Fordham was close to hiring Pete Lembo?

[Franks Tanks]

Was reported by football scoop.

Lembo split Lehigh over a decade ago, left Elon for Ball State and then took a job as a position coach at Maryland. He was not fired from any of those jobs.

Lembo couldn't wait to get out of the Patriot League years ago and surprised he was considering coming back. Any Fordham guys know the story here?

[ngineer]

Surprised to hear that. Pistol Pete is a many looking for the next rung up. He finally got to a "power 5 conference" team (though, granted a weak one). Can't imagine to wanting to head in that direction.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Lembo is a good coach but he definitely road Higgins coattails to this...

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTmqcpHJNQQ9IbDKOSLFuGctpHbWhDtL YbWoC5XLyN6NV7ijq3Xzw

[Fordham]

I don't know for sure but he supposedly knows one of our posters who reported that they couldn't make things work financially. Not sure if that's cover for not getting the job but I would have welcomed him here.

That said, I'll be doing the same for Yale OC, Joseph Conlin, as he takes over the reigns.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I will say that had Lembo accepted the post at Fordham, that would have made for some very intense Fordham/Lehigh games.

[RichH2]

Pete left Lehigh not the PL. A victim of disappointed fan expectations more than anything else. His problem was he wasnt Higgins.

[Bill]

While I have not spoken to Pete about this, I too would have been shocked. Unless things were starting to go really sideways, HC at Lehigh to Elon to Ball State to a big 10 special teams coordinator....then back to Fordham does not make sense financially or career-path wise. His base salary when he left Ball State was about 450K, and got about 350K to come aboard Maryland. No one in the PL is close to those numbers...

[100%GRIZ]

Surprised to hear that. Pistol Pete is a many looking for the next rung up. He finally got to a "power 5 conference" team (though, granted a weak one). Can't imagine to wanting to head in that direction.

There is only ONE Pistol Pete & it's not this dude!

[Schism55]

There is only ONE Pistol Pete & it's not this dude!
A ****ing men!

[ngineer]

I don't know for sure but he supposedly knows one of our posters who reported that they couldn't make things work financially. Not sure if that's cover for not getting the job but I would have welcomed him here.

That said, I'll be doing the same for Yale OC, Joseph Conlin, as he takes over the reigns.

No way FU could make Lembo financially satisfied. After earning about $350K at Maryland, he'd take a huge hit with what the PL teams pay, plus he'd be in NYC cost of living.

[ngineer]

There is only ONE Pistol Pete & it's not this dude!

That was the nickname he got tagged with while at Lehigh as he had a sharp tongue and a thin skin, so he occasionally would shoot out some insult at an assistant or an alum.

[Franks Tanks]

No way FU could make Lembo financially satisfied. After earning about $350K at Maryland, he'd take a huge hit with what the PL teams pay, plus he'd be in NYC cost of living.

FWIW, football scoop says Fordham is paying in the 300k range.

[PAllen]

Pete left Lehigh not the PL. A victim of disappointed fan expectations more than anything else. His problem was he wasnt Higgins.

To be more specific: once the team was all his guys, he couldn't beat Lafayette and he started mouthing off to older alums and supporters.

[ngineer]

To be more specific: once the team was all his guys, he couldn't beat Lafayette and he started mouthing off to older alums and supporters.

Yes, Pete benefited greatly from what Higgins had built. He was also only about 29 years old when given the job and, imo, did not have the 'gravitas' needed. It was a learning experience and I think he learned a lot from those several years before heading off to Elon.

[ngineer]

FWIW, football scoop says Fordham is paying in the 300k range.

With cost of living in NYC, that's worth about $150K in the Lehigh Valley.