Wednesday, April 05, 2006

I'll see your "meh" and raise you a shrug.

Greg Hansen is unimpressed by Arizona State's hire:

She had more than a month to search for a basketball coach. She had enough bank — probably more than $1 million per season in guaranteed money — to handpick someone charismatic and recognizable. And she chose Herb Sendek, a low-keyed version of Cal's barely breathing Ben Braun.

There is nothing in this column that could be mistaken for concern on Hansen's part, not that I blame him--or any other UofA fan, for that matter. Wildcats fans are probably disappointed to see ASU make the best hire for its circumstances, but those fans still have no reason to feel threatened. There are a lot of problems inherent to the ASU program, and Sendek will have to contend with all of them. Some issues, like like a fickle and apathetic fan base, will be new to him.

This guy's a little underwhelmed, too:

You want to believe that new Arizona State men’s basketball coach Herb Sendek is the guy who will finally render this program annually relevant.

You want to believe his extensive head coaching and recruiting experience will give ASU a more prominent national profile — that his ability to resurrect North Carolina State will translate in Tempe.

You want to believe his yearly battles with Duke and North Carolina have
steeled him for UCLA, Washington and the in-state behemoth to the south.

You want to believe that what athletic director Lisa Love called his “intelligence and tactical approach to the job” will overcome his lack of West Coast ties.

You want to believe his softspoken, unassuming personality will play well in the living rooms of recruits — that runand-gun California kids will sign on for his slow-down approach.

And then you think back to 1998, when Rob Evans was hired, and the parallels are overwhelming.

Arizona State's student newspaper, on the other hand, is looking on the bright side:

The future for basketball in Tempe looks as bright as it ever has. Yes, ASU is not looked at as a basketball school, but with a winning program, butts will be put in the seats and traditions will be formed before our eyes.