RE: Nolan Richardson

["Wright, Cecil" <Cecil.Wright@JUSTICE.GC.CA>]

Mr. Wright???  That is reserved for my Dad :-)

I have remained silent on this subject because I do not know all the details
about his recent explosion in the face of the media nor his difficulties at
the school.  All I know is he is gone and his players were very emotional
Saturday, which I guess was to be expected.  However I understand that they
placed a towel or something over the chair which he would have sat in had he
been there and that a player(s) put their arm around the empty chair upon
exiting the game and pretended to have a conversation with him.

Many student/athletes do not graduate.  That cannot be placed solely at the
feet of the coach.  The deeper issue is are they attending class, being
given social passes, seeking and receiving extra help in classes they have
difficulty in, etc.  I know MANY athletes who have graduated "technically"
but who are not in a position to make a solid living due to severely limited
literacy skills.  How they graduated is beyond me, except I think the
schools would be too reluctant and embarrassed to admit that the athlete
played for several years with a 1.0 GPA. 

Read between those lines.

Cecil Wright, Nova Scotia Community Coordinator
Community Mobilization Program
Department of Justice Canada
Duke Tower - Suite 1400
5251 Duke Street
Halifax, NS  B3J 1P3
Tel: (902) 426-5950
Fax: (902) 426-8532
Email: cecil.wright@justice.gc.ca 
Web: www.crime-prevention.org


-----Original Message-----
From: James A. Hill [mailto:jahill@leasingservice.com]
Sent: March 04, 2002 2:44 PM
To: celtics@igtc.igtc.com; Celtics (E-mail)
Subject: RE: Nolan Richardson


Phil Taylor at SI has an article/opinion on this subject.  I don't.  Here is
the link.
<Jim

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/phil_taylor/news/2002/03/04/hot
_button/

  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-celtics-digest@igtc.com
[mailto:owner-celtics-digest@igtc.com]On Behalf Of Raymond Angelo Belliotti
  Sent: Monday, March 04, 2002 7:37 AM
  To: Celtics-Digest@igtc.com
  Subject: Nolan Richardson


  Mr. Wright has asked for judgments on the firing
  of Nolan Richardson. I don't know the specifics of the situation, but I am
familiar with university maneuverings in general. Here are some
possibilities:

  (1) That NR is an excellent coach is beyond dispute. Look at the record.
  (2) University administrators, especially incoming hires,
  are suspicious of entrenched figures who either know much about the
institution's climate and history, or have attained high stature. NR's
status at his school would always tower above a new University President's
status. An insecure incoming President might well resent NR's status.
  (3) The graduation rate of NR's players was dismal. A new
  administration might well find this unacceptable. While
  NR is correct that he cannot be blamed entirely for this, he can be
faulted for recruiting "student-athletes" who would not benefit from a
college education. The poor graduation
  rate was foreseeable. This, combined with a mediocre current record,
counted against NR. When the team was earning final-four berths and a
championship the earlier administration would gleefully take the money and
positive publicity. With mediocre records comes closer, often sanctimonious,
scrutiny of graduation rates.
  (4) NR invited the administration to fire him: "If they buy out my
contract, I'll go." If the administration was on the fence
  about whether to do so then NR's statement may have helped them decide.
      I am speculating, not having any inside information. I hope NR accepts
a worthwhile coaching job soon. I have
  always enjoyed his "40 minutes of hell."

  Raymond Angelo Belliotti
  Distinguished Teaching Professor
  Chair
  Department of Philosophy
  SUNY Fredonia
  Fredonia, NY 14063
  (716) 679-9854
  (716) 673-3495