The question a lot of Murray State women’s basketball fans are asking this weekend is “What about Rob Cross?”
Cross is the assistant coach for the Racers and has been for 13 years, joining the program with Eddie Fields, then Joi Felton, and finally spending a year at Jody Adams side before she left for Wichita State on Wednesday.
Should he be considered for the coaching position?
Since I’ve only covered Racer basketball for a year, I’m not going to pretend I have all the answers. I really haven’t spent enough time with Cross to judge his ability to be the head coach for the Racers.
He’s got a great knowledge of the area for recruiting. His familiarity to the program and the players is incredible. He is articulate in his speech and thought, which is a plus for the media.
Adams also credited Cross with the development of post players Angela Brown and Pam Bell. Brown, who came in for her last year of eligibility after sitting out a year, was a force by the end of the season.
I think Cross is more than ready and able to be a successful head coach, I just am not sure if he’s ready to lead the Racers. While he’s a stable force in the community, he’s had the fortune of studying under three Ohio Valley Conference coaches. To win conference championships and be more than a one-and-done program in the NCAA Tournament, I think you need a little more experience than what those three head coaches can give in 13 years.
Racer women’s basketball isn’t just an afterthought to MSU’s athletic department anymore. The program is capable now of competing for and winning championships in the future. The program is very capable of attracting well-groomed applicants for the head coaching position, i.e. Jody Adams.
Whomever the MSU athletic department brings in for a head coach, Cross will be a key asset, just like he was in Adams’ transition, and needs to be rewarded in some way for his loyalty to the program if he chooses to stay on and not as the head coach.
6 comments:
1. you haven't been around long enough to see the times when Rob Cross was the head coach of this team because the actual head coach was too ill to coach or meet with the press, for several weeks
2. how do you know Rob Cross will be around if he is yet again looked over for a job he deserves?
3. How competitive will the lady racers be if they loose yet another recruiting class? That ROB CROSS RECRUITED BY THE WAY you can't be competitive if you have no players. last year we lost all but one recruit, figure out who that was and how much she contributed this year.
4. how fair is it for the members of the team to have to accept and adapt to a third coach in three years?
I completely support Rob Cross for head coach. Loyalty deserves to be rewarded.
Someone who is willing to survive all the turnover in head coaches and athletic administration is special and he deserves a shot. Remember he pulled his name from Eureka College's search to stay in Murray.
If he doesn't get the nod, I hope we can get a coach that will take us to a top 25 ranking before he or she leaves for another conference that will just add a zero to his or her paycheck.
I can't remember her name, but what about Pat Summit's former assistant who left for personal reasons. Would she be ready to come back?
My personal favorite would be Kara Lawson, now a commentator at ESPN. I think that she would be the perfect choice...or maybe Stacy Dales.
I, too think it is Rob Cross' turn. MSU probably thinks he will stay because of local family ties. They are not the nicest administrators if they think you would not leave town. That being said, don't park near his father in law.
From your article in today's Sun "...Cross said he hopes to add a former Racer to the staff." Wonder if anyone asked who he might have in mind?
We asked, and although I imagine he has someone in mind, he said he had no one specifically picked out as of Monday.
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