Don Verlin for governor, no, make that president -- Mark Fox for !$*&%#

Don Verlin is certainly the toast of Moscow and other Idaho towns at the moment. It's 'funny' how a win and a close game in league play can so quickly elevate the status/coaching ability/IQ of a coach? Some Vandal-ites are calling for Verlin to receive a raise and a contract extension. Pretty soon there will be a rush of new-born babies named Don (or possibly Dawn).

Nick Jezierny is on to this momentum.

New coach Verlin has Vandals winning games
Idaho has beaten Nevada on the road and is one win away from matching last season's total. Idaho has beaten Nevada on the road and is one win away from matching last season's total.
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
1/07/09

There were moments in November and December when first-year coach Don Verlin and the Idaho men's basketball program showed that this year was going to be different:

The Vandals beat UC Irvine 101-47, setting a record for largest margin of victory against a Division I team.

They grabbed a 72-58 victory at Sacramento State, snapping a 16-game losing streak in nonconference road games.

They went 5-1 at home in nonconference play. The five wins were more than the Vandals had achieved in each of the entire 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.

Those moments, though, mostly flew under the radar outside of the Gem State...

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On the other hand, here's yet another example of how quickly 'they' turn -- the fickleness of fan-dom -- and why coaches understand that any appreciation they are presently getting can oh so quickly evaporate. The following Chris Murray article has generated an avalanche of comments -- thankfully some rightfully pointing out that Coach Mark Fox hasn't suddenly forgotten everything he knows and that criticism of him is simply fair weather fans letting their frustration turn into memory loss. How quickly people forget!

Backcourt in a bind
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
January 7, 2009

Before the start of the college basketball season, Boise State coach Greg Graham was asked why he thought Nevada was chosen by the coaches and media to finish first in the Western Athletic Conference.
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Glancing at the Wolf Pack's roster, Graham pinpointed one area that put Nevada atop the WAC.

"I think the experience of their backcourt sets them apart from everybody at this point," Graham said at the time.

That experienced backcourt -- thought to be one of the Pack's main strong points heading into the season -- has struggled much of the year as Nevada has posted a 7-7 overall record and 0-1 mark in conference play.

Preseason all-conference selections Armon Johnson and Brandon Fields have both had difficulties finding their shooting stroke, while Lyndale Burleson has also had trouble adding offense to a team shooting 41.6 percent on the season.

"I've been disappointed in our backcourt play," Nevada coach Mark Fox said...

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