Manhattan Madness

After listening to the K-State press conference, it's clear that they're shell-shocked in the Little Apple. I don't think I've ever heard a university president sound so disappointed (and more than a little angry) about losing a coach in any sport. And frankly, they have a right. But what are they going to do with that disappointment and anger?

If you believe some of the speculation, they're going to panic.

I have no idea if it's true, but the speculation says that K-State will take a hard look at assistant coaches Frank Martin and Dalonte Hill for the head coaching job in an effort to keep the core of the team - specifically Bill Walker and Michael Beasley - in tact.

Step away from the magic mushrooms, please.

What would the point be? To keep Walker and Beasley for a year until they jump to the NBA? Then where are you?

When you hire a coach, you have to take the long view. Is any other school in America giving serious thought to hiring Martin or Hill for its head coaching job? The answer is "of course not," and the reason is that there's nothing to suggest that either of them can build and sustain a progrm. If KSU hires either of them, at the press conference, athletics director Tim Weiser will seem like Kevin Bacon in the climactic scene of Animal House. "Remain calm! All is well!"