Get serious.

There’s nothing cynical about the belief many student/athletes are getting money and gifts on the side to keep them happily enrolled in a particular university where they participate in sports. It’s being done every day. It’s being done at high profile colleges, low profile colleges and those colleges that fall in between.

The discussion and debate over the status of college and amateur athletes has been rendered moot by miscasting their relevance.

If winning a national championship in college basketball rewards a university with boatloads of money, is the sport really about competition between educational institutions? For example, it was recently pointed out in an article by Greg Witter on Cougfan.com that one of the greatest coaches in the history of Washington State University basketball, Marv Harshman, made an annual salary of less than $20,000 as recently as 1971. Coach Harshman earned the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. The current head man at WSU is компютри втора употребаCoach Tony Bennett. Coach Bennett may just follow in the footsteps of Coach Harshman into the Hall of Fame. Bennett’s not there yet. But next year, Coach Bennett will make $1million, a 25% increase over his salary this season. His current salary was an increase of 100% over his first year as head coach. Why? WSU was not so much rewarding the back-to-back 25+ win seasons as fearing another school with deeper pockets would wrest him away with the temptation of even more money.

It’s not all about players accepting gifts. Coaches are making astronomical salaries.

The reason?

Simple. People have become fanatical about college sports these days. The university they support is measured in part by how successful their athletic teams perform. When school teams win, the donations come rolling in. When school athletic teams lose, folks threaten to cut off their donations.

In the midst of this fantasy world, how can anyone seriously expect a young person to reject money and gifts? For many of these young people, their identity is tied to the acquisition of money and gifts. That’s how they roll.

An integral part of this fantasy world is the manner in which people/fans tie their identity to the success of the sports teams at the university they support. If their school’s team lose, their personal pride is injured. They may even act out as a result.

Here’s an illustration of the path college sports is heading down. Coach Steve Lavin took over the UCLA basketball program after his predecessor was fired for recruiting violations. During his tenure, the Bruins won roughly 70% of their games. His teams made it to the Sweet 16 five out of six seasons. He was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 2001. But in 2003, UCLA finished with a losing record. Coach Lavin’s teams never won a national championship. They just won about three out of four games played. Not good enough for Bruin fans. Despite representing UCLA with a combination of class, integrity and success on the court, Coach Lavin was summarily fired after the first losing season of his coaching career. Coach Lavin, didn’t violate the rules of the NCAA. He didn’t participate in a scandalous affair. He didn’t endanger his community by driving drunk. No, Coach Lavin’s team of student/athletes didn’t have a winning season. That was why he was fired.

Perhaps we would be well served to look in the mirror before casting aspersions on others. OJ Mayo is a kid who has acted like a kid. At the same time, where were his “mentors”? Didn’t they notice his lifestyle? Did his mentors really have his educational needs at heart? Or was a year of Mayo in the Trojan backcourt going to deliver wins that supporters demand, so who cares?

There are people who always look for a way to gain an edge. The system set in place to create a level playing field is simply a minor annoyance to these folks. Changing the rules of the system simply causes those focused on winning at any cost to change they way they do things. It won’t change their motivations.

As long as fans hitch their personal identity to the success of the schools and teams they support, there’s little chance of changing the direction of the path college sports are heading down. Let’s face it. There’s too much money at stake, along with too much temptation.

There was a time when colleges and universities earned respect through the quality of education students received. As a general statement, that’s still true today. But that focus is in danger of shifting too far toward successful athletic programs.

Before crying out for penalties, sanctions and firings, pause to reconsider the part you play in collegiate athletics.

Are your motivations really all that pure?

So what’s the NCAA using APR to judge?  The APR is intended to quantify how successful the relationship between student and university is, in terms of graduation rate.  The measurements boil down to requiring that universities see 60% of their incoming freshman class complete a degree program.

Coach Dick Tomey, San Jose State, asserts that the NCAA is exerting class warfare. What? His premise is based on assuming that BCS schools have more money to throw at “problems” than non-BCS schools.

In other words, if a college football player is struggling with academics, but performing well on the gridiron, he should have special assistance that comes with an additional price tag. Tutoring.

Coach Tomey would have us believe that the only reason college football players struggle with their academics is that they don’t have enough assistance outside the classroom. You can only do that if you buy into his class warfare scenario.

Of the sixteen universities sanctioned by the NCAA with lost scholarships, only a couple (Kansas and Washington State) are BCS schools.

In terms of revenue generated by ticket sales, there seems to be a direct correlation. Only Kansas and Washington State average more than 30,000 fans in attendance for their home games.

Sorry, but Coach Tomey’s outrage doesn’t make the case.

The young men who attend university and play football are a special brand of student.  At the college level, their primary responsibility is that of a student. All sixteen of the university football programs penalized by the NCAA already have programs in place to assist all students experiencing difficulties in the classroom. Some of those students served don’t play football, rendering them less “special”, but the programs can and do work.

It’s a matter of responsibility, plain and simple. Student athletes make the choice to play a sport and attend classes simultaneously. They make the choice. They are also responsible for the choice of prioritizing. If student athletes are struggling in the classroom, that’s where they must focus their time. For example, two excellent football players at Washington State didn’t participate in spring football so they could concentrate on their academics. The school didn’t have to throw money at their “problem”.  Both students took responsibility for improving their academic standing.  Yes, they will be playing football this fall.

Perhaps the real problem is drawing the line between helping a student and coddling an athlete.

Perhaps there is a correlation between sports revenues and the level of special attention offered student athletes.

Perhaps we, faculty, students, staff, alumni and fans have lost sight of the purpose universities serve.

Education. That’s what college is about. It’s not the minor leagues for professional athletes.

Or is it?

He went personal.

In his “humble” opinion, USC was playing in a weak football conference, the Pac-10.

“They’re going to play real knockdown, drag-outs with UCLA and Washington, Cal-Berkeley, Stanford - some real juggernauts,” Miles sarcastically sniped about the Trojans.

Others have attempted to substantiate Coach Miles boast with inter-conference and bowl records.

Here’s the measurement that will put the suggestion that the Pac-10 teams, including, UCLA, Washington, Cal and Stanford, are athletically challenged.

The NFL draft.

Let’s compare conferences, shall we?

SEC - 35 players drafted

Pac-10 - 34 players drafted

ACC - 33 players drafted

Big 12 - 29 players drafted

Big Ten - 28 players drafted

We’re looking at factual stats here. No opinions or spins necessary. It’s clear that the SEC was the “dominant” conference this past season.

What? You’re not so clear?

Well, take a look at the two schools to see if Coach Miles might have more stats to back up his snubbing of the Pac-10.

LSU - 7 players drafted

USC - 10 players drafted

Oh.

Coach Miles is an excellent football coach.

When it comes to passing judgement on other conferences or individual universities…not so much.

University of Washington

Since Coach Lorenzo Romar has been at the helm of Husky basketball, there have been high hopes for the teams success. Most of those hopes have been fulfilled prior to this past season. Last year the Huskies finished eighth in the Pac-10 and had a disappointing record of 16-17 on the season. A high powered offense wasn’t enough for Coach Romar’s troops. He seems to lean toward running opponents off the court. That’s worked well for the Dawgs in the past, but with the conference featuring three of the best three defensive teams in the country, WSU-UCLA-ASU, that didn’t work out last year.

So what will turn things around for Washington?

For beginners, Coach Romar has a lot of frontline talent coming back. Jon Brockman is, simply put, a force. The senior Brockman will continue to set the tone for his team with his leadership on the court. Along with his immense talents, the Huskies have a couple of athletic players in Matthew Bryan-Amaning and Quincy Pondexter. That’s a fine trio of forwards. Artem Wallace is a nice player at center, but won’t turn many heads because of his great play. The one thing that is a real plus for Wallace is he won’t hurt the team. The guy rarely makes mistakes.

There were only a couple of seniors on the team last year. One of those will be sorely missed. Ryan Appleby put fear in the hearts of opposing teams because of his tremendous range. Appleby was famous for going off with three point bombs in clusters. On a team that is built around offense, his skills will be missed.

It’s likely that Coach Romar is counting on significant guard play from his incoming class of recruits. He might just get scoring from the diminutive Isaiah Thomas from Connecticut. Thomas has shown he can put up staggering numbers at the high school level, averaging 40 points in the state tournament. At only 5′7″ in height, he might remind some of Nate Robinson. In terms of body strength, Thomas is no Robinson. No matter. Elston Turner is a nice looking guard who might see some significant PT if he can score. Scott Suggs might be one of the best high school players in Missouri with a boatload of skills. These three freshman will be the key to a better future for Husky basketball.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a logical reason to suggest that Washington will rise up into the top half of the Pac-10 next year. Aside from a terrific coach and one of the top players in the conference, the Huskies are just a “good” team. When UCLA, USC and ASU are elite teams in the same conference, being good isn’t quite good enough. But make no mistake, Husky basketball will be better next season, giving fans plenty to cheer about.

Washington State University

Alphabetically last is the only thing about Coach Tony Bennett and the Cougars that will be at the bottom of the Pac-10 next year. The Cougs are coming off a season where they made their second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, making it to the Sweet 16.

Were the last two seasons for WSU a fluke?

That’s what many experts are saying. Why not? After decades of lame teams, who wouldn’t expect the Cougs to revert to previous form after losing starters Kyle Weaver, Derrick Lowe and Robbie Cowgill? Weaver will be a NBA first round pick.

Coach Bennett has proven that he can bring out the best in good high school players. Weaver and Lowe are prime examples of that assertion.

Before you agree with the experts and banish the Cougs to the bottom half of the Pac-10, consider this. Coach Bennett will have a couple of elite high school players joining the program next season. Michael Harthun is cut from the same mold as Derrick Lowe and is rated as one of the top guards in high school last year. This kid can and does knock down treys whether he’s open or not. DeAngelo Casto was the best high school player in the state of Washington last year. Casto will bring a shot blocking presence to Bennett’s front line. Klay Thompson brings the complete package to Washington State. The son of a #1 NBA draft pick, Thompson led his team to a high school championship last season by playing big when it counted.

There’s no argument that Coach Bennett and his staff have assembled the most talented class of recruits in the history of Washington State basketball. OK. I know. We’re talking WSU not UCLA. All right already.

Here’s the reason for Cougar Nation to be justified in their eternal optimism. Coach Bennett has some great talent yet to see significant playing time. Up front, Aron Baynes returns as not just one of the best centers in the Pac-10, he’s one of the best in the country. Caleb Forrest is a solid player who bangs the boards, has an excellent mid-range jumper and plays smothering defense. Leading the offense will remain in the capable hands of Taylor Rochestie.

So who are the mystery players?

Charlie Enquist and Fabian Boeke will make Cougar fans quickly forget the solid play for four years by Cowgill. Both kids are more athletic and have terrific skill sets. Yes, they’re very good players.

Then there’s another player on the Cougs from Down Under who looks like an impact player. Thomas Abercrombie is an elite player. The 6′6″ guard held his own against Weaver in practice all last year. Sure practice isn’t the same as game time, but Weaver is a special player. Even in practice.

Returning the role of underdog means nothing to Coach Bennett. He could care less what others project. That attitude comes from confidence built on solid results and fundamentals.

The Cougs won’t fall back toward the bottom of the Pac-10. They will be in the mix for a conference championship. Sure, things will have to go their way to have that happen, but it’s hardly a long shot.

So there it is folks. The Pac-10 is looking good next season. Can’t make a case that it will be as strong as last year, but there’s potential.

Don’t know about you, but I’m ready for the opening tipoff!!!

University of California - Los Angeles

For the third year in a row, Coach Ben Howland led the UCLA Bruins to the Final Four. That’s an amazing feat in these days of collegiate basketball. Truly amazing. What’s even more amazing is for many Bruin fans, that’s not enough. That’s right! Getting to the Final Four isn’t enough. If UCLA doesn’t win it all, the season is a disappointment to the hard core followers of Bruin basketball.

Next season will be one of change for Coach Howland, at least in terms of personnel. Let’s begin with who will be gone.

No surprise about the departure of Kevin Love to the NBA. Love doesn’t have anything left to prove at the college level. It’s not likely that he will be an impact player as a rookie at the professional level, but barring injury, Love has a bright future playing for money.

No surprise about the departure of Lorenzo Mata-Real. The big guy is out of NCAA eligibility! That’ll do it. Mata-Real developed into one of the premier defensive centers in the nation. Those skills will be missed by Coach Howland who believes winning begins with shut-down defense.

Another key player trying to move on to the NBA, and who likely will, is Russell Westbrook. Westbrook was awesome this past season. He may not have been the darling of the media and some fans, but his play made the difference for UCLA in many of their close wins. He has all the athletic skills to be playing pro basketball for many years.

Many are expecting that Darren Collison will forgo his senior season to move on to the NBA. That isn’t a done deal. In fact, another season in Westwood under the tutelage of Coach Howland would go a long way to developing him into a player who will catch on in the NBA.

Oh. There’s one other departure pending. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute seems to have figured that since so many of his teammates are ready for the NBA, he is, too. Oh my! Please don’t sign with an agent Luc Richard. Another year of seasoning in Westwood would make the NBA a real possibility. This year? Not so much.

So is the Bruin personnel cupboard bare for the coming season?

Are you kidding?

Coach Howland has more raw talent coming to UCLA. He has not one but two premier high school guards coming in. The top rated shooting guard in the nation, Jrue Holiday, will probably have Bruin fans quickly forgetting about Russell Westbrook. Holiday is winner. Period. Reports are that he’s very coachable as well. The other top rated guard is Malcolm Lee who has the skills to run Coach Howland’s offense. About the only downside of this kid is that there’s little chance he will stay in Westwood very long.

That should be enough, right? Wrong. Jerime Anderson will have UCLA fans cheering. He’s a very smooth player that can fill it up from anywhere on the floor. A natural point guard, Anderson is comfortable and capable at either guard position.

The other notable commit is Drew Gordon, a natural power forward. Gordon has the size and hops to be an impact player for UCLA. He’s got a nose for the ball when it comes to grabbing boards.

In short, the Bruins are once again the elite team in the Pac-10 going into the season. Sure, they aren’t going to have much of the talent back that took them to the Final Four this past season. Have no fear Bruin Nation. Your team is still the class of the conference.

Worst case scenario for the Bruins is that they plummet to a second place conference finish. But don’t count on that…

University of Southern California

Coach Tim Floyd had a lot of athletic talent on his squad this past season. They made it to the NCAA Tourney, but not for long. The Trojans were dispatched quite easily by Kansas State. That was that.

Chances are pretty good that most of the team will be back for another season of Pac-10 basketball. There weren’t any seniors on the roster and though there are many who would love to be playing in the NBA next season, only OJ Mayo will make that leap. Will Mayo be missed? The answer to that question follows.

Coach Floyd convinced super high school player Demar DeRozan to come to USC. Since the kid is from Compton, CA, that wasn’t a real hard sell. DeRozan is a player with incredible athletic skills. The only thing to criticize about him is his weight. He could use a little more muscle on his frame, but will come in time. Chances are, he will be the most exciting freshman in the Pac-10 next season.

So Coach Floyd still won’t have a natural center on the team next season, but that won’t matter. As long as Taj Gibson and Devon Jefferson return, the Trojans will have a front line that will be the best in the west. And with Daniel Hackett running the offense, USC fans have plenty to look forward to next season.

If things fall their way, it’s possible that USC might be able to steal the conference championship away from UCLA next year. They sure look like one of the top three teams, to be sure.

The final segment of this series will cover the end of the alphabet in the Pac-10, Washington and Washington State.

Oregon State University

When talking Oregon State basketball, just about everyone associated with the Beavers believe that it’s time for a change. In the past few years, OSU hoops degenerated from so-so to flat out awful. No arguments there.

Change.

The big change for the Beavers began about midway through last season when the school administration parted ways with Coach Jay John. Everyone had seen enough. After firing Coach John, the Beavers went on to lose every Pac-10 game. Yikes! That’s a change?

Change.

After an extensive search to find a coach capable of turning around a program that became the doormat of the conference, the administration at Oregon State tapped Brown head man Craig Robinson. What?

Coach Robinson led Brown to a stellar two year record in the Ivy League of 30-28. OK. The 19 wins his team posted this past season was a school record, topping the previous high of 17. In other words, if you don’t associate Brown with Top 25 basketball, you’re not alone.

Change.

The press release announcing the arrival in Corvallis by Coach Brown and a new staff offers some insight into the man and the direction he wants to take Beaver basketball. He likes to run an “up-tempo, unselfish offensive scheme”. At the same time, his squad will run a “disciplined, team-oriented defense”. His focus will be on teaching “fundamental basketball skills”. Oh, almost forgot. While doing all that, his goal will be to have a 100% student-athlete graduation rate.

If Coach Robinson can make all that happen, OSU will return to the lofty levels of years past. It’s going to take a few days before Beaver followers see any of those goals happen.

Change.

One thing that won’t be changing much next season is the roster for the Beavers. Marcel Jones was the only senior on the team last season. That’s a plus for Coach Robinson. He will inherit a squad that has plenty of Pac-10 experience. However, you might remember that the experience for this group amounted to a big donut when it comes to wins last season.

There were only two young men who committed to OSU, and only one of those has signed a letter of intent. The prize recruit is four-star player Eshaunte Jones. He’s a talented point guard that would fit nicely into Coach Robinson’s plans. However, he hasn’t signed an LOI, waiting to see if he wants to play there now. Jones was recruited and impressed by Coach John, who became a part of the changes in Corvallis. Kavon Rose has signed an LOI, but could be granted a release if he chooses. Rose is another guard who comes from the Detroit area where they play hard-nosed hoops.

Even if there is plenty of change in the basketball program at Oregon State, don’t expect to see an immediate turnaround. The best OSU followers could hope for is that Coach Robinson can do what Coach Tony Bennett did at WSU (which took a total of four seasons) or Coach Herb Sendek at ASU (which took two seasons).

Oregon State will remain at the bottom of the Pac-10 next season, but they should elevate their play enough to avoid adjectives such as “doormat”.

Stanford University

There will be plenty of changes happening with the Stanford basketball program in the coming season. Some of those changes are yet to be made.

The Cardinal enjoyed a very nice season this past year. Under Coach Trent Johnson, they made it to the Sweet 16, one of three Pac-10 teams to do so. Though the team couldn’t get past an excellent squad from Texas, they made a solid run in the NCAA Tourney and finished second in the Pac-10. Then things happened in Palo Alto…

Change.

Coach Johnson was a little piffed that the administration at Stanford didn’t put a nice contract extension on the table after the loss to Texas. They wanted time to think things over. Fine. That hesitation proved to be the undoing of the administration. It gave Coach Johnson time to answer his phone when the folks from LSU called. He listened to what they had to say. Liking what he heard, Coach Johnson announced he was packing his bags and taking his show on the road to Baton Rouge. Stanford’s loss is LSU’s gain.

Change.

Well, it seems that change comes slowly for the folks in Palo Alto. Unfortunately for them, their best choice to replace Coach Johnson was Mike Montgomery, who was very successful in his days as the head man for the Stanford basketball program. Too bad. Montgomery had already signed on with the school’s arch rival Cal. Heck, Montgomery still lives in Menlo Park, so he would have been the perfect fit. So for now, Stanford is taking their time. Tick Tock.

Change.

The two best players from last season’s team, Brook and Robin Lopez have made themselves available for the NBA draft. Brook is a lock as a first round pick. Robin? Not so much. The team also loses uber-sixth-man Taj Finger to graduation. They will be replaced by some nice looking prospects who haved signed LOI’s for next year. Miles Plumlee is probably the best of the three and will hopefully be part of the answer to, “Who will replace the Lopez twins?” Jeremy Green is a natural shooting guard from Austin, TX. Green is a nice player, but apparently not nice enough for Coach Rick Barnes at Texas. The other recruit is Jarrett Mann, a small forward who can score. Did I mention Mann could score? He’s a terrific athlete who can smother an opponent on defense. One thing to keep in mind, all of these players were signed by Coach Johnson. They can ask for a release from their LOI and sign on to a program where they think they will fit better.

Change.

The most dramatic change for the Cardinal might be their imminent fall from the best in the Pac-10. At this point it’s hard to tell just what’s going to happen because of the “what if’s”. What if the school administration can lure a top-flight coach to move to Palo Alto? What if Robin Lopez comes to his senses and returns for another year of seasoning? What if all three talented freshman decide to stick with their commitment to Stanford?

At this point, it looks like it’s going to be a “wait and see” posture regarding Stanford.

In Part 4, we’ll take a look at the “U” schools. UCLA and USC.

University of California, Berkeley

Those wily Cal Bears are ready to go on the prowl.

One of the best changes of head coaches for any basketball program was implemented in Berkeley. Too often the importance of upgrading is not taken seriously when bringing in a new head coach. Look at Indiana. They fire first and then looked to select second. That doesn’t look to be the case at Cal.

A familiar face returns to the sidelines in the Pac-10. Mike Montgomery will be the new man looking to put a new style on Bear hoops. What a tremendous pick up. He has a successful history in the conference while coaching at Stanford. Heck, virtually all of Montgomery’s teams have enjoyed success. His career record reveals a winning percentage of about 70%. That is outstanding! During his 18 years at Stanford, Montgomery was the Pac-10 Coach of the Year four times. Four times! He’s even a legend in his own time. Montgomery received the John R. Wooden “Legends of Coaching” Lifetime Achievement Award. Last look, Coach Montgomery is still in this lifetime, too.

Coach Ben Braun was fired for doing less with more. Cal’s administration and fans felt that Coach Braun had much more talent on his teams than their record suggested. Perhaps. If the truth be known, the Bears have enjoyed an excellent group of starters for many years. However, they have been thin when it comes to bench strength.

While the talent cupboard isn’t bare/Bear for Coach Montgomery, he certainly would have relished the chance to have Ryan Anderson knocking down shots. Rightly so, Anderson is moving on to the NBA where he will enjoy a brief career as a spot player.

The Bears of a couple of terrific players coming back in the person of Jerome Randle and Jordan Wilkes. Randle is an outstanding play-maker. Wilkes is capable of filing the role played by Anderson last year. Along with those two, Patrick Christopher is a wonderful player who brings energy and athletic ability to the team.

Along with the current scholarship players, two more guards are scheduled to arrive on the Berkeley campus. Garrett Sim is a nice point guard who is highly regarded by those who watched him play up in Portland, OR. The other scholie is going to D. J. Seeley. Seeley is rated as one of the very best shooting guards coming out of high school this year. He is instant offense and has a knack for creating shots.

Don’t think that Coach Montgomery will hang a Pac-10 championship banner next year at the end of conference play, but if he stays in Berkeley, that will be a ceremony in the very near future. However, Cal will move into the top half of the Pac-10 next season.

University of Oregon

With a boatload of seniors coming back for this past season, Coach Ernie Kent was faced with high expectations from both school administration and fans. The Ducks made a great run the year-before-last in the NCAA Tourney. Four of the five starters from that team were returning to Eugene. But things didn’t work out very well if you were expecting championships.

For the second year in a row, Coach Kent and the Ducks were invited to the Big Dance for the tenth time in school history. Five of those ten appearances were under the leadership of Coach Kent. Impressive stuff.

There will be new faces wearing the ugliest uniforms in the country and playing for Oregon next season. They will be the key to how much success the Ducks will enjoy.

Michael Dunigan comes in with lots of potential and is rated as one of the top rated centers to come out of high school. This kid held offers from Florida, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Notre Dame and Wisconsin…just to name a few. Dunigan chose the Ducks over some of the elite programs in the country. So if any those in Duck Nation had doubts about Coach Kent, forget about it. There are four other top high school players moving to Eugene this fall.

Team experience and leadership will probably come from ultimate hoops warrior Tajuan Porter and Joevan Catron. Those two are solid players that any coach would love to have on their team. Will they be enough though? That’s the question.

This coming season will be one of gaining experience for the young Ducks. In a conference that is laden with talent, Duck Nation will have their patience and loyalty tested. They need to be prepared to see their team come out on the short end of some close, tough games. Coach Kent is going to have his hands full coaching, but he’s the man for the job.

Oregon won’t be in the top half of the Pac-10 this coming season. But the future is bright for Duck fans who are willing to hang in there.

Next up in Part 3, we’ll take a look at Oregon State and Stanford.

So what does the future hold? That’s the question.

In the coming days, we’ll run down the prospects for the upcoming Pac-10 basketball season. As great as this past year was, there are going to be plenty of question marks to address before hoops crank up again in the fall.

Let’s look at Pac-10 schools in alphabetical order:

Arizona

Though the Wildcats made it to the NCAA Tourney, fans were disappointed by the record of a team that had plenty of talent. What happened and will things change for the better next season?

Kevin O’Neill took over the reins for the elder statesman of the conference, Lute Olsen, last year. Olsen needed time off and O’Neill was thought to be the heir apparent.  Shouldn’t have been much more than the media getting used to referring to the Wildcat head man as Coach O’Neill.  Turned out to be much more than that.  Gone was the “run ‘em off the floor” style under coach Olsen.  Was that an experiment? If so, it sure didn’t work out to the satisfaction of Wildcat Nation.

Coach Olsen will be back and this time around, Coach O’Neill is the odd man out. O’Neill is no longer welcome along the ‘Cat sidelines.

Jerryd Bayless had a phenomenal season, arguably the top freshman in the Pac-10. Well, no surprise here. Bayless is gone, making himself eligible for the NBA draft where he’ll likely be a lottery pick.

Chase Budinger had another great season for Arizona. Will he be back? Not likely. Though he’s yet to declare himself available for the NBA draft, odds are that’s what will be the case.

Losing both Bayless and Budinger will be significant. They are ideal players for the wide-open style of game Coach Olsen loves. However, new recruits will bolster a pretty fine roster.

Wildcat Nation can relax about the departure of Bayless. Incoming freshman Brandon Jennings has the tools to run their offense. Jennings is terrific on defense and is considered one of the top players coming out of high school this year.

If Jennings doesn’t pick things up right away, Nic Wise is a tough competitor with loads of talent and is familiar with Pac-10 play. When Wise was out with injury, the ‘Cats were in trouble. With Nic on the floor, they were dangerous at either end of the court.

Though there’s been plenty of rumors flying around that Jordan Hill might leave for the NBA, it’s likely he’ll be back for his junior season. Another year of maturing will go a long way to making him into a better player. Granted, he’s a darn good player that really was the heart and soul of the success Arizona did enjoy this past season.  Another year of seasoning would improves his chances for a career in the NBA.  When Hill got off to a good start, the ‘Cats picked up a win.

If incoming freshman Jeff Withey can put some beef on his 6-11 frame, he could free Hill up to play along the baseline freely. Hill is such an athletic player, the ‘Cats counted on him to defend the paint last year. Without bulking up from the lean 215 pounds Withey played at in high school, he’ll have trouble playing inside next year.

It doesn’t take much courage to project Arizona, under Coach Olsen, as one of the top three teams battling for another Pac-10 title next year.

Arizona State

This past season was solid for the Arizona State Sun Devils under the leadership of Coach Herb Sendek. There’s no question that ASU was the most improved team in the conference last year. That said, Sun Devil fans have plenty of reason to believe there will be even more improvement next year.

Unfortunately for the rest of the Pac-10, James Harden will be back for his sophomore season. Harden is the complete player. On top of that, he is an outstanding leader on the floor. Solid All-Pac-10.

It doesn’t stop with Harden for ASU. They have one of the best frontline players in senior Jeff Pendergraph. He’s a force to be reckoned with at both ends of the court.

Toward the end of the season, Eric Boateng began to come on strong. Boateng has the potential to be a special player given the combination of his physical size and athletic talent.

Coach Sendek will have plenty of firepower in the backcourt to compliment the skills of Harden. Both Jerren Shipp and Ty Abbott can light it up.

Last year Arizona State got off to an outstanding start and then faded toward the end of the season, missing out on a trip to the Big Dance. They accepted an invitation to the NIT where the were sent packing in the semi-final bracket by Florida. It’s not likely that ASU will be missing the NCAA Tourney next year. They have a tremendous upside given the experience gained by the five freshman who will return with a year of valuable PT under their belts.

Coach Sendek loves a deliberate style of play, something that has been working into the Pac-10 by ASU, UCLA and WSU. His Sun Devils will certainly be one of the top four teams in the conference. If things go their way, a Pac-10 isn’t out of the question and wouldn’t surprise anyone.

In Part 2, Cal and Oregon will in our cross-hairs.

Year after year, those of us West of the Grand Canyon complain about an East Coast bias by establishment media. This season looked and sounded to be different. The Pac-10 was suddenly referred to as the toughest basketball conference in the country, with a number of “marquee” players making momentary stops at west coast schools before heading on to the NBA.

Two players were lavished with tremendous coverage, praise and adulation. Kevin Love of UCLA and OJ Mayo of USC arrived on their respective campuses with daunting expectations. In the end, neither accomplished what experts labeled as the “sure thing”. There will be no national championship for either the Bruins or the Trojans. Not even close.

Based on the way Pac-10 teams were sent packing from the Big Dance this year, how can anyone dispute that the Pac-10 was overrated?

The UCLA Bruins were simply run off the court by Memphis. Not only did the Tigers want a win in the semi-finals more than UCLA, they were ready to out-hustle and out-muscle the boys from Westwood.

Prior to the mugging taken by the Bruins, the “unstoppable” Twin Towers of Stanford were embarrassed by Texas. The Lopez twins pouted and postured their way up and down the court. Their mood was shaped by the whipping they were being handed by the aggressive teamwork implemented by the Longhorns. The only thing more shocking than the 20 point loss by the Cardinal was the claim that Robin Lopez was ready to come out from under the shadow of his brother Brook and enter the NBA draft. Are you kidding? Neither of the Lopez boys did anything to improve their NBA stock by their play in the tournament. Actually, they both would clearly benefit from more seasoning before trying to fool NBA scouts. Even the Knicks management wouldn’t be foolish enough to risk a draft choice on either seven footer.

Then there was the drubbing taken by the Cougars of Washington State. They managed to make UNC look like the best team in the nation, bowing out with a 21 point (margin) pasting by the Tar Heels. Yikes! About the best thing to be said for their performance is that they weren’t expect to score many points. But 47 against a team that didn’t stop anyone all season long?

There’s no need to rehash the early round losses handed to Arizona, Oregon and USC. Yes, they were all summarily dispatched to their dorm rooms out west after world class butt whippings.

This time around it turns out the media should have ignored protestations from the Left Coast with regard to bias. Just as it appeared that folks out west were finally going to enjoy their day in the sun, the east coast teams rained all over their parade.

At least one thing remains consistent, establishment media got it wrong… again…

As for this blogger, guess I’ll quietly pack up the board and head down to the beach to catch a few gnarly waves.

Word is that Indiana wasn’t going to make the call if they weren’t pretty darn sure Bennett would accept. Preliminary feelers would get a read for whether or not Coach Bennett wanted their job. For whatever reason, the folks in the know around the Hoosier program want things to look pretty rosy with their selection for a new head coach. Who knows why it might be PR problem for one or two well placed candidates to decline? Then again, who knows what they were doing when hiring former WSU head man Kelvin Sampson? Now they are worried about image at Indiana? Oh my. Enough said.

After the phone conversation between the principals covered some preliminary points regarding the opportunity to be the next head coach for Indiana, Coach Bennett told them he didn’t want to pursue their offer. Heck, that’s a classy way of doing things. Rather than get the folks at Indiana all lathered up about the prospects of snagging one of the top young coaches in the country, Bennett politely changed the topic to weather. Can’t you picture how that chat might have gone?

Indiana: “What do you think about coaching in the Big Ten, the premier athletic conference in the nation and a school with five NCAA basketball championships?” Coach Bennett, “That’s quite a challenge, but actually the Pac-10 is tougher. And by the way, how cold is it back there? It’s near freezing here in Pullman. You won’t get me out on a night like this.”

That said, Cougar Nation can now breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Yes, things have changed dramatically for WSU basketball fans. Used to be at the end of the season we talked about how the incoming class of recruits were going to turn things around. Or talk up a new coach. Or talk about getting a new coach. But oh, the times are changing.

Like last year, the talk after the Cougs season ended this season was all about what university was going to steal Coach Bennett away. He was a hot commodity in coaching circles following the 2007 season. In 2008 he’s even hotter. Oh yeah. He’s a handsome fellow, too.

Wait until next year.

With a solid class of recruits coming in, it looks as though Coach Bennett is getting some of the athletic talent he will need to lead the Cougs on a Pac-10 title run and deeper into the NCAA Tourney. And if things play out the way they could and should, there will be another big time university or two looking to replace a head coach they’ve fired calling Coach Bennett.

As long as Coach Bennett is at Washington State University, fans are going to love him. That’s guaranteed. But that’s not all. You can bet that other schools with deflated fans will be begging for the talented Coach Bennett.

Cougar Nation…live with it. Welcome to the Bennett Ball era.

It’s great to hear that Coach Tony Bennett is happy in Pullman.

On behalf of Cougar Nation, the feeling is mutual.

GO COUGS!!!