Turning down Indiana ...

Turning down Indiana ...

Tony Bennett admitted he spoke to and declined to pursue the head coaching position at Indiana ... he has also not taken the jobs at Marquette, OSU, or LSU and has indicated that he would not change to a job within the conference ... some people are shocked ...

I don't know Tony Bennett. But, as someone who did coach at Wazzu I can tell you that depsite all of the negatives people throw out as examples, it is a good place to live and coach. So, Tony, I cannot speak for you but I think I understand.

Plus, Wazzu returns the starting point guard and center of a Sweet 16 team, along with three obvious starting replacements for the departing senior starters and some young players and new recruits with promise. In a conference that is not only losing seniors but is in fact losing virtually every NBA prospect underclassmen it is possible that the Cougs might not find themselves slipping the way pundits would want to believe.

Is Stanford going to be nearly as good with a coaching change and the loss of the twins?

Only a handful of the All Pac-10 Team (15 players honored) are coming back. The conference will not be nearly as strong as it was this year. On one level that is lame, but with everyone rebuilding, the Cougs bring back starters at two key positions that having veterans at is an advantage.

Good luck Tony, and thanks for sticking around for a while.