This will be the final installation in the series.
This thread will focus on the assistants under Willard and my connections with them.
First off Steve Sauers.
As I noted when discussing Sauers under the Gonzo regime he and I became close friends so naturally when he came back to the Hall I was thrilled for him.
Steve Sauers was an assistant coach under Willard at Iona and it was assumed that he would keep that position moving forward as he came back to the school he loves, SHU.
However, with Willard's close ties to Rick Pitino still in play and with the Louisville coach's suggestion Dan McHale the DOBO at Iona jumped Sauers and was hired as the third assistant coach. Sauers then was placed in the DOBO position.
This was the second time that Sauers thought he would be an assistant recruiting coach at the Hall only to be replaced at the last minute because of a suggestion from someone close to the current head coach.
Steve was understandably disappointed but never once did he complain openly to me and in fact supported Willard as much as any coach I have spoken to at the Hall.
Sauers did many things at Seton Hall in his second term at the school but he asked me to credit Willard or someone else on every occasion. He never once wanted me to mention his name.
In short his loyalty is amazing and not just as regards the school or our basketball program. There are multiple people reading this thread that can attest to Sauers' loyalty. There was no bigger friend to the Booster Club than Steve and it was he who ensured that in every event run there was at least one coach and usually many more than that in attendance.
I can't count the number of personal things he gave to the Club for the purpose of our raffles. We collected thousands of dollars because of Steve's generosity and that money at year's end would always be donated back to the school in a season ending check to WSOU.
Steve stayed on at the Hall for three more years before deciding to move on to UC Riverside as their assistant coach. This season despite being picked last in the conference UC Riverside finished 7-9 in the 14th rated conference in the country and that bodes well for the California school as they have most of their roster returning next season.
I was sad to see Steve Sauers leave, especially for the west coast but it was the best move professionally for him and now after 2 years he has settled in and loves California living.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/c...llard-replace-bobby-gonzalez-article-1.177252
This thread will focus on the assistants under Willard and my connections with them.
First off Steve Sauers.
As I noted when discussing Sauers under the Gonzo regime he and I became close friends so naturally when he came back to the Hall I was thrilled for him.
Steve Sauers was an assistant coach under Willard at Iona and it was assumed that he would keep that position moving forward as he came back to the school he loves, SHU.
However, with Willard's close ties to Rick Pitino still in play and with the Louisville coach's suggestion Dan McHale the DOBO at Iona jumped Sauers and was hired as the third assistant coach. Sauers then was placed in the DOBO position.
This was the second time that Sauers thought he would be an assistant recruiting coach at the Hall only to be replaced at the last minute because of a suggestion from someone close to the current head coach.
Steve was understandably disappointed but never once did he complain openly to me and in fact supported Willard as much as any coach I have spoken to at the Hall.
Sauers did many things at Seton Hall in his second term at the school but he asked me to credit Willard or someone else on every occasion. He never once wanted me to mention his name.
In short his loyalty is amazing and not just as regards the school or our basketball program. There are multiple people reading this thread that can attest to Sauers' loyalty. There was no bigger friend to the Booster Club than Steve and it was he who ensured that in every event run there was at least one coach and usually many more than that in attendance.
I can't count the number of personal things he gave to the Club for the purpose of our raffles. We collected thousands of dollars because of Steve's generosity and that money at year's end would always be donated back to the school in a season ending check to WSOU.
Steve stayed on at the Hall for three more years before deciding to move on to UC Riverside as their assistant coach. This season despite being picked last in the conference UC Riverside finished 7-9 in the 14th rated conference in the country and that bodes well for the California school as they have most of their roster returning next season.
I was sad to see Steve Sauers leave, especially for the west coast but it was the best move professionally for him and now after 2 years he has settled in and loves California living.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/c...llard-replace-bobby-gonzalez-article-1.177252
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