Miller to hang around for a couple years
AD Wabler does what he can to keep his coach happy.
The return of a legendary football coach nearly trumped all the news on and off the basketball court last week. Yes, Hayden Fox and “Coach” are coming back to TV. The only thing that could beat that is the return of “The White Shadow.”
University of Dayton basketball
is dominating local headlines: UD’s men ran out of gas against Oklahoma to fall short of the Sweet 16; UD’s women shot like Jerry West to reach the Elite 8; knuckleheads Devon Scott and Jalen Robinson were tossed in jail; and Archie Miller will be staying in town till 2022 (wink, wink).
Miller’s new contract is great for him and the Flyers, but here’s what it really means: UD probably doubled Archie’s salary; Archie will stay for another year or two; UD locked in the “you have to play us home-and-home when you leave” clause, which guarantees a home game against Ohio State or some other big name in about five years.
UD athletic director Tim Wabler
should be commended for doing what he can to keep Archie happy, but unless the coach recruits several more guys who end up in jail, somebody will make him an offer he can’t refuse. Two more years sounds about right. That’s how long Brian Gregory stayed after signing an extension in 2009 designed to keep him at UD until
2018.
Congrats to Jim Jabir
and the UD women for advancing to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. Beating Kentucky in Lexington was one of the more impressive victories by any team this month. You might be saying, “Aw, I can’t watch that, it’s boring.” My answer: 99-94. That was the final score of UD’s win over UK. Ninety-nine points ain’t boring. Here’s hoping the Flyers can hang with UConn.
Finally, there’s Scott and Robinson.
And wouldn’t you know it, the county prosecutor waited until the Flyers were grounded to announce burglary charges against the former UD big guys, who are accused of stealing stuff from UD dorms hours after returning from a Dec. 13 loss at Arkansas.
Call me cynical, but I’m guessing that if UD’s men were still playing ... nah, what am I thinking? Our upstanding, no-comment Marianist university doesn’t have that much pull, right?
Trending up:
Jack Nicklaus, Luke Kennard, Tri-Village. The Golden Bear received the Congressional Gold Medal last week at the U.S. Capitol. Nicklaus was a great golfer, but he’s also donated millions to children’s causes and his Memorial Tournament has given more than $20 million to central Ohio charities.
Braxton Miller, Randy Gregory, Press Virginia. AdvoCare’s newest pitchman must have slept through all the lectures given to the football team by Ohio State’s compliance folks. This weird drama probably will lead to nothing serious, unless Miller was given more than tattoos for his endorsement.
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