Fwd: [Husker] Try Again

[NUStLNorris at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/25/05 8:34:24 AM Central Standard Time, andy at knipp.com 
writes:


> It certainly amazes me when people are surprised about the possibility of 
> Collier  getting fired. 
> First you have the 75% win is a program "headed in the wrong direction"
> Second remember that Danny Nee was run out of town after producing 2 (I 
> think)
> NCAA qualifying teams and 1 NIT championship team. Does Collier even have an 
> overall
> .500 record ?  
> 
> BTW,  I am not too concerned either way as I am not a bball fan.   Just my 
> biased observation.

I think that a lot of Merlin's earlier observations/criticisms have merit.  I 
stated some of them a while back, myself.  

I don't think that those of us who think that Collier should be given 
positive consideration when it comes to dismissing vs. retaining are looking through 
it with "scarlet-colored glasses," however.  I think Mike J. said it best when 
he said that maybe we're looking deeper, beneath the surface (or something to 
that effect).  

I wouldn't say that the Jake/Turek/Simms trio NEVER improved or that they 
weren't as good as they were as freshmen.  I think they improved noticeably 
during their sophomore year, were helped by Nate Johnson, Brian Conklin and Andrew 
Drevo's ability to score last year as juniors, and then were completely AWOL 
for the first two-thirds of this season ... a MAJOR step back.  I'd say they 
aren't as good as they were at the end of their second/beginning of their third 
season.  And I couldn't agree more with the criticism of the way Barry handled 
Nate Johnson.  I'll never understand why he wasn't given more freedom to 
become a great player, but I consider the possibility that maybe there's something 
that I'm not aware of that was happening behind the scenes, in the locker 
room, etc. ... who knows?  I don't know and I never understood why Nate wasn't 
given more minutes, more shots ... why he wasn't featured more.

But Andy, I've never heard anyone on this list say they were "surprised" to 
hear of the possibility that Collier might be fired.  Those of us who ARE 
basketball fans are well aware of why Collier MIGHT be let go.  But, like Mike 
J.said, if you look a little deeper, you consider the influx of great young talent 
that's on the way and the fact that discipline and team play has greatly 
increased since Collier took over ... some of us think THAT deserves 
consideration.  You also consider that Barry could be fired, you bring in someone else who 
DOESN'T get it done in five years, you fire him, and you keep up the cycle.  
Just like K-State used to do in football before they committed to B.S. and got 
'competitive.'  

The recruiting HAS gotten NOTICEABLY better the last two years and that 
breaks all ties with me.  I stated about a month ago that if Barry can't win in the 
NCAA Tourney by the time McCray and Maric are juniors, then by all means, 
show him to the Lincoln airport (excuse me, the Omaha airport).  I'd give Barry a 
chance if there are some positives, and the new players ARE positives.  And 
if they (positives) didn't exist, there would be no reason to keep him.  The 
recruiting had to get better and it has.  Seriously, what do we have to lose?  I 
don't think we're going to hire someone out there who's going to come here, 
wave a magic wand and make us better next year or two years from now.  I like 
our chances better with Barry and HIS new players.

Gerald has a post here recently that includes a great final paragraph about 
why Nee's time had run out.  Thanks Gerald, this is getting long enough as it 
is.  
We'd seen the ceiling with Danny Nee.  Try something/someone else.  Nobody 
knows whether or not we've seen Barry's ceiling.  If we have, yeah, fire him 
yesterday.  But I don't think we have.  I know the talent is getting better.  
Let's give Barry a chance to make it work WITH THEM.  Again, what do we have to 
lose, really?  Do you all want another unproven-at-the-major-college-level, 
first-year coach?

I think Nee went to five NCAA tourneys.  His NIT championship team was not 
something to write home about.  At one point, they lost about 11 out of 12 
conference games and boycotted practice; showed a total lack of respect for their 
coach.  Nee had lost his team temporarily and the NIT run DID save his job for 
another year or two or three, or whatever it was.  That NIT championship team 
STILL has three players off of it that are playing every night in the NBA, 
with a fourth that still has a shot.  The walk to the NIT Tourney showed just how 
much they underachieved during the year.

And no, Collier doesn't have an overall .500 record.  I think he's about 7 or 
8 games under .500.  

I didn't understand your statement about "First, you have the 75% win is a 
program headed in the wrong direction."

Sorry for the length, folks.  But it's just not as simple as "oh, let's just 
fire the damn coach, again."

Nice article in the Omaha paper today about Assistant Coach/ace recruiter 
Scott Spinelli.

Dave Norris