BY CHARLES COSTELLO
Some Fordham basketball observers have been obsessed lately with questions about the status of Dereck Whittenburg. I just don’t get it. Whittenburg’s the head coach here at Fordham, and he’ll be the head coach for the foreseeable future. And folks, that’s the way it should be.
There’s been chatter in the Fordham community about the need for a public statement by Frank McLaughlin, Fordham’s Executive Director of Athletics, regarding Whittenburg’s future. Why? Why would McLaughlin, a man who oversees 22 varsity sports at Fordham, take the time to state the obvious, that Whittenburg is coming back? It’s unreasonable to demand this. Does Saint Louis come out at the end of every basketball season and say that Rick Majerus is coming back? Do you hear Saint Joseph’s telling fans that Phil Martelli will be back? The answer is no. That’s not how schools operate. That’s not how professional teams operate. McLaughlin, as well as Father McShane, Fordham’s President, and Jeffrey Gray, the Vice President of Student Affairs, are busy men with far more urgent matters on their daily plates. Stating the obvious about a basketball coach who’s doing his job just isn’t part of their to-do list.
Whittenburg has a lucrative contract that takes him through the 2012-13 season. The school, still stung from the huge contract and buyout given to Bob Hill, isn’t going to let a guy go with four years remaining. Of course the main reason Whittenburg will be back is because he deserves to be back. He’s been here six years and he’s the most successful coach Fordham has had since the school joined the Atlantic 10. Eighteen wins in 2006-07 lifted expectations. Now the team is rebuilding around a star point guard and highly touted recruits coming in next year. He needs to be given the full length of his contract to work with this new group.
A three-win season would deflate the morale of many coaches. Not Whittenburg, whose dedication and commitment are to be commended. In fact, Whittenburg has never been so determined. When I talked to him last Saturday, right after Fordham’s 25-loss season concluded, he said that he’s looking forward to hitting the road immediately to recruit players to join the program. No time for reflection or looking back. Everything Whittenburg says carries an air of determination that’s both admirable and convincing.
“The only way I’m going to reflect [on this year] is that I’ll be on the next plane to go recruiting,” Whittenburg said. “We have to get a couple more quality guys to make sure our team is competitive next year and I think we can do that. I told the guys ‘this [season] is over.’ We’re going to continue to work, go on and look forward.”
It’s refreshing to listen to Whittenburg considering this may have been the toughest year of his basketball career, a storied career with success at every stop. A winner as a player at DeMatha High School and North Carolina State, and as a head coach at Wagner College, Whittenburg’s not used to losing, and he’s determined not to let a season like this happen again. The goal, he says, is to stay upbeat and to work hard. That goes for players and coaches.
“I have to [stay positive],” Whittenburg said. “I am the leader of the program so I have to show these guys the unshakable confidence that I still have. They’re going to carry the attitude that I carry. They’re going to look to me for leadership. It’s important how I react. Adversity is part of life.”
Throughout our talk, Whittenburg reiterated time and time again that his sole focus was on Fordham basketball.
“I’m so focused on my program,” Whittenburg said. “I’m only thinking about one thing right now. I’m thinking about Fordham University. Everything right now is going to be focused on the returning guys and it’s going to be [focused] around recruiting.”
Readers know how much I respect and admire Whittenburg. First, he’s a coach who talks to the media after every game. Go ask reporters covering Xavier what they thought of Sean Miller when he wouldn’t talk to them following losses this year. At the conclusion of every game this year, win or lose, blowout or buzzer beater, Whittenburg made himself available. That says a lot. Next, Whittenburg’s a winner and his players respect him for that. They also respect the fact that he demands that they be accountable, that they take advantage of every ounce of basketball talent they have. Just as important is the fact that he’s behind them in the classroom, that he understands the value of a Fordham education. Finally, he’s proven he can win as a coach, as his stint at Wagner and the job he did at Fordham a couple years ago proved.
When Whittenburg won 18 games two years ago so many were singing his praises that you would have thought Digger Phelps had returned to Rose Hill. After the past two seasons you get the feeling that Bob Hill would get a better seat at the dinner table. That says something about Fordham fans. And it ain’t pretty.
Whittenburg knows basketball. In time, he’ll build this program. He certainly understands what it’s going to take to put Fordham basketball on the map.
“I love the challenge and I accept the challenge,” Whittenburg said. “We’re going to get there. I’m going to roll my sleeves up and get after it. That’s been me all my life. That’s just the way I am.”
Whittenburg’s here to stay. That’s good for him and even better for Fordham basketball.
(Charles Costello can be reached via email at charlescostello@optonline.net)
Sienna, Dayton, Arizona Highlight Madness of Tournament’s First Two Rounds
Posted by Fordham SportsNet on March 23, 2009
BY CHARLES COSTELLO
As always, the NCAA Tournament produced some memorable moments over the past four days, as 48 teams were bounced from the Dance, with 16 schools still dreaming of a national title.
The Sweet 16 gets started Thursday, and by Sunday night we’ll know the Final Four. But first, let’s take a look back at the first two rounds of the tournament:
Biggest Winners: Though they didn’t make it past the second round, the Sienna Saints played 80 minutes of quality basketball this weekend. After beating Ohio State in a double-overtime thriller Friday night, the Saints lost to No. 1 seed Louisville by just seven on Sunday. Sienna even had a four-point lead with 7:45 to play in the game. The little-school-that-could out of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference had their shining moment. Along the same lines, how about those bracket-buster Flyers? An upset over No. 6 West Virginia propelled 11th ranked Dayton to the second round where they lost to Kansas. Nonetheless, Dayton proved worthy of the at-large bid they received. Of course, credit also has to be given to the Arizona Cardinals, a No. 12 seed who knocked off Utah and Cleveland State. Sure, it was doubtful they would have beaten Wake Forest if the Deamon Deacons advanced past Cleveland State like they should have, but nonetheless, seeing a 12-seed advance to the Sweet 16 when many, including myself, thought they’d be one and done is a nice story. The rest of the field was quite predictable, but I should note that I’m happy to see Xavier advance, though their wins came against Portland State (No. 13) and Wisconsin (No. 12).
Biggest Losers: West Virginia tops my list, though Wake Forest, Illinois, and Florida State have nothing to smile about. I thought West Virginia was an Elite 8 team. With 23 wins, 10 coming in the ultra-tough Big East, the Mountaineers should have taken care of Dayton. Instead, Dayton came with more heart, effort, and desire. I’ll take that combination any day. Wake Forest was a four-seed but the Wildcats proved that they belong in this tournament. Illinois and Florida State were very beatable five-seeds. And they got beat.
Atlantic 10 Watch: I covered Dayton and Xavier already, but let me add that both schools, receiving at-large bids, represented the A-10 very well. These were the two best teams in the conference from start to finish this year, and their performances as at-large teams should help the reputation of the league. Meanwhile Temple’s first round loss to Arizona State was expected. Temple, seeded eleventh and winners of the Atlantic 10 tournament, deserves credit for their postseason run in Atlantic City. All bets were off once they hit Miami.
Looking Ahead: We’re still headed for a UConn-Memphis showdown in the West and Pittsburgh-Villanova battling it out in the East Region. Save for the championship game, these could be the two best matchups of the tournament. Meanwhile, North Carolina should beat Gonzaga in the South, but Syracuse or Oklahoma could end the Tar Heels run two days later. And finally, Louisville should get by Arizona and they’re more talented than either Michigan State or Kansas. But hey, that’s why they call it March Madness.
For the record, seven of my Elite 8 teams are still alive and my Final Four is in tact. My one bracket regret, and I knew this as soon as I posted my column last Thursday, I should have taken Villanova over Pittsburgh. No offense to the Panthers, they dominated UConn twice this year. But how great would a Villanova-UConn final be?
I’ll be back Thursday with my Sweet 16 predictions.
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