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Even though newspaper comment threads are frequented by some of the most frightening characters this side of the Bush Administration, I decided to muster all my courage and make a comment in defense of Cal's just-fired men's basketball coach Ben Braun. And, lo and behold, a few people actually took the time to second my thoughts and thank me for expressing them. I 'll probably get bashed, in the end, but think it was worth it to give the man some of the respect he is due.
Mind you, that doesn't mean that I'm going to stop fantasizing about having a coach who can get his players to understand how to develop a possession properly, instead of repeating the same motions over and over until someone feels obliged to heave up a shot before the buzzer. Everything I know about playing basketball tells me that such pedagogy is extremely difficult. But I also know it can be done. Washington State's Tony Bennett is a prime example of a coach who consistently pulls that feat off.
