Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                            Matt Dulin    Barrett Goldsmith    Zach Lee 
                Jim Parsons            Christian Schmidt           Blake Whitaker

Penders' Game

We're not looking for a miracle-worker. No one expects an NCAA Championship, or even a place in the Sweet 16 during year one.

But we are looking for a change in attitude.

When Athletics director Dave Maggard named former Longhorn Tom Penders as the new UH men's basketball head coach, he made sure of at least one thing - that the culture of mediocrity that has pervaded the program will be wiped away.

In its place will be a culture that puts a premium on winning, though not at the expense of character or strict adherence to the rules.

"The greatest challenge is to take players that have accepted losing, and to make them feel better about themselves and believe that they can win," Penders said. 

"Turnaround Tom," as he is known by many, is more than capable of resurrecting this program. Penders has shown over his more than 30 years as a Division I head coach that he has the ability to take a moribund program and turn it into a winner. 

He has not been 100 percent consistent in his application of that ability, however. He enjoyed a stellar career at UT, taking his team to eight NCAA Tournaments in 10 season. But his teams never cracked the uppermost tier, cracking the final eight only once.

In 1998, in the midst of a losing season for the first time in Penders' tenure, the Longhorns seemed to come partially unglued, and a handful of players complained to the UT brass about Penders' coaching style. He resigned after that season with four years remaining on his contract.

But Penders seems genuinely ready for the formidable challenge that awaits him. Results may or may not come, but Penders will ensure that Hofheinz Pavilion isn't quite as empty as it has been for way too long.

 Send comments to dccampus@mail.uh.edu