V-MAIL: DEC. 7
Q: I'm a lifelong Hoosier fan and Knight loyalist (not fanatic). I'm interested in how you think the quality of basketball at Indiana has been affected by Knight's firing. It seems to me that those who say that Knight is behind the times are seeing what happens when the timeless elements of basketball deteriorate (i.e., taking care of the ball, making good passes into the post, good shot selection). They had 21 turnovers against Indiana State. Interested in your thoughts. -- C.T. Jones, Indianapolis
VITALE: Against Notre Dame the Hoosiers played well on the road against a really good Fighting Irish team. Tom Coverdale stepped up big and scored 30 points and they got solid inside defensive play to neutralize All-American Troy Murphy. This Indiana team has a chance to get better because they are so young. Remember, they don't have a senior in the lineup. They will go through ups and downs throughout the season. They will shock you along the way with a big, big upset but then they will disappoint you coming up short when they should win.
Q: Just how good are Eddie Griffin and Seton Hall? Also, do you think Griffin will stay another year or go out? If he does go out, do you think he will be a lottery pick? -- Juls, Hempstead, N.Y.
VITALE: Griffin has started his collegiate career in unbelievable fashion. It is a bit too early to pass judgment as to his future because they haven't been tested yet, except for maybe the Clemson game, and have not been in a competitive situation like they will face in the Big East and against the likes of Illinois and Michigan State. Right now he looks like the premier diaper dandy in the nation, though there are several good ones like Gerald Wallace and Zach Randolph, to name a couple.
Q: First of all, big fan here -- now the question. I am a diehard Terp fan who is beginning to question whether Gary Williams can coach us over the edge. Our intensity and effort will always be there with a Gary-coached team. However, he is 10-deep this year with three potential All-Americans and all 10 of them seem to lack the fundamentals. After watching a Dick Bennett-coached team, I truly wonder: if Dick had all this talent, wouldn't they surely rebound and play within themselves? Any thoughts? -- jfterp, Atlanta
VITALE: This team has started off slowly, but sometimes that's better than coming out on fire and falling short in the end. This team will get better as the season progresses. It has experience, and after all the preseason notoriety, the Terps were brought back to Earth. Losing three games early may turn out to be a positive, in a way, if you can get something out of that situation when you are expected to win. They played good competition and I really feel this team will go on a roll.
Q: What do you think about Marshall's chances this year to get into the top 25 and possibly make a run in the NCAA tourney at the end of the year? -- Clark, Huntington, W.Va.
VITALE: Marshall has a dynamite 1-2 punch. A lot of people don't know much about junior guard Tamar Slay, who has multiple skills and is one of the top scorers in the MAC, along with J.R. Van Hoose on the interior. They are underrated players. The whole league is underrated. If Marshall wins the league title, yes, they would be in the NCAA. I would not be surprised to see several MAC teams make the Big Dance this year. The Thundering Herd can create problems with their talent.
Q: We have seen both Tommy Amaker and Quin Snyder recently leave Duke, understandably. When can we expect Johnny Dawkins to get a head-coaching job, and do you have any idea as to where he could end up? -- Eric Horner, Kingsport, Tenn.
VITALE: Dawkins is in love with being on the Duke staff. He's not in any rush to move on. I don't think there is any doubt that Mike Krzyzewski has three potential head coaches in Johnny, Chris Collins and Steve Wojciechowski. Their passion and classy way of handling things as well as their enthusiasm and love for basketball is special. I have to believe down the road in several years they will be called upon to head their own programs.
Q: Now that Dick Bennett has retired, what chance does Wisconsin have of making the same kind of run they did last season? -- Jeffrey Boeck, Baileys Harbor, Wis.
VITALE: The one constant with the Badgers is the stability of having assistant Brad Soderberg take over and run the same system. Having Soderberg there with the veteran cast of experienced players, you're not going to have the same breakdown you would normally have with inexperienced people. These kids have winning experience, as does Soderberg with them. Everyone in basketball misses Dick Bennett -- he was a class act and a purist in the game.
Q: I know you love your "powerhouse" conferences such as the ACC, SEC and Big East, but you are overlooking a pretty decent team on the plains of Wyoming. The University of Wyoming is poised for a great season and you, along with many others, have given them no props. Why is this? I know you are a fan of quality small schools and a little respect from you would go a long way. -- Blaine Tate, Denver
VITALE: Unfortunately, in this situation I haven't had a chance to see everyone play. Out in the Mountain West, I have heard good things about them and I know they were unbeaten entering the game at Cal State-Northridge -- and we know that the Matadors pulled off the shock at UCLA and gave UNLV and USC close calls. Wow, maybe I should be giving them some pub! I'm told the Cowboys have a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard named Marcus Bailey who is playing well. Josh Davis is a player who was on my unsung team and he is averaging around a double-double. Getting the big kid Udezue back also helps. Steve McClain is a solid coach and this team will be heard from.
Q: How will Notre Dame's lack of a bench affect them when they begin Big East play? Could Michael Bradley steal the Big East Player of the Year out of Troy Murphy's grasp? -- Michael Daly, Villanova, Pa.
VITALE: Notre Dame has a solid cast inside and outside and they will grow from the loss to Indiana. Obviously you'd like to have more depth on the bench and more perimeter players who can give you minutes, especially at point guard. I think Notre Dame will make a run at the Big East honors. They have enough ammunition. It will be pretty tough to overtake Murphy for Big East top player honors; I feel Murphy has a legitimate shot at national PTPer honors. Bradley is off to a solid start for Villanova.
Q: How about Matt Doherty? Is he going to lead UNC to its next dynasty? I hear you talking about patience -- and patience is certainly needed right now with a rocky start for the Heels -- but do you think he has what it takes to satisfy the expected success of this basketball legacy? -- Jon Melton, Raleigh
VITALE: Matt Doherty brings a special passion. You could see it after they were blown out by Kentucky, the way they responded on the defensive end the next game against Miami. He's a workaholic in the world of recruiting. There are three keys to success on the collegiate level, I don't care where you go. First is the successful ability to recruit. Second is ability to communicate your concepts to your players, to motivate. Third is the X's and O's of the game. Most guys know how to coach, but the winners are the ones who get the players. Doherty has a lot to offer to young players with a Rolls-Royce program. North Carolina will have talent galore and he has a number of commitments already.
Q: Do you think the Kentucky Wildcats will get to the Final Four? If not, would you let me know who your four picks are? -- Carson, Fairborn, Kty.
VITALE: Kentucky is capable of enjoying a big season and anything can happen when you go on a little roll. Look at North Carolina last year when nobody gave them a shot when they entered the NCAA Tournament. They had enough personnel to win four games and reach the Final Four. The same thing could happen to Kentucky. The Wildcats have to find a way to get Tayshaun Prince to become the type of player he was last year as an All-SEC performer. The problem is he's not making shots. When you limit Kentucky's perimeter shooting with Prince and Keith Bogans, it seems to break down the club, especially against big-time competition. If they play the way they did against the Tar Heels, they can beat anyone. At the moment, my Final Four would be Arizona if they are at full strength; Duke, with the ability to shoot the three and their potential to break games open with their defensive pressure (Jason Williams, as I've said, is the best guard in the nation); I like Kansas' seven-man rotation and its balance; then Michigan State, even after losing Cleaves and Peterson. The Spartans have depth, balance and the toughness of Charlie Bell and the explosiveness of Jason Richardson.
Q: I played for a great high school coach, Jim Harrington (Elgin High School, Elgin, Ill., whose son now plays for Illinois). He always preached that his best defender, rebounder and ball handler will start. Could you share with us some of your basic coaching principles, or basic principles from the coaching masters, for those of us just getting started in coaching? -- Ken Henricks, Boston
VITALE: First of all, I would suggest you go to as many clinics as possible. They are put out by the different sneaker companies and other athletic organizations. You can find out about them in coaching magazines. Hear some of America's premier coaches speak on different phases and aspects of the game and situations. Read as much material as possible, manuals about motivation, offensive and defensive concepts, etc. I would also suggest talking to the successful high school and college coaches and see if you could attend a practice, observe and take notes. Then incorporate it within your own personality, but try to learn the art of communicating. The key today in working with kids is getting points across. You can have the knowledge, but if you don't convey it so that the kids get it there's a problem. You want to get people excited to play and utilize your beliefs, otherwise you are in trouble. The bottom line is work on communicating, learn and observe. I still learn and pick up things, little points I can use in my experiences with basketball, even as I attend practices.
