I had to pass along this article from the LA Times about the coach schmoozing from the Final Four. Every year, I read an article with some variation on this. This one, though, gets a little more into the little NABC product expo.

By mid-morning Friday, most of the coaches head to the Henry Gonzalez Convention Center to check out the products at the expo hosted by the National Assn. of Basketball Coaches.

A big draw is giveaways provided by the participating companies. Any business slow to catch on was reminded in a letter from the NABC, which included the following in bold type:

“The NABC highly encourages companies to utilize gift-giving opportunities to bolster traffic at your booths.”

Then there are the shoe company parties for the coaches

The meeting adjourns and it’s party time. Friday night is the craziest on Riverwalk because, in addition to coaches, fans have arrived by the thousands, most wearing the colors of their favored school. Barges carrying school bands and cheerleaders float along the river, a meandering yet raucous voyage that ends near an ESPN platform where analysts are on the air, predicting the next day’s winners.

For coaches with enough clout to score an invitation, shoe company parties are an alternative to the open-air celebration.

The Adidas bash is at the swanky Club Rive only a few blocks from the Hyatt, and coaches under contract with Nike or Reebok are not welcome. Shoe companies pay a major portion of the salaries of top coaches — Adidas pays Howland $375,000 a year — and the annual Final Four parties bring together everyone with allegiance to a particular brand.

Two coaches whose teams are coming off successful seasons — Jamie Dixon of Pittsburgh and Bo Ryan of Wisconsin — are the big Adidas draws. Six break dancers entertain on a circular dance floor, there is a generous buffet of beef tacos, chicken flautas and guacamole, and free drinks are poured by bartenders wearing T-shirts bearing the latest Adidas slogan: “Impossible is nothing.”

A live mannequin in an Adidas ensemble stands frozen on a platform above the crowded room. And although a rock band plays, the music is not so loud that revelers can’t carry on a conversation — or cut a deal.

The story focuses a bit on an assistant coach from Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Worth reading in full.

So now the season is completely over. UConn is the national champion, to go with their Big East Tournament Championship. A season that began with question marks (life after Brandin Knight and Ben Howland, Jamie Dixon, Krauser) and modest expectations — finish in the top-25, maybe come in 2nd or 3rd in the Big East, make a little noise in the Big East Tourney and hopefully make it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. The end, though, was disappointing despite the achievements:

— #9 in the polls at the end of the regular season
— Winning the Big East Regular Season outright
— Runner up to UConn in the Big East Tournament
— A #3 seed in the NCAA Tourney was considered the biggest slight of the seeding
— Making it to the Sweet 16 to be knocked out by a Final Four team
— #7 in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll for 2003-2004

Already there is rumination about next year. Should we be surprised Pitt wasn’t included in this list? I want to say yes, but not really. We don’t have the name cache established that would put us in there no matter what, and there will again be plenty of questions about the team with the loss of Page and Brown.

There will be lots of questions. Will McCarroll be the new starting power forward, and finally play better defense? Will Graves and/or Demetrius sieze the starting shooting guard position, or lose to JUCO transfer DeGroat. Will some of the other recruits from last year and incoming push any of the starters for playing time? How will Jamie Dixon do with more expectations and more of his own players?

2004-05 will be the last year of Big East basketball as we know it. The following season will have Cinci, Louisville, Marquette and DePaul in the conference to swell it to a 16 team behemoth. For all the talk about how at that point, the Big East will be THE college basketball conference, next year will be far from shabby. Consider:

Top Teams

UConn — They lose Taliek Brown, Okafor and Gordon, but still have Villanueva, Boone, Anderson and a stellar incoming class. Along with their coaching, you know they are merely reloading.

Syracuse — No reason to think they won’t be as good if not better than this past season. The Billy Edelin distractions look to be done for good.

Notre Dame — They disappointed this season, but will be a year older and better.

Villanova — All the talent in the world (as they showed at the Big East Tournament) and young, but will they finally put it together?

Boston College — A team in its last year in the Big East, but totally built for the Big East. Another year older and stronger. They will be a sleeper team to win it in the Big East.

Pitt — Page and Brown were guys that led the way for this team, but Troutman and Krauser are still leaders. Taft will be stronger and more aggressive. There is still a lot to like about Pitt.

NIT More or Less

Rutgers — Runner-up in the NIT. One of these years…

Providence — Still a good team, but expect Gomes to be gone. They finished as a top team so they will have a brutal BE schedule.

WVU — Good coach, rebuilding the program. They have some talent and size.

Seton Hall — Probably closer to less than more. They will be rebuilding, but they have a good system.

Bottom Feeding

Georgetown — They may or may not have a good recruiting class incoming, still need a new coach to get those wavering recruits.

St. John’s — A complete mess.