Johnny Dawkins

[KnuckleStang]

Some in past posts on this board have mentioned Johnny Dawkins as a possible successor to Dement. Call me old fashioned, but I feel that his astoundingly classless display on Saturday at the ACC tournament should eliminate him from any consideration.

For those who don't know what happened, earlier in the year, Matt Doherty (sp?) got in sort of a shoving match with Duke asst. coach Chris Collins during a game. Before Saturday's game with Duke, Doherty went and shook hands with the entire Duke coaching staff, including Collins, in a sort of symbolic burying of the hatchet. Everyone except Dawkins, that is, who WAVED HIM OFF!!! Left the man hanging on national TV. Of course, he did shake his hand after the Dukies had whooped their *sses.

Now, I'm not saying that Dement is some coaching genius. John Wooden he ain't, and he's not the most articulate guy in the world, but he has always conducted himself in a public forum with some semblance of class. Coach K probably gave Dawkins a talking to about that, and he would most probably never consider coming to SMU, but I say GOOD. Let him go coach at Arkansas or some crap.

Sorry, I'm off my soap box now, but I just thought that was a common, CLASSLESS MOVE.

I know many of you may say things like, "I don't care if he leaves other coaches hanging as long as he wins," but I was just flat-out horrified when I saw that.

S-M-U spells SMU!!!!

[Phil Fan]

I agree, I didn't like Dawkins' performance, either.
And it's even worse that he shook hands afterward. Had UNC knocked off Puke, he probably would've run to the lockerroom and hid.

[NCPony]

I don't think Dawkins will be leaving Dook. Wouldn't he have already taken a job somewhere, like Q. Sneider (SP?) and Tommy Amaker? I wouldn't be surprised if he stays at Dook, gets groomed by The Rat and becomes his successor.

Dawkins act was classless. He was such a girl about not shaking his hand waving him off that way. They obviously will never be friends, but just shake hands and forget it. It probably doesn't matter as Doherty may have been in his last Dook-UNC game. SMU could always go for Doh.

[BigEasyPony]

I agree that was lame, but I think there are more alternatives than just Johnny Dawkins and Mike Dement. Just b/c one (1) prospective candidate makes an [deleted] of himself doesn't mean that you should just sit tight and wait another year.

[OldPony]

The talk of Dement leaving is premature. Next year is his making or breaking. The team will be primarily juniors with one sophomore. The bench will be better and deeper and I expect to get to the dance next year. I hoped for an NIT this year and we were probably one game away from it. Dement has always represented SMU (especially when compared to jackasses like Dawkins or B Knight) with class and so have nearly all of the kids he has recruited. If Isham plays some offense next year, this could be a really good team (at or near top 25.) The Rack, Reay and hopefully Miller will show enough improvement to allow us to be more aggressive on D and BHop should be better if Dement can get it through his head that he is a point guard. Replacing Q won't be done by one guy but IF the other starters improve even half as much as they did this year, they can have a better overall team and pick up the slack left by Q. The eternal optimist- I can't wait until next year!!

[KnuckleStang]

I'm with you, OldPony, I am also a bit of an eternal optimist. I thought Dement exceeded expectations this year, at least mine. 17-13 starting three sophomores and a freshman is nothing to sneeze at, I don't care what anybody says. I also personally feel next year is the year we'll truly know something about Dement. Q is a HUGE loss, but I think other people can step up as they get more experience, and we could have more of a team effort in his absence.

Big Easy, I take your point, but that wasn't really what I was getting at. My comments were more anti-Dawkins than pro-Dement (though I know Dement will never bring shame to this university that way). But I think we need to give him at least one more year. Not every team has the chance to retain the nucleus of their starting five for 3 years.

[Hoofprint]

Will next year really be a make or break year for Coach Dement? I don't think so, because with Q gone, I'm not sure the expectations will be very high. We have good players coming back, but there's no proven scorer, and every team needs at least 2 or 3. Until BHop or Simpson or Isham or Castro or SOMEONE takes the reins and shows he can score - including an ability to create a good shot, not just jack up a wild heave - I think Coach Dement is safe for another year AFTER next year. Besides, doesn't he have two more years on his contract? With no great offense, I'd guess the school would be hesitant to eat a year of his contract and pay 2 coaches to do the same job.