Bickley can't resist

It's not quite journalistic stalking, but the Republic's Dan Bickley can't resist making a little-too-late stab at fired ASU coach Dirk Koetter in his column on Andrew Walter:

As a rookie in 2005 he watched the 49ers' Alex Smith have an awful inaugural season, and he remembers how Dirk Koetter once came to ASU and proclaimed Chad Christensen the better quarterback.

He has also noticed that the Raiders play the Jaguars next season, and wouldn't it be fun to see Koetter pacing the opposing sideline?

As I recall, Walter started for Koetter for three years, and Koetter's downfield passing game allowed Walter to show off all of his strengths.

Why would it be "fun" to see Koetter on the other side of the field? What is Bickley not saying here? I'd be willing to bet Walter wishes he had Koetter on his own sidelines this past season.

Foles' surgeon optomistic

Nick Foles, ASU's 6-5 dynamo QB recruit from Texas, had successful surgery to repair a torn labrum on his throwing shoulder. Here's the good news:

- His doctor is Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala., quite literally THE orthopedic surgeon for athletes in the U.S.

- Dr. Andrews did a similar surgery on Drew Brees last year and said Foles' injury was not as bad. Brees, who also prepped in Texas, sent text messages of encouragement to Foles.

- His four-month rehab should have him ready to throw by fall camp.

If you're looking for something to speculate on here, Erickson and two assistants went to Austin to make sure Foles was ready to throw this summer. That's a long way to go and a lot of staff to take with you to tell a kid you haven't signed to an LOI yet to be ready to throw entering a season with a junior incumbent starter at QB.

Two Black Coaches or Two Good Coaches?

With the Colts win over my adopted Patriots, a milestone (of sorts) will be reached as two black coaches face off across the field on Super Bowl Sunday. Listening to Shannon Sharpe on CBS, one is led to believe that it is only events like this that will convince team owners in the NFL or Athletic Directors in college to hire black coaches. Of course, if Sharpe's view that black coaches will only be hired once black coaches demonstrate success on the field is accurate, then no black coaches would have been previously hired as there would not be any black coaches in a position to be successful. Rather, the fact that two black coaches are squaring off in the Super Bowl is prima facie evidence that Sharpe is wrong, and that there is no glass ceiling for minority coaching candidates in the NFL.

In the PAC-10, the glass ceiling has certainly been shattered. Ty Willingham is coaching at UW after previous engagements at Notre Dame and Stanford. Karl Dorrell is starting to turn around a UCLA team that has floundered since '98. At ASU, one of the finalists for the head coaching position was Michigan's Defensive Coordinator, Ron English. His candidacy was primarily the result of a groundswell of fan support based on his quality and qualifications; not on his race. The deciding factor was Dennis Erickson's wealth of experience and Ron's comparative lack; again, race was not the issue.

This last example highlights the real reason that there are not more black head coaches in college or the pros; it takes time for individuals to develop the experience and credentials which are prerequisite to the position. As more black coaches are recognized for their skills, they will continue to advance their careers and gain the experience required to attain head coaching positions throughout the college and pro football ranks.

Which brings us to the real goal, the real milestone we're striving for; that accomplished men are defined by their accomplishments and not by their race. That along with great athletes and competitors (e.g. Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Jim Thorpe, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, etc.) who have transcended categorization we might reflect on great coaches, and the additional adjectives can be dispensed with as they are without significance.

Wanted: Basketball fans in Tempe

Sometime next year, going to an ASU basketball game may become the hip new place to be.

Until then, it would be nice of people who claim an unwavering allegiance to ASU and an interest in basketball to buy a few cheap tickets to fill the seats for a group of kids who work their butts off every game.

It's no fun when your team is winless in the conference. Yes, the offense is ugly, shooting an eye-sore 45 percent from the field. There are but two real shooters on the team, and the offense requires a fleet of shooters to work.

But suffering with your team in the hard times makes the good times that much more enjoyable. There's very little going on if you're not a Suns fan, and you could always Tivo their games. Make it out to Ned Wulk Court sometime soon. You owe it to yourself and your school.