I Am Still Concerned

This is a column just kind of catching you up on few things I have written about in the past three months, sometimes things change, sometimes they stay the same forever and I am even throwing in one complaint.

1. When oh when are schools going to realize that using search firms to select coaches and ADs is a waste of time and waste of money. I have documented this well in the past, but the latest example involves Tennessee, which hired Parker Executive Search to find them a new AD. Spent updwards of $90,000.00 to do so. Parker came back with Dan Radakovich, AD at Georgia Tech, as the sure fire, can't miss candidate. There was only one problem, little did Parker know or quite possible did know that Georgia Tech was going to be slapped with huge penalty by the NCAA, which obviously made Radakovich damaged goods.

The fans, boosters, residents of Tennessee are furious, as you might imagine. Another embarrassment for what was once a proud athletic program. But Parker should be embarrassed as well, it is just another debacle this firm has committed, but for some reason schools just keep using them. Memo to NCAA, you like to pass all kinds of rules, how about no more search firms. Of course it will not happen, Mark Emmert, president of the NCAA was a former client of Parker. What is the buzz word, "just connect the dots" or "follow the money".

2. With all the hype about a new TV deal by the Pac-12 and now today with the announcement of the Pac-12 network and how that will work, why in the world is it still not in the plans for the Pac-12 to play a round robin league schedule in basketball. The addition tells us that would be 22 conference games, thus leaving about eight games for non-conference games. I am not sure how many people are going to turn to watch some pre-season game which pits Minot State against Stanford, as we often see in all leagues during preseason. There is nothing like conference games no matter what the league. It would also improve the RPI of the league and it would increase attendance and as mentioned,  viewership. (At present the Pac-12 has plans to play an 18 game league schedule all the way through 2020-21).

3. I have been contacted by several coaches about the four major rules changes I want to see happen soon, to help keep college basketball popular and bring in new fans, always crucial to any sport.

1) Allow pre-game dunking. Absolute no brainer, if a player hangs on the rim, then give him the "T" just like it would happen during regular time. (Most coaches like my suggestion). Of course with the wisdom which is always pathetic when it comes to rule changes, the NCAA will probably allow pre-game dunking in women's games and continue to prohibit it in men's games. (Did you get the joke, I hope so).

2) Change shot clock to 29 seconds, from 35, speed up the game. (Most coaches like this idea).

3) Time-outs have become a joke in college basketball, limit time-outs no matter who calls them to four per half, plus one 30-second. Time-outs are having a  big affect on the fluidity of the game. (Most coaches hate this idea). I actually feel this would make coaching better and bring more strategy to the game.

4) Eliminate the second overtime and make it a free throw shootout. It would cause players to become better free throw shooters, it would make teams practice free throws more and last, but more important, there would be nothing better than the excitement this would create. (Coaches were evenly split on this, but I am sure after the world cup loss by America, this would change some minds.)

4. We all have one friend like this. My good friend who shall remain nameless always calls at night and wants to discuss the day in sports. Calls is not a good word, it actually should be called wants to argue with me and I do mean argue. I don't even mind being wrong or losing the argument, but what I hate is that my friend does not have internet, he does not have cable tv and he does not even have call waiting. (It is not from lack of funds, he can afford it). I just wish he were a little more educated, if he wants to argue so much. I am sure we all know someone who is a little archaic, I hope you are laughing at me and with me right now.

emails to crawscorner@gmail.com