Bertman to interview Mainieri

[Greenhead22]

LSU set to interview Irish coach

By RANDY ROSETTA
Advocate sportswriter
Published: Jun 25, 2006

Skip Bertman’s next step in the search for a new LSU baseball coach will involve reaching back to his earliest baseball roots.

With the hunt wide open after Alabama’s Jim Wells withdrew from consideration Friday, the next man Bertman will interview is Notre Dame coach Paul Mainieri.

Notre Dame Athletic Director Kevin White confirmed through a spokesman Saturday that Bertman was granted permission two weeks ago to speak to Mainieri. Saturday, Bertman contacted Mainieri to set up a Monday interview.

Attempts to reach Bertman were unsuccessful Saturday.

Former University of New Orleans coach Ron Maestri confirmed Mainieri and Bertman spoke two weeks about the LSU job after the Fighting Irish season ended with a loss to Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. Mainieri was recently in New Orleans with his wife, Karen — a Crescent City native — but the visit was an anniversary trip and not for official business.

Mainieri played for Maestri at UNO for two seasons in the late 1970s after spending a season each at LSU and Miami-Dade Community College.

Maestri, who built the Privateers into the state’s first college baseball powerhouse, said he’s eager to speak to Bertman on Mainieri’s behalf if the opportunity arises.

“I think if Skip looks at what Paul has done the last several years at Notre Dame, there’s no question that he’s a guy who would be a good fit at LSU,” Maestri said. “And I think Paul would love the chance to come south to a warmer climate and see what he could do with a major program down here.”

And it’s not like Bertman and Mainieri need an introduction.

Mainieri grew up in Miami, where his father, Demie Mainieri, was a legendary coach at Miami-Dade Community College. Bertman is a Miami native who coached at Miami Beach High School and Miami Dade-Downtown before joining Ron Fraser’s coaching staff at the University of Miami from 1976-83.

“Paul and Skip know each other and Skip has known the family for years,” Maestri said.

Even if Bertman didn’t know Mainieri, it would be hard not to take notice of what he has accomplished in 24 years as a college coach.

The 48-year-old Mainieri spent six years each at St. Thomas University in Florida and the Air Force Academy — where he was the first civilian baseball coach. In 1995 he was hired at Notre Dame to replace current Arizona State coach Pat Murphy as the Fighting Irish prepared to enter the Big East Conference.

Since Mainieri’s arrival, the Irish have emerged as the best program in the Big East. Notre Dame is 533-213-3 during his tenure and has won either a share of the Big East regular-season title or tournament crown or both for eight straight seasons. They have won 40 or more games in 11 of Mainieri’s 12 years as coach.

The Irish have also become NCAA tournament regulars, with seven consecutive appearances — including a trip to the 2002 College World Series.

“They have the best program in the Big East right now and maybe the best baseball program in the Midwest,” Maestri said. “Paul has been able to go there and handle recruiting very well at a place that’s very difficult to recruit to because of the high academic standards. He’s a dynamic guy who people gravitate to and I think he’d be a great fit at LSU.”

Maestri got a first-hand look at the LSU baseball phenomenon and how it blossomed under Bertman’s 18-year tenure. UNO was the established Louisiana power when Bertman arrived, with CWS appearances in 1979 — when Mainieri was the Privateers’ starting second baseman — and 1984.

Now Maestri said his former player could come south and revive a program that slipped slightly after back-to-back College World Series appearances under recently fired coach Smoke Laval in 2003 and ’04.

“I don’t think it’s an impossible task at all,” said Maestri, who won 519 games as UNO’s coach from 1972-85. “Having observed that program like I have, it’s still a great job — maybe one of the best in the country. What Skip did is take limited resources, build something special and then establish a great tradition. That’s something a guy like Paul could come in and build on and I think he’d love the challenge.”

[big gumbo]

I heard that the College of Charleston skipper was in the mix too, who knows

[Deltamud77]

Yeah, I think it will either be the ND guy, Palowski from C of C, or possibly Skip.

[big gumbo]

on a bright note we snagged one recruit away from LSU, a transfer form Libcomb in Nashville, our offer was sweeter. Van Horn has made it clear he's not going anywhere. hes got a standing promise to always have the best facility in the league. There still working out the final details of the newest additions to the ballpark,

[rebelduckaholic]

nm

[big gumbo]

Looks like the ND guy got it.