I haven't commented in weeks on the state of the men's basketball program. I got to the point where there was no use. I outlined on several posts over the year what I thought the issues were. It was clear to many what the issues were. I made a comment on here about six weeks ago that the women had the best chance to win a conference championship for winter sports. I think most agreed.
Leadership starts at the top. We have two types of leadership being shown in basketball: (1) one leader has a championship acumen.....she has won conference championships at a lower division of basketball, she has won regional championships at that level, and she won a national championship at that level. She is no non-sense in her press conferences. She was impressive in OOC road defeats in addressing issues that needed to be corrected. Last night after a 26 point road win, she said "the half-court defense was terrible". She also stated that "there are several things that need to be addressed before Saturday night". This is a statement of a coach who just isn't content with a victory. She sees down the road of what needs to happen. This is championship acumen. This is a coach who sees the prize at the end of the long, hard road. She handles her issues in team practices and the team meeting room with game video. She knows how to occupy the space in press conferences. She knows what to say and how to say it. There is a definitive reason why her players play super hard for her. (2) the other leader spent three seasons ago complaining about the portal, complaining about the age of the players on the other team.....fast forward to now.....and it is every one else's fault. I never hear one single comment from him on what he needs to do better.....what he can do to correct flaws....point out things he could have done better as a game manager. Oh No! It is every one else who has a problem.....the fans have a problem, the players have a problem, the bench has a problem, the negativity in the air has a problem, the media has a problem after last night with a semi-tough question, the NCAA and its new rules have a problem......every one has a problem but the guy making 3/4 of a million dollars.
I am commenting today because as a Marshall alumni and a supporter of this school and program that I have had enough with Dan and his comments in press conferences. I am sickened by the way he is constantly allowed to call players out in press conferences. That is a jerk-water move and a bad look on our school. I have read where posters don't think President Smith shouldn't get involved with men's basketball.....we have more pressing issues at Marshall University. I strongly disagree!!!! President Smith should call D'Antoni to his office first thing. It should be a 10-15 minute conversation where Dan is dressed down for these type of comments about student-athletes. The last I checked.....Dan recruited these athletes. He operates under the same number of scholarships as every other D1 coach in America. He has 13 full scholarships. His job is to recruit them to campus and then coach them up. If he has issues with certain players and how they are playing, he needs to address that behind closed doors. It is just a horrible look for a head coach to blast individual players in press conferences. Instead of going off about players in press conferences, how about when you take them out of the game that you actually talk to them as young men, instruct them on the sideline and do what quality coaches do......give them basketball advice. I have no use for a guy that stands there the entire game with his arms folded, never talks to players, never puts his ear to his four assistants, and then puts certain players on blast during press conferences. It is totally unprofessional, and yes, it is a horrible look for Marshall University! The president needs to let Dan know how he needs to occupy the space, how is representing Marshall and how it treats the student-athlete.
This leads me to another point. Dan is operating an offense by having a 6'9" player bring the ball down the floor, initiate the offense by either throwing to a 6'8" post player 19 feet from the basket or have that post player run a screen-and-roll 24 feet from the basket. Who does this? But yet Dan constantly blames Jacob Conner in his press conferences; maybe not as much last night but he has done it over the course of the season. Conner is playing out of position. That isn't Conner's fault. That is Dan's fault. I have met Jacob Conner and he is a good kid. He doesn't deserve this treatment from his head coach in press conferences. Recruit a point guard and let the kid play the three spot which is where he should be. Get off the kids back Dan! You had five months in the spring & summer of 2023 to get a point guard that could come in here and play. You could have gotten a JUCO PG, you could have got a portal player, you could have gotten a prep school player. That is on you; not Jacob Conner. If I was Conner last night, I would have called out Dan in the press conference. But I give Conner credit, he doesn't lower himself to the standard that the head coach sets. He actually rises above it.
The calling out of players is a poor look for Marshall University as a whole. I just can't bite my tongue any longer. It will hurt in recruiting. These videos are out there. Don't think for one second that an opposing coach won't use these when competing for Marshall for a recruit. It wouldn't be as much as a problem if we didn't have a coach who has as many coaching flaws in how he runs the program. My message to you Dan: fix your own flaws before you run around like Mr. Microphone blasting players in press conferences. Handle your business with individual players in team rooms, film sessions and practices.
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