It almost feels like I’m spitting into the wind here, but I’m going to try anyways: Whoa, Kansas State fans. Just pump the brakes a little here before all control is lost. It’s not that what you’ve said/tweeted/texted/emailed in regards to John Currie lacks merit. Some points are valid; especially about it needing to be a two-way street between an athletics director and his coach.
But, it’s about this point in many of the conversations I’ve seen where venom and hate and want for blood and emotion overwhelm things, leaving rational thought to perish. And, I’m saying whoa.
You’re upset, already. I get that. On the surface, you’re losing what has become a regular winner of a basketball coach. In the right settings, he was a perfect ambassador – charming and charismatic. He has also developed his own brand – one that, perhaps, has changed the man from who you might have known five years ago when he became your head coach, or just two seasons ago when he signed on for his huge raise, and cried.
Rob Cassidy, over at gopowercat.com, penned it perfectly in his explanation of Martin’s ability to hold, chamber and then fire back with his grudges. Rob illustrated his relationship with Martin. He may as well have used my name instead because its the same exact story. That said, our personal experiences aren’t important. However, what’s noteworthy is that Martin’s grudge style wears on people. I know it’s worn on people he has worked with both in Manhattan and out on the recruiting trails. I have no doubt it wore out Currie.
It happens, and it is why, when asked by a Columbia radio station what they could expect from Frank Martin, I told them they would absolutely love Martin before his introductory press conference was over. I said he would likely be every bit the home run hire they thought they had. For the first couple of years. After that, it’s anyone’s guess how things would turn out because from what I’ve been told, South Carolina AD Eric Hyman has historically run his department much like John Currie runs his. Invariably, guys and girls in the media are going to ask questions Martin won’t like. He’ll develop his grudges again. We’ll likely see him leave Columbia someday.
This all from the guy who will also, I’m willing to bet, will continue to preach loyalty all along the way. Loyalty isn’t submission. It’s a lesson Martin could stand to learn.
And, in his wake, Martin leaves John Currie, who has already felt the first wave of wrath from people, who, frankly, don’t know what they’re asking if they thought giving Martin more power or space to operate was a good idea. After his comments on CBS over the weekend about paying former players while they were in college and he was a high school coach, giving the guy more latitude to work seemed like the exact wrong idea at this point, even if he did want to stay.
Regardless, donors threatened removing dollars. Other fans just want Currie fired.
Say both of those things were to happen. What master are you serving at that point, K-State fans? I can’t imagine cutting funds and showing that attitude would be beneficial in convincing the home-run hire you demand to become the coach.
Even so, the onus is now on Currie to win this opportunity that he helped create. Where most ADs would be given the chance to make one bad hire and perhaps try it again, Curry now probably doesn’t have that luxury.
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Update on Will Spradling’s transfer situation: I tweeted earlier on Monday that Frank Martin’s leaving for South Carolina had a direct impact on Spradling’s wish to leave K-State. I wrote last Friday that the long-time thought was that Spradling would leave should Martin stay, or would remain in Manhattan if Martin left. And, at that point, for whatever reason, that had apparently changed.
A couple of things:
1) My information was correct. Period. I stand by my story as it was reported, and for those who have so politely or impolitely demanded a retraction… nope, sorry. Ain’t happenin’. I’m not in the business of flying unsubstantiated rumors around, and if you’ve followed my work long enough, you know this. What I reported was true, and that’s where I’ll leave last Friday.
That said…
2) Because of the new Martin situation that developed starting Monday morning, I’ve been told Spradling has indeed made the decision to remain at K-State, and that’s where it is. Personally, it would have been interesting to see Martin drag out his decision longer and then stay in Manhattan, just to see how it affected this transfer piece because I believe it would have changed again. But, as things stand, Will is a K-State Wildcat.
I appreciate your level-headed approach Curtis and I think you bring a much needed perspective to this situation. That being said, whether Frank was difficult to work with or a PR liability (as you suggest) or even a controlling bully at times; it doesn’t change the fact that KSU is REALLY going to struggle to land a viable replacement for him. It seems to me that often the most successful people in the world are kind of type-A jerks a lot of the time and succeeding in a job like Currie’s simply means that you are skilled in balancing and managing those personalities. I’ll reserve final judgement until his presser tomorrow, but unless he has some very compelling information that no one seems to be talking about, I don’t see how he shouldn’t be under an immense amount of scrutiny. You just can’t let your ego get in the way of the “talent” like that. No one gives 2 sh#%s about who the AD is at KU, KY, OSU, or Louisville right now… But everyone knows who is leading those squads into the Final Four… The stars of those programs, the COACHES. Frank is a star who ascended from a quite unlikely situation at KSU and that fact is impossible to overstate. If Currie simply let him go without a fight and offers little explanation as to why, I will really have to wrestle with my support of him; no matter who he hires. You may not see the forest for the trees, being so entrenched in the program as you are, but let’s see how many people are following you on Twitter in 5 years hash tagging EMAW if the program has returned to disgrace. Just sayin’. Keep doing what you do. Thanks
Let Martin go. He was an embarrassment on the court and be-littled the players publicly. Your article was spot-on. We will be better off. Hats off to John Currie!!!
Jeremy –
Why is it a “fact” that K-State is going to struggle to find a viable replacement for Frank Martin?
At last check, K-State has all the makings of being an INCREDIBLE job.
– We have a rabid and loyal fan base –
– I’d stack the atmosphere at the OOD for big games against any place in the nation
– We can and will pay a very competitive salary
– We play in a great league
– And the last six years has shown you can recruit to Manhattan. The addition of direct flights from Dallas has made getting to and from the Little Apple a heck of a lot easier than it used to be.
K-State is a damn good job and many coaches out there know it.
I’ll be very surprised if we don’t land a coach that we’re not all happy with –
EMAW
Aaron-
I too am holding out hope that we will land a great coach who we can all be excited about, but it’s a fairly widely held belief that Manhattan is not an easy place to recruit to. And let’s face it, before the Huggins/Martin era we experienced a pretty long winter. I don’t think that was due to Asbury and Wooldridge being “bad coaches” or not trying. It’s just a damn hard job.
BUT… You’re absolutely right, the program is now in much better shape and there are some winning characteristics to draw a good coach here. I was thrilled to here Doug Gottlieb tell Soren Petro that he thinks it is a great job!
Still, I would accept a wager from anyone who disagrees that whomever we bring in will be stepping up to the KSU job and therefore a lesser-known, lesser-proven coach than Martin. You see, I’m not saying that someone can’t succeed here, just that we have to do whatever we bloody can to hold onto a winner when we get one. I DO NOT want to see us return to embarrassment.
Hope Currie knows what he’s doing.