[NU Sports] Basketball

[Jonathan Hodges]

Just recently, NU barely got by Wheaton (Div. III) and now has lost to an
NAIA team.  Fortunately, it is exhibition and doesn't count towards the
regular season record (I believe), but it definitely doesn't build
confidence in the 'Cats in what should be a do or die season for Carmody.
Many (myself included) were calling for his dismissal after last season's
debacle - and that is after being a strong Carmody supporter for years while
others were ready to kick him to the curb.  The fact is that year in and
year out NU basketball fans are forced to wait for next year in the hopes
that some solid recruits will help make a difference, but that time just
hasn't come.  In fact, his best seasons were his 2nd and 4th at NU (he went
7-9 and 8-8 in Big Ten play during those seasons, respectively), and the
only year when NU had a winning record on the season was that 2nd year
(2001-2002), when the 'Cats went 16-13.  And, of course, there's always the
fact that Northwestern hasn't gone to any postseason tournament under
Carmody (8 seasons) and has never been to the NCAA tourney.

Phillips has shown a commitment to success and was willing to bring in a
higher profile women's basketball coach, and hopefully he will assess
Carmody based on the record on the court, although it may take Bienen's
pending retirement to allow that to happen given that Carmody seems to be
"his guy."  While Bill is a stand-up guy and has run a clean program that
has had more success than any period in NU basketball history, he just
hasn't taken NU to where it needs to be - at least mildly competitive in the
Big Ten and able to catch lightning from time to time and actually make an
NCAA tourney appearance.  He's had his share of chances and has had lots of
time to recruit his guys, and it just isn't working out.  I'm not an
advocate of firing coaches mid season, but if this year finishes the way it
started, the NU administration better look at itself in the mirror and ask
what it wants out of the men's basketball program.

Jonathan

On Fri, Nov 7, 2008 at 5:51 AM, Dennis W. Brandt <tbng at comcast.net> wrote:

> Hopes of a successful basketball season just went flat.  We lost to Robert
> Morris.  Except for Shurna, our vaunted freshmen didn't seem to show up.
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-- 
Jonathan W. Hodges
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