Bad timing will cost Cincinnati: things not to do in August: vacation in Houston, run a marathon, fire a college hoops coach

Sporting News, The, Sept 9, 2005 by Mike DeCourcy

Ask Cincinnati fans if they would like their program to be on the same level as North Carolina, UCLA and Indiana and few would decline that offer. You kidding? They are the elite, the cream, the country clubbers of college basketball.

So now Bearcats fans, however many choose to remain on board, will get that wish. They soon will be in the company of the Tar Heels, Bruins and Hoosiers.

Specifically:

* North Carolina, 2001-02: 8-20.

* UCLA, 2002-03: 10-19.

* Indiana, 2003-04: 14-15.

These schools attempted by chance or by choice to execute the difficult maneuver of changing coaches out of season. Not out of basketball season but out of coaching change season.

Cincinnati president Nancy Zimpher surely was not surprised to hear hosannas from some in the national media for forcing out Bob Huggins. But making a case in support of Zimpher's action requires embracing a lot of misinformation and misperception, both old and new. It also means ignoring the hypocrisy of accepting an invitation to compete at the highest level--in the Big East--then pretending to be above it all.

But there is no defending Zimpher's decision to make this move in late August. She began the process of removing Huggins in early spring but botched the execution like Bearcats point guard Jihad Muhammad fumbling another ball out of bounds.

Zimpher spoke during last week's news conference about having "a vision for our future." A leader with vision and an understanding of college athletics would have recognized the perils of dragging out Huggins' departure for months. Instead of immediately offering the $3 million buyout the university eventually paid, she tried to low-ball Huggins. As if he were going to accept a retirement package of humiliation and short money.

Had Huggins been let go early in the spring, Cincinnati would have had a new coach in place for the crucial recruiting months of April and July. Instead, the Bearcats are stuck in interim mode--unable to effectively pursue Big East-level prospects because few will commit to uncertainty. Indiana fans can explain the price; Bob Knight was replaced in September 2000, and the two-man recruiting class the Hoosiers salvaged in 2001 has produced only 34 starts and 494 points. The teams that grew from that seed were a combined 29-29 the past two seasons.

When Zimpher was asked if she was concerned about lost recruiting time to date--and more that will be lost until Cincinnati hires a full-time coach--she replied that the school soon will land a new athletic director to replace the retiring Bob Goin. "He or she will help with recruiting," Zimpher said.

So in addition to being introduced to staff members, alumni, donors, the university community and the city of Cincinnati; establishing a philosophy and direction for the athletic department; and, of course, helping to search for a new basketball coach, the new A.D. can spend the evening hours chasing down teens on the phone. Sure. That'll work.

For more college basketball analysis and news, go to sportingnews.com/cbasketball.

INSIDE DISH

Georgetown hasn't landed a player as highly regarded as PF Vernon Macklin since Allen Iverson enrolled in 1994. That's a long drought for the Hoyas, who once made a habit of landing elite big men: Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Othella Harrington. Macklin (6-9, 210) picked the Hoyas over Wake Forest and North Carolina. Hargrave Military Academy coach Kevin Keatts says Macklin picked Georgetown because he connected with coach John Thompson. Keatts wants to work with Macklin on his midrange jumper, which would help him fit into Thompson's Princeton-style offense. With athletes such as Macklin entering the program, the Hoyas eventually will operate that offense at a faster pace. * Good news for California: C Leon Powe, who missed last season because of a knee injury, was named MVP of the San Francisco ProCity summer league. In addition, Powe averaged 23.6 points and led the Golden Bears to a 5-0 record on their tour of Italy that concluded last week. * Before his team left for Belgium and Holland, Ohio coach Tim O'Shea did not want to take full advantage of the 10 days of practice available to teams making international trips. He thought 10 days would be overdoing it at this stage. On the trip, O'Shea wants to get F Johnnie Jackson, a transfer from Boston College, assimilated into the Bobcats' lineup. Ohio returns the top four scorers from last season's NCAA Tournament team. * Providence junior PF Herbert Hill could have a breakout year. He has improved his shooting range to 15 feet, has a nice jump hook and has worked on going to his left. With the 6-10 Hill and 6-11 sophomore C Randall Hanke, the Friars could have a solid inside game.

speed read

Texas excused itself from the NCAA Tournament after just one round last March. But that team was missing ineligible forward R J, Tucker and injured center LaNarcus Aldridge. With Tucker declared academically fit last week and Aldridge apparently healthy, no other team will receive such a tremendous boost in talent and production.