WSU coach finds himself in high demand after win
Mar 8, 2007 18:06:34 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Mar 8, 2007 18:06:34 GMT -5
www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wsu/2007/03/08/ddn030807brownell.html
BROWNELL'S BIG DAY
WSU coach finds himself in high demand after win
Interviews keeping Brownell busy, but he doesn't mind. 'It's free recruiting' for all Wright State sports, he says.
By Marc Katz
Staff Writer
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Brad Brownell's first radio interview Wednesday came while he still was at home, and the morning came quickly after Tuesday's late-night Horizon League championship victory over Butler.
In the car on the way downtown for an appearance on ESPN2's Cold Pizza, he was interviewed by another radio station. Then the Wright State basketball coach had his face lightly dusted for his appearance on Cold Pizza, which was rebroadcast a few times before he sat down with his assistants for lunch at Steak n Shake across the street from the Nutter Center.
"Nobody noticed us," Brownell said, not minding. "We were low-profile. We sat in a corner."
During the afternoon, Brownell went to his Setzer Pavilion office, answered some e-mails and voice mails, wrote notes, looked into some recruits and awaited a car that would take him back downtown to the Dayton Public Television offices, where he sat for another ESPN session: The Hot List on ESPN News.
On his way back to the office, he had one more radio interview to do, with WBNS in Columbus.
Today and Friday will bring more of the same for one of college basketball's hottest young coaches. Phoenix radio wants him, and former coach Jerry Tarkanian from Las Vegas. John Thompson has a show in Washington, D.C. No, wait, that was Wednesday.
"He had me on his show last year, too," Brownell said.
Brownell isn't the only one on the request list. Horizon League tournament MVP DaShaun Wood — who scored 27 points in the Raiders' latest victory over Butler — has been requested. Freshman Vaughn Duggins is also on someone's list.
The media commitments can be time-consuming, but Brownell knows it is gold for recruiting. There have been times during his 11 months at WSU when recruits have asked him where his school is located. Some have declined to visit even from minimal distances.
"Getting our name out nationally helps not only basketball, but all the sports," Brownell said. "Our other sports are just as excited as anybody. It's free recruiting for all of us."
Until Tuesday night, WSU recruiting was based on what the Raiders produced, which was not much. Most of the school's very best basketball teams came in Division II. In Division I, 20 seasons added up to little more than a diversion: two previous 20-win seasons, and one NCAA appearance 14 years ago.
The Raiders were 13-15 last season. They currently are 23-9 and are enjoying their moment in the sun.
"Last year when the season was over, I felt like we didn't do all we could do," senior forward Drew Burleson said. "I've played the guys in this league a lot of times. I thought we could win."
Brownell came in to win right away, finding he had to change the players' outlook.
"If you ask them for a little more, they'll give you a little more," Brownell said. "You're not always rewarded with a championship, but when you win one, it makes it a little easier.
"It wasn't going to be easy. I was going to demand excellence in all areas of their lives. There were probably days they weren't going to like me as much as some other days. In the end, they understand. You care about them as people."
The various shows asked Brownell about Wood and other players, about the team, about stuff you couldn't imagine.
"If Orville and Wilbur Wright were around today and you had only one ticket to your NCAA game, which one would you give it to?" asked Jay Crawford on Cold Pizza.
"I'd leave that up to the president (of the university, Dr. Dave Hopkins)," Brownell said. "I'd let him decide."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157
or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
BROWNELL'S BIG DAY
WSU coach finds himself in high demand after win
Interviews keeping Brownell busy, but he doesn't mind. 'It's free recruiting' for all Wright State sports, he says.
By Marc Katz
Staff Writer
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Brad Brownell's first radio interview Wednesday came while he still was at home, and the morning came quickly after Tuesday's late-night Horizon League championship victory over Butler.
In the car on the way downtown for an appearance on ESPN2's Cold Pizza, he was interviewed by another radio station. Then the Wright State basketball coach had his face lightly dusted for his appearance on Cold Pizza, which was rebroadcast a few times before he sat down with his assistants for lunch at Steak n Shake across the street from the Nutter Center.
"Nobody noticed us," Brownell said, not minding. "We were low-profile. We sat in a corner."
During the afternoon, Brownell went to his Setzer Pavilion office, answered some e-mails and voice mails, wrote notes, looked into some recruits and awaited a car that would take him back downtown to the Dayton Public Television offices, where he sat for another ESPN session: The Hot List on ESPN News.
On his way back to the office, he had one more radio interview to do, with WBNS in Columbus.
Today and Friday will bring more of the same for one of college basketball's hottest young coaches. Phoenix radio wants him, and former coach Jerry Tarkanian from Las Vegas. John Thompson has a show in Washington, D.C. No, wait, that was Wednesday.
"He had me on his show last year, too," Brownell said.
Brownell isn't the only one on the request list. Horizon League tournament MVP DaShaun Wood — who scored 27 points in the Raiders' latest victory over Butler — has been requested. Freshman Vaughn Duggins is also on someone's list.
The media commitments can be time-consuming, but Brownell knows it is gold for recruiting. There have been times during his 11 months at WSU when recruits have asked him where his school is located. Some have declined to visit even from minimal distances.
"Getting our name out nationally helps not only basketball, but all the sports," Brownell said. "Our other sports are just as excited as anybody. It's free recruiting for all of us."
Until Tuesday night, WSU recruiting was based on what the Raiders produced, which was not much. Most of the school's very best basketball teams came in Division II. In Division I, 20 seasons added up to little more than a diversion: two previous 20-win seasons, and one NCAA appearance 14 years ago.
The Raiders were 13-15 last season. They currently are 23-9 and are enjoying their moment in the sun.
"Last year when the season was over, I felt like we didn't do all we could do," senior forward Drew Burleson said. "I've played the guys in this league a lot of times. I thought we could win."
Brownell came in to win right away, finding he had to change the players' outlook.
"If you ask them for a little more, they'll give you a little more," Brownell said. "You're not always rewarded with a championship, but when you win one, it makes it a little easier.
"It wasn't going to be easy. I was going to demand excellence in all areas of their lives. There were probably days they weren't going to like me as much as some other days. In the end, they understand. You care about them as people."
The various shows asked Brownell about Wood and other players, about the team, about stuff you couldn't imagine.
"If Orville and Wilbur Wright were around today and you had only one ticket to your NCAA game, which one would you give it to?" asked Jay Crawford on Cold Pizza.
"I'd leave that up to the president (of the university, Dr. Dave Hopkins)," Brownell said. "I'd let him decide."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157
or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.