Coach Fights For Job
Joe Cravens’ team needs to rescue him from this turbulent season - because it’s not clear whether his administration will throw him a life jacket or an anchor.
In less than a month, Cravens has gone from almost certainly being rehired for a fourth season as Idaho’s men’s basketball coach to hearing the closest thing to the kiss of death in present-day administration rhetoric: “His position will be evaluated after the season.”
You can be certain a lot of evaluating has been going on the last four weeks. In that span:
Idaho has lost seven of eight.
Idaho failed to back up Cravens’ boast that his team was going to kick hind end against Boise State and Idaho State. UI lost both.
In frustration, he punted the basketball following a loss to Washington State and muttered an expletive on the postgame radio show.
A couple of players have publicly questioned Cravens’ methods and practices.
Athletic director Pete Liske, apparently adhering to the fine art of “distancing” in political circles, has made a beeline for the background.
With Cravens’ employment at stake, Idaho faces Montana State tonight and Montana on Saturday.
Idaho, a staggering 10-14, still needs a win to clinch a spot in the Big Sky Tournament. That, or depend on Weber State to defeat Northern Arizona. If neither happens, it comes down to a coin toss.
The way Idaho has played recently, a coin flip or rooting for Weber State might be the Vandals’ best option.
A winless Big Sky Tournament, like last year, and Cravens probably will receive the pink slip. Perhaps not even two tourney wins can save Cravens.
Chatting with guard Eddie Turner a couple of weeks ago, Cravens predicted Idaho would return to form and shock foes at the tournament.
It was perfectly laughable, if not for one piece of history - Turner told me the same thing when he played for North Idaho College last season. I looked at him the way Jerry Seinfeld glares at Newman, because NIC was essentially a .500 club. Funny thing is, NIC, seeded seventh in an eight-team field, reeled off two upsets and nearly a third in the regional championship.
A similar scenario could happen for the Vandals. This same group did everything but beat George Washington, which spent last Saturday humbling No. 1 UMass.
The same crew defeated Washington - and didn’t even play well in doing so.
But those high points were in December. Seasons - and coaches - are measured in February and March. UI was 9-7 when the calendar turned Feb. 1.
For whatever reason, Idaho’s seniors were better last year as juniors. James Jones, who had coaches optimistic following last summer’s trip overseas, left the visa for his offense back in Budapest. Harry Harrison is averaging two fewer points and nearly one less rebound per game than last year. Shawn Dirden has been an erratic shooter.
Most confounding: This is probably Cravens’ best personnel. His first team, with Orlando Lightfoot, Deon Watson and Mark Leslie, was a bucket away from a conference title. Last year’s bunch lacked depth and talent, and achieved by going 12-15.
This team has size, depth, interior scorers and designated perimeter shooters. Or, at least that’s the way it appeared on paper.
Cravens’ primary recruits - Turner, Jason Jackman and Reggie Rose - have shown the ability to play in the Big Sky and in the Big West, Idaho’s new home next season.
It’s difficult to gauge how Idaho’s conference move factors into Cravens’ future. New league: Fresh start or continuity? I don’t know.
I do know if Idaho fired Cravens it would leave itself open to an ethical question: What kind of message does it send when you fire a coach after just three seasons?
UI could certainly counter that there are grounds for dismissal, citing Cravens’ February-March record (12-18), lack of sustained program growth, and some of Cravens’ ill-timed remarks (He nearly lost his job the day after being hired because of insensitive comments).
Should Cravens get canned, no doubt former Idaho coach Kermit Davis, a finalist three years ago, will be updating his resume. The Utah State assistant, who turned down Eastern Washington last year, has loyal backers in Moscow and Boise.
Maybe it will work out for Cravens at Idaho. Maybe not. But I’ve seen one inexcusable, sleazy element emerge in Cravens’ trying season: Some folks trying to paint him as a bad person.
He has a letter in his office from a numbskull who essentially writes that Cravens is a failure as a human being.
A Boisean authored that Cravens “ruined his weekend” by losing at Boise State in January. As if Cravens were running around with a lamp shade on his head after that overtime loss?
No wonder the word “fan” is an offspring of fanatic.
Cravens’ honesty and humor always has been appreciated by this beat writer. Unfortunately, his one-liners and his win total are running neck-and-neck.
The next two weeks should determine Cravens’ fate. If his players want Cravens to return next season, they’d better finish strong.
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