You're The One For Me, Fatty

I don't normally spend much time wondering about the fate of this or that college basketball coach, even when the coach is employed at 901 South National. I don't deny that they work very hard to promote the University's "brand." But assuming that we are in business to "produce educated persons," the University gets a considerably bigger bang for its buck out of me than it does out of Barry Hinson.

Still, I can't help but feel sorry for the guy. He's been employed here for what seems like forever, and handled with class the slings and arrows cast at him for his somewhat undistinguished track record. It's not his fault the NCAA selection committee sneers at multidirectional schools. Nor is it his fault that Springfield, MO - site of the 1906 "Easter Offering," in which three innocent black men were lynched - is not exactly a big draw for urban black kids with mad hoops skillz. Finally, it's not his fault that Charlie Spoonhour, Cheryl Burnett, and (to a certain extent) Steve Alford raised the bar so high. Unrealistically so, in my opinion.

The University President came to 901 South National from the University of Kentucky, where men's basketball is a religion. He is already building the temple down on JQH Street. Yet it's open to question whether the fans will come to see what is increasingly viewed around town as a lackluster product. The decision whether to keep Barry Hinson around is going to be one tough call. That's why the University President makes the big bucks. And he's welcome to 'em.

Me, I would keep the guy around, if only because there's no guarantee that 901 South National could reel in anyone better. Spoonhour was replaced by a gibbering idiot with a propensity for dropping the F bomb at the top of his lungs during games. Burnett was replaced by an Aryan control freak. Hinson would be only too happy for the chance to soldier on - some hope and some despair, but old Barry just keeps on doing his best. And I respect that.