by Jack Kerwin | ydkjack1@gmail.com Tired of it. Really, just tired of it. For me, it takes more energy than this aging, maybe even maturing individual is willing to muster in order to hate, dislike or even hold any modicum of distaste for the Villanova University men’s basketball program. Just don’t care anymore about your hang-ups, prejudices or preconceived notions with how the school is for elite snobs, how Jay Wright is a fraud or how the Wildcats’ fan base is the most obnoxious thing going in the world of sports. Yo, get it. Wasn’t smart enough or rich enough to get into ’Nova, either, and neither coach of my alma maters (in and out of town) merits much more than a yawn outside of #FireHim dissent. The fans? Look in the mirror sometime. Seriously, Temple people, Saint Joe’s people and any other people in, around and beyond Philly, grow up. This infantile jealousy trying to masquerade itself as some “come hell or high water” loyalty to whatever faction you’re claiming as your own is so worn out … and forever misguided. You’re frustrated. Unsatisfied. Unfulfilled with what your school, your team, your coach is doing, or not doing. So you focus all that venom brewing inside in the direction of the school, the team and the coach who has given every program in the country a template on how to succeed. Really? Why not learn instead, and demand the following from your own ... It’s pretty simple. Just a couple steps:
’Nova hit a home run with Wright, not because of his previous stint at the school or his growing up in the Philly ’burbs, but because he can coach – in practice and in games – and he can recruit like few others. He didn’t hone his skills along the Main Line before grabbing the reins in 2001. He did so at Hofstra, an afterthought on Long Island that he made relevant by adhering to Step 1. The dude went after it. Ultimately nailed down back-to-back NCAA berths before bolting for greener pastures along Lancaster Avenue. The real beauty is, everyone who points out their perceived flaws of him, from him being phony to him being lucky, falls to realize how brilliant a coach he is. With creating a culture for the program and going out and getting the players to fit in it. With instilling a tenacity and desire in his players, even the most talented among them, to go all-out on the court, especially on the defensive end. With demanding peak performance and not accepting when it isn't there. Hey, they guy has failed more than he has succeeded when you look at the bottom line of the sport: how you do in the NCAA tournament. ’Nova, even with winning a title in 2016 and making two Final Fours under Wright’s watch, has been a high-seeded disappointment most seasons. But the Wildcats keep coming because they stick to No. 1 and have No. 2. Nothing less than respect is deserved for that. | ’Nova hit a home run with Wright, not because of his previous stint at the school or his growing up in the Philly ’burbs, but because he can coach – in practice and in games – and he can recruit like a mutha. He didn’t hone his skills along the Main Line before grabbing the reins in 2001. He did so at Hofstra, an afterthought on Long Island that he made relevant by adhering to Step 1 (stop with the limitations and excuses). The dude went after it. Ultimately nailed down back-to-back NCAA berths before bolting to greener pastures along Lancaster Avenue. RELATED |
0 Comments
Interested in seeing YDKJ's most popular work the past year? Just click on a story or photo. (Stories selected by combined likes and views, and the website owner's whims) Yeah, Villanova was, and is, very good and ranked No. 1 in the country. But the problem isn't that Temple lost to its Big Five rival last week. It is that it didn't even show up - at home, no less - against the Wildcats, as evidenced by this first-half shot of the scoreboard at the Liacouras Center. That is on Owls head coach Fran Dunphy. By Jack Kerwin | ydkjack1@gmail.com
That did it for me. Loyal fan. Solid supporter of the program. Even a former season-ticketholder. After witnessing firsthand this latest edition of Temple University men’s basketball, though, roll over and play dead in its most stern test of the 2017-18 campaign, am done. Won’t ever spend another dime on seeing the Owls coached by Fran Dunphy. Sorry, get it. Good guy. Solid coach. Nice representative of the school. But he just doesn’t fit on North Broad. He never did, and he never will. Round peg, meet square hole. Been witnessing this mismatch since 2006, painfully aware that it likely would never change, but ever hopeful it would. Obviously, though, more than a decade later, it isn't going to at this point. As silly and as mentally pedestrian as it may seem, there really is something to culture and the atmosphere around a place, or even a team. While Dunphy’s rock-solid, above-reproach character and aesthetically pleasing to the eye philosophy to playing hoops blended perfectly at Penn, both have failed – on the court – at Temple. Gritty, edgy, bordering on too physical, and emotional, is what works on the hardwood at Philly’s largest university – always has, and always will … and seeing none of that, yet again, existent in last week’s godawful matchup with top-ranked Villanova, well, yeah, am out. Even now, it still burns. Rightfully so. It was embarrassing to sit there, as an alum, and watch things devolve right from the opening tip – realizing the script already had been written before the opening tip. Forget winning. How about showing up? Look, we got it – all 10,000 of us in the stands, not to mention anyone who took even just a passing interest outside the Liacouras Center. If Temple were to win, it would have ranked among the biggest upsets in city history, if not college basketball history. But the Owls, even with Dunphy getting in a solid decade and change of under-recruiting for the fifth-winningest program in the sport’s annals, ain’t exactly barren-cupboard material on the talent front. They’re not loaded. But they do have two guys worthy of NBA attention – one for his rising potential in 6-8 swing man Quinton Rose and another for his “how the eff is he not a superstar” skills in 6-10 forward Obi Enechionyia. Not even midway through the first half, they were down 20. At home. The little signs of life, provided by Rose and Aaron Brown after that, were quickly blotted out by Temple’s own listless efforts as much as the Jalen Brunson-led Wildcats’ greatness. But the masses accept mediocrity now for the Owls. Some even managed to point out how Villanova’s lead never ballooned beyond 23 points. It has come to this for a once-proud program, and, sad to say, it is going to stay that way as long as Dunphy remains coach. It just is. Only without a dime coming from here to fund it anymore. That ship has sailed, and wise Owls fans would be on the next one to follow. Otherwise nothing will change. OWLS 16, Villanova 13 | Philadelphia, Pa.1. Coaching in need of fine-tuning A friend ripped the lack of preparation for Saturday's 16-13 victory against FCS-level Villanova (not to mention last week's loss at Notre Dame). Personally, saw a bigger issue with lack of adjustments during this game. Whatever, new ringmaster and chief proponent of swag Geoff Collins had better get things more in line on both offense and defense if the Owls have any hope of being competitive in the American Athletic Conference, never mind attempting to repeat as the circuit's champion. The running game, a staple during the Matt Rhule regime, was pathetic (27 carries, 79 yards), and Temple got shredded for more than 250 yards in the air after intermission. 2. Seriously, does David Hood have pictures? Sorry, he's a decent RB and all, but the “effed up strategy” alarm sounded for me once he started the game over Ryquell Armstead. The Owls' ground game got completely disjointed at Notre Dame when Collins and Co. kept alternating the backs, and it never got going at all in this one thanks to that decision. Keeping it real, from everything these eyes have seen the last three seasons, Hood is the third-best back the Owls can run out there, behind Armstead and Jager Gardner ... and a distant third-best at that. 3. Speed not only kills, but saves Take away its team “wheels” advantage and Temple, frankly, doesn't even belong on the same field as Villanova. The difference in “feel for the game” and innate intangibles were that overtly dramatic in this one, in the visitors' favor. The Wildcats either are better-coached, have, in general, more natural football instincts, or some combo of both, and that almost made the difference against a Temple squad with reputedly superior talent. 'Nova wanted to get outside on some plays, but was thwarted repeatedly due to Temple's overall speed., which is impressive ... and, in this case, along with LB Shaun Bradley's fumble-forcing talents, game-saving. 4. Yeah, QBs can be that important You can see the arm talent that Temple's Logan Marchi possesses. But all too often it shows in erratic form, and, frankly, he just doesn't “get it” the way Villanova's Zach Bednarczyk does. Holy cow, what a discrepancy between those two. Marchi has it all over Bednarczyk in terms of throwing a fastball, or going distance, but seems to have no concept of needing to throw with touch, or how to lead receivers, or even when to take chances. Might be a good idea for Collins to have his signal-caller watch tape of the 'Cats QB for the rest of his career in order to help grasp how it's done. 5. Chalk about another win On the scoreboard? Well, OK ... but, really,we're talking unis. Man, if the Owls' game could match their weekly attire, wow. Their white lid and rest all cherry getup kinda put Villanova's outfit to shame, and the Wildcats usually look pretty damn good in whatever combo they utilize. Still not sold on the faded diamonds that Under Armour has deemed Temple's “thing,” but there are uglier, more nonsensical staples out there – like, pretty much anything Oregon pushes or Maryland's distorted addiction to its state flag. - Jack Kerwin | ydkjack1@gmail.com |
CategoriesArchives
November 2022
Best of 2018Best of 2017Best of 2016Best of 2015 |