I know who I'm rooting for when the Madness descends this week, and it's not Vermont or Howard or Samford or Wagner -- or even St. Peter's, despite the fact the Peacocks have the coolest nickname in the field of 68.
No, sir. I'm rooting for the real underdog.
His name is Dan Monson, and he's the head coach at Long Beach State, at least until he loses this week. That's because Long Beach State has already fired him.
Did it last Monday after State wrapped up an 18-14 campaign that included five straight losses to end the regular season. Did it, according to all parties, mutually, Monson himself saying that after 17 seasons the program "needed a new voice."
Maybe that's why Long Beach State agreed to let him see the season through to the end, which presumably would be until The Beach got ousted from the Big West tournament.
Except ...
Except Long Beach State then hauled off and won the thing.
Whipped UC Riverside, top-seed UC Irvine and finally UC Davis to cut down the nets, and now The Beach is headed to the big show. And Dan Monson, the lamest of lame ducks, gets to go out the way someone who's given 17 years of his life to an institution deserves to go out.
He and his team will likely get bounced in the first round. But wouldn't it be great if they didn't?
Wouldn't it be great if, a week-and-a-half from now, they're in the Sweet Sixteen? Wouldn't it be great if they became the story of the tournament, because it's always the Little Guy Who Could that puts the madness in the Madness every year?
Sure it is. And you know what?
Dan Monson isn't just the Little Guy Who Could. In the larger context, he's also the Little Guy Who Can't.
No comments:
Post a Comment