preseason ‘fashion power index.’
DONOVAN DETHRONED
The regular season has not yet begun, but Florida coach Billy Donovan has already tasted defeat.The sixth annual ‘Billy D Three-on-Three Challenge,’ on the campus of the University of Florida, was expected to result in another trophy for Donovan’s squad. But that’s why they play the games.
Donovan’s team of assistant coaches John Pelphrey and Donnie Jones, along with women’s assistant coach Matthew Mitchell, lost their five-year stranglehold of the coaches vs. students title on Tuesday evening.
Florida students Brian McPherson, Nick Ferance, Michael McFarland, Zach Hilferding and Christopher Morris, who called themselves ‘The Firemen,’ dropped the first game of the best of three series 12-10, before rallying in the last two 11-2 and 12-10.
“I think the important thing is just to interact with the students, and to get them involved is always good,” Donovan said. "It’s been a lot of fun so we’ll look forward to doing it again next year.”
WHAT’S COOKIN’?
Southwest Missouri State coach Barry Hinson (left) is excited about his Bears being ranked in the College Insider.Com preseason Mid-Major Top 25. But his enthusiasm level really heats up when you talk his language -- Barbecuing.
Hinson’s team is ranked No. 18 in the Mid-Major poll, but his skill on the grill is second to none.
“I feel that I am a champion barbecuer,” Hinson says. “I own a smoker that's about as big as the back end of a pick up truck.”
The charismatic chef has entered state barbecue cook-offs and is an authority on the top hot spots that serve it up off the grill. When he’s not coaching you’ll probably find him hard at work with his smoker. And there is no challenge too big.
“I have actually barbecued for up to 350 people at one time,” Hinson says. “I can barbecue with the best of them.”
When word of Hinson’s talents reached Houston, Texas; new Texas Southern Coach Ronnie Courtney, who is also known in the circles to be an excellent cook, kept it short and simple.
“It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality,” says Courtney.
These two are serving up more than just wins. I think I smell a cook-off.
Angela Lento is a big supporter of the “Bobbi Olson Foundation” and would like to urge you to make a contribution. For more information Click Here
CLICK HERE TO SEND ANGELA YOUR COMMENTS
(Head Coach: 3-8-2002) 1. Bruiser Flint
2. John Calipari
3. Gary Waters
4. Willis Wilson
5. Jay Wright
6. Paul Graham
7. Tubby Smith
8. Rick Pitino
9. Melvin Watkins
10.Mike JarvisPlaying Catch with Satchel Paige
The Captivating Conference Champions
Coach Brent Encourages Players to Build Professional Look
The Renaissance Man and Wrestling Alligators
Coaches Give Fashion Statements on Coaches
A Look at New Jersey's Stylish Coaches
Feb 4 FPI: John Calipari Remains No. 1
Sideline Style Poll is Clothes Call
Being No. 1 Suits Rutgers' Gary Waters Just Fine
Jan 21 FPI: John Calipari Tops Fashion Power Index
Carter, Felton, Lutz and Scruggs Combine Coaching and Style
Terry Gets Rave Reviews in North Carolina
Jan 7 FPI: Gary Waters Tops Fashion Power Index
Though Styles Differ, Smith and Pitino at Top of Their Game
December FPI: Georgetown and Drexel Top The Lists
Jesse "The Body" Ventura and a Kid at Delaware
Musical Talent in Kansas and Wyoming
The FPI, The Natural and a 7-Footer from Wal-Mart
Pennsylvania: America’s Most Stylish State
In Search of Bigfoot with Dale Brown
Auctioning off Auburn coach Cliff Ellis
UCLA's Steve Lavin Talks Fashion
John Feinstein Plugs Fashionable Four
(Assistant: 3-8-2002) 1. Wayne Brent
2. Gary Stewart
3. Steve Sauers
4. Ronny Thompson
5. Tony Jones
6. Patrick Sellers
7. Reggie Hanson
8. Lew Hill
9. Tom Schuberth
10.Jennifer Johnston
AMERICA EAST:
Tom Brennan
ATLANTIC COAST:
Skip Prosser
ATLANTIC SUN:
Don Maestri
ATLANTIC 10:
Bob Hill
BIG EAST:
Gary Waters
BIG SKY:
Joel Sobotka
BIG SOUTH:
Pete Strickland
BIG TEN:
Jerry Dunn
BIG 12:
Melvin Watkins
BIG WEST:
Kevin Bromley
COLONIAL:
Bruiser Flint
CONFERENCE-USA:
John Calipari
HORIZON:
Ed Schilling
IVY LEAGUE:
James Jones
METRO ATLANTIC:
Don Harnum
MID-AMERICAN:
Stan Joplin
MID-CONTINENT:
Homer Drew
MID-EASTERN:
Cy Alexander
MISSOURI VALLEY:
Barry Hinson
MOUNTAIN WEST:
Charlie Spoonhour
NORTHEAST:
Bobby Jones
OHIO VALLEY:
Kyle Macy
PACIFIC-10:
Paul Graham
PATRIOT LEAGUE:
Sal Mentesana
SOUTHEASTERN:
Tubby Smith
SOUTHERN:
Bob McKillop
SOUHTLAND:
Mike Deane
SOUTHWESTERN:
Lafayette Stribbling
SUN BELT:
Dennis Felton
WEST COAST:
Michael Holton
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Willis Wilson
Take a stroll down last season's Runway to the Fashionable Four
Copyright © 2001, College Insider.Com and Gametyme, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
