Dawkins is Gone: New Stanford Coach

[devildeac]

I'm torn on this issue. While I agree with Jumbo that it would be beneficial for Duke to have a quality assistant coach who happens to be African-American, I also feel that the best candidate should be hired regardless of race. The point that needs to be emphasized here is that these two sentiments are not mutually exclusive.

That said, I am curious as to whether race will be used as a criteria, as opposed to a bonus, during the selection process. If it is a criteria, I'm not sure I would necessarily agree with that approach, at least not without knowing more about recruiting travails and further understanding why a given race is a 'must-have.'

Jumbo / Others -- can you elaborate on some of the unfortunate circumstances within the recruiting world today where Duke would be best-served by having an African-American assistant coach?

(Hopefully this post doesn't venture too far into the PPB domain...)

Let's see here, maybe some of these points are being used as negative recruiting tactics against Duke(just thinking out loud and speculating now and absolutely/positively NOT trying to be a rumor-monger/racist):

1. Coach K-caucasian
2. current PG-caucasian
3. most recent/highly celebrated AA-caucasian(with the Landlord, of course)
4. big man coach-ditto
5. other asst. coach-ditto


Let's also look at our most recent recruiting 'misses' and see where they ended up playing/going to play. Let's imagine AAU and HS coaches and their influences/discussions with these several players and ones we are still evaluating for 2009/10 and what might/could be said.

I am not on the recruiting circuit so this is just some additional(media and institutional, not personal)Duke-hating and wondering aloud here now. I think I understand Jumbo's concerns very well and hopefully have voiced some of my own here also and not inflamed any readers with my musings. I think Nate would make a fabulous choice.

[g_olaf]

This is kind of cool...

Stanford was one of the teams I usually liked to root against given the two heartbreak losses we had with them when I was an undergrad at Duke. So even when I attended Stanford for grad school it always felt weird to cheer them on.

But now with JD at Stanford and Montgomery at Cal...Go Cards! Go to hell California, go to hell!

I'm not sure if it's "cool", but I likewise find my allegiances here suddenly tranformed... First I was wondering how I could still root for Cal with Montgomery as their coach, now I can't root against Stanford with my favorite player of all time sitting at the helm.

Odd.

[4dukeinMinnesota]

My family feels privileged to have watched Johnny Dawkins play and coach for Duke. We will miss him but wish him and his family well. We'll have to adjust our bedtime so we can watch some Stanford basketball.

Best wishes Johnny,
4DukeinMinnesota

[Cameron]

I'm not sure if it's "cool", but I likewise find my allegiances here suddenly tranformed... First I was wondering how I could still root for Cal with Montgomery as their coach, now I can't root against Stanford with my favorite player of all time sitting at the helm.

Odd.

That is a tough predicament. This would probably never happen, but, hypothetically speaking, can you imagine if a former Blue Devil went on to become coach at a place like Maryland? (I didn't say UNC because, well, Satan is more likely to have dinner with me and William Hurt than that is to happen.) After all the years of hating Maryland and everything the team and its fans stand for (especially its fans), how could you all of a sudden stop hating them? Even with a former Blue Devil on board?

Obviously the above scenario will never happen (more than likely, especially with Coach K still around), but that would be pretty odd, too. Not sure how one would go about dealing with that situation.

Good luck, g_olaf.

[BCGroup]

"The most interesting thing to come out of the press conference introducing former Duke assistant Johnny Dawkins as the 17th basketball coach at Stanford was hearing Stanford athletics director Bob Bowlsby spilled the beans on Mike Krzyzewski's intentions for his successor at Duke"

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/accnow...&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

[captmojo]

From Associate Head Coach, to Head Coach. He will make me a Stanford fan. I am very sad to see you go but happy for you in your new opportunity, Coach!


My only advice, for what it's worth. Don't get Coach VanDerveer to do a dress up "spirit" thing with you, a la Perl/Summit. I don't think either of you would be recognizable dressed as a tree.

[Bluedawg]

I just got a media advisory heads up that JD will be introduced as the new Stanford coach today at 4:00

Live streaming of the press conference will be available at www.gostanford.com.

Good press conference but JD side stepped a lot of questions.

[chi]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...SP5610D72J.DTL

[ArnieMc]

That is a tough predicament. This would probably never happen, but, hypothetically speaking, can you imagine if a former Blue Devil went on to become coach at a place like Maryland? (I didn't say UNC because, well, Satan is more likely to have dinner with me and William Hurt than that is to happen.) After all the years of hating Maryland and everything the team and its fans stand for (especially its fans), how could you all of a sudden stop hating them? Even with a former Blue Devil on board?

Obviously the above scenario will never happen (more than likely, especially with Coach K still around), but that would be pretty odd, too. Not sure how one would go about dealing with that situation.

Good luck, g_olaf.

Seems like I remember someone named "Lefty" or something.

[BlueintheFace]

"We're going to do something special here," Dawkins said. "It takes ownership from everyone. The one thing I believe is it's our program, it's not Johnny Dawkins' program. You only do things special when you do it together."

Well, he certainly talks just like K. I'm interested to see how similar his coaching style will be?

[Bluedawg]

This was the most interesting comment of the whole press conference

Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby, who signed Dawkins to a six-year contract, did nothing to quiet the Duke talk. In fact, it was Bowlsby who brought up the issue when he mentioned that Krzyzewski was one of the first people he contacted in his search for a successor to Trent Johnson, who left to take the LSU job.

"Mike told me (Dawkins) was his likely successor," Bowlsby said.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...SP5610D72J.DTL

I thought not a wise thing for an AD to say. it opened a whole line of questioning.

[weezie]

Sorry if it's been mentioned previously, but, as happy as I am for Coach Dawkins, it kind of hurts to see him holding up a Stanford jersey.

He'll be great, though, and he'll make us even prouder when he give the Pac10 "whatfor!!!"

[chi]

Sorry if it's been mentioned previously, but, as happy as I am for Coach Dawkins, it kind of hurts to see him holding up a Stanford jersey.

He'll be great, though, and he'll make us even prouder when he give the Pac10 "whatfor!!!"

I was genuinely happy to see him happy and smiling, no mix feeling

[ice-9]

GO TO HELL CALIFORNIA, GO TO HELL!

[gep]

This was the most interesting comment of the whole press conference
Quote:
Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby, who signed Dawkins to a six-year contract, did nothing to quiet the Duke talk. In fact, it was Bowlsby who brought up the issue when he mentioned that Krzyzewski was one of the first people he contacted in his search for a successor to Trent Johnson, who left to take the LSU job.

"Mike told me (Dawkins) was his likely successor," Bowlsby said.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...SP5610D72J.DTL


I thought not a wise thing for an AD to say. it opened a whole line of questioning.

When I read the quote again, it sounded like Bowlsby thought he was "certifying" his choice of JD, in that if Coach K thought JD was capable of succeeding him, then JD should be capable as a head coach even without head coaching experience. Interesting that this also sounds like JD at Stanford was merely a stepping stone back to Duke.

[Acymetric]

When I read the quote again, it sounded like Bowlsby thought he was "certifying" his choice of JD, in that if Coach K thought JD was capable of succeeding him, then JD should be capable as a head coach even without head coaching experience. Interesting that this also sounds like JD at Stanford was merely a stepping stone back to Duke.

I wonder if its possible that the statement means essentially that Dawkins would have been the choice had K retired, but that now he has decided to pursue an opportunity and coach elsewhere (not necessarily as a stepping stone back to Duke)? I'm not sure I buy into that explanation myself, but it seems somewhat reasonable...thoughts?

[watzone]

Jay Williams is not in the mix. If it's not Nate, it would be Chris Spatola. But everything I've heard for a while now would indicate that Nate would get the job.

Really! Spatola might be in line for the head of basketball operations if Schrage goes to Stanford. JWill is in the mix, but I think Nates in good shape.

Several have called about the job.

[Inonehand]

All indications are that he would be a good addition to anyone's staff but he won't get a spot on this staff until one of the white guys leaves. Doesn't mean he is a better or worse choice than Nate or JWill or any other candidate. Just a fact of life in this world of ours.

[devildeac]

GO TO HELL CALIFORNIA, GO TO HELL!

That sounds a great marketing idea for CamCraz23(?correct name?) and her stickers. Wonder if you could sell a bunch to the Cardinal fans?