who made the first move?

[billiken_roy]

according to this column, majerus contacted slu via dick versace.

http://stclairjournal.stltoday.com/article...tcolumn.ii1.txt

[brianstl]

That Dick Versace told Chaifetz that RM would be intrested in the job. Versace is working with Chaifetz on trying to buy a NBA team.

[brianstl]

Wiley may be trying to make his role look bigger than it actually was.

[kmbilliken]

My impression of Joe Wiley is he wouldn't exagerate his role in the hiring process to try to make himself look important.

[Sheltiedave]

Joe has zero need to try to impress people at this time in his life. He does have a burning desire for SLU to be playing at a very high level in basketball.

[brianstl]

Thru? Joe Wiley or the guy who's payroll he is currently on and who just happened to give $12 million dollars to the university? I am putting my money on Chaifetz.

[cheeseman]

Not sure why you would doubt the info in the article? Wiley has been around along time with SLU basketball so I would not be a bit surprised if he had some part in all of this. Usually in situations like this very unusual connections tend to play very important roles at key times. Roy, thanks for sharing the article. In time we will have the entire picture of why and how things happened.

[Four Seventeen]

I talked to Joe Wiley at the Press Conference a couple of weeks back and he said he was still "in awe" at the hiring of Majerus. You could just see the look in eyes. His smile was ear to ear. His enthusiasm for SLU basketball is contagious.

[brianstl]

That Wiley and Versace are friends and that he talked to both him and Majerus.. But, to think he had anything to do with this hiring is foolish. Wiley might think that, but I highly doubt it.

Versace is on Chaifetz's payroll, literally. He works for Chaifetz when it comes to Chaifetz's interest in purchasing an NBA team. Chaifetz name is on the new arena, because he donated millions to the project. Biondi and Chaifetz both knew of Mejerus interest long before Joe Wiley.

[kshoe]

On one hand you have a published article saying that Joe Wiley was the go-between...on the other hand you have a Billikenboard rumor during the hiring process when every other post was basically rampant speculation.

I am putting my money on Wiley.

[brianstl]

Is Frank C. Frank talked about how Dick Versace works for Chaifetz's NBA interest. How Dick was the one setting up the meeting in Chicago between RM and Chaifetz that "supposedly" didn't happen because of a scheduling conflict. I will take Frank C's word on that any day. You don't have to take my word for it.

[cheeseman]

Brian, don't confuse who hired RM with who might have had a hand in getting the ball rolling. Nobody - not even the article - is saying that Joe Wiley hired RM just that he was instrumental in getting the initial contacts arranged.

[cujaysfan]

i think RM contacting SLU is a likely scenario.

word on the street is that he was one of two coaches who had contacted creighton through channels about the second altman was announced as going to fayetville.

it seems that majerus had in his mind the profile of the school that he was going to finish his career at - and SLU and CU sure have a ton of similarities. he mostly just traded that great omaha beef for some quality pasta on the hill.

[SLUMS81]

At the press conference, RM was quite vocal in his praise for Joe Wiley.