COMMENTARY : Here’s a Closer Look at the Big East Coaches

Coaches are the stars of college basketball, thanks to television. There are no dugouts to hide in, no 300-pound behemoths to shield them from view. Coaches dance, clap and curse in front of their benches, and the TV cameras follow every move. We would never pretend to know everything about these men. They have lives away from the court, and many work hard at maintaining their limited privacy.

But here are a few observations--including some you’ll never get from TV--about the coaches of the Big East:

Best game preparation coach-- Jim Calhoun, University of Connecticut. Give Calhoun and his staff a couple of days extra to prepare, and they are extremely dangerous.

Best bench coach --Rollie Massimino, Villanova. Daddy Mass can really adjust his X’s and O’s under pressure.

Worst bench coach --Jim O’Brien, Boston College. Often falls asleep at the switch.

Best recruiter --Jim Boeheim, Syracuse. Are we starting to find out why? The Squanderer--Paul Evans, Pittsburgh. Nobody does less with more talent.

Mr. Consistency --Lou Carnesecca, St. John’s. Counted out every November; has postseason plans every March.

Most fascinating --John Thompson, Georgetown. He’s always worth listening to--if he decides to talk.

The guy-next-door --P.J. Carlesimo, Seton Hall. He would make a great neighbor.

Biggest grump after a loss --Massimino.

Biggest grump after a victory --Massimino.

Best dressed --Massimino. Winning the national title put him in wardrobe heaven.

Fashion failure --Carnesecca. Looie, lose the sweaters. Please.

Never appeared in GQ --Boeheim. The guy is skinny, so why can’t he button his collar and tighten the knot of his tie?

The Prince Machiavelli Award --Evans. If you need an explanation, go back to Western Civilization 101.

The John McEnroe Award --Calhoun. Every call is on the line. A longtime observer who works the scorer’s table at one Big East school says Calhoun rides officials harder than any league coach.

Coaches under attack --Boeheim, O’Brien and Evans.

Most deserving of a second chance --O’Brien. Give him time with the youngsters.