Tarkanian welcomed home with open arms

Sporting News, The, April 17, 1995 by Gene Wojciechowski

October 1994. Jerry Tarkanian sits at a table at Spago in Las Vegas and dips some bread into a small pool of olive oil. Already he has answered calls on his cellular, offered praise for then-newly named Nevada-Las Vegas Coach Tim Grgurich and, as usual, criticized former UNLV president Robert Maxson.

The subject turns to Tarkanian's future. Does he plan a return to coaching.

Tarkanian, the winningest coach by percentage in NCAA history (.837), doesn't even hesitate.

"Nah. I've been contacted by some schools, but I'm not coming back," he says. "But let me tell you what I miss. I miss the players. I miss the practices. I don't miss the games. Too much pressure."

February 1995. Tarkanian answers his cellular. The Southern Cal job is open. Has he been contacted? Would he be interested?

"Nah," he says. "I go see my son coach, and my stomach gets tied in knots. I don't think my stomach could take it'

March 1995. Tarkanian is on the cellular again. Fresno State is looking for a coach now that Gary Colson has resigned. He wouldn't consider the Fresno job, would he?

"Yeah, I would definitely be interested in talking," he says.

Huh? What about the stomach knots? What about not looking for a coaching job?

"I really wasn't, but Fresno is like my old town," he says. "It's my alma mater. They've got the best fans in the country, them and Kentucky."

Imagine that: Fresno State ... Tarkanian's version of Bromo Seltzer.

After three years of self-imposed retirement, Tarkanian, 64, is back. He signed a three-year package worth a reported $600,000 and already has promised to elevate the program to national prominence within two seasons' time. "I don't understand why any kid in the country wouldn't want to come to Fresno State," Tarkanian says. "It's the chance of a lifetime."

Fresno State has had two winning seasons in the past 10 years. The Bulldogs finished 13-15 last season and tied for seventh in the Western Athletic Conference. North Carolina, it isn't.

But Tarkanian, who won a national championship in 1990, is feeling a bit saucy these days. There were 40 candidates for the job, but he was the only one to receive an on-campus interview. Then again, he was the only applicant whose candidacy spawned a nightly "Tark Watch" on a local TV station. He was the people's choice, and in the end, Fresno State President John Welty, Athletic Director Gary Cunningham and the school's screening committee couldn't ignore that fact

The support wasn't unanimous. It never is with Tarkanian, given his past battles with the NCAA. Some Fresno faculty members suggested the school shouldn't hire a coach whose programs have been subjected to NCAA investigations and sanctions. That went over real big.

Welty did say Tarkanian's contract "establishes the responsibility of the coach to adhere to NCAA regulations." Which means what that past Tark contracts encouraged him to fracture the rules? The contract clause is standard stuff these days. If Welty wants to pass it off as a safety net for Fresno, that's fine. Even his announcement that Fresno will hire a compliance officer to monitor all NCAA rules is nothing new. Other major programs have been doing that for years.

"Everybody knows they were picking on me," Tarkanian says of the NCAA. "But that's over with. It shouldn't have any effect on what I'm doing here."

Truth is, it sounds as if Fresno wanted Tarkanian, but it also wanted to look moral and proper doing it Whatever.

Depending on the rumors, Tarkanian supposedly has targeted some big-name recruits, some of whom have already given verbal commitments to other schools. If they change their minds, maybe Tarkanian's two-year timetable isn't so crazy after all

By-bye, Bennett

Wave goodbye to Arizona State junior center Mario Bennett and Arkansas junior forward Corliss Williamson, who are leaving early for the NBA.

Bennett reportedly had told friends he would return to Arizona State for his final season. Surprise, he changed his mind.

Thanks partly to Bennett, the Sun Devils advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1975. A 6-foot-9 junior, Bennett averaged 18.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.5 blocked shots this season and leaves the program as its all-time leader in blocked shots and field-goal percentage.

Bruin blast

Since winning the NCAA championship last week, UCLA's players have been guests of "The Tonight Show," guests of Disneyland and honored at an emotional ceremony at Pauley Pavilion, where about 13,000 fans watched as two identical national title banners were unfurled.

Shortly before the ceremony began, former UCLA coach John Wooden addressed the team. Wooden, 84, had attended the Final Four championship game at Seattle but didn't speak to the Bruins before or after the victory against Arkansas. This time, though, he told them, "Great job. Now you guys know what it feels like."

Gene Wojciechowski covers college basketball for the Los Angeles Times.