Before you read this entry, bear in mind that I write some of these things well in advance of when they actually appear on the site. In fact, I’m writing this entry on Sunday, June 20th in the evening and there is a good chance that some of the issues embedded in this story have changed. So there – that’s my disclaimer.
What the heck is going on with Monmouth University’s men’s basketball team? I ask this question after reading an excellent article posted by Steve Edelson from the Asbury Park Press wherein he asked a great question – why are the Hawks administrators taking a “bunker like” mentality when it comes to dealing with the press about the many issues facing this program? That’s a great question and as an alumnus of the university I can tell you that the administration over there is very insular. They are very slow to recognize obvious faults and make the changes needed to move programs in the right direction. For some God-awful reason, the university has created this internal mindset where students and their concerns are nothing more than four year events. In other words, if a student brings an issue to light that absolutely must be addressed immediately, the administration strings the kid along until he or she graduates and then guess what – problem solved! The student is gone and the administration (as well as the original problem) can return to the status quo.
I’ve seen this happen time and time again at Monmouth University, but the problem with the men’s basketball team is much, much different. This time, there is a $57 million building that is screaming for people from all over the Jersey Shore region and, really, all over the state of New Jersey to come and see what’s going on. In short, you can’t build an athletic center like the MAC Center and expect to keep the administrative mindset that you’re dealing with a small-time program and small-time people. Mr. Edelson wrote it perfectly in his article:
All the while, there’s a $57-million building devoid of any atmosphere and plenty of fence-mending to be done within the locker room and the department. This is a time to be laser-focused on solving the internal issues and turning the program around, without spending so much as a second on anything you can’t control.
But instead of strong leadership, there’s a bunker mentality.
There isn’t a Div. I hoops program in the nation that anyone gives a damn about that doesn’t have a blog where fans can express their opinions, or observers who voice their support or criticism.
I added the emphasis on that last line because I think it bears repeating and gets to the heart of the matter. Monmouth University wanted this attention. They literally built a $57 million building hoping to get this attention. Well, here it is – congratulations! You have the attention of the Northeast Conference as well as the local media – and you even have the attention of “fan” blogs like mine! My message to Monmouth – don’t go run and hide now that the spotlight is on the problems of your men’s basketball program. Do NOT do what you’ve always done and bunker down from investigative eyes – you aren’t allowed to do that any more and there fifty seven million reasons why you aren’t allowed to do that any more.
What happens when you have a failing basketball program with players and assistant coaches leaving? You get fan reaction like the comment below. I pulled this directly from the “comments” section on Mr. Edelson’s column:
For everyone’s sake, Coach Calloway should do the right thing and resign from the program. Monmouth made an enormous commitment to basketball by building the MAC. In order to do so, the University energized its constituencies with promises of great things to come. Now MU should now deliver. Loyalty? Calloway has already had 13 seasons to prove his worth. The bottom line is – he has a losing career won/loss record in a dreadful conference, low attendance at home games, players quitting and coaches walking. Oh, and about the drug problem that one player is alleged to have had (JackieB) – it is unlikely that any such drug problem originated at the University – that’s a recruiting problem squarely on the shoulders of the coach. Thanks to Steve Edelson, Tony Graham and the Park Press for publishing this story!
Hey Monmouth – this is the exact type of scrutiny that you asked for by building the MAC Center. Stop shunning the questions and start answering them.
For what it’s worth – an Asbury Park Press online poll asks whether fans agree, disagree, kinda agree, or kinda disagree with Mr. Edelson’s column. At the time of this writing, 230 votes have been registered with 201 votes saying that they agree and another 15 votes saying that they kinda agree.
It’s time, Monmouth. Do what’s right.
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