Winthrop vs. Leary

[WinthropEagleFan]

Winthrop released its schedule today, and included in there is a game against former LU assistant Stephon Leary's Palm Beach Atlantic squad. Hey Scar, is there some sort of connection between Leary and Marshall? Seems like an odd matchup otherwise. Either way, if WU is going to play non-D1 games, I'm glad there is some kind of connection involved (they are also playing Newberry, coached by former WU assistant Shaun Golden).

[Sly Fox]

PBAU is a school growing at a blistering rate down in South Florida. They are in the process of trying to step up to Division I status. I'm sure Stephon is doing whatever he can to prepare them for this step including scheduling teams that are clearly out of their league. I have an uncle who is head of Art Dept. at the school and he tells me they are spending gobs of money to prepare for the step up.

[SCAR]

WEF,

Other than the fact that Jeff Meyer worked for you guys and Coach Meyer and Steph remain good friends, Marshall and Leary seemed to get along fine. Also Steph knows Shaun Golden pretty well I think. I hope Liberty brings PBA up to the Vines Center in a year or so. It makes for good subplots on television. Also Anthony Smith's backcourt mate in high school signed with Palm Beach and that would be another connection...Sly is absolutely right about the move to division 1. Steph was on the first Division 1 team at LU and was my roomate, teamate, and backcourt mate during those years. With the resources they are giving those guys down there, it sounds like the move up is highly likely to take place soon. I just caught up with Stephon on Labor day for the first time in months but they are getting settled in down there. Just missed the big part of the hurricane by about an hour south of them.

[bigsmooth]

oh the days of steph and scar in the backcourt! brings back some good memories except for the ugly uniforms

[SCAR]

I actually gave my game shorts to my then 11 year old nephew back in 91 when bigger shorts started to come into fashion. BigSmooth you are going to love the alternate jerseys they have this year I think. You should see them on the road if you go to the HP or Winthrop games or you may see them in the Vines. Back when LJ, Marco and Aluma played we routinely wore red jerseys at home. No names on the backs this season though. I liked the names but this year they have the Prototype Liberty Logo where the name would go (on the reds at least, not sure about the blue or the white).

[PAmedic]

what, consistency in branding- say it aint so! SCAR, tell your buddy PROTO to stop on by here again w/ updates for us- we won't bite.

we're all curious as to how the marketing strategy is going- whats coming up, etc.

[SCAR]

I will let him know the next time I see him that you request his presence. I am sure he is lurking around here somewhere though.

[Sly Fox]

Here's a story from the Palm Beach fishwrap on Stephon:

New coach faces difficult schedule

By Corey Zimmer

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Monday, November 14, 2005

The Palm Beach Atlantic men's basketball team begins a new era this season.

Not only are the Sailfish beginning a two-year provisional period in their move to Division II, but they will be doing it with a new coach in Stephon Leary.

Leary will make his Division II debut with the Sailfish but he will be moving down in divisions. The past three seasons, Leary was an assistant coach at Liberty University, his alma mater.

One of the challenges Leary will face is building a team with less resources and scholarships than he had in Division I. Another will be taking a team that finished 29-4 and ranked fifth in the nation that now will face larger schools and challenges.

"We have enough scholarships to begin to build this program," Leary said. "When I met with the AD here, they were committed to building a good Division II team and I am confident we will do that."

The Sailfish return just two seniors from last year's team.

"The first thing you have to do as a new coach is decide how to build your team," Leary said. "We are building with freshman."

Leary expects to start one senior and four freshmen, who he recruited to PBA. With such a young lineup, expectations are for a season of growing pains.

"I'm taking nothing away from what they did here last year," Leary said. "But they didn't have any Division II teams on their schedule and this year our 27 games are all Division II with two Division I teams. So I don't know what we would be comparing to."

Leary will not have to look far to find out how close his team is to the elite Division II programs. Lynn University is national ranked and the Sailfish will face the Fighting Knights in an exhibition game.

"When we play Lynn, I will be able to see exactly where we are and where we want to be," Leary said.

Hurricane Wilma didn't help in the development of the young players as the Sailfish missed an entire week of practice because they had no alternate facility to use. Leary said that it was a bad time as most of the players were just starting to get comfortable with his system.

"I know that we have a good group of kids that are excited about being here, that are working really hard, and are moving in a positive direction," Leary said. "I think the future is very bright for Palm Beach Atlantic."

www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2005/11/14/a6c_pbamen_1114.html

I know I'm planning on catching up with him when he brings the Sailfish here to his hometown of Houston (where he is doing a great job with his recruiting connections) to face Rice.

The article doesn't mention it, but the school is planning on just using DII as a quick stepping stone to Division I status. The school has a beautiful campus and sits right on the intercoastal waterway across from Palm Beach. They are growing by leaps & bounds.

[PAmedic]

once I read "Sailfish" I had to google this school. Turns out is a christian school. here's their site.

evidently they are NCCAA, not NCAA? and this explains the obvious question- "why sailfish"

[Sly Fox]

Actually, they are in their probationary period to become full NCAA members. They will start off Division II with a step up to Division I in the planning.

My uncle is head of the art department there. The campus is gorgeous and the school is growing quickly and intelligently.

Stephon is going to have a tough time this season starting all of those freshmen. But he'll do a great job.