PROVIDENCE DECIDES TO PLAY KENO

by Brian P. Foley, The College Baseball Blog

Providence College announced Keno Davis as their new basketball coach on Tuesday replacing Tim Welsh who was fired after ten seasons in charge of the basketball program. Davis comes from Drake University where he was the head coach for one season leading them to their first NCAA tournament since 1971. They were ranked at the end of the season in both major college basketball poll with the AP ranking them at 14 and the Coaches putting them at 23.

The interesting part of this story is that the Friars were shunned by three big time mid-major coaches. PC alumnus and former assistant coach Jim Larranaga was the initial first choice for the school but he decided to keep his job at George Mason rather then taking over the program. The next choice to become public was Travis Ford of UMass but he decided at the last minute to turn down the job and a double in pay to go back to Amherst. The Friars also tried to get Davidson head coach Bob McKillop but he also turned them down. They finally were able to get Keno to come to the school but he was the fourth choice on the list.

Lets take a look at the Providence College program and decided if it is a good job for an upcoming coach. PC plays all of their home games off campus at the aging Dunkin Donuts Center which opened up in 1972 and needs a major upgrade in terms of amenities. I think the only facility that is worst then the Dunk is the RAC that Rutgers plays in. PC also plays in the Big East which is one of the best conferences in the nation so it will be very tough to compete year in and year out with the big name schools in the conference.

The biggest issue with the Providence College program is the fans of the basketball program. They believe that they should make the Final Four every single season and if they do not make it then it is an ultimate failure. The fans continue to live in the heydays of Joe Mullaney, Dave Gavitt, and Rick Pitino who all brought the Friars to the national scene in College Basketball. PC won the NIT in 1961 and 1963 while making the NCAA Final Four in 1973 under Dave Gavitt and in 1987 under Rick Pitino.

The PC fans need to give Keno a chance to succeed and just be competitive in the Big East as the PC job has become a stepping stone for a bigger university as the school has lost its luster in recruiting the best players in the nation.

PC FANS WAKE UP, RICK PITINO IS NOT WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR!