Web Exclusives: From the Cheap Seats
a PAW web exclusive column by Matt Golden '94 (email: golden2@erols.com)

In today's transitory world of college basketball, coaches like Pete Carril, Dean Smith, and Mike Krzyzewski -- men who built prominent hoops programs and remained at those schools long term -- are increasingly difficult to find. Princeton better hope it landed a coach of that ilk with the hiring of John Thompson III '88.

It seems most coaches these days have at least one eye on the next job at all times, the next step in their career progression. And who can blame them? Their profession is nothing if not volatile. NCAA tournament bids mean big money for schools and their conferences. And winning seasons translate into nationally televised games and happy alums with deep pockets. Pressure to win, and win NOW, is high.

As a result, coaching legends like Louisville's Denny Crum get dumped on their rear ends as soon as a hot commodity like Rick Pitino hits the market. Young coaches watch as the likes of Rutgers coach Kevin Bannon get shown the door after a four-year, 59-60 record at a school that has endured nearly a decade of basketball futility. There were other factors at play in the Bannon firing, but none would have led to his dismissal had the Scarlet Knights gone 18-10 this season.

Rutgers promptly went after Hofstra coach Jay Wright, the latest shooting star among college basketball's young coaches. Wright had coached Hofstra to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and was poised to make the jump to a bigger program. He ended up at Villanova, which, like Rutgers, plays its ball in the Big East -- one of the NCAA's power conferences.

Last fall, Princeton took its first spin on the coaching carousel when Bill Carmody left the Tigers for a lucrative deal at Northwestern -- a member of the Big Ten, a conference which placed seven teams in the 2001 NCAA tournament. And it won't be long before the elite programs come courting Thompson, too.

Princeton enjoyed a remarkable season under its rookie head coach in 2000-01. Despite injuries and constant upheaval, Thompson guided the Tigers to an Ivy title and an NCAA bid. That success combined with Thompson's basketball pedigree -- he's the son of a Hall-of-Fame coach and played for another Hall-of-Famer at Princeton -- will make him an attractive candidate for many high-profile jobs.

But Princeton fans should not resign themselves to losing Thompson, at least not yet. Thompson's father, the Hall-of-Fame coach with the same name, molded the Georgetown Hoyas into a college hoops powerhouse during the early 1980s and remained at the Washington, DC school for the remainder of his coaching career, despite interest from other schools and the NBA.

The younger Thompson may follow that path as well. He has said countless times, "Princeton basketball is a part of me." But that won't stop the big boys from calling.

Matt Golden is PAW's sports editor and can be reached at golden2@erols.com