Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)
ed note: I am getting very frustrated with apostrophes in random posts randomly turning into "***8217;" do you all know any way to fix this?
Norfolk State Welcomes Back Coach West
Norfolk State won't be rolling out the red carpet when the most successful coach in school history returns for the first time.
While some have expressed anger at West leaving the team, most are still confused about the circumstances surrounding his departure. When asked whether there would be any kind of recognition for West before the game, the Norfolk State AD only responded, "He sure got enough recognition while he was here. Sometimes it seemed like he was more interested in talking to the media than coaching -- so while we thank him for helping build up the program there's not much more to say. It wasn't like he was here for 10 or 20 years."
For the first time, the AD also started to open up specifically about why he let West go. "Coach West was losing his grip on the team. It's not just a matter of getting players in here. He mismanaged the players. We had lot of good players left on the bench while West was interested in putting his shiny new toys on the floor. We nearly had a few players transfer last year who only stayed because of a new coach -- it would have gotten ugly if we did not make a change."
Some wondered if Norfolk State would suffer if Coach West left, but so far they have not missed a beat. On top of staying in the Mid-Major Top 10 all season, the Spartans have also gotten off to a very strong start with 4 wins and only two losses to tough teams. Seymour and Doss have continued to provide a steady hand in the front line, while Randal Casey has blossomed under Coach Hobbs as the new starting point guard after a rocky freshman year where he was pulled in and out of the first five.
"What I've tried to do is build off of our player's strengths and give them some consistency," said Coach Hobbs, "They're all very talented, and the more they play together the more I can help guide them towards reclaiming the MEAC crown."
Norfolk State's AD sees similar promise in the Spartan squad under Hobbs, "Coach Hobbs is in a unique position to help us build a sustainable program. He has really come in and shaped up our roster. And it's his work too. Before with Coach West we had to do a lot of hand holding and the assistants had to really carry the day-to-day coaching load. With Hobbs, I am confident that our players can reach their full potential under his tutelage and experience."
Although we were able to contact Coach West for this piece, he said that he did not want to address any specific allegations laid by Norfolk State -- saying what's in the past is in the past. However, he had this to say, "I would just like to thank the fans for how they really picked up our team and helped make Echols a hard place to play. I also wish the Spartans, both current and past, the best. They were great to work with, and I could not have had a better experience to start out my coaching career."
Although he was gracious now that he's with another team, this is also the same Coach who said while he was with the Spartans that, "Coaching in the ACC would be an honor," and also one time lamented that he just, "could not get through to his players." Some skeptics have questioned West's motives and commitment to Norfolk State once his name was floated around for many coach openings across the country. Coach West only responded that he was being taken out of context in those comments.
Coach West was a little less diplomatic when asked to discuss how he thought Norfolk State's new coach was doing with the squad. He was even willing to break down some game tape for this interview. "I have a lot of respect for Coach Hobbs, and he had a lot of success when he was at GW. And I know people are allowed to change and do things differently, but when I started watching tape to prepare for the game I was very surprised. What is their primary defensive set? A 1-3-1 with Seymour anchoring under the basket. They leave their bigs to grab rebounds while the 2 and 3 run down the sidelines on the break almost as soon as the shot is in the air. They continuously attack the basket, play at a very fast tempo, and work the ball inside before trying to pass it back out. They don't run one particular set either -- but a lot of the plays are familiar. Very familiar. As if I've seen this team somewhere before."
Well folks, it looks like the gauntlet has been dropped by both sides. And whether you cheer Coach West in his return or not, get ready for what is going to be a charged atmosphere on the court and on the sidelines.
The Drexel Dragons and the Norfolk State Spartans face off tomorrow night in Echols Arena. The game is sold out, but it will also be simultaneously broadcast on Spartan-Vision throughout campus for those who couldn't get tickets.
ed note: I am getting very frustrated with apostrophes in random posts randomly turning into "***8217;" do you all know any way to fix this?
Norfolk State Welcomes Back Coach West
Norfolk State won't be rolling out the red carpet when the most successful coach in school history returns for the first time.
While some have expressed anger at West leaving the team, most are still confused about the circumstances surrounding his departure. When asked whether there would be any kind of recognition for West before the game, the Norfolk State AD only responded, "He sure got enough recognition while he was here. Sometimes it seemed like he was more interested in talking to the media than coaching -- so while we thank him for helping build up the program there's not much more to say. It wasn't like he was here for 10 or 20 years."
For the first time, the AD also started to open up specifically about why he let West go. "Coach West was losing his grip on the team. It's not just a matter of getting players in here. He mismanaged the players. We had lot of good players left on the bench while West was interested in putting his shiny new toys on the floor. We nearly had a few players transfer last year who only stayed because of a new coach -- it would have gotten ugly if we did not make a change."
Some wondered if Norfolk State would suffer if Coach West left, but so far they have not missed a beat. On top of staying in the Mid-Major Top 10 all season, the Spartans have also gotten off to a very strong start with 4 wins and only two losses to tough teams. Seymour and Doss have continued to provide a steady hand in the front line, while Randal Casey has blossomed under Coach Hobbs as the new starting point guard after a rocky freshman year where he was pulled in and out of the first five.
"What I've tried to do is build off of our player's strengths and give them some consistency," said Coach Hobbs, "They're all very talented, and the more they play together the more I can help guide them towards reclaiming the MEAC crown."
Norfolk State's AD sees similar promise in the Spartan squad under Hobbs, "Coach Hobbs is in a unique position to help us build a sustainable program. He has really come in and shaped up our roster. And it's his work too. Before with Coach West we had to do a lot of hand holding and the assistants had to really carry the day-to-day coaching load. With Hobbs, I am confident that our players can reach their full potential under his tutelage and experience."
Although we were able to contact Coach West for this piece, he said that he did not want to address any specific allegations laid by Norfolk State -- saying what's in the past is in the past. However, he had this to say, "I would just like to thank the fans for how they really picked up our team and helped make Echols a hard place to play. I also wish the Spartans, both current and past, the best. They were great to work with, and I could not have had a better experience to start out my coaching career."
Although he was gracious now that he's with another team, this is also the same Coach who said while he was with the Spartans that, "Coaching in the ACC would be an honor," and also one time lamented that he just, "could not get through to his players." Some skeptics have questioned West's motives and commitment to Norfolk State once his name was floated around for many coach openings across the country. Coach West only responded that he was being taken out of context in those comments.
Coach West was a little less diplomatic when asked to discuss how he thought Norfolk State's new coach was doing with the squad. He was even willing to break down some game tape for this interview. "I have a lot of respect for Coach Hobbs, and he had a lot of success when he was at GW. And I know people are allowed to change and do things differently, but when I started watching tape to prepare for the game I was very surprised. What is their primary defensive set? A 1-3-1 with Seymour anchoring under the basket. They leave their bigs to grab rebounds while the 2 and 3 run down the sidelines on the break almost as soon as the shot is in the air. They continuously attack the basket, play at a very fast tempo, and work the ball inside before trying to pass it back out. They don't run one particular set either -- but a lot of the plays are familiar. Very familiar. As if I've seen this team somewhere before."
Well folks, it looks like the gauntlet has been dropped by both sides. And whether you cheer Coach West in his return or not, get ready for what is going to be a charged atmosphere on the court and on the sidelines.
The Drexel Dragons and the Norfolk State Spartans face off tomorrow night in Echols Arena. The game is sold out, but it will also be simultaneously broadcast on Spartan-Vision throughout campus for those who couldn't get tickets.
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