Binghamton men a no-show at America East media day

[SupaDane]

http://blog.timesunion.com/collegesports/binghamton-men-a-no-show-at-america-east-media-day/4759/

 

 

Binghamton men a no-show at America East media dayOctober 27, 2009 at 12:33 pm by Mark Singelais

The America East holds its tip-off luncheon, a.k.a. Media Day, on Wednesday at noon in the Connecticut State Capitol Building in downtown Hartford.

 

Guess who won’t be making an appearance? The defending men’s champions.

 

Binghamton confirmed today interim head men’s basketball coach Mark Macon and his staff won’t be attending the event, where the America East will release its preseason polls and all-conference teams.

 

Obviously, Binghamton is snubbing Media Day to avoid questions about the offseason dismissal of six players, including Troy’s Tiki Mayben for a drug-related arrest, and the paid leave of coach Kevin Broadus as the Bearcats have gone from defending league champions to likely cellar-dwellar.

 

In a prepared statement, Binghamton said interim athletic director James Norris made the request that his men’s basketball staff be officially excused.

 

“There has been a lot of focus on our men’s basketball program these past few weeks and we felt that it was important that this particular day belong to the other 17 basketball programs and the America East,” said Norris.

 

America East commissioner Patrick Nero said he supported Binghamton’s decision.

 

“As the basketball season gets ready to tip-off, we need to do our best to shine a spotlight on all of our programs and we support Binghamton’s request,” Nero said. “We are excited to showcase and promote our men’s and women’s teams and our basketball championships to be held at the University of Hartford in March.”

 

This strikes me as pretty cowardly. Macon, an All-American at Temple, was a lottery pick who played six years in the NBA. Do Binghamton and the America East think he doesn’t know how to deal with the media?

 

Moreover, do Binghamton and the America East think this is going to keep Binghamton from facing tough questions for the rest of the season about its recruiting practices and the collapse of its program?