Indiana's Mike Davis Resigns
Following the Indiana University men's basketball team's embarrassing loss tonight at Penn State (the team's sixth loss in seven games), Mike Davis hinted that he would step down at the end of the season.
I grew up an IU basketball fan (my dad and uncle are alums), and though my loyalties now lie with Vanderbilt and the University of Evansville, Indiana remains my "number 3" college basketball team. I like Mike Davis; as an assistant, he was an excellent recruiter, bringing to Indiana players from the south—a region whose players had rarely ended up in Bloomington. And unlike his rumored replacements, Steve Alford and Randy Wittman, Davis has actually coached a team to the Final Four.
Still, Indiana has had too much talent these past two seasons to be as average as they have been. After climbing into the top ten in December, the team is now in danger of missing the NCAA tournament for a third straight year (13-9; 5-6 in the Big Ten). Indiana is too proud a program to tolerate mediocrity.
On the other hand, I grow tired of college coaches being forced out after a couple poor seasons. Coaches are too seldom judged on graduation rates or on their relationships with players. A university should be first concerned with the education and development of its students; winning championships should be a nice bonus, not a primary objective.
I grew up an IU basketball fan (my dad and uncle are alums), and though my loyalties now lie with Vanderbilt and the University of Evansville, Indiana remains my "number 3" college basketball team. I like Mike Davis; as an assistant, he was an excellent recruiter, bringing to Indiana players from the south—a region whose players had rarely ended up in Bloomington. And unlike his rumored replacements, Steve Alford and Randy Wittman, Davis has actually coached a team to the Final Four.
Still, Indiana has had too much talent these past two seasons to be as average as they have been. After climbing into the top ten in December, the team is now in danger of missing the NCAA tournament for a third straight year (13-9; 5-6 in the Big Ten). Indiana is too proud a program to tolerate mediocrity.
On the other hand, I grow tired of college coaches being forced out after a couple poor seasons. Coaches are too seldom judged on graduation rates or on their relationships with players. A university should be first concerned with the education and development of its students; winning championships should be a nice bonus, not a primary objective.
posted by Tinley | 9:31 PM
1 Comments:
As an avid Purdue fan, I can't stand IU basketball. . . however, I respect Mike David infinitely more than Bobby Knight and I will be sad to see him step down. I thought he was a fine coach, and just as important, a good influence on those whom he coached.
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