Posted earlier by Herve but presumably removed (I can no longer find it).  It is in today's (Saturday's) Washington Post.  An excellent article that both reminds us of JK's impressive resume and successes at GW while at the same time somewhat validating what may of us have been posting for some time now, namely of late his heart is elsewhere and it was time to move on.  Of equal interest was the statement that "if Hobbs does not make a March run, an informal three man committee-Russ Ramsey...Robert Chernak...and Kvantz wll decide his fate.  There is much more to discuss to this very long article and I hope it can be re-posted for those that do not have access.  (if it indeed has been lost and it is not just my not finding it)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/18/AR2011021804242.html

"Let me put it this way," Kvancz said. "There are a lot of questions none of us has answers to right now. The best thing that can happen is that we win the Atlantic 10 tournament and go to the NCAA tournament and that answers the questions. Short of that, I'm not sure what will happen."

If only there was somebody that we could pay money to, and their job would be to find these answers. If only....

It's in this thread:

http://www.gwhoops.com/default.aspx?mid=20110217181547446150 

Nobody should even dare read this article without first taking nausea medicine.  First, let's consider the relationship of the author to JK.  Feinstein is a long-time friend, frequent visitor to the Smith Center, and negotiator on behalf of the BT&T who worked with JK to bring GW into the event. (One of JK's finest achievements at GW which interestingly, has diminished along with his contributions to the department in recent years.)  By contrast, this is the same John Feinstein who labeled Mike Shanahan a racist for benching Donovan McNabb so that he can judge the abilities of Rex Grossman, once the Redskins were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.  Do you believe for a second that if Feinstein enjoyed a similar relationship with Shanahan that he does with JK, that he would have ever used the term "racist" in any context?

Next, my pet peeve.  The subject of Mike Brey was brought up and what was reported in this column is entirely incorrect.  The article states that JK did not feel that Mike Brey was ready to be the head coach at GW after only 3 seasons as a head coach at Delaware.  False, lie, call it what you will.  First, Mike was an assistant coach under Coach K at Duke for I believe 9 seasons, eventually becoming the top assistant at Duke.  That experience alone would qualify him to become head coach at GW.  If you find this to be questionable, consider that KH had never been a head coach prior to becoming the head coach at GW.  Moreover, Brey had been offered the head coaching job at Auburn (while he was still at Duke).  So, he was good enough for Auburn but not GW?  Ridiculous.  Still not convinced?  Mike moved on to Delaware where he led the Blue Hens to the NCAA tournament twice during a three year stint.  He was more than ready for GW.  For those who do not know the story, Mike wanted to come here but did not want to "interview" the job.  The embarassment of being considered but not being offered the job at his own alma mater could potentially be an assault on his career and that's exactly what Coach K advised.  Mike said that his accomplishments should speak for themselves and that if GW was interested, he would fly to DC and talk contract.  But he had no interest in being listed among several candidates.  The rest is pathetic history...JK's good friend Tom Penders was being forced out at Texas, needed a job, JK couldn't leave him hanging, TP mails it in (amidst some scandals and health concerns), and received a full buyout.

Finally, let's get to the most troubling aspect of the article and that is GW's future.  The article strongly suggests that KH could be let go after this season.  To be consistent, I have said that this is a more decent option to KH than to make him coach his last year without an extension.  However, a major circumstance has changed.  If KH is to be let go after this season, a new head coach would most certainly have to be in place prior to selecting a new athletic director.  This is as backwards-ass as it gets.  It's much like the Wizards hiring Eddie Jordan as their head coach before hiring Ernie Grunfeld as GM.   Wouldn't a capable athletic director want to be the one to make this hire?  How much time would he or she have to give the new head coach before making another change (if this is what they wanted)?  And, how attractive is this AD job under these circumstances?  Sure, you'll run the department, but Ramsey, Levine, Chernak, Kvancz, and Perno will all be here or closeby to assist you (i.e. look over your shoulder) as needed.  This structure can not help but be one where the new AD is left to wonder what real power they will actually have.  It would seem to me that under these circumstances, I would have to go against my original thinking and suggest that KH be back next season (even without an extension, which I am still very much against but now reflects the lesser of two evils) if for no other reason than to give the new AD the opportunity to review and decide KH's fate after next season.

Fascinating article.  My observations:

1) When you see Feinstein at the Smith Center it's obvious that he's buddies with JK.

2) Article quotes ZERO people besides JK.  If it's just a glowing retirement sendoff then it's very odd that there's nothing from Hobbs or Chernak or ANYONE at GW.

3) This feels SO MUCH like JK's spin.

4) I was going to hire Roy Williams - I was going to buy Microsoft stock and then I was going to sell it and buy Apple stock.

5) The comment from JK's friend "Gee Jack how did you get GW to pay you for a year of advising?"  That feels like JK saying to GW - "You got rid of me? I stuck it to you in the end."

6) Discussion about what to do about Hobbs now sounds so much of sour grapes by JK and really sounds like JK is saying that "GW is firing the wrong guy."  I think JK shows his cards and believes that he was ousted because of Hobbs' failings and he WANTS Hobbs out now too.  But JK graciously acknowledges that he will ultimately have to bail the school out - ONCE AGAIN coming to the rescue by picking the next coach.  JK's view comes through -- Overall "GW has handled this stupidly."

___________________________________________________________________

My conclusion:

1) JK got canned with a one year's severance.  There is a ZERO % chance that GW would involve JK in the desicion to replace Hobbs or pick his replacement. 

2) No matter how bad a coach/recruiter you think Hobbs is - and I believe that reasonable people can disagree on this - It's a BAD decision for GW as an institution to fire Hobbs now without a longterm plan and a new AD in place.  Changes like this are very disruptive for a program and expensive SO you just can't make a change only to find that you'll need to make another change in a couple of years again.  The article correctly points out "what coach wants to come in not knowing who he'll be working for OR the direction of the program?," AND "what AD will want to come in having no choice on who his most critical partner/employee will be?"

So all of this points to me as an indication that Hobbs stays for another year UNLESS GW already really knows what they want to do with the athletic program and GW knows who it wants to be the new AD and that person is deeply involved in the Hobbs/coaching decisions. 

I believe that's the immediate outcome because:

1) Knapp is smart AND cautious and will want to have all his ducks in a row before making a big move.

2) There really isn't that much urgency in needing to solve the Hobbs situation RIGHT NOW.  Hobbs only has a year on his contract with two big recruits coming in AND you can always let him go next year and owe him nothing.  And that would be under new leadership that had had a full year to figure out the best course of action.  Even if Ramsey is determined to replace Hobbs - it NOW makes more sense to do it next year.

Final point - If JK was still part of the leadership's plan for the future then it would have been LESS disruptive to fire Hobbs this year.  On balance I would have not wanted to do that - but it would be a more reasonable move under those circumstance than to do it now with everything up in the air.

MV, right on!

MV, I think you misunderstood the article. JK was saying that not hiring Mike Brey was a mistake in retrospect by making the joke that he did. But JK did believe that Brey was not ready at the time to be "the only candidate". Now, you can disagree with that judgment all day (and in retrospect your argument would be pretty strong) but it was not a lie or even a false portrayal of what occurred. That was an accurate rendition of JK's thinking at the time.

Also, I'm not sure what the relevance of calling Shanahan a racist has to an appreciation piece on JK. JK was not some controversial figure outside of this board. 85% of the Washington Post readers probably don't even know who he is.

Thinker, I think you fell and hit your head recently. I asked you in another thread to defend 6 of your top 10 lowlights list and you did not. Now we've got a JK planted story in the Washington Post. And the Roy Williams story is very true confirmed by a George Mason Alumni who was in the know at the time. Dean Smith told Roy no GMU just like Coach K told Dawkins no GW when KH was hired. You need to lose the animosity. The guy has now retired. Time to move on.

I agree with most of what Thinker wrote.  Anyone who understands PR and journalism will understand this article as more or less unfetterred JK spin, and also knows that Feinstein is a Bob Woodward-style access-journalist (menaing that like the reecnt Woodwarad vintage, he promote the interests of his sources).

FQ, of course - he was interviewing JK for the piece. This wasn't hard hitting journalism. On the other hand, it was an appreciation piece so what did you (or anyone else) really expect? Most of the Washington Post readers could care less about the stuff debated on this board. No one was going to get into an indepth analysis. It simply isn't newsworthy enough except to those here and a few others. What I object to was the notion that JK had this story written for him or was sending any messages. I honestly think it was Feinstein giving an nod to his buddy's career nothing more or less.

C'mon, all.  Of course the Feinstein article was written with a pro-Kvantz bias as it was as much a tribute to JK as it was a news story.  Flip it around and it is just as clear that much of the bashing JK is receiving on this board appears to be coming from an animosity against JK and does not appear to be to be all that objective either.  I think the facts are clear that JK was mostly able to maintain the successess of GW basketball (and other athletic programs) that was started by Bilsky.  I think that it is also clear that at least from a mens basketball prospective, we have had more good years than bad under Jack.    Further, and most important, the persons who write the checks seem to be committed to the athletic department, and I would imagine some of the credit has to go to JK.  Hey, if I was running the show for the school, I would be scratching my head as to why to sink any money into a program that has been floundering like this one has over the past 4 years.  However, for whatever reasons (and there have been a multitude of theories), things have not been good on the court the past 4 years and changes were necessary.  I do have many gripes with JK, the biggest being the scheduling (both the quality of the OOC home games and not playing a full schedule those years) and not capitalizing on the 27-3 season.  (Compare that to Mason, who used the final 4 season to capture what appears to be a long time loyal following in Northern Virginia).  On the other hand, JK situation may be similar to  Jarvis, in that we loved him but he stayed too long so we cheered when he left.  After being gone a few years, we now view MJ fondly  and realize how good he was for GW.    And like MJ, I will probably remember JK more fondly after he has been gone for a few years.

One of the more objective and balanced things you have ever written here LSF.

MV, I agree with you 100%

He seems like a good person.   I don't need to read unsupported statements and I don't care whether he's made mistakes.  Who hasn't?  He's probably over 65, and just wants to go fishing.  No more ulcers from GW games, no more reading bitterness from some of the board.  I seriously doubt that he was fired.

Oh, I get that Seneca Seats. And I have no problem with that -- as long as people understand it for what it is.

BC, I want to go fishing, too.

i dont know jk and have no real reason to like or dislike him.  whichever camp you are in, i believe most of us feel its time for a change.  jk certainly seems ready to leave and i wish him a happy retirement.

looking at his record however, it seems the only coach hires on his resume are penders - enough said, and hobbs.  i find it interesting that in the feinstein puff piece, he cites one coach who left after a year and another he was unable to hire as examples of his legacy as an AD.

sorry,  the i don't know post was mine

Seneca, the falsehood was that JK suggests that Brey wasn't ready to be the coach at that time but theoretically, that wasn't the case.  As you said, what JK truly believed was that he was in no position to make Brey "the only candidate" , and this was because of his relationship with Penders.  Had Penders remained at Texas, it would have been very conceivable that JK would have hired Brey without interviewing any other candidates.  Under those circumstances, JK may have felt that Mike was more than ready.  (And if you're right and JK truly believed that Mike wasn't ready, then he's a complete and utter moron given his years under Coach K, his two NCAA trips at Delaware, and the fact that Auburn had previously offered their head coaching position to Mike).  And yes, it's easy to be self-deprecating after-the-fact when you consider that Mike today is coaching a top 10 team.

As for the Shanahan reference, this was to illustrate that today's article was a puff piece written by a friend (which everyone here seems to agree on).  By contrast, Feinstein has no real relationship with Shanahan making it far more easy to be critical.  One of the first rules in journalism is to not become friends with your subjects unless you're willing to open yourself up to all kinds of criticism dealing with conflicts of interest.

I agree with Seneca.  The airheaded quality of the article is just a diss to GW.  It's like when we were getting to the NCAAs with some regularity and once in a blue moon Kornheiser or Boswell would mention us, and god forbid Wilbon recognized us possibly once or twice, and it would be a very backhanded, uninformed sounding comment.  We're not important enough to someone like Feinstein who's spent seasons tailing people like Bobby Knight or Coach K to bother with real reporting.  If he cared, he might've had a little analysis in there.  Ooh ooh Jack was such a great coach.  Oh yeah, I'm sure North Carolina and Indiana called him when their respective coaching legends left to see if he might want to revive his coaching acreer.  Ironically, maybe Jack K bears some responsibility for GW basketball still being below the radar.  The AD during the two prime periods of GW basketball couldn't raise the profile for any meaningful period of time. 

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/k/kvancja01.html

Career Record: 5 Years, 43-86, .333 W-L%
School: Catholic (43-86)

 Alumnus that is not fair..say what you want about Feinstein but he has given GW basketball a lot of love over the years. 

The vitriol shown toward JK boggles my mind here.  The guy made some mistakes, sure.  Nobody is arguing with that.  But the complete level of hate shown by some posters really boggles my mind.

Without the knowledge of what happened over the past ten years, if you asked most fans who you would rather take as head coach, Tom Penders or Mike Brey, I think a majority would have taken Penders, a known commodity.  I would have.  Wrong decision in hindsight, but impossible to know what would have happened at the time. 

Also, I think it's ironic that many people who are calling the Penders decision a terrible hire are the same people who would love Hobbs fired and Bozeman to be brought in.  Caring about previous malfeasance only goes so far. 

Porter,

He was a part of an older era where people weren't accustomed to accountability and transparency.  He symbolized for me the worst of the old way where people said shut up - I know what's best and I don't have to explain myself.  He was arrogant and condescending and smug.  I never heard him speak or read an interview where I felt there wasn't some major thing left unsaid - only to be understood by the smart ones - in the know - which of course most of us weren't.  Whatever it is -- just level with us!  But I NEVER felt like that happened.  Just like his private agenda, 'secret message' spin job in the Washington Post courtesy of John Feinstein - until the end - a fucking liar.

Thinker: 

tell us how you really feel...

I'm laying 10-1 right now that Thinker lost significant money on the game that JK supposedly told him Maureece had the flu. Only that can explain the animosity expressed here. No one would rationally obssess over one moment in time like that unless something else was involved..

Porter71, I really hate reading baseless statements like "if you asked fans at the time whether they would have preferred Penders or Brey, most would have picked Penders."  It's not only an erroneous statement but one that would make most fans out to be morons.  Who would you rather have, a tired coach being forced out by scandal or a young, up and coming coach with excellent training, a successful track record and a GW graduate as well?

Seneca/Blue Seats I understand that you as the principal apologist for all things JK would want to dramatically oversimplify my clearly stated point above.  I think that JK was arrogant, condescending and smug.  He lied about things that he didn't need to lie about.  He was disingenuous about things where candor would have been the obvious better choice.  The Rice incident at UMBC was just a symptom.  He lied when Hobbs had already told WRGW the truth.  I believe he lied because he fundamentally didn't believe that I had a right to ask much less know why Rice wasn't playing.  But that incident was AGAIN symptomatic of his overall attitude that HE knew better - That the ignorant and unwashed outsiders should shut up and let him run things.

It's the same kind of attitude that shows through on many of your posts: 

Gosh you ignorant fans - if only you understood things like I do then you wouldn't be making so many impertinent wrong statements.

I honestly believe that you have a pretty deep understanding of the realities of college basketball.  I honestly believe that you make a lot of valid points.  BUT you are so condescending, arrogant and smug yourself that makes it especially tough to not want to disagree with you.  I sometimes wonder if you are actually JK as well.

Thinker - So now I'm JK? Give it a rest. If my posts are so condescending you are always free not to read them. But in all seriousness, if they are condescending it's because you are largely right. People post the most inane bullshit up here that someone could debunk in about five seconds if someone from the University would post here. But since I doubt they even read this board, someone has to set the record straight otherwise sheer lunacy will prevail. You want examples:

1. JK paid off his buddy Penders. JK did nothing of the sort. Does anybody think for a minute JK had the authority to pay probably over $1 million dollars in a settlement? This was approved and suggested at levels much high than JK. That is 100% fact.

2. JK lied about Rice. You ever follow a lot of coaches? No one wants to discuss internal team matters publicly. Jack is an old coach. Why did JK owe you the truth if he was unsure why you were asking and he was unsure whether the information became public yet? Believe it nor not JK does not listen to every interview or read every press release. And so he told you something not entirely accurate. I'd bet if we examined your background we could find plenty of times you were less than completely truthful. So you want to hang a man when he told you something of little consequence to you personally at that time.

3. Your charge that he is condescending and arrogant is flat out nonsense. You obviously don't interact much with the man. He is regarded as a people person by his peers. Why don't you ask some fellow ADs whether he is arrogant and condescending. I've happened to know JK for other reasons for more than 20 years. I have never heard anyone say that about him except here and I know people who would not hesitate to say it if it were true.

Look, you have the right to disagree with his decisions, the way he ran the department, his coaching hires etc. But when you call a man a liar that's a horse of a completely different color.

MV,

I love how you blast erronious statements, and then ask the most comically biased question on the Penders vs Brey in 1998 decision.  Without the benefit of hindsight, I would take the established coach with a track record of success, strong recuiting ties, who made the Sweet 16 two years prior (which I guess makes him "tired") over a young coach from a small school who refuses to interview for the position. (See, you can spin this question either way)

Now, in hindsight it was the wrong move.  Nobody is arguing that.  But I don't think my statement was totally erronous.  I may be of a different generation than you, but from what I remember I was excited about Penders and would not have cared about Brey.  Brining in an established coach seemed like we could move up to the next level.  Obviously I was wrong, but doesn't make me an idiot.  I just prefer what I thought was more of a sure thing over an up and coming coach who may not be able to replicate his success.  Established coaches can do this.  Think Lon Kruger at UNLV, Tommy Amaker at Harvard or Steve Fisher at SD State.  It's not unreasonable, as much as you don't want to admit it.  So many young assistants fail.  There was no guarantee that Brey would have done that, and I would have SERIOUS reservations about hiring a coach who I not only didn't interview, but who would not interview.

Thinker,

I can see what you are saying.  I just don't why this would rile you up so much.  Also, with the UMBC & Rice thing, and I know I am in a minority on this, I don't really feel that I have a right to answers all the time on team personnel matters.  I'm not a booster or anything, so it could be different.  GW sports are a form of entertainment, like watching movies.  It doesn't make George Lucas a dick if I run into him on the street and he won't tell me why he created Jar Jar Binks.  He doesn't owe me anything, and I don't think JK really owes answers like this to fans.  What he owes us is his best effort in strengthing the GW athletic department, and expanding the GW brand.  That's just the way I see it.   I don't really care about transparancy.  The only thing that matter to me are results.  That's just me though.

Porter71, this isn't a hindsight think.  Penders was forced out at Texas amidst a scandal in which he blatantly had an assistant coach take the fall for him.  I can't go back in time and take a poll as to whether the public preferred hiring the slimy Penders over Brey but to suggest it was impossible to know at the time that Penders wouldn't work out here isn't inaccurate.  I could have told you this as could about at least 10 different people I know.  Not after the fact...before the fact.  And despite our difference of opinion, I don't recall having referred to you as an idiot.  And, you're obviously not alone because Jack also had reservations about hiring Brey, both because he wouldn't interview, and more importantly, because he felt the need to help his slimy friend Tom.

porter71, i agree thinker's reaction is outsized BUT there are just some things that strike a nerve and that may explain thinker's views on JK.  thinker said Hobbs already explained Rice situation to WRGW. JK and KH got their signals crossed but why would JK lie. i believe JK and thinker know one another so it's not revealing a secret to the enemy. Why didnt JK just say Hobbs would make a statement? why lie to a strong supporter of the program or any for that matter? i dont think it's about transparency because they explained it anyway.

Not to get into the Penders thing anymore but JK was not as close with Penders as everyone apparently would like to believe. They knew each other for sure. But they weren't drinking buddies, didn't go on family vacations together and rarely interacted outside of Final Fours and phone calls. The idea that JK hired Penders because he was his buddy was flase. The idea that JK felt more comfortable with Penders than Brey because he had more familiarity with Penders would be more accurate.

MV,

Huggins and Calipari are both slimy, I would take them as coach. 

It's when you said that my statement made most fans out to be morons that I beleive you were calling me a moron.

Penders did a pretty good job at Houston before he stepped down, so there was still something there coaching wise.  

I find it very hard to believe Penders was given the job cause JK was bailing him out.  He could have ended up many other places, or on TV for a few years then made the move.  I think their relationship made him coming here a natural fit.  That's it's completely different.

I think the bailout too wasn't JK doing Penders a favor, I think it was ultimate damage control.  Get him out of here ASAP, shut him up and move on quickly.  Fire him, and he complains or tells his side of the story and the story continues.

I can't believe I am actually defending Penders.  He was a nightmare, and the last two years under him were far worse than anything Hobbs has done.  But, I just think our dislike of him is clouding our judgements a little.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/614832-gw-athletic-director-jack-kvancz-to-step-down-randy-levine-to-assess-program

GW news makes BR's College Bball homepage.

newtman,

you may be right.  I don't know thinker, whether he is a high level financial supporter, or has a relationship woth JK.  I remember his complaints about it on the board from a few years ago, but only vaguely.  I just never understand peoples sense of entitlement, but that may be because I'm just in a different world of fandom.

Well you can fault JK for hiring Penders but what about the guy who hired him at Houston after GW and Texas? Seems to suggest JK wasn't that crazy at the time.

porter71, if I remember, thinker's issue wasn't that he felt entitled to an answer and didn't get one. It was that JK flat out lied to him. All he had to do was say that it was a private matter and that he couldn't give any details and that would've been it. Or he could've said KH would make a statement like newtman said. The problem was that he decided to tell thinker that Rice had the flu.

Gee, Seneca, I'm surprirsed you remember the details of Thinker's flu beef so well, considering "you" weren't even really on the board yet., right?  That hapened back when you were still posting as Blue Seats.

Tom Penders resigned Friday as GW men’s basketball coach calling it "time for a sabbatical" from coaching as he addressed a Smith Center room filled with players, students, his family, local media and GW staff at a 5 p.m. press conference. He said the decision has nothing to do with events in the past week.

"I’ve given all I have to this chosen field," said Penders, who will step down effective June 30. "And I can honestly say I have absolutely no regrets."

Penders’s resignation comes amid a turbulent period for the Colonials program. Four players admitted last week to using the long-distance access code of Penders’s son, assistant coach Tommy Penders Jr., to make more than $1,400 worth of phone calls.

Another incident involved transfer-forward Attila Cosby, who was charged with nine misdemeanors for sexual abuse, weapons violations and theft Jan. 26. Cosby showed Penders court papers Feb. 8, but Penders failed to inform Athletic Director Jack Kvancz about Cosby’s legal situation. Kvancz said Tuesday that it was "a problem" that Penders did not tell him.

The resignation makes GW the second-straight school Penders has left under scandalous circumstances. The University of Texas bought out the remainder of Penders’s contract in April 1998, after questions surfaced about his involvement in releasing grades of former player Luke Axtell to a local radio station. The contract buyout ended a successful 10-year tenure that included seven NCAA appearances and a 1989-90 trip to the Elite Eight.

Reading from a prepared speech at the Smith Center AD room, Tom Penders said he had been contemplating resigning since the season’s end.

"I’ve experienced many restless, sleepless nights," Penders said. "My head was telling me it was time to get away from coaching for awhile, but my heart was telling me I couldn’t let Jack Kvancz and the many wonderful people at GW down."

Kvancz was teary-eyed when he walked to the podium following Penders’s remarks. Kvancz said Penders’s 33 years of coaching appeared to be taking its toll.

"It was after the Temple game here, when we missed that last foul shot that could have won the game for us, that I really noticed a difference (in Penders)," Kvancz said. "It dawned on me that he had been doing this for over 30 years. And in the weeks after the Atlantic 10 tournament, I sensed that he was tired."

Kvancz looked over to long-time friend Penders, who sat beside Vice President for Student Activities and Support Services Robert Chernak, and praised the coach.

"As I look at him, I say there’s a man who exudes class and he can coach the game of basketball," Kvancz said.

Penders said he came to the decision about two weeks ago and said it took a little while to "work some things out." Penders, who has compiled 527 wins in his career, which includes stints at and the University of Texas, Tufts, Columbia, Fordham and Rhode Island universities, said there is a possibility that he would return to coaching.

"I may be back doing this again, I’m crazy enough," he said.

Kvancz confirmed Penders’s notion, saying he "expects after a brief hiatus that he might be back."

Although the status of Penders’s four assistant coaches was not discussed at the press conference, Tommy Penders Jr. cleaned out his office Friday and assistant coach Jimmy McGovern said he is looking for work. The assistant coaches all met with Kvancz Saturday morning inside the Smith Center. They will remain employed at GW pending appointment of a new coach, Kvancz said.

Penders said GW will honor Penders’s contract, which has three years left on it. He called the agreement with GW "extremely kind," but declined to give details. Kvancz said they have "worked out an understanding." The contract is believed to be somewhere in the $450,000-a-year range, according to a 1998 Dallas Morning News article.

When asked Sunday why the University honored Penders’s contract, Kvancz said, "It was the class thing to do."

Penders leaves GW with a 49-42 record, including one NCAA tournament appearance. He mentioned the team’s last-second victory over Xavier in his first season that clinched the Atlantic 10 West Division as his favorite moment as GW coach. But since the 1998-99 season, the Colonials have spiraled downward, finishing 15-15 in 1999-00 and 14-18 this season – the team’s first losing season in 11 years.

"It’s time to recharge the batteries, to reflect, refocus, to reevaluate and rejuvenate," Penders said. "I’m in the position to step back and smell the roses, really for the first time in my life as a professional coach."

Fights and recent player scandals plagued the team in recent years. This season in particular was difficult for Penders’s team. The Colonials were involved in an off-court melee with the University of Tennessee in Hawaii in December and engaged a scuffle with Duquesne during a game in February.

In his closing remarks, Penders thanked GW’s top administrators, all of whom met with Penders several times over the last few days.

"Jack (Kvancz) is my friend and my boss, He’s been extremely supportive and understanding," Penders said.

"People like Jack, Vice President Bob Chernak, President (Stephen Joel) Trachtenberg have all been wonderful to work with. They will be lifelong friends."

Among other names, former GW assistant coaches and current St. John’s University assistants Kevin Clark and Mike Jarvis II have been mentioned as possible replacements for Penders as well as GW women’s head coach Joe McKeown. That decision will be up to Kvancz, who said Sunday that he has not spoken with anyone about the coaching position.

Kvancz focused his comments Friday on his longtime friend.

"On behalf of the University, with warmest regards from Bob (Chernak), myself and President (Stephen Joel) Trachtenberg, we wish you the best in whatever you do."

July 7, 2000 Judge dismisses felony sex abuse charge against Attila Cosby for an incident involving an alleged prostitute in his Guthridge Hall room.

Jan. 26 U.S. Attorney’s Office charges Cosby with nine misdemeanors related to Guthridge incident.

Feb. 8 Cosby shows head coach Tom Penders court documents. Penders does not tell Athletic Director Jack Kvancz about the charges.

April 13 Athletic department discovers player phone fraud.

April 14 Kvancz tells The Hatchet he does not know about new developments in Cosby case.

April 20, 2001 Penders resigns.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL; Penders Makes An Easy Transition

WASHINGTON — Walk into Tom Penders's office at George Washington University, and you can tell he arrived only recently. Pictures lean against the wall, waiting to be hung. His desk is engulfed with papers, and sometimes Penders must search to find what he is looking for.

Yet, after 27 years as a head basketball coach, and nine appearances in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament, Penders is confident he can straighten out both his office and his team. Hired in June to replace Mike Jarvis, who left for St. John's, Penders has an impressive history of rejuvenating struggling programs. He did it at Tufts, Columbia, Fordham, Rhode Island and Texas, compiling a 478-319 record along the way, including a 208-110 record during the last 10 years at Texas. But after establishing the best men's program the Longhorns had ever had, he resigned under fire last April, a few weeks after the season ended.

Now, at 53, Penders takes over at George Washington, a place where he believes he can win right away. The athletic director, Jack Kvancz, has known Penders since they were kids in Connecticut. Returning to the East Coast has reunited Penders and his wife, Susie, with old friends. Tommy Penders Jr., a former assistant coach at Rhode Island, has joined his father's staff as an assistant. And instead of facing a massive rebuilding project, Penders steps into a program that Jarvis led to the N.C.A.A. tournament in four of the last six years.

we are placing too much significance on this one incident.  not to put words in thinker's mouth, but i believe he was only citing the incident as one example of a prevailing attitude.  As such its not the incident itself but the attitude thats relevant.

calipari, i'm not so sure but a hope no one here would really want huggins.

using either hindsight or forsight, penders was a questionable choice who most decidely bombed here.  it seems to me we are looking at a 30 yr career (17 at GW) where the hiring of hobbs may have been the hilight. 

it is past time to move on.

In fairness, thinker, that Times article does not call them friend.s.  It says they've known each other since they were kids.  The sentence you highlighted just says that the return to the east coacst has reuinted them with friends, whcih doesn't necessarily mean Kvancz or anythng having to do with basketball at all.

Wow thinker! 

i can't believe you have this.  Did anyone at the time believe Penders had really not told kvancz?

FBP,

I myself actually believe that Penders DIDN'T tell JK.  Whatever I may think of JK, Penders is exponentially worse - he embodies dishonesty and sleaziness.

FQ, I hope you really have better things to do then hope that I am Blue Seats. I'm not but you just keep believing what you want if that makes things easier for you.

Feinstein is a peice of shit.   

@ Seneca.  I no longer believe you are Blue Seats a LFO 100%.  You must either be fucking him and therefore, using the same IP, or you are are his roommate OR you really are him.   Its actually just the fact that you go on and on in countless threads claiming you don't have any of their earts and yet you fail to understand that what we really mean is...either they are listening to you (not likely) OR rather, that they are speaking to you about their decisions.  I know the latter is correct and therefore, I'm urging you to take this back to the brass:  

1- Excellent job in marketing team changes past two years. 

2- We are done with JK and have been for years for myraid reasons. 

3- I happen to think hobbs is doing well getting this team to pull out a nice surge motivating my son and I to go all out for G-dub.  Why not- When you shout over 80% from the FT line that has troubled you all year AND its on the road!!!!   Well done!   Make a nice AC run!  QWe keep Hobbs and salivate over the potential of Copes and kromah contributing to a potential NCAA tourney/quality team and season! 

4-  Levine's purpose- i believe to assist with getting the new AD and securing a more competitive schedule should put us in a good position to test out the team next year and year after.  if Hobbs is a part of the 2013 season will hinge on next year. 

5-  All we need is NO internal team distractions.  No senior night problems.  no doghouse. 

6-  I think we will win 3 of next 4.  I'm excited and now need the Admin to STEP IT UP with both outreach. marketing and excitement!!!    I need our Boys and Hobbs to be assured that we support their efforts, their no quit attittude.  Rally behind your coach and his raving lunatic antics and just win.  Find anyway.  be quicker, want it more and for fuck sake...practice your Free throws damn it!  :)

@ Seneca.  I no longer believe you are Blue Seats a LFO 100%.  You must either be fucking him and therefore, using the same IP, or you are are his roommate OR you really are him.   Its actually just the fact that you go on and on in countless threads claiming you don't have any of their earts and yet you fail to understand that what we really mean is...either they are listening to you (not likely) OR rather, that they are speaking to you about their decisions.  I know the latter is correct and therefore, I'm urging you to take this back to the brass:  

1- Excellent job in marketing team changes past two years. 

2- We are done with JK and have been for years for myraid reasons. 

3- I happen to think hobbs is doing well getting this team to pull out a nice surge motivating my son and I to go all out for G-dub.  Why not- When you shout over 80% from the FT line that has troubled you all year AND its on the road!!!!   Well done!   Make a nice AC run!  QWe keep Hobbs and salivate over the potential of Copes and kromah contributing to a potential NCAA tourney/quality team and season! 

4-  Levine's purpose- i believe to assist with getting the new AD and securing a more competitive schedule should put us in a good position to test out the team next year and year after.  if Hobbs is a part of the 2013 season will hinge on next year. 

5-  All we need is NO internal team distractions.  No senior night problems.  no doghouse. 

6-  I think we will win 3 of next 4.  I'm excited and now need the Admin to STEP IT UP with both outreach. marketing and excitement!!!    I need our Boys and Hobbs to be assured that we support their efforts, their no quit attittude.  Rally behind your coach and his raving lunatic antics and just win.  Find anyway.  be quicker, want it more and for fuck sake...practice your Free throws damn it!  :)

Lev, you know that I only read your posts if they are made after Midnight--Good oakey nose; fine finish.

That's what sets GW fans apart.

Seneca, I hope you can at least appreciate everyone's "confusion" over the issue of whether you are the same poster as Blue Seats.  Take this latest rebuttal of JK and TP not really being close friends as an example.  We've had this discussion many times here before (I can't blame you for not knowing about this, seeing how you weren't posting on this board yet).  And as I recall, the only poster who was adamant about letting everyone know that JK and TP really weren't good friends was Blue Seats.  Today, years later, you are the only poster who appears to be adamant about letting everyone know the very same thing. 

So when you take this example, and other examples where you and BS hold the exact same postion, and then you factor in things like having the same writing style as BS and often using the same vocabulary as BS, well, I'm sure you're not Blue Seats but like I said, I hope you can see why so many people are making this same "mistake".

Well if I recall correctly not too long ago some people here said you were Blue Seats MV. So it seems like mentioning Blue Seats might be just a way for posters here to distract from an issue they don't want to address since he is apparently a banned poster and poster child for the athletic department. I would hope people would read what I write here on its own merits but if not, there's nothing I can really do about it.

The really funny thing is much of what I have learned on this board is repeated ad nauseum. I could be a newbie and probably learn just about everything in a few months since every subject matter is repeated time and time again, especially in the offseason.

But LSF may know actually who I am. And if he also knows who Blue Seats is then he would be a position to tell you we are not one and the same. Again, that's just a hunch not a definite.

Apparently as you point out there are some similarities - we may think somewhat alike about certain issues and we may both know JK well and think highly of him. I think I may know who Blue Seats is as well. But if I do then Blue Seats has much better seats than I do and a lot more access to the athletic department than I do. Plus, my understanding is that you, Blue Seats and LFO were constantly at each other's throats over just about everything here. Doesn't seem to be the case now.

People can always believe what they want to believe. I'll keep posting here and if people want to label me as "Blue Seats" "Seneca Seats" "Blue Seneca" etc. they can keep doing so if that makes them feel better.

Seneca, you're obviously not going to admit to this and that's fine.  But bringing my earlier situation into this doesn't score you any credibility points.  The difference is that Blue Seats and I sounded nothing alike while you and BS sound very much alike.  But I'm sure you're willing to overlook that subtle distinction.