Huggy Bear

There’s an old saying that goes something like, “When you lay down with dogs, you may get fleas.” I know, that might not be exactly right, but it’s close. This saying should not be confused with other, commonly known mantras like, “Don’t mess with the bull, you’ll get the horns” or “Don’t buy anything from the trunk of a man named Moose.” Each of these offers good, common-sense advice and the overall meaning is true for all – there are some situations, places and people that should probably be avoided. And, if you choose not to avoid them, you need to accept the potential consequences. So, in a matter of speaking, you could say that when the Kansas State athletic department hired Bob Huggins to coach their men’s basketball team, they effectively bunked down in the doghouse, climbed into the bull’s paddock, opened up Moose’s trunk.

Now, I make no apologies in this space regarding my allegiance to Kansas Jayhawk basketball. From Clyde Lovellette and Wilt Chamberlain to Danny Manning and Paul Pierce, I am definitely a Jayhawk, through and through. But, truth be told, I want Kansas St. and the rest of the Big 12 to improve for one simple reason. If the Big 12 is better, than Kansas will have to be better to win. And, if Kansas is better, they will most likely have more post-season success. I just want to clear this up before I get accused of being a homer and just not liking Kansas State basketball or being jealous of their sudden – and somewhat uncomfortable – success. I’m not Wildcat hunting for fun. I believe the folks in Manhattan, Kansas, made a decision that has been made in athletic departments all around the country – and quite possibly to some degree in my beloved Lawrence, Kansas.

You see, the world of Division I men’s college basketball is more than its glossy, One Shining Moment exterior that CBS puts forth every March. There’s a definite underbelly out there and when you turn it over for a peek, you see it’s filled with AAU coaches acting as player agents, unauthorized visits and illegal benefits, shady tutoring and jobs for parents. These are the components of the dark and dreary world of the year round recruiting wars. Despite countless checks from the NCAA, these things have gone on for most of my lifetime. About 25 years ago, Kansas coach Larry Brown hired Ed Manning as an assistant on his staff. Ed’s 17 year old son, Danny, was a highly recruited power forward. Danny eventually committed to KU and led the Jayhawks to the 1988 NCAA title. Two years ago, Bill Self used the same technique with Mario Chalmers and his father. Illegal? Nope. Feels a bit unscrupulous? Absolutely.

I believe KU’s cross-state rivals in Manhattan got tired of being lumped in with the NCAA have-nots. So, when they fired underachieving, but perennial good-guy Jim Wooldrige last month, they had a decision to make: stay with the K-State norm of hiring a somewhat unproven up-and-comer with a spotless record or hire a proven winner and ignore the baggage. There were five or six potential candidates in the first category, but only one that really mattered in the second – former Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins.

I have never met Bob Huggins. The only exposure I have to him involve sideline tantrums, press conferences explaining player arrests, disturbing charges and video regarding his drinking and driving, and the standard early flameouts from the NCAA tournament. However, for some reason, Huggins has an incredible rapport with young, often troubled, high school basketball stars that see themselves playing in the NBA. For whatever reason, these guys love Bob Huggins and want to play in his offense. The man is a recruiting machine and as his name surfaced for several jobs this spring, the underlying feeling was the same: if you hire Bob Huggins, you are going to rocket up the recruiting standings almost immediately. Maybe it was too much to pass up for the Wildcats. After years of being overshadowed by the Jayhawks, they had a chance to make a splash and get really good really quick. So, they hired Bob Huggins.

Already, the team is changing. The best unsigned player in America – a 7’3” center from Florida, signed with the Wildcats on Wednesday. Manhattan could soon be the home of another seven foot center or the best point guard coming out of the JUCO ranks. What’s more, if the collection of kids claiming allegiance to Huggins all commit to K-State in next year’s recruiting class, the 2007-08 Wildcats should be a pre-season top 10 basketball team. I’m not saying that will happen for sure, because I do believe, for a 17 year-old boy, there is a big difference between being recruited to Cincinnati – a relatively large city – and recruiting to Manhattan, Kansas – in the middle of the farm belt. It may be a tough sell, but if there’s any salesman who can do it, it’s Bob Huggins.

So, what is the tradeoff for Kansas State University, it’s athletic department and its fans? Potentially, there are no tradeoffs. Potentially, Huggins has overcome his demons and will not have any problems. The standard line from K-Staters on talk radio these past few weeks has been unabashed excitement at being lumped with the college basketball blue-bloods combined with this head-in-the-sand qualifier – “He hasn’t done anything wrong here, yet!” And it’s true. There is no evidence that Huggins has done anything improper in the recruitment of the kid from Florida or with any other of the five star recruits that seem to want to call him their coach. His contact with them stopped when he was hired except for that which is allowed within the confines of the NCAA rules.

But, there are two sides to potential and the Wildcats must acknowledge that as good as things might go, there is potential for them to turn out equally as bad. Manhattan, Kansas is a long way from some of the big city playgrounds and gyms these kids are playing at today. Where will they go to have the fun they are used to? Aggieville, Salina, Topeka? Nope. Those kids will be looking for parties as far away as Kansas City. What if one or two of these guys have the off-the-court troubles exemplified by some of Huggins’ players at Cincinnati – the worst of which resulted in kidnapping, weapons and drug charges? What if Huggins – who never showed any remorse over his DUI conviction – encounters the same issues on the streets of Manhattan? Are the Wildcat faithful going to be able to justify it by saying, “Yeah, but our team is favored to win the Big 12 this year!” Will that be enough? Is Huggins serious about Manhattan or is he looking for a stepping stone to revive his reputation so he can go somewhere with a bigger budget and an easier recruiting sell? And, the biggest question of all – can Huggins actually deliver at crunch time? No matter his abilities in recruiting, he’s not proven himself as a great tournament coach. Will simply making the field be enough at K-State or will the desire for more continue to grow? I speak from recent experience – early exits are painful.

My point is this: if we are going to extol the virtues of this decision and the opportunity for serious college basketball success that non-traditional Division I powerhouses seek, let’s not ignore the trade off that comes with the same decision. My soap box today is as the moral conscience for the Wildcats and they definitely need to ask themselves, “Is this really the path we want to take?” Stop pretending that Huggins past is lilly-white or that his future is without serious questions! It shouldn’t all be roses in Manhattan, nor at just about any other high-profile athletic department.

They call NCAA football and basketball the money sports for a reason. As much as they are about athletic accomplishments, they are about the revenue generated as a business. Gone are the days of playing for the hometown team and love of the game. That Bob Huggins could get a job just a year after the things that happened at the University of Cincinnati is all the proof we need to know that we’ve entered an era of college sports hedonism – if it feels good, do it, no matter what the consequences. But, like life as a whole, that “live on the edge” attitude does have potential costs, and the fleas that may be hiding under the surface will definitely bite.

The Race for 63! The Royals had a chance to get this nine game road trip off to a great start on Tuesday. But, after a ridiculous decision by manager Buddy Bell to pull a hot pitcher in the 8th, the club promptly gave up five runs, the lead and the game. They ended up getting swept by the Yankees, then heading to Tampa Bay and getting the same treatment from the Devil Rays. That’s right, not a single “W” this week. Current record: 2-9.