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SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE
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Slam Dunks No. 5
Friday, April 7, 2006
By Denny O'Brien |
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Mason Mania likely to have
short shelf life
©2006 Bonesville.net
Gonzaga East certainly has a catchy ring.
If you’re attaching that trendy label to George Mason, just don’t bank on it
sticking.
The instant love affair between the Mason
Miracles and the fans and media has launched speculation that the next
Gonzaga-like ascension up the basketball ranks could take place in the
suburbs of D.C.
The thinking by many is that Mason’s access
to high school talent in the D.C. metropolitan area should help it build on
the momentum of this year’s Final Four appearance.
But that scenario is unlikely.
As odd as it may sound, geography is more
favorable for Gonzaga than George Mason. While the Zags compete in their own
state with only Washington for local players and media attention, the
Patriots must share with heavyweights Maryland, Georgetown, and to a lesser
extent, George Washington.
And don’t think for a minute that Mason
will ever find itself among the top two in that group.
Other factors that supposedly work in
George Mason’s favor are its status as Virginia’s largest school and an
adequate facility that seats 10,000. However, an overwhelming majority of
the school’s student population commutes to campus, and you’ll rarely find
the Patriot Center 75 percent full.
For the Patriots to become a consistent Top
25 program there must be greater financial and emotional buy-in from both
students and alumni. Otherwise, don’t expect Mason to win many battles with
local heavyweights over prized recruits who want to stay home.
Then there’s Jim Larranaga, whose name has
been connected with several high-profile coaching searches. The probability
of his return is no better than 50-50 at this stage, and his exodus would be
a major blow to the Patriots. That's yet another factor with which Gonzaga
does not contend.
About the only similarity between the Zags
and Patriots is their common existence outside of a so-called major
conference. Otherwise, Gonzaga and Mason couldn’t be farther apart on the
hoops spectrum.
Now Memphis, on the other hand, is a
different story.
Final bore
Good thing the first two weeks of the NCAA
Tournament sparked some excitement. Because the Grand Finale sure didn’t.
The anticipated tip-off between Florida and
George Mason proved to be one of the more memorable moments. From there,
Mason’s novelty quickly evaporated and the Final Four became a sure-fire
cure for the most restless insomniac. (Take it from someone who regularly
sleeps no more than six hours — but twice nodded off during the title game
despite maximum efforts to remain attentive.)
Had it not been for the presence of Joakim
Noah — and crowd shots of his papa, Yannick — the cast list in Indianapolis
would have rivaled a B-list movie. And aside from the Gators, this year’s
Final Four failed to produce a Napoleon Dynamite-like performance.
Fowler or fouler?
How would you like to walk a mile in Lee
Fowler’s shoes? Given the challenge facing the N.C. State athletics
director, I sure wouldn’t.
With the
exodus of underappreciated coach Herb Sendek to Arizona
State, Fowler has the opportunity to make a statement hire. Anything other
than the luring of a brand name coach to West Raleigh could put the Wolfpack
AD on the hot seat with the school’s most vocal faction.
Texas coach Rick Barnes has been the object
of most State fans’ affection for years — and for good reason. He offers
instant credibility, an ego the size of the Lone Star state, the ability to
sign Blue Chip talent as well as discover hidden gems, and the type of fire
to match Ol' Roy and Coach K.
However, reports out of Austin indicate
that Barnes is staying put.
Even so, with two heavy hitters within
jogging distance, Fowler still must swing for the fence in his first major
hiring task. Delivering a grand slam is the only way to ensure that Sendek’s
departure is a win-win for all.
Blunder by the Sea
Speaking of AD's, UNCW’s Mike Capaccio has
done very little to enhance his reputation in recent weeks. That much was
evident by the announcement that basketball coach Brad Brownell was leaving
for… Wright State.
If something smells fishy about an
up-and-coming coach taking a step down in prestige, there is. The fact is,
Brownell didn’t want to leave Wilmington.
According to one source close to the
situation, all Brownell wanted from the administration was a raise for his
assistants and a five-year contract for himself, pretty much the norm in the
business. But Brownell was denied because, according to the source, the AD
wants to put his own stamp on the school’s flagship program.
Among the top candidates is current Kansas
assistant Joe Dooley, who knows his way around the CAA from his days at East
Carolina, even though he never made a serious run at the title. Brownell, on
the other hand, made banner-raising a ritual at Trask Coliseum during a
period in which the CAA experienced its most success.
Trade a coach with championship pedigree
for someone who isn’t a proven winner. Now that makes perfect sense.
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02/23/2007 02:03:00 AM |
