One and Only: Larry Eustachy Could Go Where No Coach Has Gone Before

September 28th, 2012 - 22:22

Larry Eustachy, inheriting a talented Colorado State squad that participated in the NCAA playoffs last season, became the first coach in NCAA Division I history to win at least 24 games in a single season with five different DI schools. He previously achieved the feat with Idaho, Utah State, Iowa State and Southern Mississippi.

Eustachy, one of six coaches this year to leave an NCAA playoff participant, was an assistant coach at Idaho under Tim Floyd. Eustachy and Floyd are joined by Cliff Ellis as the only coaches ever to post at least 24 victories in a single season with four different DI schools. Iowa's Fran McCaffery could join the following list featuring 17 mentors to reach the 20-win plateau with four universities:

  • Cliff Ellis - won at least 25 games in a single season with four different DI schools (South Alabama, Clemson, Auburn and Coastal Carolina)

  • Larry Eustachy - won at least 24 games with five different NCAA Division I schools (Idaho, Utah State, Iowa State, Southern Mississippi and Colorado State)

  • Tim Floyd - won at least 24 games with four different DI schools (New Orleans, Iowa State, Southern California and Texas-El Paso)

  • Lon Kruger - won at least 23 games with four different DI schools (Kansas State, Florida, Illinois and UNLV before joining Oklahoma)

  • Tubby Smith - won at least 23 games with four different DI schools (Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky and Minnesota)

  • Eddie Sutton - won at least 23 games with four different DI schools (Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State)

  • John Beilein - won at least 22 games with four different DI schools (Canisius, Richmond, West Virginia and Michigan)

  • Bill E. Foster - won at least 22 games with four different DI schools (Rutgers, Utah, Duke and South Carolina)

  • Bob Huggins - won at least 22 games with four different DI schools (Akron, Cincinnati, Kansas State and West Virginia)

  • Mike Jarvis - won at least 21 games with four different DI schools (Boston University, George Washington, St. John's and Florida Atlantic)

  • Rick Pitino - won at least 21 games with four different DI schools (Boston University, Providence, Kentucky and Louisville)

  • Oliver Purnell - won at least 21 games with four different DI schools (Radford, Old Dominion, Dayton and Clemson before joining DePaul)

  • Bill Self - won at least 21 games with four different DI schools (Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas)

  • Rick Barnes - won at least 20 games with four different DI schools (George Mason, Providence, Clemson and Texas)

  • Rick Majerus - won at least 20 games with four different DI schools (Marquette, Ball State, Utah and Saint Louis)

  • Tom Penders - won at least 20 games with four different DI schools (Rhode Island, Texas, George Washington and Houston)

  • Gary Williams - won at least 20 games with four different DI schools (American University, Boston College, Ohio State and Maryland)

NOTE: Floyd (once with Idaho) and Penders (four times with Fordham) posted a high of 19 victories with another school.

Basketball Report: Weekly Update on Active NFL Players Who Were College Hoopsters

September 26th, 2012 - 20:36

The NFL Injury Report comes out in mid-week but it isn't nearly as important to genuine hoop fans as the NFL Basketball Report. Veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez, who excelled in the 1997 NCAA playoffs with California, is off to a splendid start with the Atlanta Falcons. Luminaries Donovan McNabb (Syracuse), Terrell Owens (Chattanooga) and Jason Taylor (Akron) are gone, but the NFL still boasts the following versatile players who previously were college hoopsters:

Player Pos. NFL Team College(s) Summary of 2012 NFL Season
Connor Barwin OLB Houston Texans Cincinnati six tackles but no sacks (after 11 1/2 last year)
Demetress Bell OT Philadelphia Eagles Northwestern State newcomer after signing 5-year deal in off-season following 30 starts with Buffalo Bills the previous three seasons
Jordan Cameron TE Cleveland Browns Brigham Young/Southern California five pass receptions for 45 yards
Demar Dotson RT Tampa Bay Buccaneers Southern Mississippi 6-9 lineman started two of first three games
London Fletcher LB Washington Redskins Saint Francis, PA/John Carroll, OH 22 tackles (14 solo/8 assists) and one interception in 15th season
Antonio Gates TE San Diego Chargers Kent State seven pass receptions for career-low average of 9.3 yards per catch
Tony Gonzalez TE Atlanta Falcons California team-high 21 pass receptions and three touchdowns
Jimmy Graham TE New Orleans Saints Miami, FL team-high three touchdowns (17 catches for 172 yards with long of 23)
Todd Heap TE Arizona Cardinals Arizona State eight receptions for 94 yards (long of 28 yards)
Vincent Jackson WR Tampa Bay Buccaneers Northern Colorado team highs of 10 receptions and 204 yards with one touchdown
Evan Moore TE Seattle Seahawks Stanford first season in NW after three years with the Cleveland Browns, including four touchdowns in 2011
Julius Peppers DE Chicago Bears North Carolina seven solo tackles and 2.5 sacks
Julius Thomas TE Denver Broncos Portland State second-year backup hopes to get a start similar to last season
Kendall Wright WR Tennessee Titans Baylor rookie has team-high 14 pass receptions (one for a touchdown)

Ebb and Flow: Calhoun Among Coaches Going From Rock Bottom to Rock Solid

September 24th, 2012 - 21:25

It wasn't always basking in the spotlight of capturing conference championships and appearing in postseason competition. Recently-retired Jim Calhoun is on the following list of 39 all-time winningest coaches who posted the most defeats in a single season for the same school:

School Worst Season W-L Pct. All-Time Winningest Coach (Year at School)
Arizona State 1969-70 4-22 .154 Ned Wulk (13th of 25)
Boston University 1999-2000 7-22 .241 Dennis Wolff (6th of 15)
Brown 1968-69 3-23 .115 Stanley Ward (15th of 15)
Cal State Fullerton 1964-65 1-25 .038 Alex Omalev (5th of 12)
Connecticut 1986-87 9-19 .321 Jim Calhoun (1st of 26)
Duke 1994-95 13-18 .419 Mike Krzyzewski* (15th of TBD)
Gardner-Webb 2002-03 5-24 .172 Rick Scruggs (8th of 15th)
Harvard 2003-04 4-23 .148 Frank Sullivan (13th of 16)
Houston Baptist 2010-11 5-26 .161 Ron Cottrell (20th of TBD)
La Salle 1995-96 6-24 .200 Speedy Morris (10th of 15)
Louisville 1997-98 12-20 .375 Denny Crum (27th of 30)
Miami (Ohio) 2011-12 9-21 .300 Charlie Coles (16th of 16)
Montana 1944-45 7-23 .233 George Dahlberg (1st of 11)
Mount St. Mary's 2001-02 3-24 .111 Jim Phelan (48th of 49)
Nebraska 1999-2000 11-19 .367 Danny Nee (14th of 14)
New Hampshire 1987-88 4-25 .138 Gerry Friel (19th of 20)
New Mexico State 2004-05 6-24 .200 Lou Henson (16th of 16)
UNC Greensboro 2008-09 5-25 .167 Mike Dement (8th of 11)
Pepperdine 1965-66 2-24 .077 Robert Dowell (18th of 20)
Prairie View A&M 1991-92 0-28 .000 Elwood Plummer (8th of 18)
Presbyterian 2009-10 5-26 .161 Gregg Nibert (21st of TBD)
Providence 1984-85 11-20 .355 Joe Mullaney (18th of 18)
Purdue 2004-05 7-21 .250 Gene Keady (25th of 25)
Rice 2007-08 3-27 .100 Willis Wilson (16th of 16)
Rider 1988-89 5-23 .179 John Carpenter (23rd of 23)
Sacred Heart 1999-2000 3-25 .107 Dave Bike (22nd of TBD)
Saint Joseph's 2010-11 11-22 .333 Phil Martelli (16th of TBD)
San Diego 2003-04 4-26 .133 Brad Holland (10th of 13)
Stanford 1992-93 7-23 .233 Mike Montgomery (7th of 18)
Texas Southern 2007-08 7-25 .219 Robert Moreland (27th of 27)
Texas Tech 1990-91 8-23 .258 Gerald Myers (21st of 21)
UCF 2000-01 8-23 .258 Kirk Speraw (8th of 17)
Utah Valley 2009-10 12-18 .400 Dick Hunsaker (7th of TBD)
Valparaiso 1989-90 4-24 .143 Homer Drew (2nd of 22)
Vermont 1987-88 3-24 .111 Tom Brennan (2nd of 19)
Washington State 1952-53 7-27 .206 Jack Friel (25th of 30)
Western Kentucky 1945-46 15-19 .441 Ed A. Diddle (24th of 42)
West Virginia 2001-02 8-20 .286 Gale Catlett (21st of 24)
Wyoming 1958-59 4-22 .154 Everett Shelton (19th of 19)

*Krzyzewski wasn't in charge of team the entire season. Pete Gaudet substituted for him the last 19 games while he was sidelined because of an ailing back.

Stars Stay Home: Bright Lights of NCAA Playoffs Miss Shining on Name Schools

September 24th, 2012 - 7:39

In 2012, West Virginia became the 36th school to appear in at least 50 NCAA playoff games. At least 10 of the 36 schools failed to participate each year since the field expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985. Half of the "star schools" stayed home in 2004, including Houston being in the midst of a 17-year drought from 1993 through 2009.

Who will join struggling Illinois, Utah and Wake Forest plus academically-deficient Connecticut in missing the 2013 NCAA playoffs? Following is a chronological list of big-name universities not in the tourney during since 1985:

1985 (13) - Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Indiana, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette, Oklahoma State, Texas, UCLA, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia

1986 (11) - Arkansas, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Kansas State, Marquette, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Texas, UCLA, Wake Forest

1987 (13) - Arkansas, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis State, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Texas, Utah, Villanova, Wake Forest

1988 (12) - Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Marquette, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Texas, UCLA, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia

1989 (15) - Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Kansas, Kentucky, Marquette, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Purdue, St. John's, Temple, Utah, Wake Forest

1990 (11) - Cincinnati, Iowa, Kentucky, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis State, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia

1991 (13) - Cincinnati, Illinois, Houston, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, West Virginia

1992 (10) - Illinois, Kansas State, Marquette, Maryland, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Purdue, UNLV, Utah, Villanova

1993 (14) - Connecticut, Georgetown, Houston, Maryland, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Texas, UNLV, Villanova, West Virginia

1994 (13) - Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Memphis, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, St. John's, UNLV, Utah, Villanova, West Virginia

1995 (11) - Duke, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Marquette, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, St. John's, UNLV, West Virginia

1996 (10) - Houston, Illinois, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, St. John's, UNLV, West Virginia

1997 (15) - Arkansas, Connecticut, Houston, Kansas State, Memphis, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, St. John's, Syracuse, UNLV, West Virginia

1998 (13) - Georgetown, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette, Memhis, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas, Villanova, Wake Forest

1999 (12) - Georgetown, Houston, Illinois, Kansas State, Marquette, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, UNLV, Wake Forest, West Virginia

2000 (12) - Georgetown, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Marquette, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Villanova, Wake Forest, West Virginia

2001 (14) - Connecticut, Houston, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina State, Purdue, St. John's, UNLV, Utah, Villanova, West Virginia

2002 (15) - Arkansas, Georgetown, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Louisville, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina, Purdue, Syracuse, Temple, UNLV, Villanova, West Virginia

2003 (14) - Arkansas, Georgetown, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, St. John's, Temple, UCLA, UNLV, Villanova, West Virginia

2004 (18) - Arkansas, Georgetown, Houston, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas State, Marquette, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Purdue, St. John's, Temple, UCLA, UNLV, Villanova, West Virginia

2005 (15) - Arkansas, Georgetown, Houston, Indiana, Kansas State, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, St. John's, Temple, UNLV

2006 (14) - Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Purdue, St. John's, Temple, UNLV, Utah, Wake Forest

2007 (15) - Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Iowa, Kansas State, Michigan, North Carolina State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, St. John's, Syracuse, Temple, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia

2008 (13) - Cincinnati, Houston, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, St. John's, Syracuse, Utah, Wake Forest

2009 (12) - Arkansas, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Houston, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas State, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, St. John's, UNLV

2010 (15) - Arizona, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Oklahoma, St. John's, UCLA, Utah

2011 (10) - Arkansas, Houston, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, North Carolina State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Utah, Wake Forest

2012 (13) - Arizona, Arkansas, Houston, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, St. John's, UCLA, Utah, Villanova, Wake Forest

Underemployed? Overqualified Davis Faces Groundbreaking Opportunity

September 20th, 2012 - 22:02

Underemployment in the coaching community resembles beauty; it's in the eye of the beholder. Whether or not Mike Davis is overqualified to be coaching Texas Southern, he has an opportunity to become the first individual to post a winning record for a historically black college or university after serving in a similar capacity for a non-HBCU institution.

Davis guided Indiana to a runner-up finish in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, one of four playoff appearances for the Hoosiers under him, before averaging 23 victories annually with UAB in a four-year from 2007-08 through 2010-11. But it is not beneath his dignity to join the following list of HBCU coaches who previously were mentors for at least four seasons with a non-HBCU school:

Head Coach Subsequent HBCU (Record; Tenure) Non-HBCU (Record; Tenure)
Frankie Allen Maryland-Eastern Shore (34-89; since 2009) Virginia Tech (56-61; 1988-91)
Tim Carter South Carolina State (63-96; since 2008) Texas-San Antonio (160-152; 1996-2006)
Mike Davis Texas Southern (since 2013) Indiana (115-79; 2001-06)/UAB (122-73; 2007-12)
Henry Dickerson North Carolina Central (47-98; 2005-09) Chattanooga (72-73; 1998-2002)
Dwight Freeman Norfolk State (63-83; 2003-07) Marshall (46-65; 1991-94)
James Green Mississippi Valley State (44-51; 2006-08) Southern Mississippi (123-111; 1997-2004)

NOTES: Allen also coached Tennessee State (115-140; 1992-2000) and Howard (52-93; 2001-05). . . . Green is currently coach for Jacksonville State.

Ollie, Ollie Oxen Go Free: UConn May Pay Big Price Playing Game With Coaching Job

September 19th, 2012 - 19:28

At first glance, Connecticut appears to be taking the ultimate short-term risk in filling the big shoes of retiring legend Jim Calhoun. Assistants George Blaney (29), Karl Hobbs (10) and Glen Miller (11) were available with a total of 50 years of Division I head coaching experience. This assistant trio also had a cumulative 29 years as UConn aides to Calhoun, but the Huskies chose to give Kevin Ollie an opportunity in 2012-13 and beyond (five-year contract awarded near end of calendar year) although he has a meager total of two seasons as an assistant coach.

Is Ollie being thrown in way over his head to sink or swim in the Big East Conference ocean? The other 14 league coaches have an average of 24.4 years of experience as an assistant or head coach at the collegiate and NBA levels, ranging from Seton Hall's Kevin Willard (15 including administrative roles with the Boston Celtics under Rick Pitino) to Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (43).

Nearly one-fifth of the nation's current DI schools didn't need to pay moving expenses because they promoted coaches from with-in their ranks. Among the 65 active head coaches in this category, the average tenure as an aide before being promoted to bench boss was 5.2 years.

Believe it or not, Ollie is among 16 active DI head coaches who were employed by the school less than three seasons prior to being hired to their current positions. Following is a list from shortest to longest assistant stints for said individuals:

Coach (Years Aide) School Seasons as Assistant for Same School
Jerome Allen (1) Pennsylvania* 2009-10 under Glen Miller
Will Brown (1) Albany 2001-02 under Scott Beeten
Jason Capel (1) Appalachian State 2009-10 under Buzz Peterson
Max Good (1) Loyola Marymount half of 2008-09 under Bill Bayno
Ray Harper (1) Western Kentucky 2008-09 to 2011-12 under Ken McDonald
Matt Painter (1) Purdue* 2004-05 under Gene Keady
Josh Pastner (1) Memphis 2008-09 under John Calipari
Byron Rimm II (1) Prairie View 2005-06 under Darrell Hawkins
Brent "Buzz" Williams (1) Marquette 2007-08 under Tom Crean
Dave Bike (2) Sacred Heart* 1976-77 and 1977-78 under Don Feeley
Edward Joyner Jr. (2) Hampton 2007-08 and 2008-09 under Kevin Nickelberry
Bashir Mason (2) Wagner 2010-11 and 2011-12 under Dan Hurley
LeVelle Moton (2) North Carolina Central* 2007-08 and 2008-09 under Henry Dickerson
Kevin Ollie (2) Connecticut* 2010-11 and 2011-12 under Jim Calhoun
J.P. Piper (2) Nicholls State 2002-03 and 2003-04 under Ricky Blanton
John Shulman (2) Chattanooga 2002-03 and 2003-04 under Jeff Lebo
Keith Dambrot (3) Akron* 2001-02 through 2003-04 under Dan Hipsher
Saul Phillips (3) North Dakota State 2004-05 through 2006-07 under Tim Miles
Rob Senderoff (3) Kent State 2008-09 through 2010-11 under Geno Ford
Steve Shields (3) UALR 2000-01 through 2002-03 under Porter Moser
Andy Toole (3) Robert Morris 2007-08 through 2009-10 under Mike Rice Jr.
Greg Vetrone (3) Fairleigh Dickinson 1989-90, 1990-91 and 2008-09 under Tom Green
Travis Williams (3) Tennessee State 2009-10 through 2011-12 under John Cooper
Marty Wilson (3) Pepperdine* 2008-09 through 2010-11 under Tom Asbury
Jamie Dixon (4) Pittsburgh 1999-2000 through 2002-03 under Ben Howland
Billy Donlon (4) Wright State 2006-07 through 2009-10 under Brad Brownell
Anthony Evans (4) Norfolk State 2003-04 through 2006-07 under Dwight Freeman
Tyler Geving (4) Portland State 2005-06 through 2008-09 under Ken Bone
Steve Hawkins (4) Western Michigan 2000-01 through 2002-03 under Bobby McCullum
B.J. Hill (4) Northern Colorado 2006-07 through 2009-10 under Tad Boyle
Greg Lansing (4) Indiana State 2006-07 through 2009-10 under Royce Waltman and Kevin McKenna
Chico Potts (4) Mississippi Valley State 2008-09 through 2011-12 under Sean Woods
Scott Sutton (4) Oral Roberts 1995-96 through 1998-99 under Bill Self and Barry Hinson
Wayne Tinkle (4) Montana* 2001-02 through 2005-06 under Don Holst, Pat Kennedy and Larry Krystkowiak
John Becker (5) Vermont 2006-07 through 2010-11 under Mike Lonergan
Mitch Buonaguro (5) Siena 2005-06 through 2009-10 under Fran McCaffery
Lewis Jackson (5) Alabama State* 2000-01 through 2004-05 under Rob Spivery
Ben Jacobson (5) Northern Iowa 2001-02 through 2005-06 under Greg McDermott
Chris Mack (5) Xavier* 2004-05 through 2008-09 under Sean Miller
Dave Pilipovich Air Force (5) 2007-08 to 2011-12 under Jeff Reynolds
Steve Prohm (5) Murray State 2006-07 through 2010-11 under Billy Kennedy
Brett Reed (5) Lehigh 2002-03 through 2006-07 under Billy Taylor
Brian Wardle (5) Green Bay 2005-06 through 2009-10 under Tod Kowalczyk
Kevin Baggett (6) Rider 2006-07 through 2011-12 under Tommy Dempsey
Bryce Drew (6) Valparaiso* 2005-06 through 2010-11 under Homer Drew
Jason Hooten (6) Sam Houston State 2004-05 through 2009-10 under Bob Marlin
Tony Jasick (6) IU PU Fort Wayne 2005-06 through 2010-11 under Dane Fife
Jim Boeheim (7) Syracuse* 1969-70 through 1975-76 under Roy Danforth
Gravelle Craig (7) Bethune-Cookman 2004-05 through 2010-11 under Clifford Reed Jr.
Jason James (7) Tennessee-Martin 2002-03 through 2008-09 under Bret Campbell
Jack Perri (7) Long Island 2005-06 through 2011-12 under Jim Ferry
Brad Stevens (7) Butler 2000-01 through 2006-07 under Thad Matta and Todd Lickliter
Scott Cross (8) Texas-Arlington* 1998-99 through 2005-06 under Eddie McCarter
Mark Few (8) Gonzaga 1991-92 through 1998-99 under Dan Fitzgerald and Dan Monson
Dave Rose (8) Brigham Young 1997-98 through 2004-05 under Steve Cleveland
Ted Woodward (8) Maine 1996-97 through 2003-04 under John Giannini
Andy Newman (9) Cal State Fullerton 2003-04 through 2011-12 under Bob Burton
Steve Payne (9) Tennessee Tech 2002-03 through 2010-11 under Mike Sutton
David Carter (10) Nevada 1999-2000 through 2008-09 under Trent Johnson and Mark Fox
Phil Martelli (10) St. Joseph's 1985-86 through 1994-95 under Jim Boyle and John Griffin
Randy Monroe (10) Maryland-Baltimore County 1994-95 through 2003-04 under Earl Hawkins and Tom Sullivan
Tom Izzo (12) Michigan State 1983-84 through 1994-95 under Jud Heathcote
Rob Krimmel (12) St. Francis (PA)* 2000-01 through 2011-12 under Bobby Jones and Don Friday
Mike Young (13) Wofford 1989-90 through 2001-02 under Richard Johnson
Willie Hayes (16) Alabama A&M* 1995-96 through 2010-11 under Vann Pettaway
Todd Howard (17) IUPUI 1994-95 through 2010-11 under Ron Hunter

*Alma mater.

Calling Card: Notable Nicknames Necessary for Some Players to Be Known Better

September 18th, 2012 - 22:49

Freshman Danrad "Chicken" Knowles, projected to possibly spark Houston to its first NCAA playoff victory since the Cougars finished runner-up to Georgetown in 1984, is academically ineligible this season. But there will still be a gifted guard with an entertaining nickname hoping to help a school shake off some postseason cobwebs.

Lamont "Momo" Jones, a transfer from Arizona, aspires to propel Iona to its first NCAA Tournament triumph since 1980 when the Jim Valvano-coached Gaels defeated Holy Cross before they were eliminated by Georgetown. Momo isn't 100% positive, but he thinks the origin of his nickname stems from him always being on the go as a child with his "mo(tor)" running. Jones joins the following long list of collegians over the years with distinctive monikers:

  • Forest (Frosty) Able, Western Kentucky
  • Greg (Cadillac) Anderson, Houston
  • Paul (Curly) Armstrong, Indiana
  • Raymond (Peanut) Arrington, Radford
  • William (Bird) Averitt, Pepperdine
  • Norwood (Pee Wee) Barber, Florida State
  • Jim (Bad News) Barnes, Texas Western
  • Amadou (Coco) Barry, Maine
  • Segado (Cookie) Belcher, Nebraska
  • Ralph (Stork) Bishop, Washington
  • Roderick (Moo Moo) Blakney, South Carolina State
  • Daron (Mookie) Blaylock, Oklahoma
  • Tyrone (Muggsy) Bogues, Wake Forest
  • Jermaine (Itchy) Bolden, Morgan State
  • Roylin (Boot) Bond, Pepperdine
  • Charles (Tub) Bradley, Wyoming
  • Frank (Flash) Brian, Louisiana State
  • Fred (Downtown) Brown, Iowa
  • Murray (Mule) Brown, Florida State
  • Luther (Ticky) Burden, Utah
  • Michael (Spiderman) Burns, UNLV
  • George (Chink) Busch, Creighton
  • (Pogo) Joe Caldwell, Arizona State
  • Bruce (Soup) Campbell, Providence
  • Bowyer (Ducky) Castelle, Xavier
  • Sam (The Bam) Clancy, Pittsburgh
  • Craig (Speedy) Claxton, Hofstra
  • Nathaniel (Sweetwater) Clifton, Xavier (La.)
  • Vernell (Bimbo) Coles, Virginia Tech
  • Derwin (Tank) Collins, New Orleans
  • John (Chubby) Cox, Villanova/San Francisco
  • Earl (The Twirl) Cureton, Robert Morris/Detroit
  • Adrian (Ace) Custis, Virginia Tech
  • Edwin (Greedy) Daniels, UNLV/Mississippi State
  • E.B. (Ox) Darby, Texas A&M
  • Anthony (Amp) Davis, George Mason
  • Arthur (Yah) Davis, St. Joseph's
  • McKinley (Deacon) Davis, Iowa
  • Louis (Pick) Dehner, Illinois
  • Alfred (Dusty) DeStefano, St. John's
  • John (Hook) Dillon, North Carolina
  • Julius (Daddy) Dolnics, Texas Christian
  • Clyde (The Glide) Drexler, Houston
  • Dwight (Dike) Eddleman, Illinois
  • LeRoy (Cowboy) Edwards, Kentucky
  • Theodore (Blue) Edwards, East Carolina
  • Eyo (Bubbles) Effiong, Winthrop
  • Emil (Box) Englebretson, Creighton
  • Julius (Dr. J) Erving, Massachusetts
  • James (Bruiser) Flint, St. Joseph's
  • Jackie (The Shot) Foley, Holy Cross
  • Arnold (Clyde) Gaines, Wisconsin
  • Lauren (Laddie) Gale, Oregon
  • Harry (The Horse) Gallatin, Northeast Missouri
  • Erin (Helicopter) Galloway, Hawaii
  • George (Iceman) Gervin, Eastern Michigan
  • Carlos (Bunny) Gibson, Marshall
  • Ward (Hoot) Gibson, Creighton
  • Jack (Goose) Givens, Kentucky
  • Bonnie (Country) Graham, Mississippi
  • Paul (Snoopy) Graham, Ohio University
  • Mike (Fly) Gray, Nevada-Reno
  • Ken (Tree) Green, Nevada-Reno
  • Kenneth (Apple) Green, Pan American
  • Harold (Happy) Hairston, New York University
  • Wade (Swede) Halbrook, Oregon State
  • Bill (Biff) Hall, Montana
  • Earl (Bus) Hall, Virginia Tech
  • Anfernee (Penny) Hardaway, Memphis State
  • Herbert (Hawkeye) Hargett, Mississippi State
  • Clem (The Gem) Haskins, Western Kentucky
  • John (Hondo) Havlicek, Ohio State
  • Robert (Bubbles) Hawkins, Illinois State
  • Clarence (Kleggie) Hermsen, Minnesota
  • Jermaine (Squirt) Hicks, Weber State/Chicago State
  • John (Babe) Higgins, Stanford
  • Clinton (Bread Truck) Hinton, UNC Charlotte/Oral Roberts
  • James (Lindy) Hood, Alabama
  • Tecumseh (Tee) Hooper, The Citadel
  • Alfredo (Tito) Horford, Miami (Fla.)
  • Greg (Stretch) Howard, New Mexico
  • (Hot) Rod Hundley, West Virginia
  • Jimmy (Snap) Hunter, Memphis
  • Hernell (Jeep) Jackson, Texas-El Paso
  • Frank (Spoon) James, UNLV
  • Arthur (Brownie) Jaquay, Creighton
  • Antonio (Scoop) Jardine, Syracuse
  • Keith (Mister) Jennings, East Tennessee State
  • Carldell (Squeaky) Johnson, UAB
  • Dana (Binky) Johnson, Canisius
  • Earvin (Magic) Johnson, Michigan State
  • Gary (Cat) Johnson, Oral Roberts
  • Gus (Honeycomb) Johnson, Idaho
  • Kevin (Butter) Johnson, Charlotte
  • Lynbert (Cheese) Johnson, Wichita State
  • Albert (Slab) Jones, New Mexico State
  • Byron (Snake) Jones, San Francisco
  • Gerald (Wimpy) Jones, Arizona State
  • Lamont (Momo) Jones, Arizona/Iona
  • Wallace (Wah Wah) Jones, Kentucky
  • Wilbert (Wibs) Kautz, Loyola of Chicago
  • Robert (Jeep) Kelley, UNLV/Hawaii
  • Bill (Pickles) Kennedy, Temple
  • Eugene (Goo) Kennedy, Texas Christian
  • Bob (Trigger) Kenney, Kansas
  • Bruce (Sky) King, Pan American
  • Raymond (Circus) King, San Diego State/California
  • William (Dolly) King, Long Island
  • Donald (Pinky) Knowles, Creighton
  • Cletus (Goob) Kuehler, West Texas State
  • David (Big Daddy) Lattin, Texas-El Paso
  • Albert (Cappy) Lavin, San Francisco
  • Hal (King) Lear, Temple
  • Arnold (Butz) Lehrman, Minnesota
  • Bob (Slick) Leonard, Indiana
  • Andrew (Fuzzy) Levane, St. John's
  • Lafayette (Fat) Lever, Arizona State
  • Eugene (Junie) Lewis, Pittsburgh/South Alabama
  • Brant (Pinky) Lipscomb, Vanderbilt
  • Lewis (Magic) Lloyd, Drake
  • (Jungle) Jim Loscutoff, Oregon
  • John (Dub) Malaise, Texas Tech
  • Karl (The Mailman) Malone, Louisiana Tech
  • (Pistol) Pete Maravich, Louisiana State
  • Floyd (Biggy) Marshall, Tennessee
  • Slater (Dugie) Martin, Texas
  • Cedric (Cornbread) Maxwell, UNC Charlotte
  • Ayome (Paco) May, Kansas State
  • Marvin (Moon) McCrary, Missouri
  • Ken (Mouse) McFadden, Cleveland State
  • Billy (The Hill) McGill, Utah
  • Eric (Cricket) McLaughlin, Akron
  • Don (Monk) Meineke, Dayton
  • Francis (Ick) Miller, Creighton
  • Ryan (Archie) Miller, North Carolina State
  • Roland (The Cat) Minson, Brigham Young
  • Earl (The Pearl) Monroe, Winston-Salem State
  • Ed (Britches) Montgomery, Tennessee
  • Bryan (Dinty) Moore, Stanford
  • Harry (Moo) Moore, West Virginia
  • Jonathan (Stitch) Moore, Furman
  • Javone (Bam) Moore, Canisius
  • Tony (Zippy) Morocco, Georgia
  • Charles (Stretch) Murphy, Purdue
  • Charlie (Feed) Murphy, Loyola of Chicago
  • Charles (Cotton) Nash, Kentucky
  • Sherman (Nemo) Nearman, North Carolina
  • Bill (Fig) Newton, Louisiana State
  • Bob (Bevo) Nordmann, St. Louis
  • Ken (Snake) Norman, Illinois
  • Martyn (Moochie) Norris, Auburn
  • Ralph (Buckshot) O'Brien, Butler
  • Garland (Mule) O'Shields, Tennessee
  • Bill (Fumbo) Ouseley, William & Mary
  • Carlton (Silk) Owens, Rhode Island
  • Horace (Pappy) Owens, Rhode Island
  • Togo Palazzi, Holy Cross
  • J.P. (Bubber) Farish, Auburn
  • William (Smush) Parker, Fordham
  • Choppy Patterson, Clemson
  • Herschel (Bones) Pedersen, Brigham Young
  • James (Scoonie) Penn, Boston College
  • Ray (Cookie) Pericola, South Carolina
  • Edward (Pancakes) Perry, Middle Tennessee State
  • Ron (Spider) Perry, Virginia Tech
  • Philip (Pap) Peyton, Texas
  • John (Squint) Phares, West Virginia
  • Clarke (Pinky) Pittenger, Toledo
  • DeWayne (Pooh) Powell, Tennessee-Martin
  • George (Tic) Price, Virginia Tech/Virginia Commonwealth
  • Carl (Dusty) Pullian, UT-Chattanooga
  • Cal (The Hawk) Ramsey, New York University
  • Earl (Shadow) Ray, Wyoming
  • Bryant (Big Country) Reeves, Oklahoma State
  • Richie (The Cat) Regan, Seton Hall
  • Jesse (Cab) Renick, Oklahoma A&M
  • Angelo (Rock) Reynolds, Penn
  • Billy (The Kid) Reynolds, Northwestern (La.) State
  • Jerry (Ice) Reynolds, Louisiana State
  • Rudolph (Zip) Rhodes, Montana
  • Jerome (Pooh) Richardson, UCLA
  • Oscar (Big O) Robertson, Cincinnati
  • Glenn (Big Dog) Robinson Jr., Purdue
  • Alvin (Fats) Roth, City College of New York
  • Michael (Campy) Russell, Michigan
  • Forest (Aggie) Sale, Kentucky
  • Sebastian (Subby) Salerno, Creighton
  • Albert (Apple) Sanders, Louisiana State
  • Tom (Satch) Sanders, New York University
  • Frank (Pep) Saul, Seton Hall
  • Philip (Flip) Saunders, Minnesota
  • Nevil (The Shadow) Shed, Texas-El Paso
  • Emilio (Zeke) Sinicola, Niagara
  • Adrian (Odie) Smith, Kentucky
  • Robert (Bingo) Smith, Tulsa
  • Jermaine (Sunshine) Smith, UNLV
  • Vernon (Catfish) Smith, Georgia
  • William (Beaver) Smith, St. John's
  • John (Squeaky) Spanbauer, Niagara
  • Dave (Ditto) Sparks, George Washington
  • Marion (Odie) Spears, Western Kentucky
  • Dave (The Rave) Stallworth, Wichita State
  • Bob (Sweeper) Stephens, Drexel
  • George (Swede) Sundstrom, Rutgers
  • Harley (Skeeter) Swift, East Tennessee State
  • Anthony (Ace) Tanner, Davidson
  • Clarence (Babe) Taylor, Vanderbilt
  • Claude (Sleepy) Taylor, Middle Tennessee State
  • Roland (Fatty) Taylor, La Salle
  • Irv (Swede) Terjesen, New York University
  • Albert (Bobo) Thomas, Centenary
  • Blackstone (Blackie) Thompson, Alabama
  • Marvis (Bootsy) Thornton, St. John's
  • Nate (The Great) Thurmond, Bowling Green
  • Gene (Bumper) Tormohlen, Tennessee
  • Carlyle (Blackie) Towery, Western Kentucky
  • Victor (Slick) Townsend, Oregon
  • Robert (Tractor) Traylor, Michigan
  • Ernest (Kiki) Vandeweghe, UCLA
  • Charles (Chico) Vaughn, Southern Illinois
  • Mathias (Mutt) Volz, Nebraska
  • Malcolm (Sparky) Wade, Louisiana State
  • Chet (The Jet) Walker, Bradley
  • Vincent (Spotlight) Walker, Western Carolina
  • Adrian (Spike) Walters, St. Francis (Pa.)
  • Ray (Shag) Warren, Texas Christian
  • Duane (Pearl) Washington, Syracuse
  • Anthony (Spud) Webb, North Carolina State
  • Marvin (Human Eraser) Webster, Morgan State
  • Gawen (Bonzi) Wells, Ball State
  • Joseph (Jo Jo) White, Kansas
  • Milton (Bus) Whitehead, Nebraska
  • Charles (Hawkeye) Whitney, North Carolina State
  • Pookey Wigington, Seton Hall
  • Anthony (Scoop) Williams, Toledo
  • Donald (Duck) Williams, Notre Dame
  • James (Bug) Williams, Syracuse
  • James (Fly) Williams, Austin Peay State
  • John (Hot Rod) Williams, Tulane
  • Ron (Fritz) Williams, West Virginia
  • Sylvester (Sly) Williams, Rhode Island
  • Jim (Jiggy) Williamson, Rhode Island
  • (Super) John Williamson, New Mexico State
  • David (Poncho) Wright, Louisville
  • Gerry (Sir Jamalot) Wright, Southern California/Iowa
  • Joseph (Joby) Wright, Indiana
  • Desmond (Boggie) Yates, Middle Tennessee State
  • Paul (Hooks) Yesawich, Niagara
  • Max (Slats) Zaslofsky, University of Chicago/St. John's
  • Bob (Zeke) Zawoluk, St. John's

Beat 'em, Then Join 'em: Calhoun Clobbered UConn Before Huskie Switch

September 15th, 2012 - 7:56

Overlooked amid the Jim Calhoun Collection of retirement information overload was examining how he wound up at Connecticut in the first place. In retrospect, it might have stemmed from a one-game Huskie job audition.

In 1985-86, Calhoun was the Northeastern Huskies' all-time winningest coach but what likely really impressed the Connecticut Huskies' administration was a 90-73 victory that season over the Big East Conference member. He was UConn's bench boss the next year and, despite struggling in Big East competition his first three seasons, became the school's all-time winningest coach in 1998-99.

Non-conference schedules frequently are frustrating for fans of power league schools because of what seems like feasting on a steady diet of cupcake opponents. But you never know when a single game can become a career changer.

Similar to most any job, timing is everything. Here is an alphabetical list of impressionable coaches like Calhoun who generated such favorable reviews after defeating a school in a non-conference game one season they were hired by that institution in the same role before the next campaign:

Coach Departing School Triumph Over Foe Hiring Him the Next Year
Tommy Amaker Michigan Defeated Harvard, 82-50, in 2006-07
John Brady Samford Defeated Louisiana State, 53-50, in 1996-97
Tom Brennan Yale Defeated Vermont, 84-75, in 1985-86
Jim Calhoun Northeastern Defeated Connecticut, 90-73, in 1985-86
Joe Callero Seattle Defeated Cal Poly, 60-59, in 2008-09
Ben Carnevale North Carolina Defeated Navy, 51-49, in 1945-46
Charles "Lefty" Driesell Davidson Defeated Maryland, 83-69, in 1968-69
Pat Foster Houston Defeated Nevada, 92-80, in 1992-93
Maury John Drake Defeated Iowa State, 87-63, in 1970-71
Ed Kelleher Fordham Defeated Army, 68-42, in 1942-43
Lake Kelly Austin Peay State Defeated Oral Roberts, 80-76, in 1976-77
Billy McCann Washington & Lee (VA) Defeated Virginia, 73-69, in 1956-57
Neil McCarthy Weber State Defeated New Mexico State, 62-56, in 1984-85
Dan Monson Gonzaga Defeated Minnesota, 75-63, in 1998-99
Don Monson Idaho Defeated Oregon, 56-53, in 1982-83
Donald "Dudey" Moore Duquesne Defeated La Salle, 74-55, in 1957-58
Stew Morrill Colorado State Defeated Utah State, 68-59, in 1997-98
Richard "Digger" Phelps Fordham Defeated Notre Dame, 94-88, in 1970-71
Elmer Ripley Georgetown Defeated John Carroll, 73-53, in 1948-49
Les Robinson East Tennessee State Defeated North Carolina State, 92-82, in 1989-90
Lorenzo Romar Saint Louis Defeated Washington, 71-70, in 2001-02
Charles "Sonny" Smith Auburn Defeated Virginia Commonwealth, 85-79, in 1988-89
Charlie Spoonhour Southwest Missouri State Defeated Saint Louis, 66-59, in 1991-92
Bill Strannigan Colorado State Defeated Iowa State, 65-57, in 1953-54
Raymond "Bucky" Waters West Virginia Defeated Duke, 90-88, in 1968-69
Tim Welsh Iona Defeated Providence, 68-62, in 1997-98
Gary Williams Boston College Defeated Ohio State, 87-74, in 1985-86
Matt Zunic Boston University Defeated Massachusetts, 75-55 & 61-56, in 1958-59

Learning Curve: What's Ahead in New Power League Digs for First-Year Members?

September 13th, 2012 - 19:47

Last spring, self-serving coaches Mike Brey (Notre Dame) and Rick Pitino (Louisville) tried to convince Pittsburgh and Syracuse to stay put with them in the fraying Big East Conference. Well, circumstances and spiels can change in a hurry.

Brey was singing the ACC's praises after Notre Dame announced it will join the league ASAP with Pitt and the Orange. And was there any doubt that nomadic Louisville, which was already affilated with four different leagues in the last 40 years, was next to abandon ship for a higher profile loop when a slot opened up in the ACC upon Maryland's departure to the Big Ten? Perhaps Pitino would have been obligated to remain in the Big Easy (after most of the power went out), but his salvage job brainstorm of hiring ESPN analyst Jay Bilas as commissioner didn't gain any traction.

Final Four matchups such as Memphis/Providence (1973), Georgetown/Louisville (1982), Georgetown/Houston (1984) and Memphis/Villanova (1985) were great in the view of Big East visionary Dave Gavitt, but they're not what he had in mind for regional regular-season conference competition when the league was introduced at the start of the 1980s. Half of the Big East's 14-member lineup in 2003-04 will be gone upon the latest ACC-bound defections. The Big East would have had as many members (seven) from Conference USA's 2004-05 alignment next year if Texas Christian didn't renege on its commitment, switching gears for the Big 12. If the C-USA wasn't considered a power conference, then why should a stitched-together Big Least?

Louisville, Maryland, Notre Dame, Pitt, Rutgers and Syracuse should keep an eye on how Missouri, Texas A&M, TCU and West Virginia make the transition to new digs. History shows that it frequently is a difficult adjustment. Fans of Mizzou, A&M and TCU are hoping their woeful non-conference slates don't leave the newcomers ill-prepared for the rigors of competing in a new league.

There is good reason to be anxious. Only seven of the last 24 schools to join power conferences, including three of the first 11 since 2005-06, posted a winning league record in their inaugural campaign. Arkansas is the only school to win a championship in its debut campaign in a power league (1991-92 in SEC Western Division after leaving SWC). Boston College (2005-06) and Florida State (1991-92) posted the next best first-year league marks in the ACC, where Notre Dame, Pitt and Syracuse will strive to duplicate their performances.

The average conference record for the last 24 schools in this category is four games below .500. Michigan State posted a comparable anemic mark (5-9) in its first season in the Big Ten in 1950-51. Following is a look at the first-year league records compiled by schools joining an existing power alliance since Arizona and Arizona State left the WAC for the Pac-8/10 in the late 1970s:

Power School 1st Year New League (Mark/Finish) Previous League
Arizona 1978-79 Pac-10 (10-8/T4th) Western Athletic
Arizona State 1978-79 Pac-10 (7-11/T6th) Western Athletic
Arkansas 1991-92 Southeastern (13-3/1st in West) Southwest
Boston College 2005-06 Atlantic Coast (11-5/3rd) Big East
Cincinnati 2005-06 Big East (8-8/8th) Conference USA
Colorado 2011-12 Pac-12 (11-7/T5th) Big 12
DePaul 2005-06 Big East (5-11/T13th) Conference USA
Florida State 1991-92 Atlantic Coast (11-5/2nd) Metro
Georgia Tech 1979-80 Atlantic Coast (1-13/8th) Metro
Louisville 2005-06 Big East (6-10/T11th) Conference USA
Marquette 2005-06 Big East (10-6/T4th) Conference USA
Miami (Fla.) 1991-92 Big East (1-17/10th) independent
Miami (Fla.) 2004-05 Atlantic Coast (7-9/T6th) Big East
Missouri 2012-13 Southeastern (TBD) Big 12
Nebraska 2011-12 Big Ten (4-14/T11th) Big 12
Notre Dame 1995-96 Big East (4-14/6th in BE 6) independent
Penn State 1992-93 Big Ten (2-16/11th) Atlantic 10
Pittsburgh 1982-83 Big East (6-10/6th) Eastern 8
Rutgers 1995-96 Big East (6-12/6th in BE 7) Atlantic 10
South Carolina 1991-92 Southeastern (3-13/6th in East) Metro
South Florida 2005-06 Big East (1-15/16th) Conference USA
Texas A&M 2012-13 Southeastern (TBD) Big 12
Texas Christian 2012-13 Big 12 (TBD) Mountain West
Utah 2011-12 Pac-12 (3-15/11th) Mountain West
Villanova 1980-81 Big East (8-6/T3rd) Eastern Athletic Association
Virginia Tech 2000-01 Big East (2-14/7th in East) Atlantic 10
Virginia Tech 2004-05 Atlantic Coast (8-8/T4th) Big East
West Virginia 2012-13 Big 12 (TBD) Big East

Historical Perspective on Retiring Jim Calhoun for UConn's Husky Horde

September 12th, 2012 - 22:47

All things Jim Calhoun from a historical perspective for Connecticut's horde to assess in the aftermath of the three-time cancer survivor stepping down as coach of the Huskies:

Tony Award: Gonzalez's Goal Post Dunk Makes for Tight End(ing) at K.C.

September 9th, 2012 - 18:35

Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez, who became the Kansas City Chiefs' all-time leader in pass receptions by a TE way back in 2000 en route to an NFL-best at that position by the time he joined the Falcons, had a successful farewell appearance at K.C. in the season opener. The NFL's all-time runner-up in receptions (behind WR Jerry Rice) caught a TD pass for the Falcons, adding to his all-time leadership in yards from scrimmage by a TE.

Gonzalez, who averaged 6.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg from 1994-95 through 1996-97 as a California Bear hoopster, promptly displayed his trademark dunking of the football over the goal post. Back in the day, he scored a career-high 29 points against Washington State en route to setting a Cal basketball freshman record by shooting 64% from the floor. Rising to the occasion, he averaged 18 points and shot 61% from the floor in the Bears' first two NCAA playoff games in 1997.

Gonzalez is one of several prominent tight ends in the NFL who previously played major-college basketball including Antonio Gates (Kent State/San Diego Chargers), Jimmy Graham (Miami/New Orleans Saints) and Todd Heap (Arizona State/Phoenix Cardinals). Graham also caught a TD pass in the Saints' season opener. For those all-round sports fans interested in dual-sport athletes, check out CollegeHoopedia.com's extensive research on college hoopsters who made a bigger name for themselves on the football field. You'll find previous standout tight ends who were regulars in basketball at the NCAA Division I level such as Mike Ditka (Pittsburgh), Rickey Dudley (Ohio State), Andrew Glover (Grambling), Ron Howard (Seattle), Marcus Pollard (Bradley), Pat Richter (Wisconsin) and Joe Senser (West Chester State).

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Gory: Manufacturing Many Misguided Mismatches

September 9th, 2012 - 10:09

What is the NCAA's abuse excuse? Why can't the governing body short-circuit such shortsighted showcases? Who came first - the pimp, the prostitute or the John?

Savannah State's prostitution pummelings by football "Johns" Oklahoma State and Florida State (combined 139-0 despite FSU game suspended by inclement weather with nine minutes remaining in third quarter) triggered inquiries as to whether similar stirring shutouts occurred in basketball.

Well, one of the most unbelievable feats in college hoops history occurred on January 23, 1907, when Dayton blanked Cedarville, 80-0. Two years later, Mississippi State whitewashed Brownsville AC, 75-0, on January 22, 1909. The only shutout in Big Ten Conference history occurred on January 6, 1914, when undefeated Wisconsin blanked Parsons, 50-0.

Perhaps the degrading games represented the sport's oldest profession. At any rate, Savannah State will oppose Florida and Ohio State this winter but at least it will be in basketball rather than possibly adding to its shutout futility on the gridiron. The Savannah Campaign also includes games at Marquette and Saint Louis.

Universities charge good money to watch these bad examples of sportsmanship equivalent to prearranged, onesided cockfights/dogfights. A couple of non-league gimmes can be tolerated for an assortment of reasons. Three or four raise eyebrows and spark rebate requests. But a half dozen or more for power conference members is preposterous, bordering on fraud with visions of class action lawsuits no matter the quality of other non-conference foes.

Fresh faces continue the flogging fiasco. Fearless Frank Martin was supposed to bring some bravado to South Carolina. But the mighty Gamecocks will commence a quest to secure their first NCAA playoff victory since 1973 by opposing a steady stream of lightweights. It serves them right that they lost to Elon for the second straight season.

Let's hope that elite schools, especially Maryland edging out Arizona State, Iowa, Michigan State, Missouri, Texas A&M and Virginia this season, feel good about themselves as they subject their fans to such vivid voyuerism. The "classic cupcakes" won't be shutouts, but this is the self-absorbed mindset resulting in the following shamelessly extensive nonsensical non-conference homecourt opponents by power league basketball "Johns":

Power League Member Excessive Picking on Patsies "Challenging" Press Release Spin
Arizona State Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Central Arkansas, Coppin State, Cornell, Dartmouth, Florida A&M, Hartford, Northridge State and Sacramento State "appropriate for this team right now"
Arkansas Alabama A&M, Alcorn State, Delaware State, Florida A&M, Longwood, Northwestern State and Sam Houston State "one of the toughest lineups in the nation. . . . definitely a challenge and we will be tested early and often. . . . important to have tough non-conference schedule to prepare us for SEC"
Cincinnati Arkansas-Little Rock, Campbell, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Mississippi Valley State, North Carolina A&T and Tennessee-Martin "wanted to challenge ourselves with difficult games and we feel we have accomplished that goal"
DePaul Austin Peay, UC Riverside, Fairfield, Gardner-Webb, Maryland-Baltimore County, Milwaukee and Northern Illinois didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Florida State Buffalo, Louisiana-Monroe, Maine, Mercer, North Florida and South Alabama "numerous opportunities to play against elite-level competition. . . . quality of schedule will serve as a motivator for our players to stay focused"
Georgia East Tennessee State, Florida A&M, Iona, Jacksonville, Mercer and Youngstown State "could possibly be the hardest this program has ever had. . . . lots of teeth in the non-league schedule"
Georgia Tech Alabama State, Chattanooga, The Citadel, Fordham, UNC Wilmington and Presbyterian "our home non-conference schedule will bring a lot of exciting basketball to our new home (McCamish Pavilion). . . . challenging opponents will also act as another step in the process of rebuilding our program"
Illinois Colgate, Eastern Kentucky, Gardner-Webb, Norfolk State, St. Francis (NY) and Western Carolina didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Indiana Bryant, Central Connecticut State, Coppin State, Florida Atlantic, Jacksonville, Mount St. Mary's, North Dakota State and Sam Houston State didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Iowa Central Michigan, Coppin State, Gardner-Webb, Howard, South Carolina State, South Dakota, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Texas-Pan American didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Iowa State Alabama A&M, Campbell, Florida Gulf Coast, Nebraska-Omaha, North Carolina A&T, Southern (LA) and Yale didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Kentucky Eastern Michigan, Lafayette, Lipscomb, Long Island, Morehead State, Portland and Samford "gives chance to work on things. . . . opportunity to focus on final exams"
Louisiana State Bethune-Cookman, UC Santa Barbara, Chattanooga, Houston Baptist, McNeese State, Mississippi Valley State and Northwestern State "it is a demanding schedule and we look forward to our program embracing the challenges"
Maryland Delaware State, Georgia Southern, IUPUI, Lafayette, Long Island, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Monmouth, Morehead State, South Carolina State and Stony Brook "very exciting and competitive. . . . look forward to the challenge"
Michigan State Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Boise State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Loyola of Chicago, Nicholls State, Oakland, Texas Southern and Tuskegee "combines challenges and unique events, giving us great competition on the court and a lifetime of memories"
Minnesota American, Lafayette, North Dakota State, North Florida, South Dakota State, Tennessee State and Toledo didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Mississippi Arkansas-Little Rock, Coastal Carolina, East Tennessee State, Fordham, Lipscomb, McNeese State and Mississippi Valley State "packed with exciting matchups for fans. . . . each team we face will bring a different style of play that will challenge our team in a variety of ways"
Mississippi State Alabama A&M, Alcorn State, Central Arkansas, Florida Atlantic, New Orleans and Texas-San Antonio "no question it's going to be challenging. . . . invaluable opportunity for this team to bond"
Missouri Alcorn State, Appalachian State, Bucknell, Nicholls State, South Carolina State, Southeast Missouri State, SIU-Edwardsville and Tennessee State "some big-time opportunities. . . . our team will be tested early and often"
Nebraska Jacksonville State, Kent State, Nebraska-Omaha, Nicholls State, Southern (LA) and Valparaiso "we will be challenged a great deal. . . . it is going to be fun for our fans"
Northwestern Brown, Delaware State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Illinois-Chicago, Mississippi Valley State, Texas Southern and Texas State didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Notre Dame Brown, Chicago State, IPFW, Kennesaw State, Monmouth, Niagara and Saint Francis (PA) "one of most challenging in program history. . . . one of things I have been most proud during my time here is the consistency we've shown from year to year and how we've been able to manage the schedule"
Ohio State Albany, Chicago State, Missouri-Kansas City, UNC Asheville, Northern Kentucky, Savannah State and Winthrop "our roster will be challenged throughout the year as we prepare for Big Ten competition"
Oregon Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Houston Baptist, Idaho State, Jacksonville State, Northern Arizona, Portland State and Texas-San Antonio didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Oregon State Chicago State, Grambling State, Howard, Montana State, Niagara, Texas-Pan American and Towson "will prepare us for the challenges of Pac-12 play. . . . the uptick in competition will be welcomed"
Pittsburgh Bethune-Cookman, Delaware State, Howard, Kennesaw State, Mount St. Mary's, North Florida and Oakland didn't attempt to embellish or justify
South Carolina Appalachian State, Elon, Jacksonville, Morgan State, Presbyterian, Rider and South Carolina State "will challenge us to grow and prepare for SEC schedule"
Stanford Alcorn State, Belmont, UC Davis, Cal State Fullerton, Denver, Lafayette and Seattle "arguably the most challenging schedule in recent memory. . . . opportunity to quickly establish a high RPI"
Texas A&M Army, Houston Baptist, Louisiana Tech, Northwestern State, Prairie View A&M, Southern (LA), Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Troy "although schedule is challenging, it will prepare us for the tough games we are going to have in the SEC"
Texas Christian Cal Poly, Centenary, Mississippi Valley State, Navy, Prairie View A&M, Southern (LA) and Southern Utah didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Texas Tech Florida A&M, Grambling State, Jackson State, McNeese State, Nebraska-Omaha, North Carolina A&T, Northern Kentucky and Prairie View A&M didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Utah Boise State, Central Michigan, College of Idaho, Idaho State, Northridge State, Sacramento State, Williamette (OR) and Wright State didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Virginia Delaware, Fairfield, Green Bay, Lamar, Mississippi Valley State, Morgan State, North Texas, Seattle and Wofford didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Washington Albany, Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Jackson State, Loyola (Md.), Northern Illinois and Seattle didn't attempt to embellish or justify
Washington State Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Buffalo, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Jackson State, Portland and Utah Valley "each year we try and put together a nonconference schedule that will best prepare us for Pac-12 play"
Wisconsin Cornell, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Nebraska-Omaha, Presbyterian, Samford and Southeastern Louisiana didn't attempt to embellish or justify

Doubting Thomas: Questions Linger About Sur(ety) Lance(alot)'s Jewelry Debt

September 7th, 2012 - 22:06

There is doubt we will ever know a lot of the precise details regarding how on earth a mediocre college player had the out-of-this-world fiscal wherewithal to make a down payment of $30,000 and go in debt for $67,800 to purchase custom jewelry in New York in the middle of an eventual NCAA championship season. But Lance Thomas, a senior forward who averaged 4.8 ppg for Duke in 2009-10, sure(ty) has a lot of questions to answer regarding an escapade that could be dubbed "Diamonds Are Forever" (at least finishing payments for them until settling lawsuit in mid-September).

Thomas likely will leave inquiring minds wanting a lot more much like he did on the court. Rather than striving for bling to look like a tall rapper, he should have been more concerned about the tall order of living up to his billing as a McDonald's All-American in 2006.

There is no doubt the Blue Devils have a history of dealing in bulk when it comes to McDonald's Unhappy Deals. While observers sift through Thomas' train-wreck transaction adding to a woeful offseason for power conference schools, following is a list including him among 10 McDonald's All-Americans who averaged fewer than 5 ppg in their Duke careers:

Year McDonald's All-American Duke Scoring
1983 Martin Nessley 2.4 ppg
1987 Greg Koubek 4.9 ppg
1988 Crawford Palmer 2.4 ppg
1993 Joey Beard 1.3 ppg
1995 Taymon Domzalski 4.2 ppg
1997 Chris Burgess 4.9 ppg
1999 Casey Sanders 2.7 ppg
2002 Michael Thompson 1.4 ppg
2005 Eric Boateng 0.7 ppg
2006 Lance Thomas 4.6 ppg

NOTE: Beard (Boston University), Boateng (Arizona State), Burgess (Utah), Palmer (Dartmouth) and Thompson (Northwestern) transferred to other schools to finish their college careers.

Craig's List: POTUS Brother-in-Law Among Most Overrated Power League Coaches

September 6th, 2012 - 8:00

Oregon State coach Craig Robinson, beseeching the country for seven-footers for his welfare, was part of the Democratic Convention in Charlotte helping introduce sister Michelle Obama. Amid questioning whether the party was guilted into putting God back into its platform, a "Fluke" inquiry lingers regarding if Robinson gets a vacation from significant media criticism because he is brother-in-law of POTUS. At the very least, he should be grilled for taking a vacation during a major portion of the Beavers' non-league campaign while exploiting the poor in spirit (and ability) such as Chicago State, Grambling State, Howard, Montana State, Niagara, Texas-Pan American and Towson. Amid the "workplace violence," Niagara, resembling a Marine with a bayonet, is the only one of these seven sacrificial lambs ever to win an NCAA playoff game.

At least Oregon State is sufficiently God-fearing to know not to put Seattle back on its schedule after losing at home to the Reclassifying DI school, 99-48, in 2009-10. That regrettable result reminiscent of Reagan mauling Mondale has to qualify as the most embarrassing setback by a power league member thus far this century. It was perhaps as appalling as his brother-in-law failing to meet with the Israeli Prime Minister while giving money indirectly to the Muslim Brotherhood, fund-raising with Beyonce and Jay Z plus having time for gadfly David Letterman and being eye candy for "The View" vixens.

Let me be clear about the ideology as defenseless as the U.S. consulate in Benghazi! There is no need to be Clintonesque and parce "is is" words. No evidence exists that Robinson is on the verge of ending OSU's bump-in-the-road streak of 30 consecutive campaigns winless in the NCAA playoffs. At least Robinson doesn't chronically immerse himself in the Bush-league ploy of blaming his predecessor (Jay John) for the past four lackluster years. They are not in a binder, but following are some optimal "facts" why Robinson didn't deserve a recent contract extension because he is among the following alphabetical list of the 10 most overrated coaches from power six conferences (minimum of four campaigns at their current school):

The Wonder Years: Gifted Guards Guide Lehigh and South Dakota State to New Heights

September 3rd, 2012 - 20:20

With a striking number of power conference members bogged down by an assortment of controversies, the scene is set for mid-major schools to thrive in 2012-13. Creighton All-American forward Doug McDermott is a leading national player of the year candidate, Murray State guard Isaiah Canaan will strive to move up from second- to first-team All-American and versatile guards C.J. McCollum (Lehigh) and Nate Wolters (South Dakota State) aspire to lead their teams back to the NCAA playoffs via pacing their squads in scoring and rebounding again.

Canaan, McCollum, McDermott and Wolters combined to average 28 1/2 wins last season in sparking each of their schools to all-time highs in victory totals. One of the biggest questions entering this campaign is whether they will be able to duplicate or surpass last year's success.

Schools setting records for most triumphs in a single Division I season last year with winning marks included Kentucky (38-2/coached by John Calipari), Syracuse (34-3/Jim Boeheim), Murray State (31-2/Steve Prohm), Baylor (30-8/Scott Drew), Creighton (29-6/Greg McDermott), Drexel (29-7/Bruiser Flint), Virginia Commonwealth (29-7/Shaka Smart), Ohio University (29-8/John Groce), Middle Tennessee State (27-7/Kermit Davis), Oral Roberts (27-7/Scott Sutton), Lehigh (27-8/Brett Reed), South Dakota State (27-8/Scott Nagy), Mercer (27-11/Bob Hoffman), Harvard (26-5/Tommy Amaker), Norfolk State (26-10/Anthony Evans), Robert Morris (26-11/Andy Toole), Wagner (25-6/Danny Hurley), Southern Mississippi (25-9/Larry Eustachy), Loyola, Md. (24-9/Jimmy Patsos), Texas-Arlington (24-9/Scott Cross), UNC Asheville (24-10/Eddie Biedenbach), Colorado (24-12/Tad Boyle), Stony Brook (22-10/Steve Pikiell), Savannah State (21-12/Horace Broadnax), SC Upstate (21-13/Eddie Payne) and North Carolina Central (17-15/LeVelle Moton).

Colorado and fellow power league members Georgia, Miami (Fla.), Northwestern and Southern California never have won as many as 25 games in a single season. If the Pac-12 isn't significantly better than last season, Colorado probably boasts the best chance among this group to finally crack the 25-win plateau.

Although schedules include significantly more games than several decades ago, seven Pac-12 members are among the 15 power league members who first set their existing single-season record for victories before the NCAA playoffs expanded to at least 32 teams in 1975. Following is a school-by-school look at the scoring and rebounding leaders for teams when they posted a school's winningest season at the DI level:

School Most Wins Season Scoring Leader Rebounding Leader
Abilene Christian 17-8 1971-72 Kent Martens (15.4 ppg) Willie Calvert (14.2 rpg)
Air Force 24-7 2005-06 Antoine Hood (14.9) Jacob Burtschi (6.1)
Akron 26-7 2006-07 Romeo Travis (14.9) Jeremiah Wood (7.8)
Alabama 28-5 1986-87 Derrick McKey (18.6) Michael Ansley (7.8)
Alabama A&M 19-10 2001-02 Desmond Cambridge (20.7) Garik Nicholson (6.1)
Alabama State 22-6 1982-83 Lewis Jackson (23.8) Joe Williams (7.6)
Alabama State 22-6 1983-84 Lewis Jackson (29) Joe Williams (7.7)
Alabama State 22-10 2008-09 Brandon Brooks (13.7) Wesley Jones (6.5)
Albany 23-10 2006-07 Jamar Wilson (18.8) Jamar Wilson (6.2)
Alcorn State 28-1 1978-79 Larry Smith (17.6) Larry Smith (13.7)
American 24-6 1980-81 Russell "Boo" Bowers (23.5) Russell "Boo" Bowers (6.6)
American 24-8 2008-09 Garrison Carr (17.9) Brian Gilmore (5.4)
Appalachian State 25-8 2006-07 D.J. Thompson (15.6) Jeremy Clayton (7.1)
Arizona 35-3 1987-88 Sean Elliott (19.6) Anthony Cook (7.1)
Arizona State 26-3 1962-63 Joe Caldwell (19.7) Art Becker (11.2)
Arkansas 34-4 1990-91 Todd Day (20.7) Oliver Miller (7.7)
Arkansas-Little Rock 26-11 1986-87 Curtis Kidd (15.6) Curtis Kidd (8.4)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 18-16 2009-10 Terrance Calvin (10.2) Lebaron Weathers (6.7)
Arkansas State 23-9 1990-91 Bobby Gross (15.4) Fred Shepherd (6.9)
Army 22-6 1969-70 Jim Oxley (15.6) Max Miller (7.5)
Auburn 29-4 1998-99 Chris Porter (16) Chris Porter (8.6)
Austin Peay 24-4 1976-77 Calvin Garrett (17.4) Otis Howard (8.3)
Austin Peay 24-11 2007-08 Drake Reed (14.4) Fernandez Lockett (6.8)
Ball State 29-3 1988-89 Curtis Kidd (14) Paris McCurdy (8.5)
Baylor 30-8 2011-12 Pierre Jackson (13.8) Perry Jones III (7.6)
Belmont 30-5 2010-11 Ian Clark (12.2) Mick Hedgepeth (5.9)
Bethune-Cookman 21-13 2010-11 C.J. Reed (18.8) Alexander Starling (6.7)
Binghamton 23-9 2008-09 D.J. Rivera (20) Reggie Fuller (7)
Birmingham-Southern 19-9 2002-03 Josiah James (13.7) Josiah James (6.3)
Birmingham-Southern 19-9 2005-06 James Collins (13) Sredrick Powe (6.1)
Boise State 25-9 2007-08 Reggie Larry (19.4) Reggie Larry (9.2)
Boston College 27-5 2000-01) Troy Bell (20.4) Kenny Harley (5.6)
Boston University 25-5 1996-97 Tunji Awojobi (19.4) Tunji Awojobi (10.2)
Bowling Green 28-7 1946-47 Charles Share (9.1) unavailable
Bradley 32-5 1949-50 Paul Unruh (12.8) unavailable
Bradley 32-6 1950-51 Gene Melchiorre (11.3) unavailable
Bradley 32-3 1985-86 Hersey Hawkins (18.7) Mike Williams (7.1)
Brigham Young 32-5 2010-11 Jimmer Fredette (28.9) Brandon Davies (6.2)
Brown 19-10 2007-08 Mark McAndrew (16.5) Chris Skrelia (6.6)
Bucknell 27-5 2005-06 Charles Lee (13.2) Charles Lee (6)
Buffalo 23-10 2004-05 Turner Battle (15.5) Yassin Idbihi (5.9)
Butler 33-5 2009-10 Gordon Hayward (15.5) Gordon Hayward (8.2)
California 30-6 1945-46 Andy Wolfe (13.4) unavailable
UC Irvine 25-5 2000-01 Jerry Green (19) Adam Parada (6.2)
Cal Poly 19-11 2006-07 Derek Stockalper (14.4) Derek Stockalper (7)
UC Riverside 17-13 2008-09 Kyle Austin (16.2) Aaron Scott (6.6)
UC Santa Barbara 23-9 2007-08 Alex Harris (20.2) Ivan Elliott (5.7)
Cal State Fullerton 24-9 2007-08 Josh Akognon (20.2) Scott Cutley (7.4)
Cal State Northridge 22-10 2000-01 Brian Heinle (20.2) Brian Heinle (9.2)
Cal State Sacramento 15-15 2005-06 Alex Bausley (13.6) Jason Harris (5.5)
Campbell 20-9 1993-94 Joe Spinks (20.9) Joe Spinks (8.8)
Canisius 22-6 1956-57 Henry Nowak (20.1) Henry Nowak (10.7)
Canisius 22-7 1993-94 Craig Wise (16.1) Micheal Meeks (7.5)
Centenary 25-4 1974-75 Robert Parish (18.9) Robert Parish (15.4)
Central Arkansas 14-16 2007-08 Nate Bowie (17.5) Durrell Nevels (8)
Central Connecticut State 27-5 2001-02 Corsley Edwards (15.4) Ron Robinson (9.3)
Central Florida 25-6 2003-04 Dexter Lyons (18.3) Roberto Morentin (6.9)
Central Michigan 25-7 2002-03 Chris Kaman (22.4) Chris Kaman (12)
Charleston Southern 21-9 1985-86 Ben Hinson (19.7) Bernard Innocent (7.3)
Charleston Southern 21-9 1986-87 Ben Hinson (22.6) Oliver Johnson (8.7)
Charlotte 28-5 1976-77 Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell (22.2) Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell (12.1)
Chattanooga 27-4 1981-82 Willie White (15.8) Russ Schoene (7)
Chicago State 22-6 1985-86 Darron Brittman (18.2) Shawn Bell (6.7)
Cincinnati 31-4 2001-02 Steve Logan (22) Donald Little (6.9)
The Citadel 20-7 1978-79 Tom Slawson (17.1) Tom Slawson (6.6)
The Citadel 20-13 2008-09 Demetrius Nelson (16.4) Demetrius Nelson (6.5)
Clemson 25-6 1986-87 Horace Grant (21) Horace Grant (9.6)
Cleveland State 29-4 1985-86 Clinton Smith (16.2) Eric Mudd (8.3)
Coastal Carolina 28-7 2009-10 Chad Gray (14.3) Joseph Harris (9.6)
Coastal Carolina 28-6 2010-11 Desmond Holloway (18.5) Sam McLaurin (7)
Colgate 18-10 1992-93 Tucker Neale (21.9) Darren Brown (11.3)
Colgate 18-14 2007-08 Kyle Roemer (16.2) Alex Woodhouse (6.3)
College of Charleston 29-3 1996-97 Thaddeous Delaney (15.8) Thaddeous Delaney (9.5)
Colorado 24-14 2010-11 Alec Burks (20.5) Andre Roberson (7.8)
Colorado 24-12 2011-12 Carlon Brown (12.6) Andre Roberson (11.1)
Colorado State 23-10 1988-89 Pat Durham (18.5) Pat Durham (7.6)
Columbia 23-5 1967-68 Jim McMillian (22.3) Jim McMillian (9.8)
Connecticut 34-2 1998-99 Richard Hamilton (21.5) Kevin Freeman (7.3)
Coppin State 26-7 1989-90 Reggie Isaac (21.2) Larry Stewart (11.2)
Cornell 29-5 2009-10 Ryan Wittman (17.5) Jeff Foote (8.1)
Creighton 29-5 2002-03 Kyle Korver (17.8) Kyle Korver (6.3)
Creighton 29-6 2011-12 Doug McDermott (22.9) Doug McDermott (8.2)
Dartmouth 22-4 1941-42 George Munroe (15) unavailable
Dartmouth 22-5 1957-58 Rudy LaRusso (15.3) Rudy LaRusso (18.6)
Dartmouth 22-6 1958-59 Rudy LaRusso (18.9) Rudy LaRusso (16.1)
Davidson 29-5 2006-07 Stephen Curry (21.5) Boris Meno (8.2)
Davidson 29-7 2007-08 Stephen Curry (25.9) Andrew Lovedale/Boris Meno (5.4)
Dayton 28-5 1951-52 Don Meineke (21.1) Don Meineke (11.7)
Delaware 27-4 1991-92 Alex Coles (14.3) Spencer Dunkley (8.8)
Delaware State 21-14 2005-06 Jahsha Bluntt (14.6) Jahsha Bluntt (4.8)
Delaware State 21-12 2006-07 Roy Bright (15.5) Jahsha Bluntt (4.9)
Denver 20-11 2004-05 Yemi Nicholson (18.1) Yemi Nicholson (8.4)
DePaul 28-3 1986-87 Dallas Comegys (17.5) Dallas Comegys (7.5)
Detroit 25-4 1976-77 John Long (20.3) Terry Tyler (11)
Detroit 25-4 1977-78 John Long (21.4) Terry Tyler (12.6)
Detroit 25-6 1997-98 Derrick Hayes (13.8) Brian Alexander (7.1)
Detroit 25-12 2000-01 Rashad Phillips (22.4) Terrell Riggs (6.5)
Drake 28-5 2007-08 Josh Young (15.9) Jonathan Cox (8.6)
Drexel 29-7 2011-12 Frantz Massenat (13.7) Samme Givens (7.9)
Duke 37-3 1985-86 Johnny Dawkins (20.2) Mark Alarie (6.2)
Duke 37-2 1998-99 Elton Brand (17.7) Elton Brand (9.8)
Duquesne 26-3 1953-54 Dick Ricketts (17.2) Jim Tucker (13.6)
East Carolina 19-9 1974-75 Gregg Ashorn (15.2) Larry Hunt (10.1)
Eastern Illinois 21-10 2000-01 Kyle Hill (23.8) Henry Domercant (6.8)
Eastern Kentucky 22-9 2004-05 Matt Witt (14.4) Alonzo Hird (8.4)
Eastern Michigan 26-7 1990-91 Marcus Kennedy (20) Marcus Kennedy (8.1)
Eastern Washington 20-8 1985-86 Roosevelt Brown (16.3) John Randa (9.2)
East Tennessee State 28-5 1990-91 Keith "Mister" Jennings (20.1) Rodney English (5.8)
Elon 15-14 2005-06 Chris Chalko (12.6) Jackson Atoyebi (5.4)
Evansville 25-6 1988-89 Scott Haffner (24.5) Dan Godfread (8)
Fairfield 25-8 2010-11 Derek Needham (14.1) Ryan Olander (6.8)
Fairleigh Dickinson 23-7 1987-88 Jaime Latney (18.3) Jaime Latney (8)
Fairleigh Dickinson 23-7 1997-98 Elijah Allen/Rahshon Turner (17.8) Rahshon Turner (10.8)
Florida 35-5 2006-07 Taurean Green (13.3) Al Horford (9.5)
Florida A&M 22-8 1987-88 Aldwin Ware (19.5) Aldwin Ware (5.3)
Florida Atlantic 21-11 2010-11 Greg Gantt (14) Brett Royster (6)
Florida Gulf Coast 15-17 2011-12 Sherwood Brown (12.8) Sherwood Brown (5.9)
Florida International 21-8 1997-98 Raja Bell (16.6) Darius Cook (6.1)
Florida State 27-6 1971-72 Ron King (17.9) Reggie Royals (11)
Fordham 26-3 1970-71 Charlie Yelverton (23.3) Charlie Yelverton (12)
Fresno State 27-3 1981-82 Rod Higgins (15.1) Rod Higgins (6.3)
Furman 23-7 1979-80 Jonathan Moore (18.4) Jonathan Moore (10.1)
Gardner-Webb 23-9 2001-02 Bruce Fields (12.4) Bruce Fields (8.2)
George Mason 27-8 2005-06 Jai Lewis (13.7) Jai Lewis (7.8)
George Mason 27-7 2010-11 Cameron Long (15.1) Ryan Pearson (6.7)
Georgetown 35-3 1984-85 Patrick Ewing (14.6) Patrick Ewing (9.2)
George Washington 27-3 2005-06 Danilo Pinnock (14.5) Mike Hall (7.6)
Georgia 24-10 1982-83 Vern Fleming (16.9) Terry Fair (6.6)
Georgia Southern 25-6 1991-92 Tony Windless (17.6) Dexter Abrams (7.4)
Georgia State 29-5 2000-01 Shernard Long (18) Thomas Terrell (7.5)
Georgia Tech 28-7 1989-90 Dennis Scott (27.7) Malcolm Mackey (7.5)
Gonzaga 29-4 2001-02 Dan Dickau (21) Cory Violette (8.3)
Grambling State 22-8 1979-80 Robert Williams (17.9) Robert Williams (10.1)
Green Bay 27-7 1993-94 Jeff Nordgaard (15.6) Jeff Nordgaard (6.4)
Hampton 26-7 2001-02 Tommy Adams (19.7) Isaac Jefferson (9.4)
Hartford 18-16 2007-08 Joe Zeglinski (16.2) Michael Turner (5.5)
Harvard 26-5 2011-12 Kyle Casey (11.4) Keith Wright (8.1)
Hawaii 27-6 2001-02 Predrag Savovic (20.3) Haim Shimonovich (6.6)
High Point 19-11 2003-04 Danny Gathings (15.8) Danny Gathings (8)
Hofstra 26-5 2000-01 Norman Richardson (16.7) Greg Springfield (7.3)
Holy Cross 27-3 1946-47 George Kaftan (11.1) unavailable
Holy Cross 27-4 1949-50 Bob Cousy (19.4) unavailable
Houston 32-5 1983-84 Michael Young (19.8) Hakeem Olajuwon (13.5)
Houston Baptist 24-7 1983-84 Terry Hairston (14.7) Anicet Lavodrama (7.1)
Howard 24-4 1986-87 George Hamilton (12.8) John Spencer (9.3)
Idaho 27-3 1981-82 Ken Owens (15.6) Ke vin Smith (6.5)
Idaho State 25-5 1976-77 Steve Hayes (20.2) Steve Hayes (11.1)
Illinois 37-2 2004-05 Luther Head (15.9) James Augustine (7.6)
Illinois-Chicago 24-8 2003-04 Cedric Banks (18.4) Armond Williams (5.8)
Illinois State 25-6 1997-98 Rico Hill (18.4) Rico Hill (7.5)
Illinois State 25-10 2007-08 Osiris Eldridge (15.8) Anthony Slack (7.1)
Indiana 32-0 1975-76 Scott May (23.5) Kent Benson (8.8)
Indiana State 33-1 1978-79 Larry Bird (28.6) Larry Bird (14.9)
IPFW 18-12 2010-11 Frank Gaines (14.8) Frank Gaines (6.2)
IUPUI 26-7 2007-08 George Hill (21.5) George Hill (6.8)
Iona 29-5 1979-80 Jeff Ruland (20.1) Jeff Ruland (12)
Iowa 30-5 1986-87 Roy Marble Jr. (14.9) Brad Lohaus (7.7)
Iowa State 32-5 1999-2000 Marcus Fizer (22.8) Marcus Fizer (7.7)
Jackson State 25-9 1992-93 Lindsey Hunter (26.7) Godfrey Thompson (7.1)
Jacksonville 27-2 1969-70 Artis Gilmore (26.5) Artis Gilmore (22.2)
Jacksonville State 20-10 2002-03 Omar Barlett (15) Omar Barlett (7.1)
James Madison 24-6 1981-82 Linton Townes (16.3) Dan Ruland (6.3)
Kansas 35-4 1985-86 Danny Manning (16.7) Danny Manning (6.3)
Kansas 35-4 1997-98 Paul Pierce (20.5) Raef LaFrentz (11.4)
Kansas 35-3 2010-11 Marcus Morris (17.2) Markieff Morris (8.3)
Kansas State 29-8 2009-10 Jacob Pullen (19.3) Curtis Kelly (6.2)
Kent State 30-6 2001-02 Trevor Huffman (16) Antonio Gates (8.1)
Kentucky 38-2 2011-12 Anthony Davis (14.2) Anthony Davis (10.4)
Lafayette 24-7 1999-2000 Brian Ehlers (17.3) Stefan Ciosici (6.5)
Lamar 26-5 1983-84 Tom Sewell (22.9) Kenneth Perkins (7.4)
La Salle 30-2 1989-90 Lionel Simmons (26.5) Lionel Simmons (11.1)
Lehigh 27-8 2011-12 C.J. McCollum (21.9) C.J. McCollum (6.5)
Liberty 23-9 1996-97 Peter Aluma (15.7) Peter Aluma (6.6)
Liberty 23-12 2008-09 Seth Curry (20.2) Anthony Smith (6.5)
Lipscomb 21-11 2005-06 Eddie Ard (16.2) Shaun Durant (7.2)
Long Beach State 26-3 1972-73 Ed Ratleff (22.8) Leonard Gray (9.3)
Long Island 28-3 1936-37 Jules Bender (9.1) unavailable
Longwood 17-14 2008-09 Dana Smith (14.8) Dana Smith (6.4)
Louisiana-Lafayette 25-4 1971-72 Dwight "Bo" Lamar (36.3) Roy Ebron (14.2)
Louisiana-Lafayette 25-9 1999-2000 Orlando Butler (13.1) Lonnie Thomas (7.2)
Louisiana-Monroe 26-5 1992-93 Ryan Stuart (21.1) Ryan Stuart (9.5)
Louisiana State 31-5 1980-81 Howard Carter (16) Durand "Rudy" Macklin (9.8)
Louisiana Tech 29-3 1984-85 Karl Malone (16.5) Karl Malone (9)
Louisville 33-3 1979-80 Darrell Griffith (22.9) Derek Smith (8.3)
Louisville 33-5 2004-05 Francisco Garcia (15.7) Ellis Myles (9.2)
Loyola Chicago 29-2 1962-63 Jerry Harkness (21.4) Les Hunter (11.4)
Loyola (Md.) 24-9 2011-12 Erik Etherly (13.7) Erik Etherly (7.5)
Loyola Marymount 28-4 1987-88 Eric "Hank" Gathers (22.5) Eric "Hank" Gathers (8.7)
Maine 24-7 1999-2000 Nate Fox (17.5) Nate Fox (7.5)
Manhattan 26-5 1994-95 Ted Ellis (14) Jason Hoover (6.4)
Marist 25-9 2006-07 Will Whittington (17.6) James Smith (6)
Marquette 28-1 1970-71 Dean Meminger (21.2) Jim Chones (11.5)
Marshall 25-6 1983-84 LaVerne Evans (20.5) Jeff Battle (4.5)
Marshall 25-6 1986-87 James "Skip" Henderson (21) Rodney Holden (8.8)
Maryland 32-4 2001-02 Juan Dixon (20.4) Lonny Baxter (8.2)
Maryland-Baltimore County 24-9 2007-08 Ray Barbosa (16.5) Darryl Proctor (8.4)
Maryland-Eastern Shore 27-2 1973-74 Rubin Collins (18) Joe Pace (12.8)
Massachusetts 35-2 1995-96 Marcus Camby (20.5) Marcus Camby (8.1)
McNeese State 21-11 1985-86 Jerome Batiste (18.4) Jerome Batiste (8.6)
McNeese State 21-9 2001-02 Jason Coleman (14.4) Fred Gentry (7.2)
McNeese State 21-12 2010-11 Patrick Richard (16.1) P.J. Alawoya (10.3)
Memphis 38-2 2007-08 Chris Douglas-Roberts (18.1) Joey Dorsey (9.5)
Mercer 27-11 2011-12 Langston Hall (11.4) Jake Gollon (5.9)
Miami (Fla.) 24-8 2001-02 Darius Rice (14.9) James Jones (6.3)
Miami (Ohio) 24-6 1983-84 Ron Harper (16.3) Ron Harper (7.6)
Miami (Ohio) 24-8 1998-99 Wally Szczerbiak (24.2) Wally Szczerbiak (8.5)
Michigan 31-5 1992-93 Chris Webber (19.2) Chris Webber (10.1)
Michigan State 33-5 1998-99 Morris Peterson (13.6) Antonio Smith (8.4)
Middle Tennessee State 27-7 2011-12 LaRon Dendy (14.6) LaRon Dendy (7.1)
Milwaukee 26-6 2004-05 Ed McCants (17.4) Adrian Tigert (6.7)
Minnesota 31-4 1996-97 Bobby Jackson (15.3) Courtney James (7.2)
Mississippi 27-8 2000-01 Rahim Lockhart (13) Rahim Lockhart (8.1)
Mississippi State 27-8 2001-02 Mario Austin (16.1) Mario Austin (7.6)
Mississippi Valley State 22-7 1995-96 Marcus Mann (21.7) Marcus Mann (13.6)
Mississippi Valley State 22-7 2003-04 Attarrius Norwood (14.3) Willie Neal (7.6)
Missouri 31-7 2008-09 DeMarre Carroll (16.6) DeMarre Carroll (7.2)
Missouri-Kansas City 20-8 1991-92 Tony Dumas (21.5) David Robinson (6.8)
Missouri State 28-6 1986-87 Winston Garland (21.2) Greg Bell (7)
Monmouth 21-10 2000-01 Rahsaan Johnson (19.1) Rahsaan Johnson (6.1)
Monmouth 21-12 2003-04 Blake Hamilton (16.3) Blake Hamilton (6.4)
Montana 27-4 1991-92 Delvon Anderson (14.5) Daren Engellant (8.8)
Montana State 36-2 1927-28 John "Cat" Thompson (16.6) unavailable
Montana State 36-2 1928-29 John "Cat" Thompson (16.6) unavailable
Morehead State 25-6 1983-84 Earl Harrison (12.9) Earl Harrison (7.6)
Morehead State 25-10 2010-11 Kenneth Faried (17.3) Kenneth Faried (14.5)
Morgan State 27-10 2009-10 Reggie Holmes (21.4) Kevin Thompson (11.8)
Mount St. Mary's 21-8 1995-96 Chris McGuthrie (22.3) Riley Inge (6.5)
Murray State 31-5 2009-10 B.J. Jenkins (10.6) Tony Easley (5.8)
Murray State 31-2 2011-12 Isaiah Canaan (19) Ivan Aska (6)
Navy 30-5 1985-86 David Robinson (22.7) David Robinson (13)
Nebraska 26-8 1990-91 Rich King (15.5) Rich King (8.1)
Nevada 29-5 2006-07 Nick Fazekas (20.4) Nick Fazekas (11.1)
New Hampshire 19-9 1994-95 Matt Alosa (23.1) Scott Drapeau (9.8)
NJIT 15-15 2010-11 Isaiah Wilkerson (13.6) Isaiah Wilkerson (6.2)
NJIT 15-17 2011-12 Isaiah Wilkerson (16.2) Isaiah Wilkerson (6.6)
New Mexico 30-5 2009-10 Darington Hobson (15.9) Darington Hobson (9.3)
New Mexico State 27-3 1969-70 Jimmy Collins (24.6) Sam Lacey (15.9)
New Orleans 26-4 1986-87 Ledell Eackles (22.6) Ronnie Grandison (9.7)
New Orleans 26-4 1992-93 Ervin Johnson (18.4) Ervin Johnson (11.9)
Niagara 27-4 1921-22 unavailable unavailable
Nicholls State 24-6 1994-95 Reggie Jackson (21.6) Reggie Jackson (10.8)
Norfolk State 26-10 2011-12 Kyle O'Quinn (15.9) Kyle O'Quinn (10.3)
North Carolina 36-3 2007-08 Tyler Hansbrough (22.6) Tyler Hansbrough (10.2)
UNC Asheville 24-10 2011-12 Matt Dickey (16.1) Jeremy Atkinson (6.6)
North Carolina A&T 26-3 1987-88 Claude Williams (16.2) Claude Williams (8.1)
North Carolina Central 17-15 2011-12 Dominique Sutton (16.4) Dominique Sutton (7.4)
UNC Greensboro 23-6 1994-95 Scott Hartzell (15.7) Eric Cuthrell (9.8)
North Carolina State 30-7 1950-51 Sam Ranzino (20.8) Paul Horvath (13.2)
North Carolina State 30-1 1973-74 David Thompson (26) Tom Burleson (12.2)
UNC Wilmington 25-8 2005-06 T.J. Carter (13.6) Beckham Wyrick (5.4)
North Dakota 19-15 2010-11 Troy Huff (13.3) Patrick Mitchell (5.8)
North Dakota State 26-7 2008-09 Ben Woodside (23.2) Brett Winkelman (7.5)
Northeastern 27-5 1983-84 Mark Halsel (21) Mark Halsel (9.6)
Northeastern 27-7 1986-87 Reggie Lewis (23.3) Reggie Lewis (7.9)
Northern Arizona 21-7 1996-97 Andrew Mavis (15) Billy Hix (5.4)
Northern Arizona 21-8 1997-98 Andrew Mavis (13.9) Casey Frank (6)
Northern Arizona 21-11 2005-06 Kelly Golob (14.3) Ruben Boykin Jr. (7.2)
Northern Colorado 25-8 2009-10 Will Figures (16.6) Mike Proctor (5.6)
Northern Illinois 25-6 1990-91 Donnell Thomas (17) Donnell Thomas (8.2)
Northern Iowa 30-5 2009-10 Jordan Eglseder (11.9) Jordan Eglseder (7.2)
North Florida 16-16 2011-12 Parker Smith (14.5) Travis Wallace (5.3)
North Texas 24-9 2009-10 Josh White (14.5) George Odufuwa (10.7)
Northwestern 20-14 2009-10 John Shurna (18.2) John Shurna (6.4)
Northwestern 20-14 2010-11 John Shurna (16.6) Luka Mirkovic (5.2)
Northwestern State 26-8 2005-06 Clifton Lee (14.2) Clifton Lee (6.2)
Notre Dame 33-7 1908-09 unavailable unavailable
Oakland 26-9 2009-10 Keith Benson (17.3) Keith Benson (10.5)
Ohio University 29-8 2011-12 D.J. Cooper (14.7) Ivo Baltic (5.0)
Ohio State 35-4 2006-07 Greg Oden (15.7) Greg Oden (9.6)
Oklahoma 35-4 1987-88 Stacey King (22.3) Harvey Grant (9.4)
Oklahoma State 31-2 1945-46 Bob Kurland (19.5) unavailable
Oklahoma State 31-4 2003-04 Tony Allen (16) Ivan McFarlin (6.7)
Old Dominion 28-6 2004-05 Alex Loughton (14.1) Alex Loughton (8.2)
Oral Roberts 27-7 2011-12 Dominique Morrison (19.8) Michael Craion (6.3)
Oregon 30-13 1944-45 Dick Wilkins (12.9) unavailable
Oregon State 29-8 1924-25 unavailable unavailable
Pacific 27-4 2004-05 Guillaume Yango (13.2) Guillaume Yango (7.4)
Penn State 27-11 2008-09 Talor Battle (16.7) Jamelle Cornley (6.3)
Pennsylvania 28-1 1970-71 Bob Morse (15.4) David "Corky" Calhoun (8.6)
Pepperdine 25-5 1985-86 Dwayne Polee (15.7) Anthony Frederick (6.9)
Pepperdine 25-9 1999-2000 Brandon Armstrong (14.4) Kelvin Gibbs (7)
Pittsburgh 31-5 2003-04 Carl Krauser (15.4) Chris Taft (7.5)
Pittsburgh 31-5 2008-09 Sam Young (19.2) DeJuan Blair (12.3)
Portland 21-8 1994-95 Canaan Chatman (18.3) Canaan Chatman (6.8)
Portland 21-11 2009-10 Nik Raivio (14.1) Luke Sikma (7.5)
Portland State 23-10 2007-08 Jeremiah Dominquez (14.2) Deonte Huff (6)
Portland State 23-10 2008-09 Jeremiah Dominquez (12.9) Jamie Jones (5.3)
Prairie View 17-12 2002-03 Gregory Burks (18.1) Roderick Riley (7)
Presbyterian 14-15 2011-12 Allonzo Coleman (16.9) Allonzo Coleman (8.8)
Princeton 27-2 1997-98 Gabe Lewullis (14.2) Gabe Lewullis (5.3)
Providence 28-4 1973-74 Marvin Barnes (22.1) Marvin Barnes (18.7)
Purdue 29-4 1987-88 Troy Lewis (17.9) Todd Mitchell (5.8)
Purdue 29-5 1993-94 Glenn Robinson Jr. (30.3) Glenn Robinson Jr. (10.1)
Purdue 29-6 2009-10 E'Twaun Moore (16.4) JaJuan Johnson (7.1)
Quinnipiac 23-10 2009-10 James Feldeine (16.5) Justin Rutty (10.9)
Radford 22-7 1990-91 Doug Day (20.2) Tyrone Travis (6.6)
Rhode Island 28-7 1987-88 Carlton "Silk" Owens (21.8) Kenny Green (7.3)
Rice 25-4 1939-40 Bob Kinney (12.5) unavailable
Richmond 29-8 2010-11 Justin Harper (17.9) Justin Harper (6.9)
Rider 23-11 2007-08 Jason Thompson (20.4) Jason Thompson (12.1)
Rider 23-11 2010-11 Justin Robinson (15.2) Danny Stewart (7.1)
Robert Morris 26-8 2007-08 Jeremy Chappell (14.9) Tony Lee (6.6)
Robert Morris 26-11 2011-12 Velton Jones (16) Lucky Jones (6.1)
Rutgers 31-2 1975-76 Phil Sellers (19.2) Phil Sellers (10.2)
Sacred Heart 18-14 2006-07 Jarrid Frye (13.3) Brice Brooks (6)
Sacred Heart 18-14 2007-08 Brice Brooks (12.8) Drew Shubik (5.8)
St. Bonaventure 25-3 1969-70 Bob Lanier (29.1) Bob Lanier (16)
St. Francis (N.Y.) 23-5 1953-54 Hank Daubenschmidt (20.2) Hank Daubenschmidt (13.4)
Saint Francis (Pa.) 24-8 1990-91 Mike Iuzzolino (24.1) Joe Anderson (6.3)
St. John's 31-4 1984-85 Chris Mullin (19.8) Walter Berry (8.7)
St. John's 31-5 1985-86 Walter Berry (23) Walter Berry (11.1)
Saint Joseph's 30-2 2003-04 Jameer Nelson (20.6) Dwayne Jones (7)
Saint Louis 27-10 1988-89 Anthony Bonner (15.5) Anthony Bonner (10.4)
Saint Mary's 28-7 2008-09 Patrick Mills (18.4) Diamon Simpson (10.8)
Saint Mary's 28-6 2009-10 Omar Samhan (21.3) Omar Samhan (10.9)
Saint Peter's 24-4 1967-68 Elnardo Webster (25) Pete O'Dea (14.6)
Saint Peter's 24-7 1990-91 Tony Walker (19.2) Tony Walker (7)
Samford 24-6 1998-99 Reed Rawlings (16.5) Marc Salyers (5.4)
Sam Houston State 25-8 2009-10 Gilberto Clavell (17.1) Gilberto Clavell (6.4)
San Diego 24-6 1986-87 Scott Thompson (15.9) Scott Thompson (7.4)
San Diego State 34-3 2010-11 Kawhi Leonard (15.5) Kawhi Leonard (10.6)
San Francisco 29-0 1955-56 Bill Russell (20.5) Bill Russell (21)
San Jose State 21-9 1980-81 Sid Williams (15.1) Sid Williams (7.2)
Santa Clara 27-2 1968-69 Dennis Awtrey (21.3) Dennis Awtrey (13.3)
Savannah State 21-12 2011-12 Rashad Hassan (13) Arnold Louis (7.8)
Seattle 26-2 1953-54 Joe Pehanick (20.5) Joe Pehanick (10)
Seton Hall 31-2 1952-53 Walter Dukes (26.1) Walter Dukes (22.2)
Seton Hall 31-7 1988-89 John Morton (17.3) Ramon Ramos (7.6)
Siena 27-8 2008-09 Edwin Ubiles (15) Ryan Rossiter (7.9)
Siena 27-7 2009-10 Alex Franklin (16.1) Ryan Rossiter (11.1)
South Alabama 26-7 2007-08 Demetric Bennett (19.7) DeAndre Coleman (7.8)
South Carolina 25-3 1969-70 John Roche (22.3) Tom Owens (14)
South Carolina State 25-8 1988-89 Rodney Mack (15.2) Rodney Mack (11.1)
South Carolina Upstate 21-13 2011-12 Torrey Craig (16.4) Torrey Craig (7.7)
South Dakota 22-7 2007-08 Dylan Grimsley (14.8) Tyler Cain (8.1)
South Dakota 22-10 2009-10 Tyler Cain (14.7) Tyler Cain (10.4)
South Dakota State 27-8 2011-12 Nate Wolters (21.2) Nate Wolters (5.1)
Southeastern Louisiana 24-9 2004-05 Ricky Woods (17.2) Nate Lofton (7.2)
Southeast Missouri State 24-7 1999-2000 Roderick Johnson (14.1) Roderick Johnson (8.6)
Southern (La.) 25-6 1989-90 Joe Faulkner (21.7) Joe Faulkner (9.2)
Southern California 24-2 1970-71 Dennis Layton (17.6) Ron Riley (15.3)
Southern California 24-5 1973-74 Gus Williams (15.5) John Lambert (6.9)
Southern California 24-6 1991-92 Harold Miner (26.3) Yamen Sanders (8)
Southern California 24-10 2000-01 Sam Clancy (17.3) Sam Clancy (7.5)
Southern Illinois 29-7 2006-07 Jamaal Tatum (15.2) Randal Falker (7.7)
Southern Methodist 28-7 1987-88 Kato Armstrong (16.1) Terry Thomas (7.9)
Southern Mississippi 25-9 2011-12 Neil Watson (12.3) Jonathan Mills (6.1)
Southern Utah 25-6 2000-01 Fred House (17.8) Dan Beus (7.9)
South Florida 22-10 1982-83 Charlie Bradley (28.2) Jim Grandholm (9.2)
Stanford 30-5 1997-98 Arthur Lee (14.5) Mark Madsen (8.2)
Stanford 30-2 2003-04 Josh Childress (15.7) Josh Childress (7.5)
Stephen F. Austin 26-6 2007-08 Josh Alexander (16.1) Josh Alexander (5.9)
Stetson 22-4 1974-75 Otis Johnson (15.9) Otis Johnson (9)
Stony Brook 22-10 2009-10 Muhammad El-Amin (16.7) Tommy Brenton (9.7)
Stony Brook 22-10 2011-12 Bryan Dougher (13.2) Tommy Brenton (8.1)
Syracuse 34-3 2011-12 Kris Joseph (13.4) Fab Melo (5.8)
Temple 32-4 1986-87 Nate Blackwell (19.8) Tim Perry (8.6)
Temple 32-2 1987-88 Mark Macon (20.6) Tim Perry (8)
Tennessee 31-5 2007-08 Chris Lofton (15.5) Tyler Smith (6.7)
Tennessee-Martin 22-10 2008-09 Lester Hudson (27.5) Lester Hudson (7.9)
Tennessee State 19-10 1992-93 Carlos Rogers (20.3) Carlos Rogers (11.7)
Tennessee Tech 27-7 2001-02 Damien Kinloch (16.2) Damien Kinloch (8.5)
Texas 30-7 2005-06 P.J. Tucker (16.1) P.J. Tucker (9.5)
Texas A&M 26-8 1979-80 Vernon Smith (15.1) Rudy Woods (7.6)
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 26-7 2006-07 Chris Daniels (15.3) Chris Daniels (6.7)
Texas-Arlington 24-9 2011-12 LaMarcus Reed (17.8) Jordan Reves (7.8)
Texas Christian 27-6 1997-98 Lee Nailon (24.9) Dennis Davis (9.8)
Texas-El Paso 28-1 1965-66 Bobby Joe Hill (15) Harry Flournoy (10.7)
Texas-Pan American 22-2 1974-75 Marshall Rogers (26.7) Gilbert King (13.3)
Texas-Pan American 22-4 1977-78 Michael Edwards (24.3) Henry Taylor (14.2)
Texas-San Antonio 22-7 1989-90 Bruce Wheatley (13.9) Bruce Wheatley (9.9)
Texas Southern 22-7 1982-83 Harry Kelly (28.8) Harry Kelly (11.7)
Texas Southern 22-7 1994-95 Kevin Granger (19.7) Anthony Jones (7.4)
Texas State 25-7 1993-94 Lynwood Wade (18.5) Lynwood Wade (8.5)
Texas Tech 30-2 1995-96 Jason Sasser (19.5) Tony Battie (8.9)
Toledo 24-6 1939-40 Bob Gerber (14.4) unavailable
Towson 21-9 1993-94 Terrance "Scooter" Alexander (17.4) John James (7.7)
Troy 26-6 2002-03 Ben Fletcher (13.9) Rob Lewin (8.1)
Tulane 24-4 1948-49 Jim Riffey (13.5) unavailable
Tulsa 32-5 1999-2000 David Shelton (13.5) Brandon Kurtz (7)
UAB 25-6 1981-82 Oliver Robinson (21.1) Chris Giles (7.6)
UAB 25-9 2009-10 Elijah Millsap (16.1) Elijah Millsap (9.5)
UCLA 35-4 2007-08 Kevin Love (17.5) Kevin Love (10.6)
UNLV 37-2 1986-87 Armon Gilliam (23.2) Armon Gilliam (9.3)
Utah 30-4 1990-91 Josh Grant (17.5) Josh Grant (8)
Utah State 30-5 2008-09 Gary Wilkinson (17.1) Gary Wilkinson (6.8)
Utah State 30-4 2010-11 Taj Wesley (14.8) Taj Wesley (8)
Utah Valley 22-7 2006-07 Ryan Toolson (15.5) Jordan Brady (5.2)
Valparaiso 25-8 2001-02 Lubos Martin (14.9) Raitis Grafs (6.8)
Vanderbilt 28-6 1992-93 Billy McCaffrey (20.6) Bruce Elder (6.1)
Vermont 25-7 2004-05 Taylor Coppenrath (25.1) Taylor Coppenrath (8.9)
Vermont 25-8 2006-07 Mike Trimboli (15.8) Chris Holm (12.2)
Vermont 25-10 2009-10 Marqus Blakely (17.3) Marqus Blakely (9.3)
Villanova 30-8 2008-09 Dante Cunningham (16.1) Dante Cunningham (7.5)
Virginia 30-4 1981-82 Ralph Sampson (15.8) Ralph Sampson (11.4)
Virginia Commonwealth 29-7 2011-12 Bradford Burgess (13.5) Juvonte Reddic (6.7)
Virginia Military 26-4 1976-77 Ron Carter (20.4) Dave Montgomery (8.9)
Virginia Tech 25-10 1994-95 Shawn Smith (16) Adrian "Ace" Custis (10.5)
Virginia Tech 25-9 2009-10 Malcolm Delaney (20.2) Jeff Allen (7.4)
Wagner 25-6 2011-12 Latif Rivers (14.6) Jonathon Williams (5)
Wake Forest 27-6 2004-05 Eric Williams (16.1) Eric Williams (7.7)
Washington 30-3 1952-53 Bob Houbregs (25.6) Bob Houbregs (11.5)
Washington State 26-6 1940-41 Paul Lindeman (10.2) unavailable
Washington State 26-9 2007-08 Derrick Low (14.1) Aron Baynes (6)
Weber State 27-3 1968-69 Willie Sojourner (21.2) Willie Sojourner (13.1)
Western Carolina 22-12 2009-10 Brandon Giles (11.9) Harouna Mutombo (4.6)
Western Illinois 20-11 1982-83 Joe Dykstra (21.1) Todd Hutcheson (6)
Western Illinois 20-8 1994-95 Garrick Vicks (17.7) Garrick Vicks (7.7)
Western Kentucky 30-3 1937-38 Harry Saddler (11.8) unavailable
Western Michigan 26-5 2003-04 Mike Williams (18.9) Anthony Kann (7.2)
West Virginia 31-7 2009-10 Da'Sean Butler (17.2) Devin Ebanks (8.1)
Wichita State 29-8 2010-11 J.T. Durley (11.3) Gabe Blair (6.4)
William & Mary 24-10 1948-49 Chester "Chet" Giermak (21.8) unavailable
Winthrop 29-5 2006-07 Michael Jenkins (14.8) Craig Bradshaw (6.3)
Wisconsin 31-5 2007-08 Brian Butch (12.4) Brian Butch (6.6)
Wofford 26-9 2009-10 Noah Dahlman (16.6) Tim Johnson (7.9)
Wright State 23-10 2006-07 DaShaun Wood (19.6) Drew Burleson (5.8)
Wyoming 31-2 1942-43 Milo Komenich (16.7) unavailable
Xavier 30-7 2007-08 Josh Duncan (12.4) Derrick Brown (6.5)
Yale 29-7-1 1906-07 unavailable unavailable
Youngstown State 20-9 1997-98 Anthony Hunt (14.4) David Brown (7.3)

Peon to Pedestal: Where Will Nyarsuk Rank Among DI Transfer Centers From Small Colleges?

August 28th, 2012 - 7:49

Will 7-1 David Nyarsuk rank high among major-college centers who began their college careers playing for a four- year small college before transferring? Cincinnati-bound Nyarsuk averaged 9.8 points and 8 rebounds per game for NAIA Tournament semifinalist Mountain State (WV) last season before the school encountered accredidation problems.

Nyarsuk signed with West Virginia out of high school but failed to qualify. The Sudanese native collected 19 points and 14 rebounds in an exhibition game against Morehead State. The largest African country by area previously supplied prominent Division I centers such as Mustafa Al-Sayyad (Fresno State), Deng Gai (Fairfield), Longar Longar (Oklahoma), Makor Shayok (Dayton) and Dud Tongal (Fordham).

Former NBA centers Tom Boswell and Billy Paultz are in this unique category. Following is an alphabetical list of previous DI centers who started their careers at a small four-year college:

Transfer Center Small College Division I School Career Summary
Henry Akin William Carey (MS) Morehead State 64-65 Two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection averaged more than 11 rebounds each of his two seasons with the Eagles.
Scott Barnes Eastern Montana 81-82 Fresno State 84-85 Averaged 9.7 ppg and 4.8 rpg for Eastern Montana before averaging 11.7 ppg and 6.6 rpg for Fresno State. Barnes was an All-PCAA second-team selection as a senior when he led the Bulldogs in rebounding (7.4 rpg). Grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds against Karl Malone-led Louisiana Tech when Fresno bowed to the Bulldogs in the first round of the 1984 NCAA playoffs.
Andrew Betts C.W. Post (NY) 95-96 Long Beach State 98 Averaged 13.8 ppg and 10.4 rpg while shooting 52.6% from the floor in two years with c.W. Post. All-Big West Conference first-team selection in his only season with the 49ers averaged 18.7 ppg, 10.1 rpg and 1.7 bpg.
Don Boldebuck Nebraska Wesleyan 52-53 Houston 55-56 Averaged more than 20 ppg for Nebraska Wesleyan before averaging 23 ppg and 17 rpg in leading Houston in scoring and rebounding both of his seasons with the Cougars. He paced them in scoring in both of their NCAA playoff games in 1956.
Tom Boswell South Carolina State 72-73 South Carolina 75 Two-time All-MEAC selection (averaged more than 17 points and 11 rebounds each season with SCSU) outscored teammates Mike Dunleavy and Alex English to lead the Gamecocks' NIT squad in scoring average with 16.5 ppg. Boswell became a first-round draft choice of the Boston Celtics as an undergraduate.
John Bunch Lincoln (PA) 03-04 Monmouth 06-07 Led Division III in blocked shots as a freshman and sophomore, including two games when he rejected an NCAA record 18 shots. Member of Monmouth's 2006 NCAA Tournament team before leading the Northeast Conference in blocked shots with 3.3 per game as a senior in 2006-07.
Pete Cornell Puget Sound (WA) 95 Loyola Marymount 97-98 Averaged 4.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg as a sophomore and 8 ppg and 5.3 rpg as a junior with LMU before graduating early.
Jack Eskridge Graceland (IA) 42-43 Kansas 47-48 After his college career was interrupted by a stint in the U.S. Marines during World War II, he set a Kansas school with 30 points in one half against Nebraska. Following a couple of years in the NBA, he returned to KU and served as an assistant coach during the Wilt Chamberlain era.
Tyler Field UC San Diego 98 San Diego 00-01 Division III Freshman of the Year when he averaged 24.2 ppg and 14.3 rpg and shot 65% from the floor. Averaged 8.6 ppg and 6.6 rpg in two years with the Toreros. Led the WCC in field-goal shooting as a sophomore (60.6%) in 1999-2000.
Willie "Hutch" Jones Buffalo State 78 Vanderbilt 80-82 Paced the Commodores in scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg) as a senior. Led Vandy in field-goal shooting all three seasons to finish his DI career at 60.5%. Averaqed 7.1 ppg and 7 rpg as a freshman with Buffalo State.
Marcus Kennedy Ferris State (MI) 87-89 Eastern Michigan 91 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year when he paced the league in scoring (20 ppg) and field-goal percentage (68.2 FG%). Led winningest team in school history in scoring in NCAA playoff victories against Mississippi State and Penn State. Averaged 17.1 ppg and 8 rpg while shooting 60.7% from the floor with Ferris State, leading the team in scoring and rebounding as a sophomore and junior.
Matt Massey Nova Southeastern (FL) 08 Southern Utah 10-11 Averaged 7.1 ppg and 4.9 rpg for Nova. Averaged 8.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg in his first two seasons with the Thunderbirds.
Tony Massop Sacramento State 87 Kansas State 89-90 Averaged 10.3 ppg and 8 rpg as a sophomore at Sacramento State. Averaged 5.9 ppg and 5.6 rpg as a junior and 8.1 ppg and 6.6 rpg as a senior for a pair of NCAA tourney teams. He was the Wildcats' leading rebounder in 1989-90.
Bob McCann Upsala (NJ) 83 Morehead State 85-87 Averaged 9.9 ppg and 8 rpg for Upsala. Three-time All-OVC first-team choice paced Morehead in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots all three seasons. He averaged 17.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg in his career with the Eagles.
Bret Mundt Bethel (TN) 85-86 Memphis State 88-89 Averaged 5.1 ppg and 3.6 rpg in 1987-88 and 6.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 1988-89 for a pair of NCAA tourney teams. Scored 13 points when the Tigers lost to Purdue in the 1988 Midwest Regional.
Nick Neumann Binghamton (NY) 99 Florida Atlantic 01-03 Averaged 5.9 ppg and 4.4 rpg with Binghamton. Grabbed 13 rebounds in a game against Campbell in his first season with FAU. Averaged 6.8 ppg and 5.9 rpg as a senior.
Yemi Nicholson Fort Lewis (CO) 02 Denver 04-06 Played in only one game for Fort Lewis. Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year as a junior when he averaged 18.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 3 bpg for Denver's all-time winningest team at the DI level. Averaged 15.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg and 2.4 bpg in three-year career with the Pioneers.
Ime Oduok Pacific Christian (CA) 92 Loyola Marymount 94-96 Two-time All-WCC selection averaged 11.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg while shooting 59% from the floor during his LMU career. The Eket, Nigeria native grabbed 22 rebounds against Buffalo as a sophomore.
Billy Paultz Cameron (OK) 67 St. John's 69-70 Averaged 9.5 ppg and 5 rpg with Cameron before transferring back to the East Coast. Participated in the 1969 NCAA playoffs with the Redmen before averaging 15.8 ppg and 13.4 rpg for the 1970 NIT runner-up.
Justin Rowe Clearwater (FL) Christian 99-00 Maine 02-03 Finished among the top four in the nation in blocked shots with more than four per game as a junior and senior. All-America East Conference first-team selection in 2001-02 when he led the league in field-goal shooting (59.4%). Averaged 11.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 4.1 bpg with the Black Bears.
Dwayne Scholten Seattle Pacific 83-84 Washington State 86-87 Led the Pacific-10 Conference with 9.2 rpg as a senior when he also contributed 11.5 ppg. Missed half of junior year because of a broken foot. Averaged 12 ppg and teaqm-high 10.3 rpg as a sophomore with Seattle Pacific after contributing a modest 4.6 ppg and 4.6 rpg as a freshman.
Bill Sherwood Oglethorpe (GA) 84-85 Oregon State 87-88 Averaged 7.7 ppg in 1986-87 and 14.7 ppg in 1987-88 for the Beavers. Outscored teammate Gary Payton with 17 points in OSU's 70-61 loss to Louisville in the 1988 Southeast Regional. Averaged a modest 7.7 ppg and 3.9 rpg in two seasons with Oglethorpe.
Bill Simonovich Hamline (MN) 52 Minnesota 54-56 Averaged 15.3 ppg and a team-high 10.9 rpg for Minnesota as a junior in 1954-55.
Anthony Smith Clark (GA) 83 Western Kentucky 88-89 Led WKU in rebounding as a sophomore (10.4 rpg) and junior (10.1 rpg) before he was dismissed from the team. Averaged more than 11 ppg each season with the Hilltoppers. Averaged 1.5 ppg and 1.4 rpg as a freshman with Clark before joining the military. Served in the U.S. Army and played against WKU while with the Ft. Hood Tankers team before joining the Hilltoppers.
Scott Snider Pacific Lutheran (WA) 92-93 Gonzaga 95-96 Led Pacific Lutheran in scoring as a freshman with 11.9 ppg before averaging 14 ppg and 5.6 rpg as a sophomore. Paced the WCC in field-goal shooting (62.9%) as a senior when he averaged 10.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg after averaging 5.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg the previous year for the Zags' first NCAA Tournament team.
Adam Sonn Lipscomb (TN) 99 Belmont 01-03 Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year as a senior. Two-time All-Atlantic Sun first-team selection averaged 16.1 ppg, 10.7 rpg and 3 apg with the Bruins. Runner-up for Freshman of the Year in the TranSouth Conference when he was named to the All-Newcomer team after averaging 12 ppg and 6 rpg.

Don't Buy Hype: High School Player Ratings Are Little More Than Ridiculists

August 25th, 2012 - 20:31

Many high school player ratings need to be printed on toilet paper so they can be flushed down the commode. If you seek the latest evidence of their actual worth, simply assess the prep senior class of 2009/college senior class of 2013.

Two of the biggest busts in multiple ways were Renardo Sidney (Mississippi State) and Lance Stephenson (Cincinnati). Have the genius analysts who acknowledged these colossal cancer-causing clowns among the 2009 top 10 recruits on their manifestos gone to confession to deal with their selection sins? In retrospect, it seems inconceivable that Sidney and Stephenson were rated so far ahead of Arizona All-American Derrick Williams.

This critique also extends to rush-to-judgment plaudits from announcers who rely on these lists to hype recruits beyond reason before the impressionable teenagers set foot on a major-college court. There should be a "Duds Not Studs" web site devoted to so-called expert hyperventilating proclamations detailing the seemingly endless sizzle that wound up becoming little more than fizzle.

For instance, the following total of 11 McDonald's All-Americans from 2009 enter this season with college career scoring averages of less than eight points per game: Dominic Cheek (Villanova/7.6 ppg), Abdul Gaddy (Washington/6.4), Milton Jennings (Clemson/7), Wally Judge (Kansas State & Rutgers/4), Ryan Kelly (Duke/6.3), Alex Oriakhi (Connecticut & Missouri/7.2), Mason Plumlee (Duke/7.3), Dexter Strickland (North Carolina/6.7), Dante Taylor (Pittsburgh/5), David Wear (North Carolina & UCLA/6.8) and Travis Wear (North Carolina & UCLA/7.4).

This mistake-ridden mess isn't exactly a new trend. To their credit, at least the current underachievers all have higher scoring averages than McDonald's All-Americans since 1977 such as Darryl Barnes (1989/Georgia Tech/1.5 ppg), Bret Bearup (1980/Kentucky/3.6), Barry Bekkedam (1986/Villanova/2.1), Milton Bell (1988/Georgetown/3.7), Jimmy Braddock (1979/North Carolina/3.7), Pete Budko (1977/North Carolina/1.9), Vasco Evtimov (1996/North Carolina/2.8), Neil Fingleton (2000/North Carolina & Holy Cross/2.6), Bobby Frasor (2005/North Carolina/3.7), Shaun Golden (1989/Georgia/3.2), Bill Heppner (1987/DePaul/0.9), Pete Holbert (1980/Maryland/3), Reggie Jackson (1978/Maryland/3.9), Cedric Jenkins (1984/Kentucky/2.5), James Keefe (2006/UCLA/2.2), Dan Larson (1978/Utah and Santa Clara/3.6), Majestic Mapp (1999/Virginia/3.4), Glenn Mayers (1980/Wake Forest/3.5), Lonnie McFarlan (1980/St. Joseph's/3.7), Raymond McKoy (1979/San Francisco and DePaul/1.5), Martin Nessley (1983/Duke/2.4), Calvin Rayford (1991/Kansas/1.5), Casey Sanders (1999/Duke/2.7), Rodney Walker (1985/Syracuse and Maryland/2.3), Kevin Walls (1984/Louisville/2.7) and Matt Wenstrom (1989/North Carolina/1.6).

Ironic or not, all claims against fast-living Bekkedam and his former Radnor, Pa.-based investment firm were dismissed by investors last winter. He was CEO of Ballamor Capital Management, an integral feeder, funneling $100 million, into what turned out to be a Florida Ponzi scheme. Scott Rothstein, a Fort Lauderdale lawyer, enticed investors by promising a 15% return to invest in confidential settlements that his law firm had supposedly negotiated for plaintiffs.

"I sympathize completely with my fellow victims in this terrible deception," said Bekkedam, who had a reputation for using a private jet to visit clients in out-of-the-way places. "All of us were cruelly swindled by Rothstein (convicted of fraud and serving a 50-year prison sentence)." Seems to resemble the hoax being lured into putting too much stock into high school basketball player ratings!

Meanwhile, the following college seniors-to-be virtually overlooked when they left high school have had just as much, if not significantly more, impact on the sport: Murray State's Isaiah Canaan, Montana's Will Cherry, Central Florida's Keith Clanton, Notre Dame's Jack Cooley, Ohio's D.J. Cooper, BYU's Brandon Davies, Penn State's Tim Frazier, Baylor's Pierre Jackson, Lehigh's C.J. McCollum, Kansas State's Rodney McGruder, San Diego State's Chase Tapley and South Dakota State's Nate Wolters.

When will the myriad of breathless recruiting services and gurus playing loose and fast with the truth invest time issuing "corrections" after all of the returns are in? Errick McCollum Jr., C.J.'s dad, probably summed up the debilitating dialogue best when he told espn.com: "All those coaches and scouts don't know what they're doing. They have jobs to scout talent, but they don't know what they're doing. A plain eye can see that."

If they comprehend accountability, any overdue apologies from the recruiting services can simply lift phrases from Bekkdam's press release about "this terrible deception" and "all of us were cruelly swindled."

Leave of Absences: Majerus Missed All or Most of Four Seasons

August 24th, 2012 - 22:42

Rick Majerus, one of the all-time Top 50 coaches, passed away in early December - three months after longstanding health issues surfaced again, forcing him to miss a season for the fourth time in his coaching career. Complicating things at the time were Majerus' age (64) plus the fact his original six-year contract with Saint Louis expired after this campaign and the school chose not to secure an extension despite him making Billiken hoops relevant again.

SLU interim Jim Crews inherited a squad that should end his personal nine-year streak of losing records with Evansville and Army because the Billikens are the consensus preseason favorite to win the Atlantic 10 title. It will be a major surprise if Crews doesn't win more conference games this season than he did over his first five years with Army in the Patriot League (nine). Crews, who guided Evansville to four NCAA playoff appearances, probably would be content to duplicate Kerry Rupp's 24-9 overall record in 2003-04 when Rupp was Majerus' third different interim with Utah.

Prior to arriving at SLU, an overweight Majerus underwent seven heart bypass procedures ("one for each food group" he joked) before having a stent inserted last summer. He previously hadn't been out for an extended period while with the Bills but did miss a total of six contests for an assortment of reasons - one because of food poisoning, one after ingesting the wrong mixture of medicine, three after incurring a severe leg infection when a couple of players diving for a loose ball collided with him and one when his girlfriend was in an automobile accident.

Majerus set a scholastic standard most coaches can't come remotely close to duplicating when his 1998 Utah squad became the only Final Four team ever to feature three Academic All-Americans among its regulars - Michael Doleac, Drew Hansen and Hanno Mottola.

But no coach ever has had as many extended leave of absences like Majerus. Among marquee mentors, head-coach designate Sean Sutton guided Oklahoma State to a 4-6 record in 2005-06 after his father compiled a 13-10 mark before taking a medical leave of absence following an automobile accident.

Most interim coaches who temporarily replace a prominent mentor don't compile a mark anywhere close to the success Rupp managed with the Utes. Following is an alphabetical list of prominent coaches since World War II who, similar to Majerus, didn't retire at the time but missed all or about half a season for a variety of reasons:

Sidelined Coach School Season (Record) Reason For Leave of Absence Interim Coach (Record)
Forrest "Phog" Allen Kansas 1946-47 (8-5) Ordered to take a rest. Howard Engleman (8-6)
Lyles Alley Furman 1949-50 (DNC) Sabbatical to work on master's degree at Columbia. Melvin Bell (9-12)
Harold Anderson Bowling Green 1950-51 (10-4) Health reasons. George Muellich (5-8)
Jimmy Collins Illinois-Chicago 2006-07 (6-7) Abdominal aortic aneurysm. Mark Coomes (8-11)
Bill E. Foster South Carolina 1982-83 (10-4) Suffered heart attack during a game. Steve Steinwedel (12-5)
Amory "Slats" Gill Oregon State 1959-60 (9-3) Illness. Paul Valenti (6-8)
Jack Hartman Kansas State 1984-85 (9-4) Suffered a heart attack. Darryl Winston (5-10)
Lou Henson New Mexico State 2004-05 (4-12) Illness. Tony Stubblefield (2-12)
Paul "Tony" Hinkle Butler 1956-57 (3-5) Reason unavailable. Bob Dietz (8-9)
Mike Krzyzewski Duke 1994-95 (9-3) Recovering from a back ailment. Pete Gaudet (4-15)
Rick Majerus Utah 1989-90 (4-2) Underwent heart surgery. Joe Cravens (12-12)
Rick Majerus Utah 2000-01 (1-0) Personal leave of absence. Dick Hunsaker (18-12)
Rick Majerus Utah 2003-04 (DNC) Deal with health issues. Kerry Rupp (24-9)
Rick Majerus Saint Louis 2012-13 (DNC) Medical leave to deal with health issues. Jim Crews (TBD)
Robert "Lute" Olson Arizona 2007-08 (DNC) Going through divorce with second wife. Kevin O'Neill (19-15)

Repeat Offenders: Three Coaches Vacated NCAA Play With Different Schools

August 22nd, 2012 - 22:50

"We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does." - Air Force honor code

College presidents finally seem to be paying at least a little more than just lip service to proposals for upright athletic programs. But the well-worn cliche "cheaters never prosper" isn't quite valid for coaches who didn't exactly abide by the aforementioned Air Force honor code.

Fool me once, shame on thee; fool me twice, shame on me. Shouldn't the three coaches who were in charge of two different schools when they were forced to vacate NCAA Tournament records be viewed as damaged goods rather than being canonized as they are in some quarters?

One man's trash is another man's treasure. It shouldn't be any surprise that John Calipari and Jim Valvano have a significant number of suspect characters among the list of "Bad Boys of College Basketball" assembled by CollegeHoopedia.com although their contributions to men behaving badly pales in comparison to the coddling of college cons by Jerry Tarkanian.

Six of Calipari's UMass players each reportedly received $12,000 to settle invasion-of-privacy complaints when their "alarming" grades were leaked to the media. After all, we can't have a serious discussion regarding scholastic standards; now can we? If the NCAA is indeed serious about draining the swamp, the governing body should embrace academic standards forcing the NBA to establish a reform school division in its developmental league. Studies have shown that a college education does not appear to diminish the probability of an eventual pro player getting in trouble with the law.

Rattling skeletons, following is the short but dubious list of repeat offenders among coaches who probably have support from shills thinking any transgression was worth it because they each won an NCAA championship during their careers:

Two-Time Tainted Coach Two Teams Vacating NCAA Playoff Action National Titlist
John Calipari Massachusetts (1996) and Memphis (2008) Kentucky (2012)
Jerry Tarkanian Long Beach State (1971 through 1973) and Fresno State (2000) UNLV (1990)
Jim Valvano Iona (1980) and North Carolina State (1987 and 1988) N.C. State (1985)

Flip Flop: Brown and Dakich Vie for Best Story Reneging on Coaching Job

August 19th, 2012 - 14:54

New SMU bench boss Larry Brown began his nomadic head coaching career by resigning following only a couple of months at Davidson's helm in 1969. Brown reportedly departed primarily because the Wildcats didn't increase their recruiting budget and lower high academic requirements for prospective recruits. He was also annoyed about the school's summer basketball camp and receiving bills for his temporary residence and carpeting he ordered for his office.

Reducing academic standards has triggered an abundance of exceptions - scholastically challenged "prize prospects" who don't meet a school's usual admission standards but gain entry because of their special athletic talent. In other words, a classless institution of lower learning "looks the other way" when being more attracted to someone adept at throwing a no-look pass than exhibiting a citadel of higher learning focusing more on authentic students infinitely more capable of passing a genuine college class.

But Brown Out has competition for the most unusual tale for walking away from a new coaching position. In a sidebar to an account regarding prize West Virginia recruit Jonathan Hargett closing in on finishing a five-year prison sentence, the New York Times reported that Dan Dakich bolted in 2002 about a week after accepting a seven-year, $3.5 million contract upon discerning the "culture of dishonesty" in the Mountaineers' program, including Hargett telling him he had not been paid the full amount of money promised ($20,000 annually).

Dakich, now one of ESPN's most credible commentators, said he told David Hardesty, then the university's president, about Western Union receipts showing Hargett had received money. According to the NYT, Dakich recalls Hardesty threatening him, "If you go any further with this, we'll destroy you."

Hardesty, now a law professor at the school, told the NYT: "I would never condone a corrupt program." Wonder what his classroom stance is on truth serum or the admission of a lie detector test if he and Dakich could be hooked up to help weigh the honesty of Hardesty's assertion that Dakich's story is a "gross exaggeration" and "revisionist history."

A tragic tale unfolded in Evansville's initial season at the NCAA Division I level in 1977-78 when coach Bobby Watson and 13 members of his Purple Aces squad perished in a plane crash moments after taking off en route to their fifth game of the season. Watson, a Vietnam veteran with five Purple Hearts, was hired after former UE All-American Jerry Sloan, who went on to a distinguished coaching career with the NBA's Utah Jazz, had been named coach of the Purple Aces before abruptly changing his mind.

Davidson was also shunned by Dartmouth's Gary Walters in 1976. Following is an alphabetical list of coaches who had a change of heart and reneged on deals for a variety of reasons:

Coach Shunned School/Team (Year) Subsequent Hire
Creighton's Dana Altman Arkansas (2007) John Pelphrey
Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Ken Anderson Wisconsin (1982) Steve Yoder
Oakland Oaks (ABA) guard Larry Brown Davidson (1969) Terry Holland
Capital's Vince Chickerella Cincinnati (1972) Gale Catlett
Capital's Vince Chickerella Kent State (1978) Ed Douma
Georgia Tech's Bobby Cremins South Carolina (1993) Eddie Fogler
Bowling Green's Dan Dakich West Virginia (2002) John Beilein
Florida's Billy Donovan NBA's Orlando Magic (2007) Stan Van Gundy
North Carolina assistant Bill Guthridge Penn State (1978) Dick Harter
Texas-El Paso's Don Haskins Detroit (1969) Jim Harding
Kansas State's Jack Hartman Oklahoma State (1977) Jim Killingsworth
ESPN analyst Rick Majerus Southern California (2005) Tim Floyd
Winthrop's Gregg Marshall College of Charleston (2006) Bobby Cremins
Appalachian State's Buzz Peterson Southwest Missouri State (1999) Barry Hinson
Chicago Bulls scout Jerry Sloan Evansville (1977) Bobby Watson
Dartmouth's Gary Walters Davidson (1976) Dave Pritchett

List of Schools Reneging on League Membership Promises Continues to Grow

August 18th, 2012 - 8:27

Amid at least 20 schools switching alliances the coming season and next year, dominoes seem to fall every time a school seeks greener pastures. The Ivy League is the only Division I conference to remain intact since the late 1980s.

It's beginning to be difficult to keep track of annulment schools reneging on a pledge to align with a new league and then pursuing a more attractive option. Comedic comes to mind when Boise State simultaneously is a member of the Big East (in football) and Big West (in basketball).

Oddly, some schools such as Boise State (Big West), Charlotte (C-USA), Georgia State (Sun Belt), Pacific (West Coast) and San Diego State (Big West) are going full circle and returning to leagues where they previously were members. Next year, Abilene Christian (TX) will join the following institutions re-enlisting with a conference after leaving for various durations:

School DI Conference (Membership Tenure) School Status During Interim
Abilene Christian (TX) Southland (1969-73 and since 2013-14) Lone Star (de-emphasized to NCAA Division II)
Boise State Big West (1997-2001 and will rejoin in 2014) WAC (2002-11) and Mountain West (2012 and 2013)
Campbell Big South (1986-94 and since 2012) TAAC/Atlantic Sun (1995-2011)
Charlotte Conference USA (1996-2005 and wll rejoin in 2014) Atlantic 10 (2006-13)
Creighton Missouri Valley (1929-48 and since 1978) Independent
Davidson Southern (1937-88 and since 1993) Big South (1991 and 1992)
Drake Missouri Valley (1908-51 and since 1957) Independent
Duquesne Eastern 8/Atlantic 10 (since 1977 except for 1993) Midwestern Collegiate (1993)
Georgia State Sun Belt (1977-81 and will rejoin in 2014) TAAC/Atlantic Sun (1985-2005) and CAA (2006-13)
Harvard EIBL/Ivy League (1902-09 and since 1934) Independent
Lamar Southland (1969-87 and since 1999) American South (1988-91) and Sun Belt (1992-98)
Murray State Ohio Valley (since 1949 except for 1962) Independent
New Orleans Sun Belt (1977-80 and 1992-2010) Independent and American South (1988-91)
Northern Illinois Mid-American (1976-86 and since 1998) Mid-Continent (1991-94) and Midwestern Collegiate (1995-97)
Oregon Pacific Coast (1916-59 and since 1965) Independent
Oregon State Pacific Coast (1916-59 and since 1965) Independent
Pacific WCAC/West Coast (1953-71 and will rejoin in 2014) PCAA/Big West (1972-2013)
Penn State Eastern 8/Atlantic 10 (1977-79 and 1983-91) Independent
Prairie View A&M SWAC (since 1921 except for 1991) Discontinued program one season
San Diego State Big West (1970-78 and will rejoin in 2014) WAC (1979-99) and Mountain West (2000-13)
Washington State Pacific Coast (1917-59 and since 1964) Independent

No Experience Necessary: All-American Vaughn Latest NBA Coach to Bypass College

August 12th, 2012 - 21:22

A striking number of the NBA's most prominent active players aren't the only individuals to bypass college. Jacque Vaughn became the seventh active NBA head coach who was an All-American in college but never served as a college head coach before accepting a comparable position at the highest professional level.

Vaughn joins Doug Collins, Lionel Hollins, Mark Jackson, Doc Rivers, Randy Wittman and Mike Woodson in this category. He is the third coach with this background for the Orlando Magic, following Matt Guokas Jr. and Rivers, who went on to become the fifth such mentor for the Boston Celtics.

More than one-sixth of the nearly 300 NBA head coaches in NBA history were college All-Americans without previously coaching at the collegiate level. More than half of them have career losing records, including five from Indiana. Magic Johnson is among several All-Americans who were NBA bench bosses for partial campaigns, but following is a look at those who coached at least one full season:

All-American College NBA Team(s) Coached Pro Record
Danny Ainge Brigham Young Phoenix Suns 136-90
Elgin Baylor Seattle New Orleans Jazz 86-135
Alfred "Butch" Beard Louisville New Jersey Nets 60-104
Paul Birch Duquesne Pittsburgh Ironmen/Fort Wayne Pistons 120-147
Larry Bird Indiana State Indiana Pacers 147-67
Vince Boryla Denver New York Knicks 80-85
Quinn Buckner Indiana Dallas Mavericks 13-69
Bill Cartwright San Francisco Chicago Bulls 51-100
Doug Collins Illinois State Chicago Bulls/Detroit Pistons/Washington Wizards/Philadelphia 76ers 408-359
Bob Cousy Holy Cross Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City-Omaha Kings 141-209
Dave Cowens Florida State Boston Celtics/Charlotte Hornets/Golden State Warriors 161-191
Billy Cunningham North Carolina Philadelphia 76ers 454-196
Dave DeBusschere Detroit Detroit Pistons 79-143
Matt Guokas Jr. St. Joseph's Philadelphia 76ers/Orlando Magic 230-305
Tom Heinsohn Holy Cross Boston Celtics 427-263
Lionel Hollins Arizona State Memphis Grizzlies 158-175
William "Red" Holzman CCNY Milwaukee-St. Louis Hawks/New York Knicks 696-604
Dan Issel Kentucky Denver Nuggets 180-208
Mark Jackson St. John's Golden State Warriors 23-43
Frank Johnson Wake Forest Phoenix Suns 63-71
K.C. Jones San Francisco Washington Bullets/Boston Celtics 522-252
John "Red" Kerr Illinois Chicago Bulls/Phoenix Suns 93-190
Bob "Slick" Leonard Indiana Chicago Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets/Indiana Pacers 186-264
John Lucas II Maryland San Antonio Spurs/Philadelphia 76ers/Cleveland Cavaliers 173-258
Ed Macauley St. Louis St. Louis Hawks 89-48
Tom Marshall Western Kentucky Cincinnati Royals 35-94
Dick McGuire St. John's Detroit Pistons/New York Knicks 197-260
Doug Moe North Carolina San Antonio Spurs/Denver Nuggets/Philadelphia 76ers 628-529
Don Nelson Iowa Milwaukee Bucks/Golden State Warriors/New York Knicks/Dallas Mavericks 1,335-1,063
Willis Reed Grambling New York Knicks/New Jersey Nets 82-124
Pat Riley Kentucky Los Angeles Lakers/New York Knicks/Miami Heat 1,210-694
Glenn "Doc" Rivers Marquette Orlando Magic/Boston Celtics 546-433
Bill Russell San Francisco Boston Celtics/Seattle SuperSonics 341-290
George Senesky St. Joseph's Philadelphia Warriors 119-97
Bill Sharman Southern California San Francisco Warriors/Los Angeles Lakers 333-240
Gene Shue Maryland Baltimore-Washington Bullets/Philadelphia 76ers/San Diego Clippers 784-861
Paul Silas Creighton San Diego Clippers/Charlotte-New Orleans Hornets/Cleveland Cavaliers 387-488
Scott Skiles Michigan State Phoenix Suns/Chicago Bulls/Milwaukee Bucks 427-417
Jerry Sloan Evansville Chicago Bulls/Utah Jazz 1,221-803
Isiah Thomas Indiana Indiana Pacers/New York Knicks 187-223
Rudy Tomjanovich Michigan Houston Rockets/Los Angeles Lakers 527-416
Wes Unseld Louisville Washington Bullets 202-345
Jacque Vaughn Kansas Orlando Magic 1st season in 2012-13
Sam Vincent Michigan State Charlotte Bobcats 32-50
Darrell Walker Arkansas Toronto Raptors/Washington Bullets 56-113
Jerry West West Virginia Los Angeles Lakers 145-101
Paul Westphal Southern California Phoenix Suns/Seattle SuperSonics/Sacramento Kings 318-279
Lenny Wilkens Providence Seattle SuperSonics/Portland Trail Blazers/Cleveland Cavaliers/Atlanta Hawks/Toronto Raptors/New York Knicks 1,332-1,155
Randy Wittman Indiana Cleveland Cavaliers/Minnesota Timberwolves/Washington Bullets 118-238
Mike Woodson Indiana Atlanta Hawks/New York Knicks 224-292

Patronizing Nigeria's Team is Foreign Policy to Right-Thinking Americans

August 4th, 2012 - 21:29

Depending upon your political persuasion, it was taking care of business or meddling in your business when the U.S. gave Nigeria the business, 156-73, in Group A Olympic men's basketball competition.

Although NBA MVP LeBron James scored only nine points and didn't play the second half with fellow A-lister Kobe Bryant, the African Sun Times had a pity party, calling the U.S. contingent a "show-off" team. Do those opposed to American exceptionalism think the U.S. was a "terrorist" for attacking Nigeria's self-esteem? Should the hardwood carnage be called "a man-made disaster?"

U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski bristled over suggestions that the 83-point drubbing represented the Americans going too far running up the score when it wasn't necessary. There was an element of showmanship, but a subsequent 99-94 decision over Lithuania clearly conveyed there is never a reason not to always put the pedal to the metal.

Krzyzewski, similar to the overwhelming majority of Army graduates, has forgotten more about ethics, fair play, honor, integrity and patriotism than any clueless clown detractor ever will know. And he has a great memory! Did Coach K whine after Duke was demolished by UNLV in the 1990 NCAA Tournament championship game? No, he came back the next year to defeat the same team at the Final Four.

Nonetheless, ESPN analyst Kurt Rambis said it seemed as if the U.S. ran up the score because it was "trying to look for three-point shots (made 29)" rather than "trying to attack the basket." It appears as if Left Coast product Rambis agrees with the 25% of voters who thought the U.S. either "looked like a bully" or took "a lot of 3s" in a USA Today poll inquiring whether observers had "any problem with USA Basketball score vs. Nigeria."

"Wake up and smell the Commie!" The percentage of in-your-face folks concerned about the disparity is essentially the same as self-professed liberals in America according to a Gallup poll. Of course, progressive tenets support the government taking responsibility for fixing social injustice because it is the only force strong enough to bring fairness to the masses.

So, the big, bad corporation (U.S.) with all of the assets handed to them took advantage of the middle class (Nigeria) incapable of prospering without foreign aid. Well, Nigeria probably should at least be deemed upper middle class insofar as the country has supplied numerous college basketball notables over the years such as All-American Akeem Olajuwon (Houston) and all-conference selections Akin Akin-Otiko (Oral Roberts), Peter Aluma (Liberty), Tunji Awojobi (Boston University), Yinka Dare (George Washington), Benson Egemonye (Niagara), Festus Ezeli (Vanderbilt), Andrew Lovedale (Davidson), Uche Nsonwu-Amadi (Wyoming), Julius Nwosu (Liberty), Dinma Odiakosa (Illinois State), Ime Oduok (Loyola Marymount), Ugonna Onyekwe (Penn) and Ugo Udezue (Wyoming).

Never underestimate the me generation gimme-gimme-gimme throng. If reduced to a class-warfare argument by the intellectually impoverished, what does the U.S. need to do to appease the undefined "fair share" standard? In the aftermath of the hoop humiliation the U.S. handed Nigeria, the West African nation's citizens (1/2 Christian and 1/2 Muslim) might be entitled to the following "Head Start" reparations and "collective salvation" damages to make them whole even if the "Peace Corps" contributions help bankrupt our nation: Right to vote in U.S. election (especially if a felon or illegal immigrant; military concession not so much), subsidizing illegitimacy if their "Fluke" freebie condoms fail to work properly, ability to become "clean and articulate" by accessing Obamacare, free cell phone upgrade (Obamaphone), food allowance to spend on whatever organic-only goodies they want, bonus if they say they believe global warming isn't junk science or don't use the word "terrorist", private beach vacation on Gulf Coast (timed when "Bay of Rigs" tar balls aren't there), free copies of Rev. Wrong sermons blessing America, enhanced wardrobe including jewelry to match latest gangsta rapper bling, free business consultations with ex-ACORN employees as part of a "shovel-ready" stimulus to get them back to "work," etc., etc., etc. Amid the "hope and change," maybe the U.S. could also underwrite them securing access to a transgender Indonesian nanny like President Obama had prior to him moving to Hawaii and subsequently becoming a JV basketball player for Occidental (Calif.) before community organizing, serving as a U.S. Senator from Illinois and attaining POTUS status while moonlighting as ESPN's Bracketology Czar under Joe Lunardi (with spinmeister Andy Katz filling the role of a perpetually-perplexed Jay Carney wannabee distorting the riot-causing impact of some feckless film).

Bleeding-heart libs probably want the U.S. to show some heart or else they'll eventually conduct stench-filled protests at basketball offices resembling the ill-conceived Wall Street occupation. Is the U.S. supposed to return to competing with collegians? But the collegians could also win by too wide of a margin. If so, is the U.S. then supposed to deploy high schoolers and keep working its way down to a squad full of minimum-age 15-year-olds?

What if the U.S., embracing collective salvation, gave Nigeria the ultimate hoop handout - Carmelo Anthony welfare? It's an all-time record payment of 37 points that could be added to Nigeria's output while being subtracted from the U.S. team. Would winning by nine points be acceptable to the shameless tax-and-spend crowd? Will they ever include b-u-d-g-e-t and v-i-c-t-o-r-y in their lexicon? At what point would soaking the rich (U.S.) be enough?

Heaven only knows the outrage in some disturbed quarters if the U.S., shackled by white guilt, had clobbered Kenya (native country of Obama's deadbeat dad) rather than Nigeria. Leading rebounder Kevin Love, the lone white player on the U.S. roster, would have promptly been branded a racist along with the majority of the coaching staff by Al "Not So" Sharpton of MSNBC (More Socialist Nonsense By Cablecasters). Perhaps they would have been summoned to the White House by AG Eric Holdout to conduct a beer summit after an ill-informed politico "acted stupidly" by getting "all wee wee'd up" prejudging the result by "feeling" the facts instead of "knowing" the facts.

At what juncture would nanny state advocates be mollifed, anyway? If the U.S. was ahead by 50 points with 10 or more minutes remaining, should they simply halt competition as if it was some grade school game? Should the superior U.S. players go without sneakers and/or with one hand tied behind their back to play fair? Should they be forced to shoot free throws blindfolded to allow the trailing team more of a chance to catch up? Exactly what is the Left's Fairness Doctrine?

Maybe their tired old ideology would force the U.S. to play an Old Timers' squad comprised of Krzyzewski and his Olympic coaching staff/aides - Jim Boeheim, Chris Collins, Mike D'Antoni, Johnny Dawkins, Nate McMillan, Rudy Tomjanovich and Steve Wojciechowski - if their regular players were too far in front. However, the geriatric group might have been fired up for one last hurrah after Olympic organizers didn't allow them to march with the U.S. delegation at the opening ceremony to try to reduce the number of people involved.

And involved is the key word even if you have a myopic motto such as "Resist We Much!" Self-reliant multi-tasking Americans will lean forward in their TV chairs the remainder of the Games hoping the U.S. hoopsters win a basketball contest by 100 points while eating Chick-fil-A with a supersized Big Gulp (at least 83% larger drink than 16 ounces) and make an Olympian donation to a right-thinking organization that would alienate parasites practicing the soft racism of low expectations.

It might not be in our lifetime, but Nigeria will eventually defeat the U.S. in basketball; especially if there is an escalation of a dumbing-down decline of America. Conservatively, the milestone will occur after Nigeria does the business of hard work on its own via personal sweat equity; not in the midst of accepting any pity or handout from spread-the-wealth leeches. When Nigeria's players cross that threshold, they shouldn't listen to any self-absorbed individual saying: "You didn't build that!" In the meantime, they should refuse to accept any pink(o) certificate acknowledging participation and dream only of "earning " bronze/silver/gold.

Looks Can Be Deceiving: Are Some Schools Getting Bang For Their Buck?

August 3rd, 2012 - 8:03

ESPN's out-of-touch announcers were incredulous last season during a Virginia Tech game while discussing rumblings that Seth Greenberg was in jeopardy of losing his coaching position with the Hokies. Greenberg, after securing a grand total of one NCAA Tournament triumph in 22 seasons as a Division I mentor, was indeed dismissed following the campaign.

Going Green(berg), ESPN hired him as an analyst, adding a colleague to the cable network's collection of coaching apologists. For the record: His favorite school probably is Illinois, which lost to him (54-52) in the 2007 playoffs although Greenberg had a losing career record in close contests decided by fewer than six points.

It's infinitely easier to look the other way, but the glare of the TV spotlight should reveal warts and all. Greenberg should be complementing commentators providing their audience candor; not chronic claptrap.

Guard Marquie Cooke was Greenberg's first recruit at Virginia Tech, a catch the school trumpeted as its best in-state signee in 20 years. "He's everything we're looking for in a point guard," Greenberg said prior to Cooke's lame freshman season with the Hokies in 2004-05.

If that misguided insight is the best Greenberg can offer, then he won't be what astute observers are looking for in an analyst and they'll abandon him like his assistant coaches at VT the previous couple of years. Viewers aren't the only ones not getting bang for their buck. Some March Sadness schools aren't generating their money's worth, either.

Here is another one among 22. Wasting money like the federal government, an estimated $100 million was spent by universities the last three years for a grand total of one NCAA playoff victory by the following alphabetical list of 22 well-paid coaches: Dana Altman, Tommy Amaker, Tony Bennett, Johnny Dawkins, Larry Eustachy, Travis Ford, Anthony Grant, Brian Gregory, Frank Haith, Trent Johnson, Lon Kruger, Steve Lavin, Gregg Marshall, Cuonzo Martin, Fran McCaffery, Tim Miles, Kevin O'Neill, Josh Pastner, Oliver Purnell, Herb Sendek, Tubby Smith and Jay Wright.

Meanwhile, it seems as if these coaches have received 100 million on-air plaudits in that span. Giving plenty of show-prep time for next season, can Greenberg help ESPN's experts figure out which coach in this group notched the lone come-from-behind win (against a Northeast Conference member)? Hint: He defeated Greenberg in their lone matchup when they competed in the same league.

Lame Stream Media: ESPN is WorldWide Leader in Hypocritical Hires

July 30th, 2012 - 22:02

The NCAA is not the only organization that should be sensitive to doing what it can to helping modify a culture contributing to the glamorization of untested athletes and suspect characters in college sports. ESPN frequently exploits teenagers beyond reason before they graduate from high school and the Worldwide Leader hypes hoops with endless hours of analysis, promotion and games. The know-it-all network, playing the blame game by a different set of rules, pays obscene amounts of cash to power conferences for TV rights and gives outrageous forums to questionable individuals. By any measure, ESPN is as much, or perhaps more, at fault as the NCAA for entirely abdicating any obligation to protecting the interests of academic and moral integrity.

Shouldn't ESPN be forced to replay all the gushing comments on its network about Joe Paterno since the late 1990s and then offer a retraction for false advertising? As much as many observers abhor Paterno's arrogance and ill-intentioned loyalty to himself and his image, the public should do likewise to other entitled coaches, academic institutions and media outlets with similar warped values.

Jerry Sandusky, previously Paterno's defensive coordinator, was convicted of 45 counts related to sexually assaulting 10 young boys over a period of 15 years. It pales in comparison, but ESPN has sullied its reputation by being Jim Valvano's defense coordinator for an even longer span molesting academic integrity (735 average SAT score for his ACC players in mid-1980s). Do any of its holier-than-thou employees now pillorying Paterno have second thoughts cashing their checks from an Extra Sensitive Pious Network still fawning over a basketball coach who was in charge when two schools were forced to vacate their NCAA playoff participation (Iona and North Carolina State)?

Unlike Paterno's pristine graduation rate, the academic progress of Valvano's players at N.C. State was dismal. In an affront to numbers that never lie, there are times when ESPN sycophants shamelessly enhance Valvano's credentials as a strategist, perpetuating a myth he was a late-game genius. Intense slobbering aside, you can't cover-up the cold hard facts that Valvano posted a modest .500 record in close contests decided by fewer than five points, a mark failing to rank among the top 250 DI coaches in such an illuminating category.

ESPN will have zero credibility in regard to "success with honor" until it quits playing the dutiful role of a son resembling Jay Paterno and takes down its basketball "statue." JoePa raised money for Penn State's library and ESPN raised money for cancer in Valvano's name (V Foundation). But Paterno and ESPN both are outside-the-lines enablers seemingly accountable to no one. They each have a legacy but failed their constituency in regard to providing genuine role models.

Pardon the interruption, but ESPN's sanctimonious indifference to eroding values is further exhibited when they hire disgraced ex-Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl as a full-time analyst and part-time interior decorator. How can a viewer trust anything the former Boston College mascot says while winging it when the virtuous Volunteer can't remember what his home looks like inside? ESPN, rather than finding someone with less baggage, feels compelled to "force" Pearl and his highly questionable ethics into the homes of SportsNation. Portraying Seth Greenberg as an expert despite a grand total of one NCAA playoff victory in more than 20 years to possibly replace Digger Phelps is "one" thing. Accepting Bruce-On-the-Loose's pearls of wisdom as the next Valvano variation is quite another.

Going around the horn, ESPN tried to preempt Doug Gottlieb's announcement about him leaving for CBS. But as long as Gottlieb isn't trying to position himself to become coach at UCLA or Southern California, there is no comparison between his veteran TV/radio work and rookie additions Greenberg/Pearl.

Pondering the price of ESPN's unprecedented hero worship, the network continued bringing in the clowns by foisting journalistic jewel Jalen Rose on the College GameDay panel to replace Hubert Davis. Was astute Stephen Bardo considered insofar as he is as savvy a college broadcaster as anyone could find and would also duplicate Davis' dignity? Surely, ESPN didn't put cultural diversity (Rose over Gottlieb) ahead of authoritative knowledge of the college game because Gottlieb dwarfs Rose in that category. Rose's masquerading as a journalist surfaced when he seemed overly protective of UM's 20-year-old moniker when he said he's not a fan of the gold-medal winning U.S. women's gymnastics squad being known as the "Fab Five."

"To use the nickname just points and screams of lazy journalism by the national media," Rose said. Is this the vast expertise we can look forward to from him as a "lazy" central figure in ESPN's college basketball coverage? It seems Rose's amateurish historical knowledge doesn't include him acknowledging "Fabulous Five" basketball squads at Kentucky in the late 1940s and Iowa in the mid-1950s. But give Rose some credit. By mid-season, he apparently was conducting wee-hours-of-the-morning GameDay research on what ex-Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy went through partying with college students while on the road (after his alma mater's defeat at Indiana).

Rose is certainly an expert at adding fuel to a simmering fire. Early in 2012, he expressed his displeasure about Michigan's school president adamantly reaffirming her opposition to retrieving the Wolverines' 1992 and 1993 Final Four banners from storage and rehanging them at Crisler Arena.

Rose must not have taken a logic class while in college. Resembling an egomaniac extorter, Rose distributed a classless tweet implying he might ask for a $250,000 donation back from his alma mater. But rather than smugly humiliating ESPN colleague Skip Bayless for embellishing his Oklahoma H.S. playing career with "water-Pistol whipping" drive-by ridicule, Cracklin' Rose (a genuine #1 hit at same time frame in early 1970s) should get on board by focusing more on restoring his own credibility after he was pulled from the air briefly by the Worldwide Leader following a knucklehead move failing to disclose a DUI arrest. Right as Rose commenced his college analyst duties this fall, he was immersed in a he-said, he-said war of words with NBA coach Sam Mitchell, who didn't speak highly of him.

Rose could call an authentic "timeout" on his self-absorbed commentary similar to the documentary glorifying Michigan's "Fab Five." While Rose continued to fail to comprehend there are consequences to actions disgracing a revered school, President Mary Sue Coleman was infinitely more concerned with integrity. She told the Michigan Daily: "It was a very difficult time and we were ashamed of what happened because the university has higher standards than that."

Why would grandstanding Rose want to celebrate the lower standards of losing two NCAA title games, anyway? Perhaps UM could appease him by hanging a Big Ten Conference championship banner. Oh, I forgot! The Fraud Five never achieved that feat from 1991-92 through 1994-95.

Why doesn't Rose offer to purchase the meaningless banners for an amount equal to the $616,000-plus money launderer "Uncle Ed" lent to UM players and he can hang them wherever he wants (including temporarily at arenas featuring the gaggle of GameDay gadflys)? Much like overstating Skip Baseless, the "First Take" from this corner is that Jailin' seems to be talking a better game (on and off the court) than he played, too.

The bloom has been off Rose in some quarters since the snarly social commentator affixed the unbecoming "Uncle Tom" tag on Duke's dynasty. Seemingly self-destructive Rose, whose intellectually lazy DUI concealment compromised ESPN's reputation, failed to exhibit any regret for "hating Duke" in the doltish documentary. Through his taunting Rose-colored glasses, the Mike Krzyzewski-coached Blue Devils were blasted by him for preferring to recruit "Uncle Tom" African-American student-athletes.

Despite being Rose-hosed, DI's all-time winningest coach must know more about assembling a non-gangsta winner than certainly Uncle Fester or Uncle Kracker - both definitely requiring baggy shorts. But Coach K, even without any of the fashionable Fab Five on his roster, somehow kayoed six more opponents than Michigan did during rambling Rose's overrated stint with the cultural icon Wooferines from 1991-92 through 1993-94. Duke won each of four meetings with all or part of the Fab Jive; three of them by double digits.

Perhaps Rose would have been attractive to Duke if he had adequately measured up to any of the following ethical situations:

  • Maybe Rose, ESPN's basketball version of former football flunkey Michael Irvin, would have been recruited by Duke if he wasn't susceptible to finding himself in a thorny situation at a home(y) during a purported crack roundup.

  • Maybe Rose would have been recruited by Coach K if he wasn't leeching to a hanger-on such as convicted bookmaker/booster Ed "Godfather" Martin for "pocket change."

  • Maybe Rose would have been recruited by Duke if he assured the Blue Devils' coaching staff he could help his me-generation team keep track of timeouts at critical junctures instead of seemingly being more consumed with donning revolutionary look-at-me black socks.

It would be fab(ulous) if Rose's outrageous trash-talking prowess included divulging his ACT or SAT score for the public to discern whether Uncle Jailin' qualified academically to become a "bitch" or "pussy" for Duke as he and his bush buddies bellowed in the documentary. Rather than hatin' harangues denigrating Duke, he should also "cry uncle" and be a mite more concerned with "polishing" the punk images associated with drab-five character flaws stemming from reports of deadbeat dads, driving under the influence, herpes, marijuana possession and obstructing justice.

ESPN's obfuscation penalty against Rose never will be sufficient until the cable network assigns the documentary's co-executive producer to a pruning in front of the Cameron Crazies and allow them equal time documenting their infinitely more clever comments about stopping and smelling this regaling Rose. Odds are they'll produce a catch-phrase putting "we're bigger than the score of the game" to shame.

If Duke graduate Jay Bilas tries at all in their hoop dialogue, he'll beat Rose one-on-one in mental gymnastics every time Jailin' tries his street-cred "Uncle" Tomfoolery. Rose looks as comfortable on a dais with Bilas and Digger Phelps, let alone Bob Knight, as they would have been with him at the "home" where he was involved in incident caught hanging out with suspect characters while Fab Five member for Michigan. A lively series of Laurel and Hardy debates featuring Bilas vs. Gottlieb would have had more appeal by a mile than listening to jaded Jalen drone on and on with his fake smile. How long could it be before "the sports reporters" not linked to ESPN's payroll emulate Rose and give him a dose of his own pithy posturing by dubbing him Uncle Bomb?

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