2008 Woodie Awards
Firing Davis is not the answer
Richard Lowe
Issue date: 1/14/08 Section: Sports
Tasting success can bring emotions we are not accustomed to. This is why when you first deal with death, you tend to be confused and when you enter into a new relationship, you are extremely happy. Many expected great things when Sidney McPhee hired Chris Massaro to replace Boots Donnelly as the athletic director of Middle Tennessee.
What wasn't anticipated was the fact that many people are beginning to turn on those that we cheered for before Massaro arrived in Murfreesboro.
Andy McCollum was seen as a polarizing figure, even though the majority of people on campus never came in contact with him. Those that did interact with McCollum said that he was a fun loving guy that enjoyed his job, but was given difficult circumstances to succeed. This is why when he was fired on that Sunday evening in November 2005, there were mixed feelings in the Blue Raider community. In the end, the arrival of Rick Stockstill signaled a time for change for the Blue Raider football program.
For some strange reason, I have heard rumblings from certain students and alumni that the same type of change should be made within the men's basketball program. Somehow, a combined 88-76 record is not good enough to maintain a coaching job at Middle Tennessee.
Kermit Davis, in name alone, brought credibility into a program that was in desperate need of some. He has been successful at all programs he has coached and has continued his success here as a Blue Raider. He is third in all-time career wins at Middle Tennessee, behind Jimmy Earle and Bruce Stewart respectively. Besides Bruce Stewart, Davis is the only coach in MT history to start his career with four straight winning seasons.
In fact, Coach Davis just suffered his first losing season at MT last season. At 15-17, Davis' team dealt with the loss of second team all-conference guard Adam Vogelsberg. Without Vogelsberg, then-sophomore Kevin Kanaskie was forced into the leadership role less than a week from facing off against No. 24-ranked University of Tennessee. Even though it was difficult to watch the growing process at times, you had no choice but to admit that without Vogelsberg, it would be a long season.
What wasn't anticipated was the fact that many people are beginning to turn on those that we cheered for before Massaro arrived in Murfreesboro.
Andy McCollum was seen as a polarizing figure, even though the majority of people on campus never came in contact with him. Those that did interact with McCollum said that he was a fun loving guy that enjoyed his job, but was given difficult circumstances to succeed. This is why when he was fired on that Sunday evening in November 2005, there were mixed feelings in the Blue Raider community. In the end, the arrival of Rick Stockstill signaled a time for change for the Blue Raider football program.
For some strange reason, I have heard rumblings from certain students and alumni that the same type of change should be made within the men's basketball program. Somehow, a combined 88-76 record is not good enough to maintain a coaching job at Middle Tennessee.
Kermit Davis, in name alone, brought credibility into a program that was in desperate need of some. He has been successful at all programs he has coached and has continued his success here as a Blue Raider. He is third in all-time career wins at Middle Tennessee, behind Jimmy Earle and Bruce Stewart respectively. Besides Bruce Stewart, Davis is the only coach in MT history to start his career with four straight winning seasons.
In fact, Coach Davis just suffered his first losing season at MT last season. At 15-17, Davis' team dealt with the loss of second team all-conference guard Adam Vogelsberg. Without Vogelsberg, then-sophomore Kevin Kanaskie was forced into the leadership role less than a week from facing off against No. 24-ranked University of Tennessee. Even though it was difficult to watch the growing process at times, you had no choice but to admit that without Vogelsberg, it would be a long season.
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