HemiEd
03-16-2005, 12:00 AM
I did not see this on the board, sorry if it is a repost http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/11136259.htm
Posted on Tue, Mar. 15, 2005
Jason Whitlock
How can K-State's Weiser let an NIT bid slip away?
JASON WHITLOCK
You'd have to be the worst athletic director in America to fail to squeeze an NIT bid out of a 17-12 record, six Big 12 Conference wins, a postseason tournament blowout victory over Texas A&M and a guaranteed first-round sellout against Wichita State.
Even Al Bohl could have parlayed those credentials into an NIT bid. But not Tim Weiser, the man in charge of Kansas State's athletic program. Maybe K-State should be considering two job searches: 1. men's head basketball coach; 2. athletic director.
The Wildcats got snubbed by the Not Invited Tournament. The snubbing makes absolutely no sense, especially after you talk to the head of the NIT selection committee, Jack Powers.
“The big thing was K-State's six-game losing streak midway through the season,” Powers told me Monday afternoon.
Say what? The reason most teams are in the NIT — and not the Big Dance — is that they suffered through some sort of tailspin. Yes, the Wildcats struggled during the toughest part of their schedule, losing to Colorado and five teams that qualified for postseason play. During the stretch, K-State lost at Texas in overtime and on a coast-to-coast, buzzer-beating prayer against Oklahoma.
Powers could not justify the K-State diss. There are teams in the NIT with lower RPIs, lower strength of schedules, worse records and just plain less deserving. You can't even knock K-State for playing two non-Division I teams — most of the NIT field played at least two.
So why did Jim Wooldridge's crew get left out of the postseason for the sixth straight year?
I asked Weiser that question Monday evening.
“I always felt like we were on the proverbial bubble because of strength of schedule and RPI,” said Weiser, who said he plans to meet with Wooldridge in the next day or two to discuss his coaching future. “We had two less victories than our record indicated.”
Hmmm. The man in charge of leading KSU's NIT campaign felt like the Wildcats were a “bubble team.” Maybe Weiser didn't want his bubble burst. Do you think Mike Alden felt like the 16-16, two-time Wildcat-losers Missouri Tigers were an NIT “bubble team”? You think that's how Alden sold Mizzou's NIT bid?
Doubt it.
If I'm the A.D. and want to make a coaching change, I'm not sure whether I'm burning up the phone lines to New York bragging to Powers about 2,000 to 3,000 K-State fans going to Wichita State for a first-round game. Powers acknowledged that a K-State-Wichita State matchup was being considered by the NIT. The folks at Wichita State started hearing about the potential matchup early last week, even before K-State clobbered Texas A&M in the Big 12 tournament.
“I was shocked K-State didn't get in,'' said Wichita State coach Mark Turgeon, whose team will be host to Houston. “They deserved to be in, no question about it. I think the NIT thought we could sell out no matter who we played. I don't think it will happen now. Our fans are incredible, and they always surprise me. But if we played K-State, there would be people lining up out the door for tickets, and a lot of them would be K-State fans.”
Turgeon expressed far more outrage about KSU's plight than Weiser, who said he had not made up his mind about Wooldridge's future.
“We did all we could to position our team (for the NIT),” said Weiser, a self-described longtime friend of Powers. “Between my calls to (Powers), the calls by Jim and calls from the league office, I don't know if we could've done anything further. I don't know what you're suggesting. But I certainly feel like we put together our best effort.”
K-State's NIT exclusion is hard to comprehend. The NIT doesn't care about RPI or strength of schedule or games against D-IIs. The NIT is all about ticket sales and sexy games. K-State-Wichita State would've been the sexiest matchup of the whole tournament.
There's only one winner in this scenario — Weiser. The NIT snub gives Weiser more flexibility with Wooldridge. It gives Weiser more ammunition to convince K-State president Jon Wefald that the school needs a new coach … if that's the direction Weiser is inclined to go.
Next year, Weiser won't have the flexibility. K-State will be better. Even with the loss of Jeremiah Massey, K-State will be significantly improved next season. The Wildcats will qualify for postseason play. They'll win seven or eight conference games. It will be far more difficult to fire Wooldridge after next season. And, get this. With the athletic talent Wooldridge has assembled and the fact that K-State has not played in the postseason in six years, the K-State job is probably as attractive as it has been in many years.
The new coach will look like a genius. He'll be a hero for “turning the program around.” Heck, the new coach will have a solid shot at beating Kansas. The Jayhawks will be vulnerable next season. The Hawks lose four seniors, the guts of their program. KU's five-man freshman class has been disappointing.
Weiser needs to stick it out with Wooldridge. He took over a program devoid of legitimate Big 12 talent. He worked in the shadow of Roy Williams for three years.
Wooldridge is a good coach. His personality fits in at K-State. He deserves another season.
To reach Jason Whitlock, call (816) 234-4869 or send e-mail to jwhitlock@kcstar.com.
Posted on Tue, Mar. 15, 2005
Jason Whitlock
How can K-State's Weiser let an NIT bid slip away?
JASON WHITLOCK
You'd have to be the worst athletic director in America to fail to squeeze an NIT bid out of a 17-12 record, six Big 12 Conference wins, a postseason tournament blowout victory over Texas A&M and a guaranteed first-round sellout against Wichita State.
Even Al Bohl could have parlayed those credentials into an NIT bid. But not Tim Weiser, the man in charge of Kansas State's athletic program. Maybe K-State should be considering two job searches: 1. men's head basketball coach; 2. athletic director.
The Wildcats got snubbed by the Not Invited Tournament. The snubbing makes absolutely no sense, especially after you talk to the head of the NIT selection committee, Jack Powers.
“The big thing was K-State's six-game losing streak midway through the season,” Powers told me Monday afternoon.
Say what? The reason most teams are in the NIT — and not the Big Dance — is that they suffered through some sort of tailspin. Yes, the Wildcats struggled during the toughest part of their schedule, losing to Colorado and five teams that qualified for postseason play. During the stretch, K-State lost at Texas in overtime and on a coast-to-coast, buzzer-beating prayer against Oklahoma.
Powers could not justify the K-State diss. There are teams in the NIT with lower RPIs, lower strength of schedules, worse records and just plain less deserving. You can't even knock K-State for playing two non-Division I teams — most of the NIT field played at least two.
So why did Jim Wooldridge's crew get left out of the postseason for the sixth straight year?
I asked Weiser that question Monday evening.
“I always felt like we were on the proverbial bubble because of strength of schedule and RPI,” said Weiser, who said he plans to meet with Wooldridge in the next day or two to discuss his coaching future. “We had two less victories than our record indicated.”
Hmmm. The man in charge of leading KSU's NIT campaign felt like the Wildcats were a “bubble team.” Maybe Weiser didn't want his bubble burst. Do you think Mike Alden felt like the 16-16, two-time Wildcat-losers Missouri Tigers were an NIT “bubble team”? You think that's how Alden sold Mizzou's NIT bid?
Doubt it.
If I'm the A.D. and want to make a coaching change, I'm not sure whether I'm burning up the phone lines to New York bragging to Powers about 2,000 to 3,000 K-State fans going to Wichita State for a first-round game. Powers acknowledged that a K-State-Wichita State matchup was being considered by the NIT. The folks at Wichita State started hearing about the potential matchup early last week, even before K-State clobbered Texas A&M in the Big 12 tournament.
“I was shocked K-State didn't get in,'' said Wichita State coach Mark Turgeon, whose team will be host to Houston. “They deserved to be in, no question about it. I think the NIT thought we could sell out no matter who we played. I don't think it will happen now. Our fans are incredible, and they always surprise me. But if we played K-State, there would be people lining up out the door for tickets, and a lot of them would be K-State fans.”
Turgeon expressed far more outrage about KSU's plight than Weiser, who said he had not made up his mind about Wooldridge's future.
“We did all we could to position our team (for the NIT),” said Weiser, a self-described longtime friend of Powers. “Between my calls to (Powers), the calls by Jim and calls from the league office, I don't know if we could've done anything further. I don't know what you're suggesting. But I certainly feel like we put together our best effort.”
K-State's NIT exclusion is hard to comprehend. The NIT doesn't care about RPI or strength of schedule or games against D-IIs. The NIT is all about ticket sales and sexy games. K-State-Wichita State would've been the sexiest matchup of the whole tournament.
There's only one winner in this scenario — Weiser. The NIT snub gives Weiser more flexibility with Wooldridge. It gives Weiser more ammunition to convince K-State president Jon Wefald that the school needs a new coach … if that's the direction Weiser is inclined to go.
Next year, Weiser won't have the flexibility. K-State will be better. Even with the loss of Jeremiah Massey, K-State will be significantly improved next season. The Wildcats will qualify for postseason play. They'll win seven or eight conference games. It will be far more difficult to fire Wooldridge after next season. And, get this. With the athletic talent Wooldridge has assembled and the fact that K-State has not played in the postseason in six years, the K-State job is probably as attractive as it has been in many years.
The new coach will look like a genius. He'll be a hero for “turning the program around.” Heck, the new coach will have a solid shot at beating Kansas. The Jayhawks will be vulnerable next season. The Hawks lose four seniors, the guts of their program. KU's five-man freshman class has been disappointing.
Weiser needs to stick it out with Wooldridge. He took over a program devoid of legitimate Big 12 talent. He worked in the shadow of Roy Williams for three years.
Wooldridge is a good coach. His personality fits in at K-State. He deserves another season.
To reach Jason Whitlock, call (816) 234-4869 or send e-mail to jwhitlock@kcstar.com.