Entering into what turned out to be Jarvis' last season I was so disgusted and embarrassed by what the team had become, I gave up my prized season tickets. I didn't care if the team went 30-0. This wasn't a team or a coach or a program I could or would root for. Wins are not everything.
In Lavin we have a coach with almost unique ethics and courage. He risked - and lost- a chance at the NCAA's to teach his best player a life lesson - knowing that he also risked D'lo leaving. How many division 1 coaches do you think would have done that? Along the way it taught everyone on the team as well. Maybe a few fans got it, too - the kids are what're most important. Without question. Five seniors graduate - six months early. Young men - and a coach - I can truly root for.
And the basketball ain't bad either. Lavin can flat out coach. I think 3 dances out of 4 are probably more likely than 1 of 4 going forward. I'd settle for 2. I don't want to be Kentucky, and I certainly don't want to be Carolina. I want to be proud to be a Johnnies fan.
There are people that will always find something not to like. Coming into this year it was he had to make the NCAA's. That looks likely, so now it's his recruiting for next year. If that falls into place, it'll be something else. There are people who are just like that. Guess they can't help it.
Sign Lavin up for as long as possible... and consider us lucky to have him.
Let's be fair. All of those ethics, rules, and attributes were present at the end of the Robert Morris NIT game, and no one in their right mind was extending him then. So we are 11-1, have played 3 games against similar level competition (Gonzaga, Syracuse, Minn) and won two of them. There are plenty of reasons to be enthused. But guaranteed if we happen to get whupped aginast Seton Hall and Butler, about 75% of the extend Lavin now guys will jump off that wagon and talk about firing we lost at home to Nova as well. Let it all play out. We aren't in a desperate situation.
