We’re Not On The Fire Coach Bandwagon, But…

Sometimes, the journalist in me gets really nitpicky about sports writing and likes to point out the flaws of others.  Granted, I as a writer have my own set of flaws.  The difference is that I would be willing to own up to them.

So this is me fisking the anti-fire coach piece in today’s Southern Illinoisan.

For full disclosure, we don’t have a problem with Les Winkeler.  He gave us our first mainstream gig coming out of college and put in a good word so we could be where we are today.

I’m just saying, if you’re going to make a save-the-coach argument, you’ve got to make a better one.

In a 1917 essay in the New York Evening Mail, H.L. Mencken wrote, “There is always an easy solution to every human problem – neat, plausible and wrong.”

Oh boy, more tales from Uncle Hawk!

Over the years, that has morphed into “For every complicated problem there is a bad simple solution.”

OK, maybe not.  Darn.

I’m not really a deep philosophical thinker. Outside of class requirements for general studies philosophy, I’ve never read a paragraph of Plato, Hobbes or Sartre.

Personally, I’m more of a fan of Hobbes’ buddy Calvin.

In fact, before Tuesday, I never knew the aforementioned quote was attributed to H.L. Mencken.

However, that quote came to mind while pondering the current state of the Saluki basketball program.

One hundred and one words later, we’re finally getting to the gravy.

If you read message boards relating to SIU basketball or listen to radio talk shows you know that in some corners of Southern Illinois Chris Lowery is public enemy No. 1.

Lowery took over the program in 2004. In that time, the Salukis have failed to make the NCAA tournament twice, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast and Iran has gotten closer to developing nuclear capability. And, Washington, D.C., was paralyzed by a monstrous snowstorm last week.

Since Lowery has taken over I’ve had five different roommates, three different cars … and none of this has anything to do with why SIU has been left out of the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons.  Unless, of course, the Iranians are developing a game-plan to stop Ali Farokhmanesh and Jordan Eglseder during their free time.

To read and hear the overheated commentary, one would swear the onus for all these disasters falls squarely on Lowery’s shoulders.

That’s because he is the head coach.  When things go wrong, for better or worse, it falls on the head coach.  It always does.  In 2007, Bears fans feared Lovie Smith would take off for the greener pastures of Dallas to coach his home-state Cowboys.  Now, I know Bears fans that would drive the bus to Midway or O’Hare to send him on his happy way.

Let’s just breathe into a paper sack for a few seconds, get a cool drink of water and relax for a second.

Saluki basketball has caused some to get a cool drink, but it’s not water.

First, let’s be honest.

The last three years have been difficult for the Saluki basketball program.

SIU’s record in that time: 45-45 overall and 25-27 in conference play.  Mediocrity sucks.

After six straight seasons in the NCAA tournament, including a 2007 Sweet 16 appearance, SIU has failed to reach the NCAA tournament in each of the past two years. Barring a stunning run through the Missouri Valley Conference tournament this year, that string will reach three straight years.

OK, let’s be really honest.  Barring a stunning run through the Missouri Valley Conference tournament this year every other Valley school decides to not show up in St. Louis, that string will reach three straight years.  Fixed that for ya.  (Note that it pains me to write this as an alumni who has friendship ties to some of SIU’s current and former players.)

That has been a bitter pill for some Saluki fans to swallow. Again, in fairness, a case can be made that last year’s bally-hooed recruiting class was either overrated or is underachieving.

The solution, apparently obvious to some, is to throw out the coach and start all over again.

There are a lot of reasons that is a bad idea. The first is simple economics. In these tough times, a buyout really doesn’t make cents, or sense.

To others, the obvious solution includes a DeLorean, a drag strip and a trip through time.

This statement is a half-truth.  The university isn’t on the hook for the entire $750,000-per-year contract.  Surely some of the boosters who agreed to pay a healthy chunk of the coach’s contract could scrap up enough money to buyout a contract if enough of them wanted Lowery gone.

Want proof?

See: Eikenberg, Dana.

The better reason, it’s an over-reaction.

To be perfectly honest, when I first saw Justin Bocot, Anthony Booker and Kevin Dillard – they are what’s left of the class – play, I thought all would be immediate impact players. There is no question they are all phenomenal athletes. All three have thrilled Saluki fans with acrobatic plays that almost defy belief over the past two years.

But what about the rest of that star-studded class including Ryan Hare and Torres Roundtree?  Right.  They’re gone.  Along with Nick Evans, who was redshirted the previous year before joining that highly touted class.

However, their growth as basketball players has been slower than expected. The entire team continues to struggle in fundamental areas, particularly in the closing minutes of games.

Closing games.  Closing careers.  Closing bar tabs.  Oh.  Sory, that was my problem when I was young.  Carry on.

I understand the fans’ frustration. While this team is young chronologically, this is not an inexperienced group. Even the three aforementioned players have more than 50 games under their belts.

Yet, I also see improvement that others seem to be ignoring.

Since the emergence of Gene Teague as a viable inside scoring threat, the Salukis seem to have a real offensive purpose.

If you’re ignoring Teague’s emergence then you are either blind, deaf or oblivious to Saluki basketball.

Shot selection has improved dramatically.

Lowery quote from The Southern’s gamer: “We were playing for 3s way too much, and we hadn’t been shooting that many 3s. We’d been taking 12-15 3s the last seven or eight games, and we shot too many.”

And, the team is no longer content to settle for the first available 3-pointer.

It’s like deja vu all over again.  This time, from Tom Weber’s game story:  “We didn’t go to Gene enough down the stretch,” Lowery said. “We were playing for threes too much.”

In addition, Kendal Brown-Surles and John Freeman are getting better every game.

These improvements have been incremental. They have yet to result in a signature win.

And, there are other issues to be addressed.

Finally.  Five hundred and seven words later, we are going to address why firing the coach won’t solve SIU’s problems.

While it may be pie in the sky to hope for a return to Floorburn U, this team needs to place greater emphasis on defense. It also appears that there is a lack of trust between teammates, particularly when a game is on the line. The word family has largely been missing in post-game new conferences this year.

So, um, where are the issues again?  I thought it was coming but it never came.  Somewhere, ex-girlfriends are mocking this post.  Whatever.  I got mine.

Yes, these are serious issues. The first step toward addressing them is not starting over.

Why don’t we get to this first step?!?!?!?

I digress.

Maybe by the time you are done reading this, Southern’s season will be over.