Coaches like Gonzaga

In response to J.P. O’Shaughnessy’s letter (March 22), regarding the statement the Zags are overrated: The coaches across the country from major, midmajor and minor programs decide the ranking of the teams. Jim Calhoun, UConn’s coach, called the Zags a major program, and if you feel he doesn’t know how to judge talent, perhaps you should apply for his job.

Out of 360-plus NCAA basketball programs, the Zags manage to be in the Top 25 a good portion of each season, for being a program “without talent or confidence.” I wonder how that happens.

As for the WCC being one of the weakest conferences in the country, it has produced the following talented players into the NBA: Bill Russell, Steve Nash, John Stockton, Dan Dickau, Adam Morrison, Ronny Turiaf, and Dennis Johnson, to name a few.

I will be watching the Zags play in the Sweet 16 against North Carolina. I believe they are a major program. And by the way, the last time we played North Carolina (November 2006) we won 82-74.

Win or lose, we love our Zags!

Jim Rushing

Spokane Valley