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.
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.
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