From the Head-Scratching Department…

A huge section of the Odds and Ends file is devoted to scheduling. There are so many issues it is impossible to deal with them all in a single, coherent fashion. Here’s today’s version: I don’t get the scheduling flap sometimes.

I spent 15 minutes this morning on Basketball Travelers, a site chock full of highly interesting information. I was able to glean, in that 15 minutes:

UNCW is looking for a home-and-home, December 3 of this year. Charlotte is looking for a home-and-home, December 3 of this year. Both teams want to stat at home, but really, if you want a game and need a game surely a handful on Benjamins could persuade one of these schools to start on the road, no? Seems like it would be a nice regional matchup. Just me.

An Excel spreadsheet, a few phone numbers, and some persuasion skills and I may start the college basketball version of Match.com.

There is that need.

Vacation Is Nearing An End…

Just in time to head to the beach. However, we are tracking:

1. Tommy O’Connor closing in on the Commish-ship of the Atlantic Bunch.

2. A new book that I’m wagering you enjoy.

3. Movers and shakers. (Players, coaches, etc.)

4. Odds and ends. (Culling the random notes I didn’t get to during the season.)

5. Five is a good number.

On The Coaching Front…I Cudda’ Been A Contendah!

The Blaine Taylor-to-Stanford spin cycle continues to hammer away at fans of both schools. Neither side is forthcoming with anything–and they shouldn’t–which has the ODU faithful madly purchasing tarot cards, tea leaves, and eye of gnut.

Yes, Taylor is deep in the throes of renegotiating his contract with Jim Jarratt and the crew in Norfolk, and that can only be a good thing. Oh, it has nothing to do with the Stanford job. It just means a good coach and good guy is going to have a little more security when he heads out to the ocean. Atlantic or Pacific remains to be determined.

VCU has finally officially announced Anthony Grant’s second raise in two years. (Memo to AD Norwood Teague: I am available.) Their words, not mine:

Virginia Commonwealth University President Dr. Eugene P. Trani and Director of Athletics Norwood T. Teague announced today that the university has reached an agreement in principle to extend and upgrade the terms of the contract of head men’s basketball coach Anthony Grant.

“I am thrilled that we are extending Anthony’s contract, as well as providing him an increased financial package,” Teague said. “His impact on our basketball program has been outstanding and it is our intention for Coach Grant to serve as our head men’s basketball coach for many years.”

Said Dr. Trani, “Coach Grant has had a significant positive impact on the entire university, not just athletics. We have tremendous confidence in what he will be able to do going forward.”

The deal now runs through the 2013-14 season.

“My family and I are extremely grateful for the confidence and commitment shown to us by Dr. Trani, Norwood and the entire VCU and Richmond communities,” Grant said. “I am excited, honored and privileged to be a part of the present and future of VCU and the City of Richmond.”

VCU is 52-15 in two seasons under Grant. The Rams have finished first in the Colonial Athletic Association both seasons. Grant has a 31-5 record in CAA regular season games. No CAA team has won more league games in a two-year span.

In 2007, VCU advanced to the second round of NCAA tournament, beating Duke in the first round before losing to Pittsburgh in overtime. In 2008, the Rams competed in the National Invitation Tournament and finished with a 24-8 record.

Grant was named CAA Coach of the Year in 2007 after his first season with the Rams.

“Coaches the caliber of Anthony Grant are rare,” Teague said. “We’re glad to have him and we look forward to a long association with him.”

Maynor’s Decision Smart, But Not Really Difficult…

Eric Maynor, who I guess we can now call the “defending” CAA player of the year, has chosen to remain at VCU for his senior season. Every quote you read is exactly what you would expect–he is honored, he has things to accomplish, the pros can wait, he talked with his family and coach…the net is that he is returning to terrorize the CAA one last year.

Here’s the thing. If you read between the lines this wasn’t a surprise, and it is certainly smart. Many were shocked Maynor didn’t go the test-the-waters route and delcare for the draft but not hire an agent. If he went that route, he could attend pre-draft camps and work out for scouts, but as long as he didn’t hire an agent and pulled his name out of consideration prior to the draft, he could retain his collegiate eligibility.

Many websites that follow NBA draft progress had Maynor as high as a late first rounder and definitely in the second round. The logic is simple: go and impress people and possibly make yourself a sure-fire first rounder and the guaranteed contract money that goes with it. If not, head back to school. It was a no-lose proposition.

But the truth is this: most of these websites don’t have any more insight than we do. The real insight in this scenario comes from Anthony Grant and the people he knows throughout collegiate and professional basketball. They don’t look at websites, they look at players. My hunch is that there was a consuensus of opinion from people that know–not people that report but people that know–that Maynor would be fortunate to be a second round pick. And to Maynor that gamble just wasn’t worth it, and there was no sense in pretending.

Maynor’s telling comment was that he needs to work on his defense and his strength. To me, that is an awfully specific line of reasoning that surely came from those that know. Off the court, Maynor is a huge winner: he is a 3.0 student who will get his degree.

Smart, and easy.

If only everything were this exciting yet this simple.

Quick Nuggetology…

Some recent news that may or may not have hit your radar screen, complete with CAA: LAMM comments that have definitely not hit your radar screen:

Hofstra’s Antoine Agudio and Charles Jenkins were honored by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. Agudio earned first team honors while Jenkins was the rookie of the year. Comment: This is basically an All New York team. Also, Jenkins is a better player now than Agudio was as a freshman. But Agudio worked his buttocks off between his freshman adn sophomore years.

Marist’s leading scorer, Jay Gavin, is transferring to VCU. Gavin will be eligible for the 2009-10 season and will be a sophomore (basketball-wise). Comment: Gavin’s old coach calls him a scorer and hard worker. That fits Anthony Grant’s needs from a player and person perspective. Shuler is gone this year and Maynor next, and one college hoops differentiator is having a kid that can just plain score. VCU was after Gavin fairly hard when the player was in high school.

They are talking about Blaine Taylor replacing Trent Johnson at Stanford. Comment: This is very, very interesting. Why? Because most of the time these things are 98% writer-speculated stories. (Who can I make a logical case for? Good, I’ll write about that guy.) I know this for a fact: 75% of the time a coach’s name is discussed about a new job no chatting ever takes place between the coach and the school.  That said, the interesting part is that there is a reason a Stanford Clause exists in Taylor’s contract at ODU.

Georgia State has a presser today to announce they will begin playing football in 2010. Comment: With ODU cranking up the slobberknockers in 2009, suddenly the CAA has all kinds of options for both football and basketball when realignment shows its head again. And good for Georgia State.

No Endorsements Necessary…

We’ve got our own national champion awards to hand out.

The CAA: LAMM “National” Champion is Jon Pease of Towson. You need to look past the senior season stat line of nine points and 4.7 rebounds. We need you to blend these stats to consider relative value: Pease’s assist-to-turnover ratio was 48:38; he had 46 steals, 12 blocks, and committed 80 fouls. Now, Pease only fouled out once. That’s three fouls per game but five only once. Guy knows how to play aggressive and under control.

Our only regret is that Pease doesn’t have four more years of eligibility, because he’s the kind of player you pay to watch, if you are an intelligent basketball fan. Oh, don’t get me wrong. Maynor and Thomas are fun to watch and make you say wow, but Pease is far more interesting.

Others we’d like to see win, or win more, are next. And that is in life and basketball. These folks deserve to be in the CAA: LAMM “One Shining Moment” video, if it existed. If it did exist, it would be set to the tune of Spoon’s “Underdog” song:

Jamal Shuler, VCU: Here’s a kid who came to school with a really good shot from a lot of feet from the basket, and turned himself into a first team All CAA selection. So there’s the work aspect. However, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a kid smile so much on the floor. Shuler was genuinely having fun, something missing all too often these days. What’s more, the kid helped opponents off the floor, apologized to coaches, and saluted his ailing aunt.

Will Thomas, George Mason: Throw the team stuff out the window. All Thomas managed was a stellar career, punctuated by being “the guy” in the locker room. You never heard much from him, until he plopped a double-double on you. And if you listened to his teammates–not Larranaga but his teammates–you can see what he meant to that program. Also, am I the only one who easily pictures Thomas superimposed on the famous shot of Notre Dame’s “Four Horsemen?”

Tony Shaver, William & Mary: Like Thomas, let’s skip the accomplishments and go to the reasons we love this guy. Shaver is so unassuming, I can only think of Vin Scully talking about former pitcher Burt Hooten. After the Dodgers won the World Series, Scully noted that Hooten was so unassuming, that the pitcher “would go out and paint the town beige.” (Side note: if I have to explain Vin Scully to you, please stop visiting this blog. You have no business here.) Shaver is similar. I love that he sits on the bench chatting away with his coaches prior to a game. I love that when you talk to him, you get the feeling he’s surprised he is able to put on matching socks, much less coach collegiate basketball, very well.

Bruiser Flint, Drexel: Win or lose, you get Bruiser. Can’t do anything but tip your cap to him for that. My favorite aspect is how Flint handles the media. At times he is asked silly questions, such as “what was Frank Elegar thinking when…” His answer is always priceless: “go ask Frank.” I love everything about those answers.

Steve Scalzi, assistant coach, Northeastern: You always hear about players that make everyone around them better. Scalzi is a coach that makes his program better. The guy creates promo videos, coaches, scouts, etc. If it needs to get done he is up to the task. In fact, we may have to give him the nickname “Etc.” Side note: my lawn needs mowing. I’m just saying.

The Guys at CAA Zone: They’ve endeavored to make this site more than a pile of message boards, and you should support it. I know for a fact, because I’ve been told, that there are colleagues of theirs that keep an eye on their every move to see what to do next. Right, wrong, or indifferent, they provide something CAA fans should consider themselves lucky to have.

Lennie Mendez, Georgia State: Opponents ganged up on Mendez this season and Mendez was never visibly frustrated by it. The kid just kept playing hard. And here’s the other thing to keep in the back of your mind–there is a decent chance Mendez may have four completely new guys playing alongside him next season. Rod Barnes has added a pile of talent to that roster. That’s point #1, but also consider what practice was like this year.

Brian Henderson, Old Dominion: He deserves a pat on the back for a career that will go down as “nice,” which is another term for underappreciated for his contributions. Henderson was killed this year by ODU fans early, but cheered when he stepped up and played big in big games. Remember Henderson also had to deal with injury and getting his identity stolen. This is particularly odd, considering stealing the identity of a college student could not be lucrative. Even as a senior, if my identity was stolen the perp would’ve made off with all $57 in my checking account and a credit card with a $500 limit. Good luck with that. But the point is Henderson did nothing but everything for four years.

***

There is more, but I want to let it marinate on my brain a bit. It is 80 degrees and sunny, and work is going to take a back seat today. I’m feeling benevolent.

Congratulations to the Corporate Champions…

Your Kansas Jayhawks. Mind you, we’re not taking anything away from Roy Williams Bill Self and his team. Chalmers, Rush, and the boys got it done. I was rooting for Kansas, if only for good friend of the LAMM Extra P.

But wow, was it me or was the NCAA tournament awfully corporate?

Now I’m no Pollyanna and I understand how the world works. But since the moment I cracked-wise during my tape-delayed blogging of the selection show about Corporate Champions being used as the hipster term for “sponsor,” I kept noticing small changes that made the entire event more sterile.

The NCAA logo seeming to be bigger than ever; the raised court and dark crowd, the constant cross promotion of things I didn’t care about or already knew about. Heck, the two-minute media timeout has probably been around for years, but this is the year it irked me.

I’m sure it has been overly corporate for many years. For some reason it was this one that I chose to notice.

And finally, I planned to follow along and fill out a live bracket sheet, according to the Whelliston Challenge. I made it through the first weekend, but sadly left the bracket sheet at a friend’s house six hours from home. Though I planned to restart the process, I never mustered the effort and energy to get it done.

Simply put, I lost interest in the whole affair after the first weekend. Yes we had Davidson and we had Western Kentucky, but the perfect NCAA tournament for CBS was far less than that for me. I showed little interest and gave little viewing time to the Sweet 16 and Great 8, and it got worse. A good friend called me last Friday and asked where I was waching the games on Saturday, and my honest response was: “what games?”

Monday, I nearly turned off my teevee with three minutes to go and Memphis leading by about seven. No way they were losing. I might’ve watched half the game in total, and extremely dispassionately; thankfully, I managed all five minutes of the overtime.

The short version: this NCAA basketball tournament became just another sporting event after the first two rounds, but I still congratulate Kansas for becoming the Corporate Champion.

Later this week: the CAA: LAMM Champions will be crowned.

Foolish Consistency is the Hobgoblin of Small Minds…

I like Jim Larranaga. I think Jim Larranaga is an above average college basketball coach. I also think Jim Larranaga was the perfect coach for that 2006 team and that 2006 situation.

Every now and again, when you have the benefit of hindsight, you see that certain events seem to line up just as they should. People are put in situations and almost dared to succeed, because fate or karma or luck has given them the tools to accomplish great things. It’s always refreshing to see those opportunities pan out. In our mid major college basketball world, we saw it again this year with Davidson.

That said, it wouldn’t have signaled Armageddon had Larranaga chosen to head to Providence instead of hanging around Fairfax. It might’ve even been a good thing for George Mason.

This isn’t an attack on a CAA icon. Larranaga is the conference’s all time winningest coach for a reason, and it isn’t a matter of longevity. Jim Larranaga doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody, as he has an entire career chock full of success to do the proving. Dude knows his stuff. In fact, this really has nothing to do with Jim Larranaga. Rather, it’s about an opportunity for George Mason University basketball that didn’t materialize.

The “situation” at George Mason is among the best in the CAA. The Patriots win, are annually among the leaders in attendance, have administrators (Tom’OConnor and president Dr. Alan Merten) that understand the role of athletics, play in above average facilities, and continue to reap the benefits of the Final Four run. In short, the head coaching job at Mason is attractive. Traffic on the roads that lead to the school will be even worse–if that’s possible–because coaches will line up to replace Larranaga.

But I wonder if the school didn’t miss an opportunity to use 2006 as a vault, a vector, to bounce to new heights. I freely admit that “miss an opportunity” is probably the wrong language, because Jim Larranaga remaining at George Mason is a good thing. Mainly the wonder extends from the thought process about what could happen in Fairfax if someone came in there with a fresh perspective, new energy, and an approach unencumbered by the strings that go with the Final Four run.

Right now, the Final Four run is used as a starting point and everything proceeds in a straight line from that point. Larranaga is the constant in the equation. Yes, I know Larranaga is among the most passionate coaches. I know people in Fairfax love Larranaga.

But there is this, a simple fact that carries far more weight when you get past surface consideration: No matter what Jim Larranaga does for the rest of his career, he cannot untie himself from 2006. And while there are so many positives that go with that, there are pitfalls. Frustrations. There are realities of time and distance.

Imagine Monte Ross, with all his enthusiasm and passion and smarts, being hired at Mason. Ross would walk in with the endemic benefit of picking from the positives of the Final Four run. It’s not a story that begins with 2006 and moves forward, as Larranaga is forced to do (even if he doesn’t like it). It’s a story of the new coach  beginning with his Day One. The Final Four run is George Mason University, and that’s what would be used as the baseline.

At VCU, Jeff Capel won a lot of basketball games. He took his teams to an NCAA and NIT. What’s more, Capel energized a basketball program that was searching for its identity. Capel was rightfully revered in Richmond for what he accomplished. And when he left, there were questions about what would happen.

Anthony Grant, whose style and demeanor will never be confused with Capel, has taken that foundation and moved it to astounding, unprecedented heights. Put another way: one reason James Madison fans are so excited about Matt Brady is because of the foundation set by Dean Keener. Brady has a chance to capitalize on what is there that Keener never could have.

It’s like Emerson said: “every hero becomes a bore.” No, Larranaga is not a bore. But eventually the sheen is going to wear off and the benefits of the Final Four run are going to prove–in a forward-thinking sense–themselves extremely mechanical.

Attendance leveled off last season for Mason. I don’t know if we’re looking at the hazy line between an event being a part of you and the event being a part of history. Many times we drift back and forth across that line.

Perhaps it is time to move on and use the Final Four run as just that–a point in time. There are greater things to attack and accomplish. And there is a freshness to newness that invigorates everything around you.

So I wonder.

You May Now Go About Your Regular Business…JL Hanging In…

George Mason’s words, not mine (the university, not the dead guy):

Tom O’Connor announced today that Men’s Basketball Head Coach Jim Larranaga has signed a three-year extension at George Mason. Larranaga is now signed through the 2014-15 season.

“Jim (Larranaga) is a terrific ambassador for George Mason University,” O’Connor said. “Obviously with the 2006 run to the Final Four, our basketball program and the University have garnered a lot of national attention. On top of that he is a tremendous basketball coach, he’s our coach and I’m proud to say that he will continue to be our coach for the next seven years.”

“I’ve made it clear over the years that my family and I have loved it here at George Mason,” Larranaga said. “I feel very fortunate to work under the great leadership of President Merten and Tom O’Connor. I feel very connected to both the George Mason and the greater Fairfax County communities. We have enjoyed their great support and it continues to grow. I’ve said before that I hope to retire here at George Mason and this contract extension allows me to do just that.”

Suffer The Fools?

Jim Larranaga was hired by George Mason on April 1, 1997.

George Mason played Florida in the Final Four on April 1, 2006.

What in the name of Sidd Finch is going to occur today?

Memo to Mason fans: stop analyzing random bits of data to the point of being an April Fool. It’s entirely possible Larranaga picked a brown tie out of his closet today because he likes the look of it. Besides, your cousin’s best friend’s girlfriend who works in the building next to the Mason athletics offices might not even know what Larranaga looks like.

More than likely nothing will occur today.