I've had a couple of my most disappointing Kent State basketball moments over the past few weeks. Coming off a dominating MAC tournament run, I thought the team had the goods, certainly, to win at least one NCAA tournament game. I mean, they matched up pretty well with UNLV, right? I still think they matched up well, but just shot like crap and turned the ball over too much in the first half.
Still, the team had a great year and still looked good heading into next year. Then this bombshell dropped: Jim Christian left the team to coach Texas Christian University. Maybe he just thought the school was named for him? Speaking of TCU...Really, Jim? A Mountain West Conference school? You had the chance for Nebraska last year. Sure, not a great basketball school, but in a very good conference. TCU just seems like a step sideways to me.
As for Kent's new coach, Geno Ford? I don't know much about him. In two years at Muskingum University and one at Shawnee State, he went 51-32. I know nothing about those two schools' basketball programs, but that's an average of 17 wins a year...Below Kent State's tradition. But, hey, maybe it's the school, and not the coach. KSU has seen three different coaches in its 20-win season streak, and Ford will the the fourth.
Okay. Enough about basketball for now.
Switching gears to football and Chris Henry. There's not much to say here, except that it is ABOUT TIME the Bengals cut the troubled receiver, after his latest scrape with the law. Maybe the NFL should just bar him from the league. I can't say for sure, but if I had been arrested five times in five years for various reasons, including assault, I might not be working where I am now. Chris Henry also earns a trip to my island of public figures who I'd like to just never hear from again. (Future column?)
Onto the Jaguars, my favorite team.
There isn't much big news to report this week on the team, but looking back at some of their off-season so far, I'm liking what I see for next year. First, we got rid of Marcus Stroud, on of the best linemen of the 2000s. How is that a good thing? He's been injured the past couple years, and the Jags need a pass-rusher.
The next good thing? Jerry Porter! Yeah, last year he was pretty bad. But he was a RAIDER! The Jaguars haven't had a great receiver since Jimmy Smith retired, and they've had a string of under-achieving receivers. Hopefully Porter can fill the role, and Dennis Northcutt can be a good number two. The team is also hoping Troy Williamson can cash in on some of the promise he had when he was drafted. If David Garrard has some better receivers to throw to...wow, this team could have one of the more potent offenses in the league.
And the third good thing? (And fourth) Jack Del Rio and David Garrard should both have lengthy extensions. I kind of want to move to Jacksonville...
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