Ask the AD
03/28/2007 | 12:00:00 | General
March 28, 2007
 "Saluki Way is progressing exactly the way I thought it would. We are having bi-monthly meetings with the architecture group 360, and they are going over designs and all the 'programming' needs for the entire department."  | |
E-Mail a question to Mario Moccia
Will Indiana really be coming to Carbondale to finish out the other side of the deal that brought us to their court this year?
Moccia: Indiana is contracted to play in Carbondale next year, and it is my firm belief that they will honor the contract. I personally know their Director of Athletics, Rick Greenspan, who is a very good and by-the-book individual, so, yes, I fully expect them to play at SIU Arena next year.
Can you discuss next year's basketball schedule?
Moccia: I think this has the opportunity to be one of the best schedules in school history with Indiana, Saint Mary's, Butler, Western Kentucky and the BracketBusters game at home. We will have two or three more home games, so the season-ticket prices will rise due to the increase in games. Some of these will also be priced as "premium games" but shouldn't be drastically different than what our fans are used to. Last year, having just 15 home games was way too few in my opinion. A possible match-up with Northern Illinois is in the works as well, so it would be great to get up to Chicago for our alumni there, as well as near Bryan Mullins' home.
What is Chris Lowery's current status with the University?
Moccia: Coach Lowery is currently under contract. He has a two-year roll-over contract, which, in effect, means if he isn't terminated, that the contract keeps rolling over as a form of an extension. We obviously are anxious and working to get him under a multi-year contract, as well as a raise in pay.
Any chance we are now considered a "safe" school to play, both in terms of RPI quality and overall image, and we can get a few home-and-homes with BCS teams?
Moccia: I'd love to think so, but I think for this to happen someone from the NCAA Selection Committee would almost have to say, "Hey, you BCS teams who didn't make the tournament and were on the bubble need to play teams like Southern Illinois, Butler and VCU to increase your chances to get in the tournament." I think the BCS teams will always fall into the trap of wanting to play a heavy slate of "weak sisters," and then say we need to do this because our conference is so tough.
I'm holding out hope for one thing that works in our advantage -- when at the end of the year you look on ESPN and they profile Arkansas and Indiana (and their NCAA tournament status) and under good wins, they list Southern Illinois -- that will only assist our case.
Don't hold your breath but we will keep trying.
How is Saluki Way progressing?
Moccia: Saluki Way is progressing exactly the way I thought it would. We are having bi-monthly meetings with the architecture group 360, and they are going over designs and all the "programming" needs for the entire department. They have met on several occasions with Coach Kill, Lowery and Eikenberg and others.
The one thing that we really need from them is a drawing of the proposed facility and the rooms and areas that a donor can attach their name to. These are the sales tools my staff and I need. When you sit down with a donor, they really want to see what you are asking them to contribute to, not just your vision in the sky. What we have been doing in this time is building our prospect list of potential major donors who could assist us in Saluki Way. From around 50 folks when I first got here, we now have more than 400, and with football and men's and women's basketball going great guns, the iron is very hot, and we need to take advantage of it.
Which will be completed first, the arena renovation or football stadium? When do you think they will be finished?
Moccia: I can't answer this question yet. When the design is complete and all the bids come back and the necessary funding is in place, we will then see what month it is, and if that happens to be November, I assume we will begin on football and then basketball after the season ends. Remember, we can always begin on the additions to the arena while we play and then get working on the bowl after the season. Bottom line is that it is too early to tell.
I am not sure when they will be finished, but I hope it is as soon as possible. Since funding, weather and other forces can influence this, I can't give you a decent answer at this time.
What, if any, non conference tourneys are we attempting play in, and how does that work? How is it determined who gets to go to what tourney and how competitive is it? (Please create a rule that will not allow us to ever go to Alaska - ever!!!)
Moccia: Come on! I had a great time in Alaska when I went to the Great Alaska Shootout with Mizzou several years ago!! First off, you get invited to these tournaments. You don't call them, they call you. We have been in discussions on two different events -- the first one is playing in a tournament that would have us play two homes games and then advance to South Padre Island for two games (I believe the University of Illinois played in this event last year). The second is almost a mirror of what we did in Orlando this past season, only it is in Anaheim, Calif. It is an ESPN tournament, and all three games would be televised, so it would be great for our California alumni and also more national exposure for our program. I am going to be seeing Chris Turner, Director of Conference Programming at ESPN at the Final Four, to continue discussions on this.
If Coach Lowery leaves, do you have a plan to replace him?
Moccia: First, of course our plan isn't to let him leave, but ultimately I wouldn't be doing a very good job if I didn't have a list of potential replacements. Besides a coach leaving for another position, you have to be prepared for other considerations (illness, scandal, etc.). I assume a prepared Chancellor also has an AD replacement list.
Is it true we asked Gonzaga to play, and they said no?
Moccia: Not true. Their AD is a good guy named Mike Roth, and we haven't ever discussed a series with each other. That would be a pretty good series, but with our current 2007-08 schedule, we don't want to bite off more than we can chew all in one year.
