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Every week, PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond answers questions from Tiger fans in the mailbag. This format allows for a more expansive answer than a message board post. Keep your eye out each week to submit your question for the mailbag or send them to powermizzou@gmail.com. On to this week's inquiries.
WhitewaterTiger asks: Do you think the retirements of Krzyzewski and Williams, and the poor collective performances of their schools and bluebloods like Kentucky this past year could be linked to the FBI tapes and related scandals (AZ)? Could those school’s drop in performance be linked to them “going straight” on recruiting? Or maybe being scared straight?
GD: Could it? Absolutely. I can't definitely tell someone who thinks that way that he is wrong. I also have no proof of it. I think what you're asking is two different questions though. On the performances, it would be an awfully big coincidence if the traditional powers were all worse than they normally are in the first season after all this stuff really started to happen just by chance. I think you can make an argument that Duke, Kentucky, Carolina, Kansas and Michigan State have been the five preeminent programs in college basketball over the last 20 years. Every one was worse than they have been in a while and all but Kansas were significantly worse (personally I think it's because the Jayhawks actually have the best tactical coach of the group, but that's just my opinion and it won't be popular here). Like I said, I can't say for sure that's because they were paying players and now they aren't, but I can't say that's not the case either.
With the retirements, I actually don't really think that's the reason. Roy is 70 and he's been a head coach for almost half of that time. K is 74 and he's been a head coach for 47 years. That's a LONG time. I tend to believe they just decided the day to day grind, the time commitment, the constant catering to 16-year-olds and the idea of dying on the sidelines just didn't appeal to them.
JCheekMIZ asks: Why do all PM threads eventually go off the rails?
GD: Allow me to introduce you to this thing called the Internet...
