Thursday, April 1, 2010

When St. John’s hired former UCLA coach Steve Lavin this week, it was a bit of a surprise. Lavin has been out of coaching for seven years and had turned down other opportunities to come back during that time. His mark of 145-78 wasn’t bad when in Westwood, but it still got him fired in 2003. Is he an upgrade of Georgia Tech’s Paul Hewitt, who withdrew his name from consideration? We’ll find out.

Meanwhile, former Southern Cal coach Tim Floyd was hired at UTEP, the place he began his coaching career 22 seasons ago.

It’s not enough to just win anymore, as Boston College proved when it fired 13-year head basketball coach Al Skinner. Skinner compiled a 247-165 record in Boston, but declining attendance did him in. That and a story that appeared in the Boston Globe which referred to Skinner as the laziest college basketball coach in America.

And the latest rumor is that Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl is Boston College’s first choice to replace Skinner. Is that possible? Naw. Well, wait a minute. . .

And while I’m on college basketball, is anybody but me embarrassed that the mighty Tar Heels of North Carolina needed an overtime and a bad non-call to dispatch Rhode Island in the semifinals of the NIT? The defending national champs reduced to this? Sure it’s embarrassing.
I don’t take this as gospel, but it was reported on at least one internet site that NASCAR driver Ryan Newman, a Purdue University graduate, says he believes the moon landing by the U.S. never happened - it was staged. Maybe it’s an April Fool’s joke.

In an interview with Dan Patrick, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo was asked if he had a blank checkbook and starting a college team, who would he hired. His list was Mike Krzyzewski at the top followed by Kansas’ Bill Self, Florida’s Billy Donovan and Texas’ Rick Barnes.

A story which states that Georgia head football coach Mark Richt is going to spend more time going to quarterback meetings this season and be more involved in quarterback decisions doesn’t impress me. The time to get more involved with the quarterback situation in Athens was last fall. Instead of riding Joe Cox through the whole season, Richt should have given one of his three quarterbacks-in-waiting some meaningful time on the field.

This is Norman Arey and I’ll bet Ryan Newman believes that the Milky Way is only a candy bar.