Portland State Men's Basketball Has Some Crucial Decisions Ahead
Greg Crawford, Comcast SportsNet, January 14, 2014
Tyler Geving---For the record, I have no favorite teams in sports and I have no favorite players, I am just different in that regard. So when I write about something that needs to happen, I base it on facts, not fiction or from my heart.
It really is time for Portland State AD Torre Chisholm to extend the contract of Tyler Geving. If you look at his record, people might think I am crazy. But his record is exactly why I think he needs an extension. Geving has righted the ship academically at Portland State and if you believe ADs and presidents of college and universities, it is all about the STUDENT/athletes. Laughable in some cases, but at Portland State they take their academics seriously and so has Geving. Geving inherited a mess when he took over as basketball coach five years past, the Vikings were in horrible shape APR (Academic Progress Ratiing). The were in such bad shape, the NCAA sanctioned the school. Those days are over, they now are in good shape APR wise and much of the credit goes to Geving.
On the court, the coaching of Geving is also on the plus side. This past week, Geving had no choice but to dismiss the Vikings' best player Aaron Moore. It was a painful decision for Geving, having never done it before, but by most accounts something that had to happen. It would have been easy for the Vikings to fold the tent, but on Thursday night they played great, losing by three points to a suddenly good Montana State team. To comeback and win against an always good Montana team on Saturday might have seemed almost impossible. But impossible exited the building when the Vikings rallied from nine points down with 2:30 to go in regulation, forcing overtime and then winning the game in 3 OTs in dramatic fashion.
Any basketball fan in the building had to realize that Geving willed his team to victory that night, when it seemed as dark as it can get. Now it is time to tear up the will, instead create an extension for a really good basketball coach, who understands he is in a tough position at Portland State, but also realizes he needs to bring it every night as the Vikings do, win or lose.
David Hersh---Before leaving Portland State, you really have to give Dave Hersh and his staff at Viking Athletic Partnership some credit for changing the culture at Portland State basketball games. His halftime entertainment might be the best in college basketball anywhere and might be on a par with some NBA teams. And he is not done, he has something special planned for each of the Vikings nine home games to finish the season.
And Hersh told me this past week his "Get Stuffed" promotion, all you can eat at games has been a success and it will be back next season for sure.
http://www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords...s-basketball-has-some-crucial-decisions-ahead
