Wednesday, February 16, 2005
get out of jail?
-- Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh (NC) News & Observer suggests that if North Carolina State fails to make the NCAA Tournament this year, Herb Sendek will be coaching for his job next season. He makes a persuasive argument, however, that if the Wolfpack don't finish strong enough to get back to the NCAA Tournament, Sendek should resign. (Unless Herb could get the NCAA to ok a fifth year of eligibility for Julius Hodge, I agree).-- Kelenna Azubuike's dad was yesterday sentenced to four years in prison on convictions including bank fraud and wire fraud. The bad news for the Kentucky Wildcat: Pops is going to prison. The good news: His dad's trial behind him, Kelenna should no longer feel pressure to declare early for the NBA and (immediately) help the family with legal fees. Tubby may therefore have Azubuike around for another year.
-- During the weekly Pac-10 coaches' conference call, Washington State coach Dick Bennett declared his intent to retire at the end of either this season or next. Too bad. Despite both Gonzaga and Washington's success, Bennett has managed to bring the Cougars back to respectability. But more interesting than his surprise announcement were his thoughts on the Pac-10 conference.
He never has cared for the Pac-10's standard Thursday-Saturday game rotation, insisting instead that a weekend pairing would be more conducive to classroom commitments and easier on everyone travel-wise.
Nor has he been a big fan of league officiating, which leans toward the excessive side in making calls. "Obviously, I'm having trouble with Pac-10 officials," Bennett said after Saturday's game at Oregon, a 69-66 loss. "I'm used to Big Ten officiating, where they let kids decide the game."
-- Daniel Horton practiced with the Michigan Wolverines on Tuesday and should be back in the lineup for Sunday's game against Indiana. Just the break for which Mike Davis was looking.
