Sidelines

In defense of the one-and-dones

This incessant and quite convenient griping about the one-and-dones in college basketball is really quite comical.

Coaches crave control. They want to control the local media, the national media, the fans of his team, the fans of the opposing team, the internet, the message boards, the talk-show hosts, the talk-show callers, the officials, the director of officials, the workers at the scorer’s table, the athletics director, the media relations director, the boosters, the alumni association, and, of course, players.

What they can’t control is a player with options. And a player talented enough to be in position to jump to the NBA after just one year of college has options. That player can stay, but he’ll probably go. That is a player who is going to do what is in his best interest, not what is in the best interest of the coach. And a coach has very little control over that.

Are there problems with such a system? Of course. (Poster boy: O.J. Mayo.) Does the system fly in the face of what college athletics is supposed to be about? Of course. But so does $30 million practice facilties, 9:30 p.m. tipoff times for television and multi-million dollar coaches contracts.

Is Kansas State basketball worse for having Michael Beasley for a single season?

Was Texas basketball worse for having Kevin Durant for one brilliant year?

The best system would be the baseball system. A high school grad can either go straight to the pros, or spend three years in college before being eligible for the draft again. But we're not there yet.

That’s why, to me, Arizona coach Lute Olson sounded darn near ancient last week when he grumped about the selfish one-and-dones, and claimed he would never ever recruit another one-and-done after Brandon Jennings decided he’d rather get paid of his pre-NBA year in Europe rather than play for free, and Lute, in Tucson.

It’s also why I liked Billy Gillispie’s attitude at yesterday’s press conference when he said of the one-and-dones, “I’d like to have 13 guys every year that are good enough to be lottery picks.”

That’s a coach who understands that the game is about the players. That’s a coach who understands that it takes good players to win, and great players to win championships. Even players with options.

The necessity of covering camps

Let’s just say I’m trying to climb back into the swing of things. Had a great time on vacation. Spent the week in Hilton Head with family and extended family, etc. We go there most every year because it is beautiful, and warm, with a beach, and by now the kids know the area well enough that we can let them all run wild.

Tip: If you desire to be thought of as a good uncle, take the little nephews and nieces “mini-golfing” with a post-match treat of McFlurries.

Anyway, having arrived back home, last night I went to see my former colleague, former Herald-Leader columnist Bill Bishop at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. Bill is one of the smartest people I have ever had the pleasure of being around. Also, he is one of the nicest. His wife, Julie, has roots in Paris, where her father, Phil Ardery, himself and author, grew up. I was born in Paris. There are connections.

Now a Texan, as in an Austin, Texan, Bill has written the acclaimed book “The Big Sort,” about how the country has sort of sorted itself into like-minded neighborhoods. I take that back. Bill has written a book that has been endorsed by Bill Clinton, apparently on more than one occasion.

As I was standing in line to have Bill write something pithy in my copy, the man in front of me struck up a conversation. He was complimentary. But he said he had one complaint about the Herald-Leader. Or one complaint about the Herald-Leader sports section. He said he didn’t like that we covered the summer basketball camps. I replied that there was surely interest in the camps in that a lot of the players on Kentucky’s recruiting lists were at the camps. He said he understood, that he once lived in Chapel Hill so he knew about hoops interest, but he still objected to a newspaper covering a summer spectacle that involved teens, and in some cases pre-teens.

“You’re writing about players who are the same age, or aren’t much older than my daughter here,” he said, pointing to his offspring who had accompanied him to the bookstore. “And she’s 14.”

I could see his point. And I told him so. But it’s much like the subject matter in “The Big Sort.” It is what it is. We are a newspaper, like most newspapers these days, fighting for survival. To some extent, we have to give the people what they want. We also are a newspaper, like most newspapers these days, making the transition to the internet. And when it comes to college sports, the biggest draw, by far, is recruiting news. The “Most Read Stories” list on Kentucky.com offers near-daily proof of that.

I told the man that I could see his point, that covering summer basketball camps was a “little unseemly” when you think about it.

But these days, it’s also required.

Hold the Mayo

Updated at 5:25 p.m. with Luke Winn link.

Was anyone surprised by Sunday's "Outside the Lines" reports that now former USC basketball star O.J. Mayo allegedly took at least $30,000 in cash and benefits from someone who was attempting to sign the future NBA draft pick as an agent?

I didn't think so.

Is USC to blame? Of course USC is to blame. The university already knew about Rodney Guillroy, who is accused of supplying Mayo with fringe benefits. In fact, USC knew when it took Mayo for his one-and-done, the former Rose Hill star owned a shady entourage, with the potential of rule-breaking trouble. Desperate to compete with cross-town behemoth UCLA, the Trojans rolled the dice. Looks like they've lost.

Links:

• NCAA's acceptance of the NBA age-limit is to blame. [Dan Wetzel]
• USC has no excuse for turning a blind eye. [Pat Forde]
• Looking for solutions. [Dustin Dow]
• Surprise, a USC, Mayo scandal. [Sporting News]
• Mayo on the take? Shocking! [Hoops World]
• Mayo stuff that doesn't sit right. [All Things Trojan]
• USC should have read Doyel's column. [AOL Sports]
• Luke Winn calls it another sad chapter. [Sports Illustrated.com]

DeCourcy: Ford a dubious choice

Here's one person that is not impressed with Oklahoma State's hire of Travis Ford:

Mike DeCourcy.

The Sporting News college basketball expert  writes that Ford "parlayed an above-average performance into so many high-profile interviews his representation ought to go in the Agent Hall Of Fame along with Leigh Steinberg, Arn Tellem, Jerry McGuire and James Bond."

Mike refers to Travis as the Atlantic 10's "sixth-best coach."

Ford slips off to Stillwater

How badly did Travis Ford want out at UMass?

So badly, apparently, he'll be the new coach at Oklahoma State.

Many thought Ford had a deal worked out to be the new head man at LSU. But then the school went and hired a new athletics director, Duke's Joe Alleva, just as Stanford's Trent Johnson was feeling the big chill from his athletics director in Palo Alto. That made Johnson and Baton Rouge a match, leaving Ford on the outside.

Then Travis did the visit-interview-offer grand tour with Providence, all played out very publicly, before turning down the Big East school, once coached by his mentor, Rick Pitino.

At the UMass banquet last week, the AD announced that Ford had agreed to a new unspecified deal to remain the coach of the Minutemen.

Guess it wasn't signed.

ESPN, CBS Sportsline and Fox Sports are all reporting that Ford has reached an agreement to follow Sean Sutton at Oklahoma State.

One good thing: No more Billy Gillispie to Stillwater rumors.

Final Four: Vitale reveals he's in Hall of Fame

Dick Vitale finally made it.

The exuberant analyst let it slip (wink-wink) on Mike & Mike this morning that, on his fourth nomation, he will finally be a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2008 will be announced later today here in San Antonio.

Ex-UK great Pat Riley is among those nominated.

I'll be headed over for the announcement, so check back later for an update.

Final Four: Bill S. avoids being Billy D.

At last year's Final Four in Atlanta, the story was nearly as much "Will Billy Donovan be the next coach at Kentucky?" as it was "Will Donovan's Florida Gators win back-to-back titles?"

That hasn't happened this year with Kansas coach Bill Self.

Never mind that Self's alma mater, Oklahoma State, is looking for a new basketball coach, having just forced Sean Sutton out the door. Never mind that Self is an OSU alum that played basketball for the Cowboys under Paul Hansen. Never mind that most believe that OSU, backed by super-booster T. Boone Pickens, will make a run at Self after tonight's championship game, offering upwards of $4 million per year over 10 years.

Self said last week that his alma mater "should look in another direction."

So while Donovan had to field numerous questions about the Kentucky opening last year as his Gators were winning their second consecutive title, Self got one job speculation question at yesterday's Sunday press conferences. And that question had more to do with distractions than the actual OSU job.

"I'm not going to let it be a distraction," said the coach.

Remember, when Donovan turned down Kentucky last year, the Cats hired Billy Gillispie. Many think that Oklahoma State will try to do the same this year, should Self rebuff the Cowboys.

The guess here, however, is that history will not repeat. Billy G. will stay put.

One thing's for sure, whether he remains in Lawrence or returns to Stillwater, Self is in for a nice salary bump after tonight.

As Dave Sittler writes in the Tulsa World, "The price of doing business with Bill Self just went up."
Links:

• Self assures fans he's staying. [John Henderson]
• Tourney talk, then contract talk. [Yahoo Sports]
• Fame may finally catch up with Bill Self. [Bob Ford]
• Future turns to gold for KU coach. [Tulsa World]
• Self happy at KU despite rumors. [Randy Riggs]
• There was blood on the saddle. [A Sea of Blue]

Final Four: NCAA title game links

Links from around the country concerning tonight's Kansas-Memphis title game:

• Memphis shows it belongs with the big boys. [Los Angeles Times]
• Former Georgia signee, Memphis on cusp of history. [Mark Bradley]
• One coach will find the ring suits him. [Memphis Commercial-Appeal]
• Tigers charming, disarming. [Memphis Commercial-Appeal]
• As title game, Rose's nervous tummy the norm. [Geoff Calkins]
• When unfair perceptions meet reality. [John Feinstein]
• A gaze in the mirror on their way to the title. [New York Times]
• Where brothers faltered, Rush hopes to carry on. [New York Times]
• For Calipari, it's Memphis versus everyone. [William Rhoden]
• The ghosts of '88 haunt KU. [Kansas City Star]
• Calipari not afraid to take chance on kids. [Jason Whitlock]
• Get ready for alley-oop game between Memphis and Kansas. [Joe Posnanski]
• Glue guy sticks to dirty work. [Bob Ryan]
• Calipari sticks it to the doubters. [Mike Lupica]
• Tigers play to CDR's tune. [Dick Weiss]
• Two Chicagoans on opposite sides. [Mike Downey]
• A strange trip for Bill Self. [Pat Forde]
• Joey Dorsey has learned his lesson. [Gene Wojciechowski]
• The 10 biggest keys to the title game. [Luke Winn]
• Kansas-Memphis should be furious, fun. [Stewart Mandel]
• Spotlight beckons for Rose, Rush. [Mike DeCourcy]
• Memphis-Kansas means no assumptions allowed. [Ray Ratto]
• Calipari, Self cut from the same cloth. [Tom Keegan]
• Going for all the marbles. [Lawrence Journal-World]

Change in NBA age-limit rule will have to wait

Speculation that today's "major announcement" by NCAA president Myles Brand and NBA commissioner David Stern would concern a proposal to extend the NBA's age-limit restriction from 19 to 20 years of age has apparently turned out to be just that, speculation.

USA Today reports this morning that the announcement will be a joint agreement to sponsor a program to change youth basketball. The program is designed to work with the shoe companies to try and improve the summer basketball programs that have influenced elite players.

"You're 14 or 15 years old and you're potentially an elite basketball player," Brand told USA Today. "Here you have the NBA and the NCAA working jointly with the shoe companies and USA Basketball, and they're sanctioning a certain type of event and certain coaches. Why would you not listen to them if you wanted a future in basketball?

"That's the way we're going to deal with it and not try to regulate competitors out of business."

As for the new age-limit rule, most believe it will happen, but not before the NBA collection bargaining agreement is up for negotiation in 2010-11.

McDonald will be new coach at WKU

Western Kentucky will introduce Texas assistant Ken McDonald as new head men's basketball coach at 3 p.m. this afternoon.

Andy Katz reported earlier today that McDonald, a former assistant at Western under Dennis Felton, will replace Darrin Horn as head coach. McDonald was an assistant under Rick Barnes at Clemson for four years before following Felton, another Barnes assistant, to Bowling Green. McDonald then rejoined Barnes at Texas.

The 38-year-old McDonald is a native of Providence, Rhode Island where he played for Barnes at Providence College.

Here's a link to his bio.