Author: Coach Z (Page 19 of 38)

Since 2000 Indiana University has paid out over $4 million to coaches and athletic administrators to leave the university. These type of decisions show just how inept the administration is at IU and the lack of integrity in the athletic department.

Word has it that Lute Olsen wants back in next year. He is around practices and the office all the time and would come back right now if he was able. This creates a problem for the administration at Arizona. They obviously would like to move on with Kevin O’Neill, but how do you fire a legend without a public outcry.

Lute Olsen’s record menas he deserves to be honored, but when is it time to go. Just ask the AD at Penn State who has the same dilemna with Joe Paterno in football.

With Indiana opening up, look for them to make a push for Tony Bennett at Washington State. He has done a great job there (even better than his father) and has ties to Big Ten country.

In the Big East, days could be numbered for Norm Roberts at St. Johns and Tim Welsh at Providence. Both coaches have done a great considering their limitations relative to the other school’s in the league. Rumor has that Paul Hewitt at georgia Tech could be in the hunt at St. John’s.

Dan Dakich avoided a huge disgrace yesterday by leading his Indiana Hoosiers to a three point win over Northwestern. The Wildcats, still looking for their first Big Ten win, led most of the way. And it looked like all the turmoil affecting the Hoosiers this week had taken it’s toll. However, a late surge pushed Dan Dakich to his first win as the Indiana interim head coach.

One can only wonder why Dakich was named the head coach and not Ray McCallum. Another mistake in the handling of the situation by AD Greenspan. When is he and the compliance director going to be given their walking papers?

And for all you Bob Knight fans. Give it up! The General ain’t coming back to Bloomington. He hasn’t won a national title in twenty years and was a routine disappointment in the the tourney the last ten. So I don’t want to hear it anymore.

Bill Self back to Oklahoma State as the new Cowboy coach. Not just year. Sean Sutton and OSU got a big win yesterday over the Jayhawks and kept a fading post season tourney hopes alive.

Staying in the Big 12, Baylor got back on track with a win over Kansas State. The Wildcats got 44 from Michael Beasley, but still lost for the second straight game and fourth in a row on the road. With Texas coming to Manhattan on Monday, it is crucial that the Wildcats get a win boefore going back out on the road. The youth of this team seems to have finally caught up. With no senior leadership (David Hoskins out all year.), this team falters when it gets behind. Coach Frank Martin has done a great job mixing the ninen new players in to a solid mix, but he needs an upperclassmen like Blake Young or Clent Stewart to step up down the stretch.

Also, Nebraska is making a late season push for a bid with a convincing road win at Texas A&M.

Kent State bolstered it’s post season hope with a road win over ranked St. Mary’s. A strong finish coupled with the win on Saturday and the Golden Flashes could be the first MAC school to get an at large bid since 1999 if they fail to win the conference tournament.

Drake is for real. They went to Butler and knocked off the other Bulldogs and solidified their post season regardless of what happens in the Valley conference tournament.

In response to Kelvin Sampson’s forced resignation at Indiana, six of his players including starters, DJ White, Armon Bassett, and Jemarcu Ellis missed the first practice held by interim head coach Dan Dakich. Not only are they upset that Sampson has been forced out, but that Ray McCallum was not promoted to the head coach spot.

McCallum has been the top assistant at Indiana for two years. Dakich joined the staff this year as the Director of Basketball Operations (after being fired at Bowling Green) and was elevated to a full time assistant after Rob Senderoff was fired.

McCallum was the head coach at Ball State and Houston and was not implicated in any of the NCAA violations. Futhermore his track record was better than Dakich. I can see why the players are upset. And I agree with them. Time will tell if they will play on Saturday at Northwestern.

My only question is when will Rick Greenspan be fired. He should be for his handling of this entire episode. However, like many administrators they escape without any damage to them or their careers.

Tennessee is the #2 team in the country thanks in large part to the NCAA. You see, last summer the NCAA allowed Tyler Smith to transfer to the Vols from Iowa without having to sit out a year. The rationale was that his father was diagnosed with cancer and he wanted to seem him play. Ok, they did a humanitarian thing.

However, think of the repercussions for Iowa and beyond. Iowa lost is leading returning score and it is a good bet that if he was told he would have to sit out he would have stayed put. I can see going home to be with a sick parent. It makes sense. Look at Kevin Coble from Northwestern who missed the first part of the school year to be at home with his sick mother. Can he get back a year if he appeals? Based on Tyler Smith he should.

Furthermore, Bruce Pearl recruited Smith out of high school, but was spurned. Why was it not important to have his father see him play then? Look, I am not being cold hearted, but precedent has been set. All players should be able to leave without penalty if a new coach comes in and if a parent is sick. It is dangerous waters being tread when kids can leave at the drop of a hat without penalty.

Finally, I am in total favor that the rule should be changed to allow players to transfer when coaches are fired before the end of their contract. Perhaps that would give Administrators reason to uphold a contract that they signed.

Speaking of firing, stay tuned on Kelvin Sampson. Fox Sports has reported that he is gone. Indiana denies it and will have an announcement later today. Meanwhile, Sampson is still running practice. In my opinion let him finish the year and then see where the chips fall. My bet is if he goes deep into the tourney they will overlook his transgressions, just as they did for Bob Knight for so many years. Fire him now and they risk a chance of a lawsuit like the one Jim OBrien just won against Ohio State.

Last week John Calipari said his Memphis team is the closest college team to being “America’s Team.” This week he is complaining that the media is picking on them. ” We feel like the media doesn’t think we should lose a game in Conference USA, while no one criticizes Duke for losing to Wake Forest.”

If you don’t want the heat then keep your mouth shut. I like John Calipari. He is a terrific coach and a great promoter. He has the opportunity to do at Memphis what Tark did at UNLV. However, he needs to win and win big if he is going to be so outspoken. Furthermore, we’re still waiting for a decision on one of his player’s striking a fan after the UAB game. I guess that one punch is ok for a member of America’s Team.

Meanwhile his team will be tested with a road game against Tulane and then the toughest game left on his schedule, #2 Tennessee. It is a game that matches two of the best in the business. Should be a great game.

Down on Tobacco Road, Coach K stirred things up with Roy Williams on his weekly press conference. When asked about injuries he stated “that we don’t talk about injuries as an excuse like some teams and coaches do.” When Williams heard this he snapped back and added fuel to the fire. I can’t wait for the rematch.

Speaking of coaches sounding off, Kansas State Coach Frank Martin was a little defensive when asked about the chance of Michael Beasley being named Player of the Year. “If Michael played at one of those basketball schools, this wouldn’t even be a discussion.” I couldn’t agree more! His numbers don’t lie. To say that Tyler Hansborough or Kevin Love deserve it is ludicrous. He leads the country in rebounding and is fourth in scoring. He shoots a higher percentage from the field and three than either of the other two. Additionally, his supporting cast isn’t as good as the ones at UCLA and North Carolina.

Beasley wins hands down!!!