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Column: Miller Time is Over --
Big Mack Now Heading Attack
4/15/2009
Whenever change occurs there is a huge temptation to panic. When Xavier lost Sean Miller as its head coach many fans began to panic. It wasn’t the first time. Remember when Skip Prosser left? What about Thad Matta? The common denominator to the new hires was that each elevated the program in some way, fashion or form.
Take a deep breath Muskie fans, the program is in good, maybe great hands. Chris Mack has more to prove than any XU coach since way before the Bob Staak era when Don Ruberg became the Xavier head coach as a former player back in 1963. Sounds like a tall order?
As a former player at XU, not to mention a coach, Mack won’t allow the program to do anything but progress. He has the basketball IQ, work ethic, perseverance and personality to make it happen.
As a former player, Rubergs tenure was not spectacular, granted. But, he didn’t learn from a Skip and Sean Miller.
"Chris is truely his own man," said Xavier Athletic Director Mike Bobinski in the press conference on Wednesday afternoon at Schmidt Hall on XU's campus.
He learned from some good ones, but he is still Chris Mack. Mack has been everything except the "janitor" since he has been in the collegiate coaching ranks. First, he built the Mount Notre Dame High School program into the powerhouse that it is today. Then Chris became director of basketball operations for XU. Soon after, he was an assistant at Wake Forest for the late Skip Prosser. Finally, he spent the past several years as Sean Millers right hand man who was heavily involved as a top recruiter and a Miller confidant. Suffice it to say, Chris Mack is no stranger to major college NCAA basketball.
Bobinski said, “He’s not a one man band.” He is even less a stranger to the Xavier Nation and all the nuisances, demands, expectations and requirements that come with accepting the challenges of being the next head coach. Take a deep breath, things will be fine. Chris Mack will be very good.
Not only will the program go on as scheduled, it will only get better. Chris Mack will be smart enough to have some excellent new assistant coaches that can not only teach basketball but will be great recruiters and motivators. They indeed will carry on the Xavier tradition of excellence.
The new coach alluded to Xavier Basketball as a system that is the Xavier way that just keeps rolling. He will keep it rolling.
Mack said, "He will have the best coaches Xavier has ever had." Favorably, he announced that Brian Thornton, a former player as well, will become the new Director of Basketball Operations. If the first hire mirrors his future choices, Chris indeed will have succeeded in his assistants' search. Coach Mack sounded like he will have his assistants in place soon if not before.
Mack will continue the educational philosophy at Xavier and enforcing the XU tradition of graduating its players. He will demand academic performance and continue to recruit high integrity ballplayers with the skills to match.
He will work tirelessly to get top rated personnel. Ultimately having a new coach will be Xavier's gain. The mighty X-Men will rise up again. Congratulations Coach Mack, we are all counting on you.
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