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TagsBY MIKE VORKUNOV
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
COMMENTARY
To sum up the four years, 13 days (and unbelievably still active) tenure of Fred Hill as Rutgers basketball coach, only one word really comes up: delusion. From the very beginning until the now very bitter end, Hill's time on the Banks was celebrated by one delusion and ultimately embarrassing because of another.
He came to Rutgers, the storybook hire. The coach every program hopes can lead them to glory. Hill was the quintessential Jersey guy, born and bred, making his name as an ace recruiter in the fertile state. He gave the fan base and the program delusions of grandeur. The prevailing thought was that if he could replicate his recruiting wonders for Seton Hall and Villanova, where he brought in staples of NCAA tournament teams, the Scarlet Knights would be on their way as well.
Hill did just that, bringing in Corey Chandler, Mike Rosario and Gregory Echenique and Dane Miller. All four certifiable Big East talents. Rutgers never was top half of the conference material, but even as their talent level rose, their results never got better and the expectations fell.Prior to the 2006-07 season the Knights were predicted to finish 14th in the Big East pre-season coaches' poll, a roster led by sophomore JR Inman and senior Adrian Hill. Prior to this past season, Rutgers was 15th in the same poll. Under Hill, Inman appreciably regressed, Chandler went from titillating freshman to flop in his sophomore year, Rosario leveled off according to Bob Hurley, and Greg Echenique fled when he got fed up.
Even before what ultimately became his final season — one marred by an 0-8 start to conference play and a viral sensation that brought national embarrassment — there was little love for Hill in his own locker room. Bob Huggins maybe a grouchy, growling, vituperative coach with a mouth more like a Henry Ford assembly line for expletives, but his players obviously share an immense bond with him.
Talking to a person within the program last year I had the following conversation.
"How do the players feel about Hill," I asked.
"They don't respect him," the person answered, not skipping a beat.
One former player of Hill's, already on campus on the day of a game, said he refused to go to the RAC that night because he did not want to see his coach.
Throughout this last season, Hill answered pressing questions and inquiries with maxims and generalities, constantly repeating the same bromides. The running joke became that you didn't even need to hear him speak to know what Hill said. No matter how bad things got, he rarely acknowledged the real situation. And he did it so well that you couldn't help but wonder whether he was just trying to stick to the message or if he really meant it.
Now Hill is in a mess that even he can't ignore, although he is trying. He is being fired, ostensibly, for being a poor coach not for blowing up at a baseball game at Bainton Field — by the way, that incident is almost admirable as Hill was so wrapped up in supporting his father that he lost his composure and completely blew his poised public persona — but he refused to give a public apology after being granted an opportunity by Tim Pernetti. And then, most injuriously, he disobeyed Pernetti's order to not come back to the field until the series with Pittsburgh was over.
Whether Hill doubted the strength of such an order or he thought he was inoculated from any consequences, since the news first hit Hill has looked like a man living in his own world. In a meeting with his players, he refused to acknowledge his fate, showing the duplicity that grated on some of his players. And now instead of accepting a more than gracious buyout, he is trying to grab every penny. You can't blame Hill for trying to get the money before running but a little magnanimity couldn't hurt. At this point, taking a buyout would show some humility and at least superficially take responsibility for his putrid record.
How long this will go on for depends on Hill. Rutgers does not seem intent on budging, will he? It may all even end up in court. But a judge isn't needed here, maybe a letter to Ann Landers will do.
Dear Ann,
My boss is trying to fire me for supporting my dad, what should I do?
Signed,
Pissed Off in Piscataway.
For more Rutgers and Seton Hall basketball news, follow Mike Vorkunov on Twitter at @Mike_Vorkunov. If you have any comments or criticisms, email Mike at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
