Dan Monson
Wow people were calling for the head of Dan Monson this week. I think it's natural for many of the deeply-rooted fans to want a move in another direction. Obviously, we all gave him a free pass for a few years after the cheating scandal. When we got him, we were yet to even see the conclusion of the investigation, yet stuck on the memories of regular success and hopeful no drop in progress would be too abysmal.
As fans like myself, we've suffered as much as the coach, the athletics department, and the players during this trying period. Many of us were too optimistic, thinking as soon as our NCAA probation was over, the U should go immediately back to the top of the Big Ten annually and easily attract the top in-state players. While seven years is a long time, we were warned to be patient and that it would take time. Take a deep breath, people.
I've thought about whether to keep Monson was the right thing frequently during the last few months. That happens when you see a lack of effort, selfish play, confusion on the court, and the absence of a flowing offense. Part coaching and other things can be blamed on the quality of the players. Either way, they must be resolved by the coach next year.
People blame him for bad recruiting, but think of this. When he visits living rooms to recruit this spring and summer - he'll be talking to kids that were 8, 9 or 10 years old when Clem was kicked out of town and the U was on the national scene. How well would you remember those teams? I think it'd be foggy at best. It was a time when kids had more posters of Michael Jordan or Kevin Garnett much more than Dusty Rychart. While they grew, the U was a blip on their radars. When they were old enough to gain interest in the U's program, the team stunk, the Barn's atmosphere sucked, the university was associated with cheaters, and Monson didn't have a good reputation because the team wasn't winning.
Entering his third year without restrictions, Monson can now change the face of this program. With a full set of scholarships, he should continue to be less reliant on transfers or selfish self-proclaimed superstars he'll get for two years and must playing immediately. Those guys are not the answer.
It takes time to build a team with mid-level talent - just look at the NCAA tournament. Good teams need enough players where underclassmen have time to build camaraderie and teamwork, and a couple of seasons of riding the pine and working hard in practice before they log heavy minutes. That's what builds a strong, gritty, eager, and team-oriented player who has a heart for the program and knows he has only a few chances to make an impact. He's a player who knows that during every minute, he must give it his all or he'll be back on the bench while the coach gives another up-and-coming player a chance to perform. I think we are just entering a period where Monson has the freedom to do that.
I don't know what to expect next year, but I don't feel this program would be in a better spot with a coach like Rick Majerus, Mike Davis, Steve Lavin, or others.
It would still take time - and we must still be patient.
As fans like myself, we've suffered as much as the coach, the athletics department, and the players during this trying period. Many of us were too optimistic, thinking as soon as our NCAA probation was over, the U should go immediately back to the top of the Big Ten annually and easily attract the top in-state players. While seven years is a long time, we were warned to be patient and that it would take time. Take a deep breath, people.
I've thought about whether to keep Monson was the right thing frequently during the last few months. That happens when you see a lack of effort, selfish play, confusion on the court, and the absence of a flowing offense. Part coaching and other things can be blamed on the quality of the players. Either way, they must be resolved by the coach next year.
People blame him for bad recruiting, but think of this. When he visits living rooms to recruit this spring and summer - he'll be talking to kids that were 8, 9 or 10 years old when Clem was kicked out of town and the U was on the national scene. How well would you remember those teams? I think it'd be foggy at best. It was a time when kids had more posters of Michael Jordan or Kevin Garnett much more than Dusty Rychart. While they grew, the U was a blip on their radars. When they were old enough to gain interest in the U's program, the team stunk, the Barn's atmosphere sucked, the university was associated with cheaters, and Monson didn't have a good reputation because the team wasn't winning.
Entering his third year without restrictions, Monson can now change the face of this program. With a full set of scholarships, he should continue to be less reliant on transfers or selfish self-proclaimed superstars he'll get for two years and must playing immediately. Those guys are not the answer.
It takes time to build a team with mid-level talent - just look at the NCAA tournament. Good teams need enough players where underclassmen have time to build camaraderie and teamwork, and a couple of seasons of riding the pine and working hard in practice before they log heavy minutes. That's what builds a strong, gritty, eager, and team-oriented player who has a heart for the program and knows he has only a few chances to make an impact. He's a player who knows that during every minute, he must give it his all or he'll be back on the bench while the coach gives another up-and-coming player a chance to perform. I think we are just entering a period where Monson has the freedom to do that.
I don't know what to expect next year, but I don't feel this program would be in a better spot with a coach like Rick Majerus, Mike Davis, Steve Lavin, or others.
It would still take time - and we must still be patient.
posted by The Divoteer at 9:12 AM
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