Tenacious D
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- Nov 5, 2008
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Your belief that coaching in and winning a tourney is, "the same no matter where you are", is nearly as nonsensical as your comparing the Macabee and Olympic Games.
Like BP, Coach K's position as HC of Team USA undoubtedly required some of his time and attention away from the Duke program. However, the resulting benefits which such provided to their respective programs is, by any measure, incomparable.
Coach K's service allows him the advantage of telling potential recruits that he is the only current college coach who has not only coached both Kobe and LeBron, but then lead these players to Olympic gold, and restored USA Basketball to its rightful place at the apex of the basketball world. His efforts were not only universally admired and appreciated by fellow coaches and players, but of most basketball fans across the country. It's unthinkable to believe that such wouldn't both continue and carry over to his continued work with the Duke program, at least in some regard.
Conversely, the diversion of BP's time and attention for the Maccabi Games not only failed to produce similar benefits to the Tennessee program, but in losing Selby, may even have caused it harm, both now and in the foreseeable future.
Of course, all of this is said without mention of how ill-equipped Tennessee's program is to support such a lack of attention at a critical time, regardless as to the reason(s) why it occurred. The Duke program is better able to sustain its prominence and competitive advantages despite missing out on any ten or twenty highly-rated recruits. Conversely, the loss of even a single highly-rated recruit is a critical set-back to Tennessee's program as it continues to seek similar prominence.
BP had to appreciate the importance of landing Selby, both for this team, and the program. As a program, you need to be able to show yourself capable of landing these types of players (see: Brown, Bryce) if you hope to land others. Secondly, as the greatest criticism of BP and the Tennessee program seems to be our inability to advance deep into March, you've got to know how critical a PG will be in breaking that glass ceiling, or simply how pressing of a need it is for this team, otherwise. Simply, the chances of Tennessee taking a step (or two?) deeper into March will be the only means of silencing the small (but growing) number of BP's critics, and the chances of each of those occuring are far better with Selby, than without.
That BP chose to go halfway around the world to coach in a tournament with less talent, media attention and general prestige than that which the Rocky Top League enjoys, is unimportant to most. However, choosing to do this instead of attending the event where Selby was participating - which was sponsored by a rival shoe company, attended by 100+ other schools looking to sign him, and in close proximity to Coach Cal's homosexual lover / life partner (World Wide Wes) - appears foolishly negligent at best, and indefensibly selfish, at worst.
It's ironic that the BP-lovers are those who are most readily rushing to his defense - because it is you who should be most disappointed. His actions have not only ruined your best chance to combat and silence his critic, but worse, it has given them momentum, and grown their numbers.
If, like me, you've grown sick of hearing Tajh Boyd's name invoked throughout Tennessee's many struggles to land a top-flight QB - wait until you've heard the one millionth reference as to how BP lost Selby, and the difference that it would have made to this season, and those which follow. Some of you will be best served by simply cancelling your internet service before the tourneys begin.
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