Fordham needs to remove Grasso's interim tag

Ray Floriani had a chance to see Fordham play last week. Needless to say, he was impressed with interim coach Jared Grasso.

This has been said and written in a few other locales.

Very simply and to the point.

Hey Fordham: HIRE JARED GRASSO!!!

When I was 12, Grasso was my coach at the Quinnipiac basketball camp.

In mid-December Grasso was appointed interim head coach after Dereck Whittenburg was shown the door. The first time I saw the former Ram assistant running the team and making the decisions was on December 19th at the Izod Center in East Rutherford. Then and there I was convinced he was the man for the job.

You may be thinking this writer has officiated one too many poorly played lower level basketball games and has taken leave of his senses. Fordham is 1-11 under Grasso, 0-6 in Atlantic Ten play and on an eleven game losing streak. Not so.

There are a number things in Grasso’s corner. First, his ability to recruit. Some coaches are good recruiters only but Grasso is comfortable with the X’s and O’s. He can manage a game and make adjustments. But the thing that stood out that December afternoon as Villanova opened the game the second half en route to a 96-58 rout of Fordham is how his players react. They respond to his coaching, play hard and are enthusiastic right to the final buzzer.

Those same qualities were evident over a month later on Saturday in a 62-45 loss to Temple at Rose Hill. The Owls pulled away the second half but here was Grasso working each possession and his players carrying out assignments, though some were forgotten (it happens with young teams). To the end they competed regardless of the score.

A former guard at Quinnipiac, Grasso has his college coach Joe DeSantis as an assistant and a voice of experience and guidance. He is learning on the job but has something you cannot learn.

It’s inside. Something called passion.

Grasso is energetic to hit the road recruiting after a loss and/or watch tape of the next opponent. Overall, he is genuinely passionate about the program and his players, a point expressed by Dayton’s Brian Gregory after their mid January meeting at the Garden.

Awarding Grasso with the job now would help recruiting as prospective players would know who is running the program the next few seasons or more. Turning Fordham around will not be easy. Jared Grasso relishes the challenge. He is actively immersed in it at present time. Hopefully the administration will realize it, give him a contract and scrap that interim tag. Soon!