Has it really been 14 years since a power hungry athletic director, with executor’s axe in hand, changed the course of men’s basketball at the University of Georgia?
With the Bulldog program in the process once again of trying to find a new head coach (I assume the powers-that-be are because no word about the so-called search is known) one can’t help but think back to a coach who provided the program with stability, success and leadership not seen since his unjust firing in the early spring of 1995.
For it was during that time that long-time UGA coach Hugh Durham was ungraciously shown the door by then athletic director Vince Dooley. The coach who had built UGA basketball into something from literally nothing was being told he was no longer needed, no longer welcome in Athens.
It would be one in a line of firings by Dooley, himself once a quality football coach, but by this time a dictator of an athletic director. His firing of Durham, along with other dedicated coaches showed he had no business running the athletic department at UGA. Numerous coaches were unceremoniously dumped by Dooley whose supporters tried to garner sympathy for years later when he lost a power struggle with the University president.
But back to Durham. When the former Florida State coach arrived in Athens, basketball couldn’t even be considered an afterthought. It was no thought really. However, Durham rolled up his sleeves and went about building a solid SEC program which would eventually make it to the Final Four in 1983 upsetting powerful North Carolina along the way.
Numerous NCAA tournaments would be the result of Durham’s hiring. The Bulldogs would also be called “SEC champions” on occasion. Yet, for all Durham did for the program, he was let go following the 1994-95 season.
Since that time UGA has had a coach who has used the program as a stepping stone. UGA has had a coach who was not qualified for the position. UGA then had a coach with a questionable background and most recently a coach who simply didn’t win enough games.
Now, current athletic director Damon Evans is trying to find a new coach. For whatever reason, UGA has decided not to pursue legendary coach Bobby Knight, who expressed an interest in the job as soon as it was available.
A rumored candidate has now been hired by another SEC school. Where does that leave UGA? One has to wonder because as of early this week there were few rumors as to who the school was interested in other than the diamond-in-the-sky prospects who, quite frankly, would probably consider Georgia Southern as much as they would the University of Georgia.
All of this has me thinking of Durham. While he no doubt would have retired by now, he wouldn’t have left for another job. He wouldn’t have been overmatched against SEC competition. He wouldn’t have been in trouble with the NCAA and he certainly would have won plenty of conference games.
Thank you Vince Dooley for this mess UGA has today.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. E-mail comments to cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
