Nobody was wrong about Pat Chambers

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

Total cop-out. People who wanted him fired would have put PSU Basketball back decades like Pitt Football. Why can’t people admit they were wrong and join the party??

Why does someone have to admit anything to join the party? Why not skip a step and just join the party? Why is any regret or any bad feeling necessary at all?

Cutting the cord last season may have been unfair but it'd been a long time and we still stunk. It wouldn't have been an unreasonable decision, just an unfair one given PSU's commitment to MBB. What's impressive is that he's actually broken through this season. And I'd suspect he'll be rewarded by additional commitment from PSU (fingers crossed it's real and substantial and not just a round of hollow applause). It's quite an accomplishment. Let's just be happy about that and happy for him.

 

[Hugh Laurie]

There seems to be an ongoing fight over who was right between those who supported Chambers throughout his tenure and those who did not.

For those that supported Chambers, there is plenty to support their argument. On the reasonable excuses side: the facilities suck, no tradition or history, no local talent pool, bottom of the conference funding, and of course, some bad luck. And on the progress front, there was reason for support: steadily increasing RPI, developing recruiting pipeline to Philly, improved recruiting, facilities upgrades.

For those that criticized Chambers, they can of course point to bottom line results. No tournament appearance in 8 years, never getting above .500 in conference, a number of blown leads or meltdowns in the final 2 minutes of games, etc.

Allow me to offer that neither group is wrong. Yes, Chambers has steadily made progress and deserves support given the particular difficulty of this job, but it's also reasonable to criticize no tournament berths in 8 years. Both sides have valid points. So maybe we just stop fighting over who was right and who was wrong and all enjoy this run together.

Clearly proof of quantum entanglement at a macro level. For ever supporter (spin up) there is a criticizer (spin down) leaving the angular momentum of the board and universe unchanged and in equilibrium.

 

[UncleLar]

They are having a nice season. We have had nice seasons in the past. The key is continuing the success the following season which is where PSU regardless of coach has struggled with basketball. I will enjoy the current season and reserve any judgement to see how they are next year without Stevens.

Agree - and that has been one of the reasons to defend Chambers all along. The things that he was doing here were to build sustained success not create one year wonders.

 

[psuguy43]

Agree - and that has been one of the reasons to defend Chambers all along. The things that he was doing here were to build sustained success not create one year wonders.

It seems like most fans do not realize that and cannot see the difference between this year and 2011 or 2001. This program is in a much different place and is healthy, but most ppl seem to be viewing it as a one-time Cindarella same-old same-old and are completely taking the wait and see approach

 

[psugisher]

It seems like most fans do not realize that and cannot see the difference between this year and 2011 or 2001. This program is in a much different place and is healthy, but most ppl seem to be viewing it as a one-time Cindarella same-old same-old and are completely taking the wait and see approach

It appears to be set up for sustained success and if that's the case, if this program is actually now considered built for success year after year, then 9 years is worth the wait. PSU has never had sustained success. It's not a basketball school. The expectations aren't high even for this year's team. Basketball schools would be looking at this year's team and making scenarios to win the conference and get a 1 or 2 seed with a chance to make the final four or win it all. Half our fans are excited to just be in the tournament and the other half want a 4 or 5 seed. This is Chambers' chance to finish the building process. Win the conference or be in it until the final week. Play on the second weekend of the tournament, maybe make a regional final or final four. Then parlay that into the highest level of recruiting success PSU has ever had while thanking guys like Lamar and Watkins and Josh Reaves and Tony Carr and Shep.. for helping build it to this point. This season is the opportunity he's been building towards. Honestly, I don't care who's wrong or right. I've been on both sides. Fire and keep him. I just want to see this team reach its potential and enjoy the best February and March of PSU basketball in my lifetime.

 

[AWS1022]

It seems like most fans do not realize that and cannot see the difference between this year and 2011 or 2001. This program is in a much different place and is healthy, but most ppl seem to be viewing it as a one-time Cindarella same-old same-old and are completely taking the wait and see approach

My guess is most of the wait and see folks see Stevens and Watkins leaving and don’t see how they will be replaced, so there will be an obvious step down...the question is how big a step down will it be? Personally I would just like to see them make the tournament every four or five years, so making it this year is good enough for me. If they’re competitive next year I’ll be happy, but some will see not making the tournament next year as a lot of the same old same old in terms of basketball.

 

[LionJim]

Clearly proof of quantum entanglement at a macro level. For ever supporter (spin up) there is a criticizer (spin down) leaving the angular momentum of the board and universe unchanged and in equilibrium.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly.

 

[psuguy43]

My guess is most of the wait and see folks see Stevens and Watkins leaving and don’t see how they will be replaced, so there will be an obvious step down...the question is how big a step down will it be? Personally I would just like to see them make the tournament every four or five years, so making it this year is good enough for me. If they’re competitive next year I’ll be happy, but some will see not making the tournament next year as a lot of the same old same old in terms of basketball.

I'm hoping for a NIT next year, maybe building for another bubble season the following year, but that's so far away in the current college basketball climate that you can't really look two seasons ahead.

 

[tboyer]

The other thing that's been lost in the Chambers discussion is how long it takes to build a traditional cellar program to competing at a high level in a sustained way. It's probably the hardest thing to do in sports. And the job isn't done by a longshot - we won't know for a few more years whether this success is sustainable.

But whether you liked Chambers, whether you had doubts or questions, you just had to give it time because building a problem almost always takes many years. It's not just recruiting, it's recruiting depth, getting experience at a higher level of competition, it's everybody in the program from the coach on down gradually learning how to win at a higher level. For fans, you just have to wait wait wait and that is hard.

Yeah there are overnight success stories in BB but almost always they involve cutting corners in ways that PSU doesn't cut corners (like Michigan setting up a special flunk-proof degree program for athletes, plus their boosters paying a lot of money under the table, without which the Fab Five never would have happened.)

Sustained success almost always takes time. Best example that comes to mind is Dantonio, who didn't really have a great team until I think his 9th season, and Dantonio was close to being fired several times.

Penn State football is kind of the same deal in a way. O'Brien and Franklin have done a remarkably good job of building PSU football back to what it was under Paterno but the next step -- competing for championships the way Ohio State competes -- is still years away. How many years I don't know, but I'm pretty certain it's going to take longer than fans want to wait.

There seems to be an ongoing fight over who was right between those who supported Chambers throughout his tenure and those who did not.

For those that supported Chambers, there is plenty to support their argument. On the reasonable excuses side: the facilities suck, no tradition or history, no local talent pool, bottom of the conference funding, and of course, some bad luck. And on the progress front, there was reason for support: steadily increasing RPI, developing recruiting pipeline to Philly, improved recruiting, facilities upgrades.

For those that criticized Chambers, they can of course point to bottom line results. No tournament appearance in 8 years, never getting above .500 in conference, a number of blown leads or meltdowns in the final 2 minutes of games, etc.

Allow me to offer that neither group is wrong. Yes, Chambers has steadily made progress and deserves support given the particular difficulty of this job, but it's also reasonable to criticize no tournament berths in 8 years. Both sides have valid points. So maybe we just stop fighting over who was right and who was wrong and all enjoy this run together.

 

[Ian]

Question is whether PSU can hold onto him after this season. He might be a hot commodity.

Exactly.... and good for him if he gets the chance for big bucks. They must keep him.

 

[Kiber]

My take on Chambers was always that if PSU fired Chambers, who else were they going to hire??? PSU has shown they want to spend as little as possible on BB. So, let's say they fired Chambers, with what they are willing to pay a Men's BB Coach, they'd be very limited in their pool of candidates. Best case scenario is that they hit the jack-pot and hire a super-star coach .... Unless they would be willing to open the check book and pay the guy, he'd bolt for a better job.