Former Big East commissioner John Marinatto died today. Relatively young guy… graduated from Providence in ‘79.
Was SID for the Friars, and appointed AD when Lou Lamoriello left for the Devils. His tenure did not end well, got back on his feet by getting a job across town with the Big East. Somehow managed to get the commissioner job after Tranghese, helped in large part by his strong friendship with Pitino which gave him support from both basketball schools and Louisville. He and Pitino were really, really tight. Pitino’s PC exit obviously went over poorly there, but Marinatto was really his lone remaining friend at the school. He was really a guy who was a prime example of the Peter Principle, not once but twice.
Was SID for the Friars, and appointed AD when Lou Lamoriello left for the Devils. His tenure did not end well, got back on his feet by getting a job across town with the Big East. Somehow managed to get the commissioner job after Tranghese, helped in large part by his strong friendship with Pitino which gave him support from both basketball schools and Louisville. He and Pitino were really, really tight. Pitino’s PC exit obviously went over poorly there, but Marinatto was really his lone remaining friend at the school. He was really a guy who was a prime example of the Peter Principle, not once but twice.