“This business needs Cuonzo and Bruce Weber in it.” -- Frank Martin, South Carolina

[Born Boiler]

By Dave Matter, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

TAMPA, Fla. — Minutes after his team was eliminated from the SEC tournament here Thursday, South Carolina coach Frank Martin went to bat for another Martin, Missouri’s Cuonzo.

Asked by the Post-Dispatch during his postgame press conference about Cuonzo Martin’s value to the league over the years, Frank Martin spoke for several minutes about the colleague he once called his "long lost brother."

“I would be disappointed (if he doesn’t return),” Martin said. “Last time I checked they went to the NCAA Tournament last year, if I'm not mistaken. I don't know what this business is coming to when men like him get questioned on what they can and can't do and get judged this year in this league coming off the year he had last year. We got major issues in this business if somebody that had that (Missouri) team top 20 in the country pretty much all season last year and went to the NCAA Tournament. We got issues in this business.

“He is the man that he is, that's about making things right, improving people's lives. When is the last time you read about Cuonzo Martin's teams in any kind of negative connotation? You're not. When is the last time you read a player for Cuonzo Martin in any kind of negative connotation? You're not. He just came off an NCAA Tournament, and people start talking like that? That's sad.

Frank Martin ended his press conference with a nod to outgoing Kansas State coach Bruce Webber, a former colleague of Cuonzo Martin’s on Purdue’s staff. Weber, who succeeded Frank Martin at Kansas State, resigned on Thursday following a 14-17 season, his third straight losing season. At the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City, Weber’s lengthy postgame soliloquy on the state of coaching profession went viral on Wednesday. He said he’s pledged to not cut his hair until "something happens" with the FBI probe into corruption at programs around the country, including Kansas, his prime rival in the Big 12.

"I’m on the NCAA ethics committee," Weber said. "And in the meetings, I was told that they were going to take care of the people in the FBI stuff. So I told somebody, 'I’m going to grow my hair until something happens.'

“Obviously, it’s still growing. That’s the sad part of our business. Lon Kruger told me the other day, think about all the guys in the FBI thing. They are all in the NCAA tournament except one. So I’m just proud of what I’ve done.”

Before stepping off the SEC dais, Frank Martin saluted Weber on Thursday.

“If I don't say this, I would punch myself in the face,” he said. “Big shout-out to Bruce Weber. I think he is one of the classiest men and one of the good people in this business. I tried to win a Big 12 championship in that league. He won two of them. That thing is really hard over there. Big shout-out to Bruce. This business needs Cuonzo and Bruce Weber in it.”

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/col...cle_f25efe36-b8a7-561b-9373-db4317d3d921.html

 

[Do Dah Day]

More true words were never spoken. Along with Weber's soliloquy. Which is one of the finest personal statements I've ever heard. I didn't listen to Coach K's and won't. I don't want to diminish Weber's wonderfulness.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

"I don't know what this business is coming to...."

That is the sad reality when you open several Pandora's boxes and flush the system with truckloads of cash.....and then, oh let's just have the the NCAA be a de-facto front for a free minor league for the NBA. No problems there.....

Now, back to our less skeptical/cynical regular programming......there's cash-generating conference tournaments to watch!

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Were I king for a day, Frank Martin would be leading a special commando unit bursting through the doors of NCAA headquarters, and tasked with terrifying the living hell out of Emmert.

Actually he could probably do it by himself wearing a business suit, but what fun is that?

 

[DAG10]

Were I king for a day, Frank Martin would be leading a special commando unit bursting through the doors of NCAA headquarters, and tasked with terrifying the living hell out of Emmert.

Actually he could probably do it by himself wearing a business suit, but what fun is that?

Great guy...great coach...and, yet someone else who "gets it".

He nailed it...when guys like 'Zo and Bruce are not appreciated, and, clowns like Pearl and Wade (and others...Pitino comes to mind quickly) are, it speaks volumes about where the game is at, and, where society is as well.

 

[C'ville Boiler]

I like Frank. Especially this

 

[pu1985]

Great guy...great coach...and, yet someone else who "gets it".

He nailed it...when guys like 'Zo and Bruce are not appreciated, and, clowns like Pearl and Wade (and others...Pitino comes to mind quickly) are, it speaks volumes about where the game is at, and, where society is as well.

Toss in Self & Sampson- serial violators…

 

[Born Boiler]

It’s a sad world when upstanding fellows and builders of men like Bruce and Zo get punched out of jobs while an unapologetic bum like Juwan is treated to a ring for blue flu and with kid gloves for assaults on colleagues.

At least the good guys still own the moon. From Alpha to Omega.

 

[seanc777]

After Haarms and Eastern announced they were transfering CMP spoke his mind on Dakich's show. One of the first guys to back Painter up was Frank Martin.

 

[Born Boiler]

And today Frank Martin joins Bruce and Zo out the door.

Winning records and a Final Four just aren’t enough these days.

But Juwan still gets to punch ... the clock.

 

[Kern County]

Bruce is a pretty good coach and a better guy. He gets it, even as the game is evolving away from his type of coach. Those guys (Weber and Frank Martin) are old school . . . that era of college basketball may be gone forever.

Multi-million dollar compensation plans are great, but they carry outsized expectations. Today, coaches get two or three years, tops, to make meaningful headway, or you’re out. In the era of big money, that’s only going to get worse. We’re now seeing mid-year firings, something that rarely occurred even a few years ago. Expect that phenomenon to both continue and accelerate. The golden goose should be worried, even a little.

 

[DAG10]

And today Frank Martin joins Bruce and Zo out the door.

Winning records and a Final Four just aren’t enough these days.

But Juwan still gets to punch ... the clock.

Agree...no longer is the fact that you are actually a good coach important, and, never has it been more clear that College Basketball is a business. It has trended that way for some time certainly, but, it is at a point that it has not been.

It is why you have guys like Juwan and Penny and others moving into it...it is why there is the problems with AAU and pipeline programs. Hoiberg's job was in jeopardy...apparently Collins' was...both guys are good guys and good coaches, and, given the situation, face the prospect of losing said jobs I guess in that it is not like either is going to light it up on a consistent basis likely.

And, many schools have been spoiled with the success of many of the long-time coaches. It will be interesting to see how Scheyer does and how much time he is given....same with whoever takes over for Izzo at some point, or at Syracuse, etc.

Never mind, it is not like South Carolina is any sort of hoops power...