As the Big East Tournament gets ready to celebrate its 35th season at Madison Square Garden, we here at Big East Coast Bias had a chance to talk to a couple people who have seen their fair share of action at The Garden: FOX and CBS color commentator Len Elmore, and former St. John’s head coach and current FOX analyst Steve Lavin.
For starters, tradition is key, “a combination of tradition and quality coaches, quality styles of play, and the fans are great.” Elmore said. Despite the fact that the Big East looks a bit different now than in the late 90s when Elmore was the Tournament’s color commentator, he says the fan support hasn’t changed, adding, It’s a new crop of fans with the addition of the Catholic schools and the loss of UConn and Syrcause, but you still have folks like Villanova and Georgetown and Seton Hall that have been there for decades upon decades that the Big East has been there and they bring the excitement.