Doherty: Ouch!
Posted
#178390
(In Topic #31468)
VIP DONOR
Member since 2005
Talk about a commitment to excellence:
"We're not at the level of an ACC or the Big Ten," Doherty said. "People that make a move or have a little bit of a setback usually have to drop down a notch. I dropped down from the ACC to the – it's not the Sun Belt, I'm drawing a blank – the league I was in with FAU last year [the Atlantic Sun]. You know, that was a considerable drop. And then I take a step up with Conference USA."
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2003
Doherty: Ouch!
Posted
Full Flight
Member since 2006
Doherty: Ouch!
Here is the article
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/college/orl-cusa2407jan24,0,2159352.story?coll=tf-main-sports
Familiar faces help deliver C-USA a brand, new look
Kyle Hightower
Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted January 24 2007
Go ahead, call it the "Comeback Conference."
It started with the arrival of former NBA and Massachusetts Coach John Calipari taking over at Memphis in 2000, and following a mass exodus of coaching talent in 2005, Conference USA quickly has rebounded to become a haven for coaches in search of a rebirth.
The reigns of Rick Pitino (Louisville), Tom Crean (Marquette) and Bob Huggins (formerly of Cincinnati) are gone from C-USA, but the arrivals of Larry Eustachy (Southern Miss), Tom Penders (Houston) and, most recently, Mike Davis (UAB) and Matt Doherty (SMU) have C-USA officials beaming this season.
Among them, the quintet has four national-coach-of-the-year awards, two Final Fours and 24 NCAA Tournament appearances. In other words, these coaches have name recognition and proven track records.
Penders, who made a name for himself at Rhode Island and Texas, is in his third season at Houston, which hosts UCF tonight at 8.
Eustachy is in his third season trying to rebuild the Golden Eagles following his infamous exit from Iowa State in 2003; he was fired after photos appeared that showed him drinking with Missouri coeds at a party after a game.
This season has brought the league its most famous examples of coaches trying to revitalize their careers in Davis and Doherty, who held two of the nation's most scrutinized gigs at Indiana and North Carolina, respectively. Like Penders, Doherty is back coaching after a stint in the broadcast booth, and Davis – who played at Alabama – is blending into more comfortable surroundings after succumbing to the pressure of replacing IU icon Bob Knight.
While C-USA's coaching roster doesn't compare to the heavy hitters of his former league, which features the likes of Roy Williams (North Carolina) and Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), Doherty said the group as a whole still is good.
"We're not at the level of an ACC or the Big Ten," Doherty said. "People that make a move or have a little bit of a setback usually have to drop down a notch. I dropped down from the ACC to the – it's not the Sun Belt, I'm drawing a blank – the league I was in with FAU last year [the Atlantic Sun]. You know, that was a considerable drop. And then I take a step up with Conference USA."
Doherty said that though he, Eustachy and Davis have recognizable names, it wasn't a no-brainer decision by athletic directors to hire them.
"Larry went through a very public thing at Iowa State. I went through a public thing at North Carolina. Mike Davis went through a very public thing at Indiana," Doherty said. "So there's some people at the higher levels that maybe [say], 'Well, OK, I don't want to touch this guy yet.' But at some certain level, somebody's going to snatch a guy up.
"Mike Price leaves Alabama, coaches at UTEP [in football]. It's not always bad. I really love the lifestyle here in Dallas. I love the kids I'm coaching. And I like the opportunities to build something special here."
Another guy enjoying his new surroundings is Davis.
Davis was shooed out of Indiana after six years despite reaching the NCAA title game in 2002 and becoming the first coach in IU history to begin his tenure with three consecutive NCAA appearances and three 20-victory seasons in a row.
An Alabama native, Davis saw a good opportunity when Mike Anderson left UAB for Missouri. He said C-USA is exactly what he needed after the pressure cooker that was Indiana, both in environment and competition.
"We may get credit because of our names," he said. "But the way you tell about the caliber of the coaches in a league is not by wins or losses, it's what they are doing and the way they are coaching."
Davis took over a program that had been to back-to-back NCAA tourneys, but the Blazers (10-9) are struggling with the adjustment from Anderson's frenetic attack to the half-court sets Davis likes. But he will have a solid group of newcomers next season, including Indiana transfer Robert Vaden.
"I can do what I need to do to take this program to the next level," Davis said. "That's what I want to do. I have a chance to do some things here that have never been done here before."
At C-USA's most recent spring meetings, Commissioner Britton Banowsky admitted his league was struggling to find an identity following a mass exodus in 2005. USF, Louisville, Marquette, Cincinnati and DePaul left for the Big East, and Charlotte and Saint Louis left for the Atlantic 10.
Banowsky said arrival of "name coaches" provides the kind of star quality that, combined with the talent that already existed, can help take C-USA basketball back to the level it enjoyed early this decade.
"Every program has different challenges," he said. "But like I've said before, if you have people who have gotten it done before and who know how to get it done, then you have a high chance of success."
And as leagues continue to jockey for lucrative TV deals and increased national exposure, Banowsky plans to build on the jewels he has been given.
"I think our transition was a fairly seamless one, or as seamless as it could be given the dramatic nature of the circumstances," Banowsky said. "We've now gotten through one competitive year. We've benchmarked it, and we're getting after it.
"Our markets are terrific and our universities, for the most part, are growing not only in enrollment but also in community demographics and those kinds of things. So the future looks pretty bright for us."
Still, Davis cautions that just being a name isn't enough.
"Who you are, where you are or what you've done doesn't matter unless you win games," he said. "[So] that's what we've got to do."
Kyle Hightower can be reached at [email protected]
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Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2004
Doherty: Ouch!
Anyone speak Gaelic? I think Doherty is Gaelic for douche bag.
Posted
VIP DONOR
Member since 2006
Doherty: Ouch!
Doherty: Ouch!
Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2004
Doherty: Ouch!
Posted
Full Flight
Member since 2006
Doherty: Ouch!
TeamBeer said
A good friend of mine, UCF fan, sent me this, it stings a bit. Don't know where its from but:
Talk about a commitment to excellence:
"We're not at the level of an ACC or the Big Ten," Doherty said. "People that make a move or have a little bit of a setback usually have to drop down a notch. I dropped down from the ACC to the – it's not the Sun Belt, I'm drawing a blank – the league I was in with FAU last year [the Atlantic Sun]. You know, that was a considerable drop. And then I take a step up with Conference USA."
Doherty didn't get it right. He was trying to say he dropped down to the A-Sun. If everyone remembers, he dropped down to the unemployment line. He didn't leave UNC to come to FAU. We basically came to his rescue. Unfortunalty he didn't care much for who rescued him. He'll probably say he would have rather been rescued by NC State or UCLA. The unemployment line to the A-Sun is a step up Doherty!
this is a link to SMU's schedule. They are 0-4 in conference play.
Look at some of their non conference victories.
Paul Quinn College
Texas College
Prairie View A & M
Houston Baptist
Tough schedule Doherty.
http://smumustangs.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/smu-m-baskbl-sched.html
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Posted
Administrator
Member since 2006
Doherty: Ouch!
His e-mail address:
[email protected]
To post a blog on thier site:
http://smumustangs.cstv.com/hoopsblog/index.html#Questions
Writing him right now…
Posted
Administrator
Member since 2006
Doherty: Ouch!
"xxxx,
Thank you for the email. I am sorry you feel the way you do, but I
understand. I was confused and said "Sunbelt", FAU's current conference,
instead of "A-Sun". The fact of the matter is, the A-Sun is a
considerable drop down from the ACC in terms of travel and level of interest,
facilities, etc. C-USA is a step up in those areas.
When I signed on to work at FAU I wanted a long term deal because I had
every intention of staying there. I said "no" to SMU twice before
looking further. I had a buyout that paid FAU 200k. Craig Angelos understood
the business side of this profession and said he would have done it all
over again. FAU's program is in better shape than when I left it,
whether you feel that or not.
I still pull for the Owls and hope they have a great year.
Sincerely,
Matt"
My message to him:
—–Original Message—–
From: xxxx xxxxxxx
Sent: Fri Jan 26 18:06:05 2007
To: Doherty, Matt
Subject:
"We're not at the level of an ACC or the Big Ten," Doherty said.
"People that make a move or have a little bit of a setback usually have to
drop down a notch. I dropped down from the ACC to the – it's not the Sun
Belt, I'm drawing a blank – the league I was in with FAU last year.
You know, that was a considerable drop. And then I take a step up with
Conference USA."
The way i see it, FAU helped you out of the mire…this is how they
are repaid…cant even remember the conference you coached in? Or say
something positive about the program…And the air of the comment
itself…step down? Unbelievable…do us a favor and accept a game versus
Rex…we would all love it…and by the way, committment was one of your
three cardinal principles…you even had it plastered on the teams
poster…the next time a member of the media asks you what your plans are
and deliberately asks you to address what you would do when given
"alternatives", try answering like this:
"I will weigh all options as they come"
Not this:
"I am committed to building a program at FAU".
You let everyone here who took your word as a man down, and destroyed
credibility…you toook the first boat out - for money…of course
those who love the world and what it has to offer will say, oh anyone would
do that…i disagree…a man of character would state his intentions
and heart up front - why hide anything?
I hope you arent offended at this e-mail…people accuse me of
speaking my mind too much sometimes…but this has been on my mind every
since you left and the press reports news…i open heartedly welcomed your
coming and did trust in what you spoke and stood for…it just deosnt
seem right the way things panned out some how…could have been
different…make sure it is next time coach…character and his word is all a
man has to offer.
Best of luck…….
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2007
Doherty: Ouch!
I want so bad for Rex to be successful and the program to move up. Things seem to be moving along. I can't participate in the stuff going on but just reading about groups like the prowlers and now Rowdy Rex's sounds pretty cool. More students going to games. I think I would show up just to watch the dance team!!!
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