Chatting with Coach Chaney

The Temple News talked with Hall of Fame coach John Chaney before his induction into the Big 5 Hall of Fame last Friday. Temple honored him at last Saturday’s game.

John Chaney coached at Temple from 1982 to 2006. During those 24 seasons, Chaney amassed a 516-253 record for the Owls and became the winningest coach in Temple men’s basketball history. He led Temple to 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, including five trips to the Elite Eight. His 1987-1988 team entered the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 1 in the nation. Prior to coming to Temple, Chaney won a NCAA Division II title with Cheyney University in 1978. In total, he racked up 741 career wins in 34 seasons.

Chaney, already a member of Temple’s Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, was inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame last Friday along with former Villanova coach Rollie Massimino (the only Big 5 coach to win a national title) and former La Salle coach William “Speedy” Morris. Chaney celebrated his 78th birthday Jan. 21.

The Temple News talked with Chaney about his induction into the Big 5 Hall of Fame, his most memorable moments at Temple and his thoughts about this year’s team.

The Temple News: How does getting inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame compare to being inducted to Temple’s Hall of Fame or the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame?
John Chaney: I think each one has its own identity. Each one is separate. Naturally, the world Hall of Fame is something that is very high on my scale, in that it measures the total sum of all your work. To be recognized by your peers, in your own city and to be recognized by your place of, work and what all of our youngsters did, [ranks high]. More importantly, you just can’t get away from the fact that this just didn’t happen because of one person or one man. It happened because you’re able to motivate young people into getting out and performing. Each one has its own place.

TTN: What is your best Big 5 memory?
JC: I think one of my great memories has been over a period of many years of going to the Palestra and playing on this historic court with all of our teams from the beginning to the end. The ones that were so memorable were the ones when we were going to play for the Big 5 Championship and to see all the streamers coming out of the ceiling on the first shot of the ball game. It’s better than the students running out on the court. That gave us an identity. To see all kinds of streamers and to look up in the stands and see signs with the students making fun of you, those are things that I cherish.

TTN: Would you say the Palestra is one of the best college basketball arenas you have coached in?
JC: No, I wouldn’t say that. I think our arena’s pretty good. I like our arena [the Liacouras Center] much better. But I think what you can say about the Palestra is that it has such Philadelphia history behind it. I remember walking up to the Palestra and the guy with the little pretzel cart and the old-fashioned mustard and me getting four or five pretzels and peanuts so I could go up in the stands, sit up there and eat the pretzels. And the mustard was all over my suit and all over my hands and the peanuts that I’m shelling and dropping on the floor. Just that kind of ambience exists there. It just seems like it reverberates. It was made for college, not for professionals. It has something that just goes back in history because nobody else has what we have.”

TTN: When you coached, you were known for putting together a tough non-conference schedule. How would you rate the schedule that coach Fran Dunphy has put together this year?
JC: I was going to take Temple to new heights by making sure we played the best teams in the country and by making sure we forced the best teams to come here. I said very clearly, the Top 50 teams, I’ll play them at their place two and three times before they play me one time at Temple. That happened with everybody but [North] Carolina. North Carolina still owes us a game. Dean Smith lied to me. I played down at his place twice, but when we beat them down there, he didn’t come back. UCLA came to us, Louisville came to us, Indiana came to us, Duke came to us. I felt that Temple needed that kind of visibility, and we eventually got it. We were always a ranked team, just like we are today with the great job that coach Fran Dunphy’s doing. I find that he was equal to the task. His hands were tied when he first came here. I think that what he’s done since, in terms of the schedule, is to find the top teams in the country and play those top teams, and that is bringing in a great deal of respect. Of course, he doesn’t need that because he’s been a great coach all his life, including at the University of Penn.

TTN: What do you hope you will be remembered most for during your time here at Temple?
JC: I just think that one of the most important things for any coach is to make sure he works with a great deal of integrity, in terms of making sure he doesn’t cheat. That’s something that I was very proud of. I made it very clear that my coaching staff, when they went out to recruit, that they would never find themselves stooping so low as to making promises or making statements of any kind that would lead to us being put on probation. You have to operate with a great deal of integrity. With me, that was high on my list. I required that of my coaches. In terms of the youngsters we recruited, maybe they weren’t All-Americans, but we made sure they went to class and operated with the kind of honesty that was required.

TTN: Does it bother you at all that you never made a Final Four appearance?
JC: I think having been in the final eight five times in 14 years, only Duke had a better record in 14 years than us, and they won many titles. When you put that kind of perspective on it, and that you had that kind of opportunity, just remember there are more than 330 Division I teams, and if you end up in the final six or the final two, just remember, you’re still going to be somewhat unhappy if you don’t accomplish that final prize. My mama always said to me, ‘You’re only as good as the company you keep.’ Keep in good company, and guess what? You’re damn good yourself.

TTN: Do you have any regrets?
JC: I’ll start trouble, you know. The only regret I have is that I exposed so much of myself to the media. Certainly, I regret the language I used with Calipari [Chaney threatened then-Massachusetts coach John Calipari after a Feb. 13, 1994 game]. I should have waited until after the game was over and then took him outside and beat the hell out of him.

With the Saint Joseph’s incident [Chaney sent in Nehemiah Ingram to commit hard fouls against the Hawks, and Ingram ended up breaking the arm of St. Joe’s senior John Ingram], remember, at the time, it was just a hard foul. It wasn’t called a flagrant foul. It wasn’t called a bad foul. It was just a foul, and he went to the line and shot two foul shots. It was only when I went in and told the media that in the old days, every team had players they would send in, and they called them their ‘goons’ [that the uproar started]. But I don’t regret teaching basketball and making people understand that when you come to the basket to shoot layups, we’re going to deny you.

TTN: How would you evaluate the job coach Dunphy has done so far?
JC: Magnificent, magnificent. Second to none. With the youngsters that he had, second to none. I know him. He’s the best-kept secret in this city, and he was that way at the University of Penn. Not a lot of hoopla, not a lot of anything for that great man. He won more championships in the Ivy League than I did [in the Atlantic Ten Conference]. I think he thought Temple would be good for him because he’s a Philadelphia guy.

TTN: How would you compare this year’s team to some of your teams in the past?
JC: I think each team has its own identity. Each one of them is completely different. It’s difficult to compare. Our guys played under a great deal of scrutiny in some years when I made it very difficult, and yet they still overcame. I think Franny would agree with that. Each of his teams [at Penn] were completely different.

TTN: Does this year’s defense make you proud?
JC: There are two things that make me very proud of this team. You can look at the stats from game to game. First of all, the defensive principle that coach Dunphy has, even though he plays a lot of man-to-man, is the same as when we played zone and matchup. We led the country every year with our defensive differential. Nobody wanted to play our defense. The other thing is that you can look at the stats and see the turnovers. We led the country every year with low turnovers. Our average was nine turnovers. We were able to stay in every game and have a chance to win those games. Protect that basketball. Make sure you run an efficient offense. I mean, you don’t take the gun out of your hand and give it to someone to shoot you. You don’t walk out Friday night with the money you made and give it to a bum. No, that’s a turnover.

TTN: How far do you think this year’s Temple team can ultimately get?
JC: You’re going to have to be lucky. You’re going to have to be healthy also. That’s extremely important. Look at what happened to us in football [when freshman running back Bernard Pierce injured his shoulder]. We died a natural death. You’ve got to hope that your team stays healthy. The other thing is, you need luck. There’s no way you’re going to be on your game every night that you play. With so many great teams out there, I think what we want to do is hope and pray that our team gets through the conference again [and wins] the conference championship. When you get to the NCAAs, anything can happen.

Jennifer Reardon and Pete Dorchak can be reached at sports@temple-news.com.

Check out the full audio interview with Coach Chaney here:

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Christmas on track for NBA

Three years ago, Dionte Christmas was your typical freshman spectator gawking wide-eyed at the coverage of the 2006 NBA draft.

He celebrated as his fellow Temple teammate Mardy Collins was selected by the New York Knicks with the No. 29 pick, knowing full well that he could one day be in a similar position. Sure enough, with the 2009 draft approaching on June 25, Christmas is slated to be a late first-round, early second-round pick.
“At that time, it was so far away. It was a big dream to me because I was a freshman,” the senior guard said. “But now, it’s really starting to come true, and I’m getting closer and closer every day to that dream. It’s crazy.”

Christmas, who won the Atlantic Ten Conference scoring title for three consecutive years, has been brushing up on his skills for the next level. Aside from occasional team practices, Christmas is staying in shape with cardio workouts and a lifting regimen.

He is also getting valuable information passed down from NBA friends Collins, Hakim Warrick and John Salmons.

“When you go [to the NBA], you have to be as focused as possible and just be in the best shape you can because the workouts are tough as far as conditioning,” Christmas said. “You got to be in as good as shape as anybody there.”

Christmas admits that one adjustment he’ll have to make is on the defensive side of the ball. However, he credits coaches John Chaney and Fran Dunphy with providing priceless lessons through four years of wearing No. 22.

“I was coached by two of the best coaches I think of all time,” Christmas said. “Coach Chaney is one of the best guard coaches of all time. I learned a bulk of things from him. I definitely learned a lot from coach Dunphy as far as the mental aspect. He’s very high on that.”

The 6-foot-5-inch scoring specialist has signed with agent Andre Buck, who also represents Collins and former Owls Dustin Salisbery and Mark Tyndale. Buck has been in contact with numerous teams that he said are interested in his client. Christmas does not have a favorite team pinned down but is prepared to pack his bags and relocate.

“It’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out,” Christmas said. “I’m willing to go to any team. I don’t care. Whether that’s the Lakers or Toronto Raptors, I don’t care.”

Christmas couldn’t help but ponder what teammates could be dishing him the ball at least 82 games per season.

“I would love to play with a point guard like Chris Paul or Jason Kidd or Deron Williams, one of those guys, and just sit in the corner,” Christmas said. “I watch a lot of guys like Rasual Butler and Kyle Korver. Those guys have great point guards, [and] they just sit in the corner and get a lot of open shots.”

Christmas is willing to accept whatever role he may get with a future NBA team. He said he believes his energy and leadership abilities make him a significant asset.

“I just want to come in to any team and contribute any way I can, whether that’s sitting in a corner knocking down threes or getting in the game and guarding the best player night in and night out,” Christmas said.

At Temple, Christmas finished fourth all-time in scoring with 2,043 points and first all time in made 3-pointers with 319. Plenty of accomplishments line his résumé on North Broad Street, but one goal still remains – to graduate.

Next week, Christmas plans to complete his degree in African-American studies and become an official alumnus. Then, a little more than a month later, he will soak in the sights and sounds of draft day from a much better vantage point than in 2006 – Madison Square Garden in New York.

Anthony Stipa can be reached at anthonystipa@temple.edu.

Kopp: Top 10 moments of the last 5 years

The seniors graduating – and the fifth-year seniors, like me – have seen quite a bit in our years following Temple Athletics.

Here’s one man’s ranking of the Top 10 most memorable moments from the last five years. Since most of us aren’t avid followers of Temple’s non-revenue sports, I’ve limited the list to the revenue generators.

10. Mardy Collins injured, March 14, 2006.
This is memorable simply because it was so scary. Collins took a hard fall while driving for a layup late in the Owls’ National Invitational Tournament game against Akron. Collins stayed on the Liacouras Center hardwood with a neck injury until a stretcher exited him from his final game.

With no one certain of his condition, assistant coach Dan Leibovitz addressed the media, his voice barely a whisper. Thankfully, Collins’ injury was not severe. He was drafted by the New York Knicks a couple months later.

9. Connecticut shocks football, Sept. 15, 2007.
The referees goofed in 2007. A should-have-been touchdown for Temple in the game’s final minute was called incomplete, resulting in a turnover on downs and a 22-17 UConn win. The controversial play was reviewed but not overturned.

8. Women’s basketball team completes trifecta, March 6, 2006.
Featuring two of the program’s best players all time in Candice Dupree and Kamesha Hairston, the Owls spent the entire season in the national rankings and won their third consecutive Atlantic Ten Conference Tournament title.

7. Football team wins…finally, Oct. 28, 2006.
Dumping the water cooler on the coach is usually a ritual reserved for championship celebrations. Well, here, the football team acts differently.

So, when Temple snapped its 20-game losing streak by beating Bowling Green, 28-14, Al Golden received what one local sportscaster unwittingly dubbed, “a Golden Shower.”

6. Fran Dunphy hired, April 10, 2006.
Dunphy’s welcoming press conference was rather bland compared to the retirement announcement of John Chaney.

But Temple could not have picked a better replacement for the legendary Chaney. Dunphy, unlike many collegiate coaches, knows where the focus should be – the players. The man didn’t watch the NCAA Selection Sunday show with his players and the media because he wanted them, not him, to be the story. That’s refreshing.

5. Women’s basketball earns first-ever national ranking, Jan. 24, 2005.
The Owls reeled off the nation’s longest winning streak that season (25 games), including the school’s first upset of a Top 25 team since 1989, and established a program-best 28-4 record. Behind Ari Moore, Cynthia Jordan and Dupree, Temple won its second straight A-10 tourney and advanced to the NCAA’s second round, the furthest the Owls have ever gotten.

4. Football finishes season winless, Nov. 19, 2005.
Playing its first season since getting the boot from the Big East Conference and not yet a full member of the Mid-American Conference, Temple faced a grueling schedule that featured eight teams that had played in bowl games the season before.

This debacle of a season featured seven players being declared academically ineligible just days before the season opener, four losses by more than 45 points and coach Bobby Wallace announcing he wouldn’t seek a contract renewal while several games remained.

3. John Chaney sends in the goon, Feb. 22, 2005.
Temple found the national spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

The recap: Angered by Saint Joseph’s use of what he deemed illegal screens, Chaney sent in little-used Nehemiah Ingram to throw some hard fouls at the Hawks. One of Ingram’s fouls broke the arm of the Hawks’ John Bryant. Chaney ended up with a five-game suspension and another scar on his reputation.

2. Men’s basketball wins A-10 Tournament, March 15, 2008.
It was a Big 5 enthusiast’s dream, except for the fact the game was played in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall. Temple versus St. Joe’s. Winner gets the A-10 title and a trip to the NCAAs.

In the third game of this season’s thrilling series – each of the two previous games was determined in the final minute – the Owls finally expunged their struggles against their cross-town rival.

1. John Chaney Retires, March 13, 2006.
A Liacouras Center room was packed with a crowd of past and current players, opposing coaches, media and fans. The face of Temple Athletics, John Chaney, was saying goodbye.

Of course, saying anything was never a quick conversation for Chaney. His rants were one of the many reasons he was so beloved here. His commitment to players who might not have received opportunities elsewhere was another.

One of his most popular ‘Chaneyisms,’ and a personal favorite, applies to those of us graduating next week.

“Don’t just dream. Be the dream.”

John Kopp can be reached at john.kopp@temple.edu.

Temple honors two legends

In what was a laughter and hug-filled ceremony, two Temple legends etched their places amongst the school’s great.

Saturday afternoon at Mitten Hall, Dr. Ray Moyer and former men’s basketball coach John Chaney were inducted into the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame in a ceremony that honored the duo’s services to the Temple community.

Chaney led the Owls to 516 wins, 17 NCAA Tournaments and five Elite Eight appearances in his 24 seasons as coach. But for Chaney, the thing he got most out of his time with the Owls was being around his players, and that was evident by the humorous stories he told about former players like Mark Macon, Aaron McKie and Eddie Jones.

“I think if you were to visit the booth upstairs, you’ll see what I’m most proud of. Eddie Jones, who flew in, and Mark Macon and all my great players that could get here,” Chaney said. “Aaron McKie couldn’t get here because he’s part of the assistant coaches for the 76ers tonight. That’s where the testimony happens to be.”

Before the start of the event, Chaney gave hugs to several of his former players and danced with Moyer’s wife, Page, to a song played by members of the jazz band.

Chaney was introduced by Bill Bradshaw, director of athletics, and a video was shown where Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, former Georgetown coach John Thompson, Rutgers women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer and former players McKie and Macon thanked and congratulated the legendary coach on his achievement.

“Him being there as a father figure meant so much to me,” McKie said, echoing the words of Chaney from a week ago.

Moyer was introduced to the crowd by colleague Jim “Doc” Rogers. After accepting his plaque, Moyer spoke to the crowd and thanked his parents, children and his wife, who has assisted him at Temple games.

“I truly believe she is Hall of Fame worthy,” he said.

Moyer also had a video shown in his honor. Current trainer Dwight Stansbury, former Temple President Peter Liacouras, former Owl and NFL player Lance Johnstone and former football coach and current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians all praised him.

Moyer has been the team physician for Temple student-athletes and director of Temple’s Sports Medicine Center since 1978. He is a former baseball player and was named to the NAIA All-American team before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1963. In addition to his work at Temple, he also assisted the Flyers and 76ers from 1988 to 1990.

Radio personality and Temple alumnus Joe Conklin opened the ceremony with entertaining impersonations of stars who failed to make the trip to North Philadelphia for the event. The impersonations included Harry Kalas, Charles Barkley, Allen Iverson and former President George W. Bush. He also reminded those in attendance that it has been 15 years since Chaney threatened to kill then-Massachusetts coach and current Memphis coach John Calipari.

Gov. Ed Rendell also made an appearance and told a story of a triple overtime game against Mount St. Mary’s in which a seldom-used “farm boy from Chester County” was fouled with no time remaining and made two free throws to win a game. Rendell also declared that Jan. 24 was Dr. Ray Moyer and Coach John Chaney Day in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

At halftime of the Owls’ 80-53 victory over Charlotte, Chaney received a large ovation from the home crowd. He thanked the supporters and had a message for the students.

“Dr. Moyer and I are two people that have spent all of our lives serving young people, serving this university,” he said. “I believe in my heart, ‘You enter to learn. You depart to serve.’”

He closed with a line from President Barack Obama, whom Chaney didn’t hesitate to praise.

“It’s not about us,” he said. “It’s about you.”

Joe Serpico can be reached at gserpico@temple.edu.

List of legends will grow with inductees Chaney and Moyer

Three years after retiring from the coaching ranks, former men’s basketball coach John Chaney will be inducted into the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend.

One of college basketball’s legendary coaches will take time out of his busy schedule of traveling and speaking to children to be inducted into the Hall of Fame Saturday at a ceremony in Mitten Hall at 4:30 p.m. Following the ceremony, he will be introduced at halftime of the Owls’ upcoming game against Charlotte at 6 p.m.

Chaney is one of only two Temple coaches to be elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and is Temple’s all-time winningest coach with 510 wins and 17 NCAA Tournament appearances in 24 years. Eight years after being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, his name will be added to the other 36 basketball figures to be welcomed into the Temple Hall of Fame.

“Being inducted to the National Basketball Hall of Fame was a great honor,” Chaney said, “but being inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame is another showing of the school’s commitment to me as a coach.”
In a time when coaching changes happen often, Chaney valued the loyalty of the university.

“This day and age, you don’t see many coaches with over 20 years of experience like I had,” he said.
“The loyalty coaches like I received and Mike Krzyzewski, Lute Olsen and Jim Boeheim receive just doesn’t exist anymore. I was fortunate that Peter Liacouras reached out and believed in me in trying to run a program with integrity and had the confidence to stay with me for 20 years in a time when many minority coaches were not looked at.”

Chaney is grateful for the time he spent with the Cherry and White and says he wishes he was still coaching as the postseason draws closer. But most importantly, he misses being around his student-athletes.

“They not only look at you as a role model, but they also look at you as someone who is a father to them,” he said. “Most of my athletes came from one-parent families and found a vehicle in basketball to get them an education and move ahead in life. That has always been the most important aspect of it for me.”

Being inducted into the Hall of Fame with Chaney is Dr. Ray Moyer, who has been the team physician for student-athletes at Temple since 1978 while also working with the Philadelphia 76ers from 1988 to 1990.

“I never would have accepted going into the Hall of Fame without my buddy,” Chaney said. “Much of what he has done for the university has gone unrecognized by anyone, and I think he’s done so much that he’s even forgotten what he has done for people.”

The icons will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on the 125th anniversary of the university, and Chaney joins Harry Litwack, James Usilton and Jim Maloney as the only men’s basketball coaches to receive the honor.

“It’s fitting and appropriate that these two men will be honored during our 125th celebration since they so significantly impacted the lives of thousands of Temple students, faculty, staff and alumni while representing our mission to the public,” Athletic Director Bill Bradshaw said.

“I didn’t even think about that,” Chaney added when asked about being inducted in the 125th year of Temple. “But for me to have spent almost a quarter of a century there is extraordinary, and it’s something that I feel very, very special about.”

Bradshaw will forever remember the day when Chaney announced his retirement and told a jam-packed press conference that he was “walking away from coaching and disappearing into the night.” But for at least one more evening, the coach will be at the center stage of the Temple Athletics program.

“My memories will be of his infamous 5 a.m. practices,” Bradshaw said, “where he taught young men not only basketball but about life, respect and using their opportunity to make an impact on others.”

Joe Serpico can be reached at gserpico@temple.edu.

Retirement leaves Temple without a face

After the initial excitement of learning that I was accepted to Temple in 2003 had subsided, I felt myself falling into a daily conversation regarding my future.

Once many of my neighbors, coaches and other acquaintances had found out where I was attending college, almost every one of them followed with a statement that sounded a little like this:

“Oh, so you’re going up to school with John Chaney, huh? That guy is crazy but you should have fun.”

I’m sure many of you had similar encounters when you first announced that you were going to be a Temple Owl.

While sitting at Chaney’s retirement press conference last week, however, those words my friends, coaches and the like had uttered were constantly ringing through my head. His departure is not only going to shorten these reoccurring discussions, but it also leaves the university without a face.

Although there is a host of famous individuals who call Philly home, the list of famous Temple alumnae is considerably shorter. Sure, there is longtime comedian Bill Cosby, but how often is he seen strolling through our campus or the grandstands of the Liacouras Center? Then there’s former America’s Funniest Home Video host and stand-up comedian Bob Saget, but has anyone seen him since the turn of the century?

With President David Adamany retiring in June, his name can be crossed off this list. Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw has built quite a name for himself within the city, but when is the last time fans actually backed an administrative type?

Current Mayor and Temple alumnus John Street has enough on his plate, as he tries to balance the city’s budget and curb violence.

On the court, Temple has fielded notable NBA players like Eddie Jones and Aaron McKie. But those two are in the twilight of their pro careers and are barely hanging on to their notoriety within the league.

With all those names crossed out, actor Tom Sizemore, Democratic Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Fumo and Jimmy Pop, lead singer of the band the Blood Hound Gang, are among those who remain.

Take your pick.

So as the men’s basketball team prepares to write the next chapter in its history, so must the university. The next coach will immediately be thrown into the spotlight, and looked upon to reverse the postseason trend that involves the National Invitational Tournament, which could also be affectionately known as the Not In the Tournament curse.

Much has been said regarding the several candidates in contention to be Chaney’s successor, which could be one of the scariest jobs on the planet.

Many see the job as only for those who understand its importance. Temple’s former coach (it sure is weird saying that) has done so much for the community. His role in the city of Philadelphia is one that any “out-of-towner” would have a difficult time doing. The next coach would have to come and win the hearts of the Philly and Temple faithful first.

But until that time comes, when Temple’s Athletic Department announces who will be it’s next men’s basketball coach, the face of Temple University may already be in someone else’s pocket.

Women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has quickly built a coaching resume for herself. Only in her sixth season as head coach, Staley’s list of accomplishments stands on its own.

In today’s world, wins speak volumes and Staley is screaming to be Temple’s next face.

At Temple since the 2000-01 season, Staley, 35, has led the Owls to four NCAA Tournaments.

In 2002 Temple won its first women’s Atlantic Ten Conference tournament title. Two years later, Staley led the Owls to the top of the A-10 East standings with a 14-2 record and Temple’s second A-10 Tournament title.

Last season she led the Owls to a perfect 16-0 finish in the conference and a 28-4 overall record, en route to a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The 28 wins were a program single-season record.

This season the women’s basketball team captured its third consecutive A-10 crown and yet another trip to the NCAA Tournament.

A dynasty could be unfolding before our eyes. It may very well be a second coming of Tennessee’s famed coach Pat Summitt.

The team is the brightest star in Temple’s cloudy athletic program that became even more overcast last week with Chaney’s announcement.

Regardless, this is a big decision that faces the powers that be. Maybe a committee of the city’s brightest minds needs to be comprised to ensure Temple’s return to its former status as the ‘it’ school in Philadelphia.

Or maybe an oracle needs to be consulted.

Whatever happens, this choice is a big decision. Maybe it’s not as big as paper or plastic, but it may have an effect on whether Temple will deliver itself back to Division I prominence or further into D-I obscurity.

Jeremy Drummond can be reached at jdrum@temple.edu.

Temple is more than Chaney and Cosby

I searched the Princeton Review and simply could not find a single list that ranked a school based on the acts of one of its basketball coaches and an alumnus. Why is that?

It doesn’t reflect the quality of the school.

In the Feb. 28 edition of the Philadelphia Metro, Clark DeLeon wrote a column titled, “Temple tarnished by Cosby and Chaney,” where he said, “Over the years Bill Cosby and John Chaney have been more than merely the most recognized and admired personalities associated with Temple, more than the exquisitely human face that an otherwise image-challenged urban university shows the world. Eventually, these hometown heroes became the lifeblood of Temple’s self-identity, as constant and comforting as the lub and the dub of a beating human heart.”

What drew me to Temple was not Cosby or Chaney. I didn’t know who Chaney was until basketball season started my freshman year. What enticed me to attend Temple was the diversity of the student population, ranked third in the nation by the Princeton Review, and an accredited journalism program, something only two schools in Pennsylvania can claim, the other being Penn State. When a program is accredited, it means the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications has sent a team of reviewers to make sure things like class size, faculty and the curriculum all meet a standard of excellence.

Then there’s Forbes magazine, which ranked Temple as the fourth most connected university in the country. The London Financial Times ranked the Fox School of Business’ MBA program No. 1 in the United States for “Value for Money.” They also ranked the MBA program as one of the top 50 in the United States and one of the top 75 in the world.

There are also other notable Temple alumni besides Cosby. Sammie Knox, a Tyler graduate, painted the portraits of the Clintons now hanging in the White House. Full House star Bob Saget received his degree from Temple, and if that’s not awesome I don’t know what is.

The National Project on Women and Heart Disease is using Temple University Hospital as its model for a project to reduce the number of women who have heart disease.

Temple researchers developed a drug that could treat all forms of chronic myelogenous leukemia, which is a rare but deadly form of cancer, according to the health sciences Web site. Some who have the disease build a resistance to Gleevec, once considered one of the best forms of treatment for this type of cancer. These Temple researchers found a way to overcome this resistance, allowing patients to continue effective treatment.

These examples are more important than the allegations thrown at Cosby and the actions of Chaney.

Since the media insist on focusing on sports, let’s talk about Dawn Staley winning an Olympic gold medal, carrying the American flag during the opening ceremonies of last summer’s games and being named a finalist for the Naismith Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year award. Let’s also talk about the women’s basketball team going undefeated in the Atlantic Ten conference this season and winning the conference championship.

Yet Temple’s reputation is apparently shaped by only two men: a basketball coach and a graduate.

I’m not going to pretend Cosby isn’t a highly visible Temple icon, but he is not the heart of the University. He is not what makes it run every day.

DeLeon said in his article, “The world knew, but, more importantly, we knew that the Coz and Coach really could have gone anywhere. But they chose Temple.”

So do more than 34,000 other students per year, and I’m willing to bet they didn’t choose Temple because a basketball coach and the star of the Cosby Show did, too.

Temple is not some glorified community college. It is one of the largest and best universities in the nation. Its history is rich and its awards are numerous. It will take more than bad publicity to tarnish its reputation.

Carolyn Steeves can be reached at csteeves@temple.edu.

Chaney through players’ eyes

John Chaney has only read two books since graduating from Bethune-Cookman College in 1955: “Savage Inequalities” by Jonathan Kozol and “The Shape of the River” by Derek Curtis Bok.

One is about inequities in the school systems; the other affirmative action.

He loves both of them to death.

“I have them for sale for about $1,000 a piece,” Chaney joked.

But now the Hall of Fame coach will need to devote time to another book – “Chaney: Playing for a Legend,” by Philadelphia Tribune sports editor Donald Hunt, along with NBA stars and former Temple standouts Aaron McKie and Eddie Jones.

Chaney and Hunt were at the Barnes & Noble College Store yesterday at the corner of Cecil B. Moore Avenue and Broad Street, where Chaney sat for about two hours autographing books for students, faculty, parents and fans.

The book chronicles the careers of both Jones and McKie at Temple, and what it was like playing under one of the most respected coaches in college basketball. In 177 pages, Hunt chronicles McKie and Jones’ hardships as young adolescents and ineligibility as incoming freshman as well as their rise in the NBA. Jones currently plays for the Miami Heat and McKie for the 76ers.

Hunt, who has covered Temple basketball for more than a decade, came up with the idea for the book four years ago and took a different approach. Instead of having Chaney as the main attribution, Hunt let
McKie and Jones talk about their times with Chaney on and off the court.

The book also contains three forewords by Bill Cosby, Herm Rogul, a longtime Philadelphia sportswriter, and Chaney himself, who speaks about the different types of people he’s mentored under his program. The end of the book contains Chaney’s Hall of Fame acceptance speech in its entirety as well as the introduction speech by Hall of Fame coach John Thompson.

But putting the book together wasn’t that easy. While handling his duties as sports editor, he was relegated to speaking with Jones via telephone, since he was still playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

“At first putting it together was kind of hard,” Hunt said. “I tried to have some kind of schedule, because if not I’d burn myself out.”

Fortunately, his wife Pat was there to oversee the entire project. Donald reported and wrote, filling seven spiral notebooks -Pat typed about three manuscripts. But she’s no sports fan and has never been to a Temple basketball game. Pat thinks her husband gets too emotional when it comes to basketball.

“He’s a dedicated person,” she said. “He always made time for the family and was there when I needed him.”

With the book finally on the shelves, Hunt hopes readers will understand the lives Chaney, McKie and Jones lived before crossing paths and how much affection they have for one another.

“These guys really came up through some really difficult situations,” Hunt said. “But they never let obstacles step in their way. They kept battling and working hard to becoming successful.”

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Chris Silva can be reached at bxrican81@yahoo.com.