The divorce between Fordham and former basketball coach Bob Hill still is not complete, but it will be. The question is how messy will this separation get?
Sources close to the situation told The Post that both sides were hoping for a clean split late last night or today. But the longer it drags on, the more the potential for ugliness increases. Both sides have demanded that the other adhere to strict confidentiality guidelines, but both were poised to get down and dirty.
The Hill camp does not want to see any comments directly or indirectly attributed to Fordham specifying reasons for the termination or that the process of finding a new coach has begun. Fordham does not want to see any comments regarding its commitment to a winning program.
The bottom line, of course, is the bottom.
Hill told The Post in February he would be due $1 million if fired. Fordham, which has about $223 million in endowment monies, doesn’t want to pay that much to a coach who compiled a 36-78 record and never embraced the Fordham community.
Hill would be paid out of an unrestricted fund that the university has for these purposes, said the source. Fordham wants to settle for about $500,000. Hill is seeking a number closer to $900,000.
The negotiations are so tense that Fordham is using outside representation. Hill is relying on his attorney, Todd Musburger, who politely declined to comment on the talks. Calls to Fordham attorney Tom DeJulio in the office of legal counsel were not returned.
Neither side wins in a protracted fight. Fordham desperately needs to officially begin the task of finding a new coach.
Of course, the behind-the-scenes maneuvering is well under way. According to other sources, Davidson coach Bob McKillop has contacted Fordham alum and Giants owner Wellington Mara to campaign for the job. Former Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach has called Fordham athletic director Frank McLaughlin on Maryland assistant Jimmy Pastos’ behalf.
As the clock ticks, the plot thickens.
Sources told The Post that swingman Michael Haynes, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, yesterday asked McLaughlin for his release with the intent to transfer. Center Glenn Batemon also will leave if assistant coach Mike Brown isn’t retained.
Guards Drew Williamson and John Blackgrove also are thinking of transferring.
