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The Fashionable Four
By Angela Lento
As analysts sift through stat sheets and game tapes, before announcing their pick to win it all in Minneapolis, coaches across the country were interested to see who would advance to the ‘Fashionable Four.’
“This is the real event,” said Marist coach Dave Magartiy. “I still think I should still be on the runway, but even still, I have a big interest in who advances. There is no question that the talk of the hotel lobby will center around the four remaining coaches on the runway.”
The Marist maverick wasn’t the only interested coach. A former Lute Olson assistant called in from New Orleans to check in on the action.
“I am down here in ‘The Big Easy’,” said UL-Lafayette coach Jessie Evans. “I am very excited to see Lute [Olson] in the Final Four, but I’d also like to see some of my friends reach the Fashionable Four.”
From Louisiana to the Pacific Northwest and a guy who is still miffed that he wasn’t a part of the field.
“It’s a travesty,” said Oregon State coach Ritchie McKay. “I’m glad to see Joel [Sobotka] advanced to the ‘Sensational Sixteen,’ but I am still disappointed to not have made the field. There are some stylish guys among the ‘Elegant Eight’ so I am curious to see how it all plays out.”
THE EAST REGIONAL FINAL
McKay and others were gathering to see the action in the West Regional, but the day would begin on the main stage in the East Region.
“I feel pretty good,” said Wright State’s Ed Schilling. “Bru and I go way back so I have a very good feel for what to expect.”
Schilling was getting ready to take the stage against former UMass coach Bruiser Flint.
“My path to get here has been tough,” said Flint. “I think Angela made my path on the runway the toughest and it won’t get any easier now. Ed [Schilling] is pretty fly so it won’t be easy.”
Flint and Schilling smiled and shook hands, but it wasn’t a friendly affair after that.
The regal Wright State coach opted for the three-piece look and took an early lead on his good friend.
But the hip and trendy Flint would not be outdone, as he went with his very chic beige sport coat.
After twenty minutes, the contest was thread-locked.
In the second half, Schilling continued to get excellent performance from his three-piece attire and held a slight advantage at the first tailor timeout. But that’s when Flint went to work.
Bruiser came out with a barrage of colorful ties and surged in front.
Schilling kept ‘pressing’ in an attempt to disrupt Flint’s flow, but Bruiser would not be knocked off balance. He kept right in step and slipped past Schilling to earn the first spot in ‘The Fashionable Four.’
“It was a tough path,” said Flint. “It’s great to get to ‘The Fashionable Four.’ Last season I got to the ‘Elegant Eight,’ but this year I took the extra step. Ed was a tough competitor, but he knows who taught him fashion.”
Schilling was disappointed, but gracious in defeat.
“I’d like to think that if I were in any other region it might have been different,” Schilling said. “I had a great season on the runway and I will look forward to the opportunity to get back here next season. I want to congratulate Bru. He is a stylish guy and if I had to lose I am glad that it got Bru into ‘The Fashionable Four.’ I’d have to say that he has to be the favorite to win it all.”
THE MIDWEST REGIONAL FINAL
Flint would meet the winner of the Midwest Regional final in the first semi-final at ‘The Fashionable Four.’ The only question remaining was who would it be? Cincinnati’s Bob Huggins and Kent State’s Gary Waters would soon provide the answer.
“Paris has gotten me this far,” said Waters. “I am looking for my French Connection to help me into that elite group of ‘The Fashionable Four.’
Huggins chatted with College Insider.Com’s Editor & Chief Joe Dwyer.
“Come on Joe, I deserve to be here,” Huggins said. “I always knew Angela [Lento] was smart.”
A confident Huggins took to the stage with a vast display of attire. His wardrobe ranged from his elegant three-piece suits to his regal suit and tie approach. Much to the surprise of the onlookers, Huggins took a commanding lead into halftime.
Waters came out with a flurry of different styles in the second half, cutting into Huggins’ lead, but the Cincinnati coach kept the pressure on and maintained the advantage.
It was becoming clear that there would be no repeat trip for Waters to ‘The Fashionable Four.’ He climbed as high as No.1 in the FPI and now Bob Huggins had climbed up to the main stage at ‘The Fashionable Four.’
“This is a devastating loss,” said Waters. “I thought Paris would get me through. Bob has now dominated me twice in less than 10 days. I will have to regroup and come back strong next season.”
Huggins and his Cincinnati Bearcats knocked off Waters’ Kent State team, last weekend, in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The poised and polished Huggins didn’t have much to say, following his win, but Bruiser Flint certainly did.
“I like my matchup,” said Flint upon learning that he would face Huggins. “Huggins likes to call his look the ‘vest look,’ but we all know that it’s really the chest protector look. He should grab a few games umpiring. He’s ready to set up shop behind home plate.”
Huggins broke his silence.
“If Bruiser paid as much attention to basketball as he has to my wardrobe, maybe he’d have a job.”
Wow Coach!
“He got me,” laughed Flint. “I knew he was going to go there, but that’s okay. I will have a little something for him in Minneapolis.”
THE SOUTH REGIONAL FINAL
Huggins’ victory wasn’t a tremendous surprise, but the margin of victory was a little eye opening. But it was nothing compared to the eyebrow raising result in the South Regional Final.
No.1 seed Alabama’s Mark Gottfried stepped onto the stage as a slight favorite over No.2 seed Willis Wilson of Rice.
Gottfried a ‘one tie’ favorite could not have foreseen the onslaught that would take place on the main stage.
“This was over early,” said fashion analyst Shakey Rodriguez. “I thought this shaped up to be one of the most tightly contested. It sure didn’t turn out that way.”
The former Florida International coach and both the Alabama and Rice contingents were stunned by the outcome.
The astounding Alabama coach simply didn’t have his best attire working on this night. The regal Rice coach was going back to ‘The Fashionable Four.’ With Gary Waters’ defeat it meant that Wilson would be the only returnee to the grand finale.
“This is big time,” said Wilson. “Mark is a super guy and a stylish guy. I just feel very fortunate to advancing.”
THE WEST REGIONAL FINAL
Like the South Regional Final this catwalk contest wasn’t close either. Texas A&M’s Melvin Watkins, the top seed in the entire field, used his trademark handkerchief to knock off Bobby Jones, of St. Francis (PA).
“It was a great run,” said Jones. “I really want to thank Angela Lento for advancing me so far into this fashion field. Being named the best-dressed in the Northeast Conference was quite an honor, alone, but to reach the ‘Elegant Eight’ was quite a thrill.”
Watkins would be paired with good friend Willis Wilson in the second semi-final in Minneapolis.
“I am primed, poised, pressed and ready,” said Wilson. “I know Melvin will bring a lot of confidence to the stage, but I will focused as well. Melvin is quite a stylish guy, but when he moved from Charlotte to Texas, the first call he made was to me. He wanted some fashion tips.”
Well it didn’t take long for a rivalry to flair up here.
Not only will a spot in the championship contest be on the line, so too will bragging rights in the state of Texas.
“There are a lot of stylish guys in Texas,” said Wilson. “To have two of them meeting in ‘The Fashionable Four’ is huge. It should be quite a spectacle.”
So it’s on to Minneapolis.
On Sunday the field of four will be reduced to ‘The Terrific Two.’
Be sure to listen to Angela Lento talk fashion on the 'Adam Paul Show' at 2:30 (EST) every Friday.
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(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
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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
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