Barry Bonds to stay with the Giants: I hate to be the one to break it to Giants fans who might be disgruntled or annoyed that the team re-signed Barry Bonds (1Y/$16M), but he's the only reason the rest of the country might follow the team next season.
In fact, he makes the Giants THE must-see attraction on the road, not to mention will continue to pack the place at home. His assault on Hank Aaron's career home run record – which he'll presumably top some time next season – is the biggest storyline of the 2007 MLB season.
From a business perspective, the Giants would be insane not to take advantage of it, even if most of the media coverage and fan attention – particularly on the road – will be negative. No such thing as bad publicity, of course. Again, it's the only thing keeping that franchise on the national sports fans' radar.
Meanwhile, with their consistent support of Bonds (and, don't lie, you'd root for him too if he was on YOUR team) through both the MVP seasons and the subsequent PED scandals, Giants fans have earned the right to get the chance to watch THEIR guy break the record. For everyone involved, it was the only deal that made sense.
Otherwise, the MLB Winter Meetings were a huge dud. Oh, there were a few laughable contracts (Gil "55 Mil" Meche), but where was the Manny trade? Where was the Zito free-for-all? MLB has a new split: Instead of "big revenue/small revenue," it's "crazy spender/no-spender."
Oh, wait: Red Sox tampering? If there's one juicy story out of Florida, it's that there are rumors swirling (hardly under-the-radar) that the Red Sox might have done a little tampering with JD Drew opting out of his Dodgers contract and taking a huge deal with Boston. Tracking...
Willie Parker runs for 223 in Steelers romp over Browns: With a franchise as storied as the Steelers, it's pretty amazing to set the single-game record in anything, let alone rushing yards. Willie Parker continues to prove why the NFL Draft is a highly inexact science.
NBA: Suns 161, Nets 157 in 2 OT. I think the score says it all.
College Hoops Parity Watch: As quickly as unbeaten
College Football Awards: I'm not quite sure why Brady Quinn beat out Troy Smith for the Maxwell Award, which is sort of a poor man's Heisman. Maybe Maxwell voters, recognizing that Smith was a Heisman lock, decided to throw Quinn a bone for his career body of work?
(Meanwhile, Penn State LB Paul Poluszny won the Bednarik for best defensive player, for the second year in a row. Interesting split with the Nagurski Award choice, which was Big Ten rival LB James Laurinaitis.)
CFB Coaching Carousel:
Meanwhile, WVA coach Rich Rodriguez continues to weigh that offer from
Arlen Specter vs. the NFL: The Senator wants to look into the NFL's antitrust status, specifically because he doesn't like that he can't get Sunday Ticket on his local cable network (only on DirecTV). Now THAT's a populist stance; what fan doesn't agree with him?
"Ali Rap": There's a new ESPN documentary on tomorrow night after the Heisman show about Muhammad Ali's status as
-- D.S.
Posts
67 comments:
(and, don't lie, you'd root for him too if he was on YOUR team)
I have to strongly disagree with you Mr. Shanoff.
If Bonds was signed by the White Sox, I would immediately sell my season tickets. I don't not want to cheer for an organization that would allow this steroid-fueled asswipe to break Henry Aaron's record in their uniform.
I think I say this for many of the fans: "**** Bonds".
I am glad Bonds went back to the Giants, I think it actaully makes it less likely he breaks Hank Arron's record this year. We all saw last year how much trouble age and injuries where cuasing him and now that he will have to play in the field again I think it will hurt his production.
Arlen Specter is one republican who I can actually agree with something on. And goes back to something I said a couple of weeks ago in hoping that the cable Networks that do not have the NFL Network hold out until the NFL allows them to have the Sunday Ticket Package. Does the NFL realize how much money they are losing out on by not having the package available for Cable Subscribers.
No one in my family would have rooted for Bonds if he had signed in St. Louis...and not many other Cardinal fans would have either.
Oh, and the guys at EDSBS had a great shirt for the Alabama coaching search...
"No, I will not coach your legendary football program."
I was surprised that Quinn won the Maxwell. I figured that Quinn would win the QB award and Smith would win the Maxwell. Although looking at the past few Maxwell award winners... it appears its an award for the Heisman runner-up.
2005: Vince Young (Heisman-Bush)
2004: Jason White (Heisman-Leinart)
2003: Larry Johnson (Heisman-White)
There was an NFL game last night??? Here's the thing that bothers me about it, I get the NFL network on digital cable, but the company won't carry the games because the NFL wants 500,000 more for the games. That's just greed.
I would not root for Bonds if he came to the Red Sox. And when he comes to Fenway this year and I many other fans are going to BOO him until he goes home and crys.
I don't get the idea that tampering was the factor that led to J.D. Drew opting out of his contract with the Dodgers.
Isn't it a lot more likely/plausible that it was the uber greedy Scott Boras who knew this market would explode that advised Drew to opt out.
That being said, the Red Sox do have somewhat of a history of allegedly tampering, most notably last year with the Devil Rays and Julio Lugo (who is know on the Sox).
This could be interesting to follow.
By the way, anyone who didn't read this DJ Gallo piece is missing out. The line about Manny is awesome:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=gallo/061207
-Todd (Boston)
I don't like to typically play the race card, but I sense some deep seated racism in the fact that there are only six black coaches in D-1A college football.
The boosters have money and most likely they are all white. It's just so sad to think that it's 2006 and there is still inequality in certain sports.
I don't doubt that Randy Shannon is a great coach (and minority hiring is great for the sport), but wouldn't they have done better to clean sweep the leadership of a team that is so clearly screwed up?
Shannon is going to need some very strong "that was then, this is now" talk for a while.
Great defense last night by the Suns, Nets and Browns.
Cowher should have let Willie Parker keep running. The Steelers aren't playing for anything, so why not let the guy have a chance at 300 yards?
College basketball is crazy this year. We are getting closer and closer to that #1 seed being knocked off by a 16.
The NFL has done much better at addressing the race inequality for coaching than the NCAA. The real problem is that major programs are guaranteed a certain number of wins, so that people can talk themselves into Weis being better than Willingham before he actually is.
Why is it a monopoly not to share the Sunday Ticket, but it isn't monopoly that only EA can make NFL videogames?
I want to make this clear: there are 4 networks plus the NFL network showing games, and there is an optional package to view all the game available only through one outlet.
But there is only one company who can make NFL videogames, and they charge more money than when there were several NFL games, so they HAVE hurt the consumer. This is a much better case for antitrust action, and it hasn't happened, so Sunday Ticket and NFL network isn't going anywhere.
It's the same deal that occurs every couple of years with ESPN.
Personally I think the NFL caves since they are worried about the almighty dollar when the advertisors come back and say you are not giving us the audience you promised for the amount of money we are paying so we want a reduced rate or we are pulling the contract.
Let me do Dan a favor. Here's what he meant to say...
and, don't lie, you'd root for him too if he HAD BEEN PLAYING ON YOUR TEAM FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS
I have to admit, if he had been on my team for so long I wouldn't stop rooting for him just because he's close to breaking a record.
Look at the Bay-Area fans. They all root for him like he's their first born son. He's the only reason that their franchise has been good in the last 15 years. Just ask the Pirates fans how they've done since he left.
I think the reason college don't hire more African-American head coaches is because they don't want to look like Notre Dame and soon-to-be Mississippi St. Meaning: You hire a black coach and everyone applauds. But if you struggle and fire them before their contract is up, you look racist.
It's sad, but it's the truth.
Completely agree with cmfost, if he had been with my team for as long as he's been with the Giants and what he's done for the franchise it'd be hard to just turn on him. He's not the only person over the past 20 years who has taken steroids. Still, I can't stand the piece of shit.
I would immediately sell my season tickets. That's a bunch of shit and you know it. He's got (maybe) one season left.
You're not a fan if you ditch your team because of one player.
and, don't lie, you'd root for him too if he was on YOUR team
Oh HELL no. Outside of San Fran, Bonds is the type of guy that would make people STOP rooting for their teams were he to join them...it would piss a lot of people off. I understand the longevity factor for Bonds in San Fran, which is why it would have been incredibly stupid for him to go anywhere else. They decided long ago that they love him, no matter what, and he'll never get anything close to that kind of acceptance anywhere else.
Next season will be mind-numbingly predictable as far as Bonds goes. 1) He'll be old, and injured, which will stretch out the home run chase insanely even with relatively few to go to get the record. 2) He'll be viciously and unceasingly booed, taunted, and borderline assaulted (i.e., people throwing things at him, etc.) everywhere outside of the San Fran city limits. 3) People inside the San Fran limits will continue to support and defend him. 4) ESPN will track Bonds' every move and potential move in minute enough detail to make me want to stab my eye with a pencil when I watch SportsCenter. 5) When he finally does it, it won't be nearly as big a deal as he, the Giants, or the media thinks it will be.
To me, the real wild card with Bonds is Aaron. The guy's straight class, so I suppose this is unlikely, but I'm interested to see if he'd go after Bonds publicly and throw him under the bus, anything in the "He's probably a cheater and doesn't deserve my record" vein. THAT would be interesting and entertaining.
Go Arlen.
Ali Rap -- this honestly looks more than a little...odd. I guess Sportscenter is trying to push things and do something unusual. I really enjoyed Klosterman's article on it yesterday, though he seemed to be undermining it and its premise while supposedly promoting it.
That's a bunch of shit and you know it. He's got (maybe) one season left.
You're not a fan if you ditch your team because of one player.
So, you know me personally? You have the authority to define what a true fan is and isn't? Wow, I didn't realize this. *rolls eyes*
***There was an NFL game last night???***
Yeah, the Browns looked pathetic and made the Steelers look fantastic. Ugh.
I would not go to ONE Indians' game if Bonds were to come here (HAHAHAHA-like he'd ever consider it!) I have no interest in watching "His 'Roidness" break Hank Aaron's record either.
I laughed at Brady Quinn's "runner up Heisman". Give me a break.
re: bonds...
...whatever, i'm an orioles fan, i'll take what i can get. one player does not make a team. i still have my rafael palmeiro jersey, i've come to terms with it. if i haven't given up on my team for any other reason in the past 15 years, i can't see myself up and stopping just b/c bonds is on it. i'm not going to give the guy a standing O or anything, but my team is my team.
eric -- i think the more important demographic statistic there, is what percentage of NCAA PLAYERS are black, compared with coaches... not necessarily just the US population in general.
either way, its an interesting discussion.
Can someone please provide any evidence (stats, opinion, conjecture - I would just like SOMETHING at this point) why Darren McFadden is on the player-of-the-year award top 5s, but Ian Johnson isn't even getting a sniff? Both Sophs, Johnson played in all of his games, scored 10 more TDs, had more yards with a better per carry average and his team went undefeated. Anyone...anyone?
I could care less about people not getting NFL sunday ticket, and not getting NFL network. I subscribe to directv. I get both. Not my problem. If you live in a building and can't get directv, talk to management about putting a dish on the roof for the entire building. When i lived in a condo the homeowners association decided to do that to give people a choice. Imagine that.
I would like to know if anybody watched the same thing I did last night. 9:00 on ESPN2 was the Old Spice High School Showcase. Featuring the rare #1 vs. #2 matchup. #1 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va) and #2 Norcross (Atlanta, Ga) being played at Georgia Tech.
This game was incredible. Highlights everywhere. The announcers said that it's likely that all of the starting 5 for each team will eventually start on a BCS conference team by their sophmore year at the latest.
The best player for Oak Hill, who moved to 11-0 and kept their #1 ranking, was named Nolan Smith. His dad was Derrick Smith who played for Louisville and then in the NBA and was an assistant coach for the Wiz. That kid was incredible. Did it all; Played D, shot the 3, drove the lane, passed well. Unfortunetly he's going to Duke.
This was only the first of 10 high school games ESPN is doing this year. I really can't wait to see OJ MAYO play.
Did anyone else watch? Or have other comments?
eric -
I have no idea what point you are/aren't trying to make. What I get out of your little thing there, though, is that you don't blame schools and you think they are somehow unaware of race when they hire coaches. And I'm pretty sure you're wrong. Steven Colbert might not see races, but it's hard for everybody else to miss it.
If you mean that the group of old white men currently has some sort of hegemony on the ranks of head coaches, and schools rarely think to hire coaches who haven't already been head coaches - I mean, you're obviously right, but sometimes schools will make somebody's assistant coach their head coach. Gene Chizik's got a new job now, but I doubt Iowa State would have grabbed this Shannon guy, even if he was there when Miami was in the championship hunt every year (was he?).
Now, I'm not saying every school should try to find a token black coach; I think one of the best things the Lions have done in my lifetime was to ignore the Affirmative Action Coach Interviewing rules a few years ago, when they obviously wanted Mooch and decided not to subject a random black coach to a sham of an interview.
But Shanoff's not wrong when he says that it's a damn shame that the system almost prohibits black coaches. I don't think it's an easy fix, but I'd have to agree it's broken.
You lost me, guy -
Basketball has a BCS now?
Norm Chow
Where do the great minority candidates go? They go to the NFL when noone in college will even give them a sniff. Or they go to I-AA and have great success.
Is it a race issue? Partly. I also think its the fear by most universities to hire someone without HC experience. Most minority candidates dont have it...because they aren't given chances... etc. It's a cycle.
I look forward to the Ali Rap. Seems very cool.
Weis hasn't done much to deserve that ridiculous extension though.
There will always be talk about the inherent racism in the treatment of Willingham. And it's probably with reason. (though not a ton of reason, i agree his firing was MOSTLY due to performance. But I think his race led to less patience by the boosters)
Maybe its just me, but I hate the idea of nationally televising high school sports.
john (a a, m)-
I thought it was easier than saying Major 6 Conferences
rafael, gotta disagree with you there. From NDs perspective, Weis has taken the football team to a BCS bowl in both years he's been head coach. Money, money, money. He's making the school money and the school is paying him.
I'd say the extension is VERY justified when you look at it from that VERY realistic perspective.
guyinthecorner
I watched the game last night also. I don't know what it says about me that I was more interested in watching that game instead of the ND vs. Alabama game.
That being said, Nolan Smith was good, but I also thought Al-Farouq Aminu was a very talented player (and he's only 16). I think they said there were about 10 D 1-A player in the game. Very impressive. And a very good game.
So, you know me personally? You have the authority to define what a true fan is and isn't?
I don't need to know you personally to see that you're full of crap.
You go to the games, boo the player, and root for the team. You don't bail because of one signing. Sell the tickets on ebay and resume going in 2008.
In the style of Dan and the Quickie:
If Bonds were on my team....
I. Would. Not. Root. For. Him. Ever.
I'd probably sever my ties with the organization, write a letter to the team and move on to more classy climes.
In the style of Dan and the Quickie:
If Bonds were on my team....
I. Would. Not. Root. For. Him. Ever.
I'd probably sever my ties with the organization, write a letter to the team and move on to more classy climes.
I shudder to think how many more yards Larry Johnson would have gained his senior year if only his father were head coach instead of JoePa.
I'd probably sever my ties with the organization
Some might call that "Fair Weather Fan"
Oh please. You're just as full of crap as MegaMan. Your eyes must be brown.
john (ann arbor, mi)
Here's why I disagree with the Lions decision on the sham interview. It's a matter of personal pride, but as anyone who's looking for a job knows - GO ON ANY INTERVIEW YOU CAN. It's practice for one, and, more importantly, there's enough shared communication around the league to say... hey black coach x interviewed really well. (I believe that's one of the reasons that Willie Randolph had trouble getting a job, he was a bad interview - I don't know what that means in terms of professional sports)
As much as I hate Herm Edwards as a Jet fan, I think he made the same comment, take whatever chance you are offered, maybe Matt Millon has a conversation with the AC @ MSU or something... The more interviews you go on, the more likely you are to get a job.
That's why the NFL instituted the rules.
You can argue it's reverse discrimination, but how many jobs in the NFL went without a single white person interviewing. (Yes, I know there are Asian, Latin, Jewish, etc.. etc... coaches - but one step at a time.)
3 things
1) i know that i wouldnt root for barry bonds if he signed with the indians or reds...but i don't think i'd root AGAINST him the way that i do now
2) Thanks to the 26-pt head start you just gave me in the first round of the fantasy football playoffs, Mr. Parker. Now i'm not sad I forgot to bench you for Frank Gore.
(Yes, my other RB is Tomlinson)
3) someone commented about being closer to a 16-seed knocking off a 1-seed...i don't think we're any closer to that, because the 16 seeds will always be weak teams that won their even weaker conferences. The reason you see 12s knocking off 5s is that often, the 12s are those last teams from maor conferences that just got in.
@ cmfost:
"And when he comes to Fenway this year and I many other fans are going to BOO him until he goes home and crys"
I would say it would be a lot better if Fenway fell completely silent. No reaction at all. No boos, obviously no cheers, just nothing. Disinterest. For a guy who professes to hate the media and hate all the attention he gets, Bonds certainly knows how to manipulate the coverage and get in front of a camera when he needs to.
@ sheldiz:
"i still have my rafael palmeiro jersey, i've come to terms with it."
I'm not sure what stranger about that comment - that you still own the Palmeiro jersey, or that you ever owned one in the first place... :)
XcDannon:
The reason you see 12s knocking off 5s is that often, the 12s are those last teams from maor conferences that just got in.
2006
Texas A&M
Montana
2005
UW-Milwaukee
2004
Manhattan
Pacific
2003
Butler
2002
Missouri
Creighton
Tulsa
2001
Gonzaga
Utah St.
2000
NO 12 Seed Won
Of the 24 5 Vs. 12 games played since 2001 the 12 seed has won 11 of them, only 2 of the 11 winning 12 seeds were from the Big 6. I think the reason the 12 seed wins is because they are often the regular season winner in their small/mid major conference. These teams are usually pretty underrated
biebs-
Great Job. You beat me to it.
ROOT FOR BONDS?
I don't think I could have, and lucky for me, I don't have to decide.
As for the Giants being a draw on the road because of Bonds. I don't really see how. He's going to be a step slower and a split second later in reacting than last year, he'll need that much more rest, all making him not really worth going to see in general.
Now maybe IF he gets within 2 or 3 of the record there will be a surge in attendance, but once (IF) he passes the mark that would pretty much kill any further interest in Mr. Bonds and his team.
Gotta think that on the whole, its not worth 16 million.
You know what I would love to see is if Bonds gets to with in 1 home run of the record that no one pitches to him. He just walks or gets hit by a pitch every time he comes up.
I'd like to thank marcosquared for telling me I am and what I'm not...and for telling me how I should root and what constitutes being a fan and what doesn't. I never knew until today. You are the gospel.
actually you know what would be classic Bonds get with in 1 Home run of Arron with say 20 games left in the season and the Selig suspends him for 50 for using steriods
Yes, Dan, the NFL Draft is an inexact science.
But the Cleveland Browns having no defensive skills seems to be a sure thing.
big d -- don't worry, i don't wear it in public or anything :)
i bought it literally two weeks before he got busted. i obviously don't support him or what he did... but maybe it'll be a cool retro ironic conversation piece my kids can wear one day.... maybe? okay maybe not.
kegdoctor said...
I'd like to thank marcosquared for telling me I am and what I'm not...and for telling me how I should root and what constitutes being a fan and what doesn't. I never knew until today. You are the gospel.
Yup. Marco knows all. On the 8th day, God created Marco and his knowledge on what constitutes being a sports fan.
I thought that on the eighth day G-d created lego so that people could create things too.
I have to agree with dan that I wold root for bonds if he came to my team. Hell I would buy a bonds jersey and wear it with pride as my d-rays got destroyed once again. Personally I think bonds is an asshole but the man knows how to play the game and with a young team like the devil rays he might have actually taught those guys a thing or two about how to play the game right as well as give them a few pointers on how to get away with cheating. As my dad says I am morally bereft and I have no problem having a shady cheater on my team. All I care about is whether or not we win and if bonds could have helped us do that I would laud him as the second coming. We all know he cheated so even if he breaks a record there will always be an sterisk in our minds regarding him and his fellow roid uses.
Not quite against themselves the devil rays offered bonds a contract which supposedly he laughed at. I just hope andrew friedman doesnt do something retarded like trade baldelli or one of our many up and coming outfielders for a shaky fifth starter or a middle reliever with an arm weaker than mine.
No, Eric, you're right, I haven't studied antitrust law. I thought harm to the consumer was important in the Microsoft case and thought that was the applicable yardstick. By that measure, it seems that blackouts and high videogame prices hurt consumers more than making a premium package exclusive.
But obviously, I don't understand how the "antitrust exemption" works and why they have one anyway.
eric -- allow me to gloss over bill belicheck being "the best coach out there" and jump right in to my point... do you have to have played college ball to be a coach? no, of course not. however, i imagine if you polled every football coach in the country, you would find that more of them than not have had some sort of playing experience (be it high school, college, pro, etc.).
That was my point. To me it doesn't make sense to use society as a whole as the population sample. The population as a whole doesn't even have an interest in football or in this day and age, the ability to be selected to coach. So if you start peeling away the layers -- no women, no people that hate football, no blind people, etc etc etc... you get a smaller and smaller sample. So, i my opinion, the sample to use for discussion would be those who have played football. In which case, the percetange of black men in that sample would be higher than the percentage of black men in the U.S, in general.
speaking of the giants:
http://tinyurl.com/w28ug
[as I recall - haven't looked anything up]
Willingham was the first coach in ND history to get fired. Every previous coach was allowed to finish their contract then let go. Weis got his contract extensive during his first year - prior to any BCS Bowls - after a 3-0 start. Willingham started 8-0 at ND and received nothing for his efforts. That is definitely disparity (whether it is racial or not is a larger conversation) in treatment of the coaches.
Willingham is very mum in all aspects, especially the media whereas Weis prostrates himself to the media and I think ND likes that.
mike-NO! HaHa
Back when Bonds could still move, I thought it would have been interesting if he broke the record on an inside-the-park home run. Then there couldn't be a mob scene trying to retrieve the ball....the catcher would have it in his mitt a second too late after Bonds slid home. But at this point, you'd have to have a "Claudell Washington falling into the seats for Bill Buckner" - type event for Bonds to get all the way around. Come to think of it, if it's an inside-the-parker like that for 756, can the fan sell the clumsy outfielder on eBay?
pssst....ndyanks, you keep spelling your coach's last name wrong. (shhh!)
Does anyone else think the field at Heinz last night looked pretty bad and chewed up? If it had been raining it would have been just as bad as Foxboro. I almost wonder if there'll come a time when FieldTurf is required.
SF knew the PR hit it would've taken had Bonds left, which was in my mind why they totally overpaid for him. Then again when Gil Meche and Ted Lilly get 10-mil-plus...But the Giants knew letting him go would've been the worst thing ever given the loyalty of their fan base for him. Imagine rooting for a guy for 15 years who breaks the HR record in another uniform because the team wouldn't sign him.
He's a one-trick pony anymore, and I wonder how long he will last this season having to play the outfield. 16 million is a lot for a guy who will either homer, single (because he can't run-then will clog up the bases because he can only run station-to-station) or draw walks, and will more than likely miss a minimum of 50 games because of injury.
Weiss got a contract extension so early because ND was afraid he'ld jump right back to the NFL. According to Don Banks of SI, there's a buyout clause in his contract that is 2 mill for every year left on the deal. So it will still cost 10 mill to buy his contract out half way through.
Even as an ND fan I think it rather curious that Willingham was fired so quickly. Hell, they kept Bob Davie for 5 years. But I think it was more of wanting to get Urban Meyer who was an assistant to Lou Holtz at ND. When he turned them down, they snatched up one of the hot names in the NFL and then extended him fairly quickly knowing he could jump to the NFL just as fast.
eric -- i see what you're saying. i think we're just approaching the percentage differently, which is fine. i do think that there are some racial issues to be discussed regarding hiring and promoting practices in the NCAA, with or without a discussion of the percentage employed as related to the percent of the population.
jhawkjjm~ I was surprised Willingham was fired so quickly too. I liked him and really didn't think ND gave him a fair shake. Why is it ALWAYS the coaches' fault!? (I'm and ND fan too, BTW)
eric - i would agree. it is more a symptom of society in general, and not necessarily specific to football.
and i thoroughly enjoyed your use of 'egregious'.
As someone who knows statistics, it's clear that likely candidates for a NCAA coaching job are not going to include ME. It's former coaches and players, and that's pretty much it, and any judge in a discrimination case would use qualified applicants, not the population as a whole for the basis of comparison.
We're really just talking about the popular, multimillion dollar programs, who will ALWAYS choose someone with job experience.
What the NCAA really should have is that the coaches and the players tend to be about the same ethnicity as a percentage. It's not like all the players in the 70s were white. We should have more minority coaches by now.
There's clearly a lag, here, and the control population is women's sports: it's not like women's sports have as many female coaches as female players (like 90% to 100%). So we could also easily argue it's sexism that there are 1-10% male coaches in women's college b-ball and 0% female coaches.
I can't believe anyone would claim that Willingham did poorly at Washington this year. The Huskies finished with 3-4 more wins than most people thought they would, not to mention defeating rival WSU in the Apple Cup. Not too shabby, considering they had to play the second half of the season without their starting QB, around whom the offense was designed!
UW started strong, but they had a tough stretch of games (@USC, OSU, @CAL, ASU, @ORE). If they win one of those they probably go to a bowl (because they would have been more confident going against STAN - although that's still inexcusable). Ty needed to coach them to one of those wins and he didn't. Close in most of them, but kept falling short. Willingham should be able to lift the program to the top half of the Pac-10, but it'll never be what it was.
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