" History is replete with examples of people who got jobs who weren't necessarily the very first name that came to mind. Terry Francona -- today was not necessarily. The guy that the Red Sox had in mind initially to be the manager of the team to World Series championships later he was the perfect choice. We made the point last week that whatever and number on the list. The Providence College friars ended up with -- as their new basketball coach if he was the right choice. It was perfect and we think that they may have done just that the new head basketball coach for the Providence friars you know Davis joins us on the line right now it's -- Michael in Boston how are you sir. I'm doing great it's wonderful beyond. Tell me about the process here I mean -- you're probably following this from a far as well. When did you hear from Providence and how long did it take to put this whole thing together."
" Well heard from Providence on the weekend obviously I cannot followed the job search out from afar and they split it open I'd -- you know I knew that there were going to decent schools that would be contacting me but -- that that job opened it and that's one I would have to take a look at that's pretty exciting that base open and the call me. And be as disinterested and he has that was and then I knew it was worth a look and and quickly got down there around on Monday morning."
" You know why -- and it's an exciting job for."
" Well all my best memories of growing up you know come from the New England area haven't had been born in in the eastern Pennsylvania when my father was coach at Lafayette but then movement when I was young two to Boston College in -- all my best memories of following the Red Sox and and no walking down two Roberts stadium down just from our street our commonwealth avenue and and the Big East Boston College 21 of the Big East stand and so always in my back my mind I wondered if I'd be able to come back up to that area and so for that to happen it's it's really a dream come true."
" do you still follow the Red Sox."
" All of religiously religiously. So it's you know like. It's from afar people wonder you know that when I got Red Sox gear on wondered how uh oh what's -- what's what's you know why you Red Sox fan you bandwagon against non huddle I've been with them a long long time so and need to be back -- area."
" I saw somewhere Arnold this is true I saw that you collect yeah as baseball card that."
" All you know -- yes you know like like a lot of kids do I was I was always baseball card collector in. And kept are Red Sox cards were always prized possessions in make sure that there is the gas card during this stage they've played department."
" Father Brian Shanle is the president of Providence College by his own admission he's never been involved in the process of hiring a coach. Like he was involved in this process. How exactly was his involvement made realty one what was it like having him part of this."
" Well you know be unable to meet him -- and sit down and and talk about what what Providence college's about about him but about to the people around there you know just made my wife and I feel. You know really comfortable that we worked getting into a job that was a good fit you know we talk about the high quality of student athletes that's able to make up Providence and what are vision is for the future to be able to continue upon great tradition you know with some very knowledgeable basketball fans in the area so he was instrumental and helping respect that decision."
" Father Shanley said that that he looked at your experiences at drake and he saw a lot of similarities to what the invasion the job being like. In Providence what was it like for you from a recruiting aspect at drake and what kind of kids were you looking to recruit there."
" Well I think one thing you know you'd look at that you know very high caliber. Institution academically at drake university and college has spent hasn't always you know -- at the top oh with basketball -- they did have some history of being in the final four in the late sixties and 69 and and nice tournament run in the ninth in 1971 by there was a long drought without an NCAA turn him the parents for 37 years and had been twenty years since winning season which we were able to -- the year before so and then also in the state of Iowa we're looking at trying to. You know recruit nationally -- that there just aren't that many high caliber players to be able to win that are in our state so we had to look outside and I think there's some. With a small schools sides with the alumni base with all of those things it really positives in my mind your -- when we were able to to bring young men on campus and and show them what Drake University is about. And I look forward to doing the same province."
" of the facilities at Providence. Match up with some of the other schools that you've seen not necessarily that you coach step but just big time programs around the country."
" You know I think they match up favorably I think one thing you're always looking for. You know -- church school is that they're making improvements that they're going in the right direction that the you look at the facilities to Providence you know what they're trying to do you know -- lock rooms and and you know weight training facilities and all of those things you know as astute nap leader prospective student at. You look at at somewhere what are they going to be during my four years there. Think when they look at Providence they're going to be excited about not just -- in the Big East but the -- be competitive in all areas and facilities and everything that goes about that it is a big part."
" In your dad has one of the most recognizable games in college basketball not because it's Tom davis' because it's. Doctor Tom Davis you don't forget that but wondering -- Watching him coach did you think when you were twelve or thirteen years old I want to be -- like my dad or was that something later on for you."
" Well you know I think like like a lot of young people you know they have their role models and a lot of times apparent that. And so I was I was always saying and I want to you know that's what I want to do and intimately that I want to coach on their college basketball coach but I think but I made the decision. Just previous. Being a senior high school to go to college at the University of Iowa where he was coaching my reasoning for doing that was that I wanted to learn I wanted to be you know an assistant coach -- even -- wasn't technically want to wanted to be out on the practice court I want it to to be in the meetings I want to learn and start right away that that's what. You know the college experience was going to be for -- and I was going to choose -- school to give myself the best like in trying to get a job after college."
" When your dad retired a year ago march that you followed in his very big footsteps. And took over the -- program where you concerned about following your father into that job as the head coach."
" Well not really I think people are always going to. Have expectations that -- or or questions or concerns or depends on who you're talking about because of the you know what my father's been able to accomplish during his career so but I really you know you talk about it. Media in the newspapers and radio but he get out on the court -- your work in -- figured -- worried about you know who your father is or what he was able to accomplish you just try to do the best job you can and make sure at the end of the day you feel like you've accomplished something yet. And hopefully if you put a lot of those days together you're able to accomplish great things."
" You know however -- what's your opinion is of of something all of rule in college basketball as a coach if you want to advance your career and go from drake. To Providence you can do that and coach of Providence the next year we're talking about this earlier. As a kid let's say what are your kids at drake went there because -- view and if you leave. Then he wants to go somewhere else he has to sit out a year do you think that's an unfair and that's it that's a double standard is an."
" Well I think it can be but I think -- they didn't have that you know you'd have trouble of kids move it around all the time and I think what we try to do during the recruiting process. It is is really make sure that we get the type of student athlete that is coming and not just because of the coach but because of the school because of the you know the professors because of the facilities because everything. That there are going to be happy getting their degree from that school this is that's what ultimately were there to do to be able to educate knowing that there's a chance whether a coach goes to another job or are probably more times than not loses job any yet to play for a couple different coaches during his career that you'll still be able to be successful so. I don't know that there is an answer to what would make sense I think you could go where it's. But they wouldn't have to sit out a year but I think -- problems with that as well."
" A -- and how you handle. That conversation I imagine it's probably the toughest conversation any coach can have you have you been with these kids all year. He won 28 games you get into the NCAA tournament play great game it's western Kentucky. So you spent a lot of time with these guys then. Yet to tell them. I'm going to Providence how did you handle."
" Well not only that you know I've been here for. Five years so all the players I've been here during their entire career whether they're first year graduate they're fit your guys so you know you you have a special bond with those players and I think to try to explain. And be exactly -- of what you were thinking -- why you were thinking because I think with honesty Islamic your honest -- they can respect that if you they read right through it so you try to explain that even though -- moving on that will always have that relationship then and and hopefully it'll continue and I'll be able to stay in touch with those guys long after they're college basketball careers are done."
" You've had one year experience as a head basketball coach at break in as Michael said you won 28 games were 28 and five overall. Fifteen and three in the Missouri valley conference won the conference championship. And I just look and here at the list that in front of me. The MBC coach of the year basketball times coach of the year mid major coach of the year Henry I have a coach of the year award sporting news coach of the year eighteen national coach of the year. That was a helluva year together there."
" You know those -- joked around at that I didn't get a clean sweep there a couple of other coached at seventy shepherd but. It was it was amazing from the beginning of the season throughout when we enter our 21 game winning streak in just kept don't want it and went into the yhency entity our conference tournament kind of locked up already and NCAA bid and was able to you know go through that and when that as well go in the NCAA tournament in. And all of those things it's been a whirlwind year and then spurt today and 72 hours -- to turn around where you know I was going to take another job it's -- tough -- some some great people at Drake University but I think they've got to things are going to be really good for drake in the future we. They've gotten more probably more talented team coming back that they had this year that doesn't mean no went 2820 -- thirty games but the covers definitely not there there and and I am happy that. But we were able my father along with -- great staff we can be confident that we left it better than we've got a picture."
" You know I'm guessing that this soon into your Providence career you may not have all the answers to this next question but. What do you expect going in will be the biggest difference from a coaching perspective now comparing the Big East Conference to the Missouri valley conference."
" Well I think one advantage I had here was that I knew this team -- the players individually so I'm going into a situation where I don't know the players I don't know that team I can watch tape that I can. Read statistics as well as anybody but that doesn't mean you get to know those young men so -- looking as soon as I tend to be able to have in depth conversations with them and trying to figure out how to best motivate them to get the most out there ability athletically and academically so that they can represent Providence. In the best manner possible."
" I think in the last ten years you know maybe you'll agree with this thing. Mid majors have made major conferences. Have gotten a lot more respect than the MBC certainly did the mid American conference has got a lot of respect in the last ten years as wonder. What's the difference in your opinion between the NBC and the Big East is it that that top teams are equal. But the big conferences have more depth or do you think there's no difference at all -- hear your opinion on."
" Well it's a great question I think. You know. The top teams I think I think what makes. You know maybe -- top ten or fifteen teams in the country stand apart from any teams in the mid major conferences there. You know their top players. You know albeit able you're able to recruit McDonald's all American type caliber player you're just not going to get that at the mid major level unless it's somebody -- just went completely under the radar why the mid majors I think have been able to have success. Is that they've been able to do it with fit your seniors a lot of players have been able to come in and sit in. Beat we have denigrate our guys that there are three seniors two of which. You know an average whenever it. Missouri valley player of the year average appointment half force the year before and our that third leading scorer in the conference that we had average for an and I. But they were you know Portland fits your seniors coming back and I think what you detect had to experience a lot of the coaches that at this level have been able to retain their assistant coaches there's more money and it they've been able to have some more longevity so I think you look at that and it also you -- I think he can't talk about the parity without talking about the NBA. And players jumping there whether they come into college for a year or two that really influences whether in mid majors can be competitive against those top schools."
" You know how far behind the recruiting eight ball do you think you are given the date and when you got hired here. And more importantly do you think that you'll be able to have conversations with young men now simply because of the lower of the Big East that you might not have been able to have if you -- the coach of direct."
" Well hey you know as far as being behind yet your -- There's there's no question how far behind whether it happened a week ago a month ago. Would have been able to work a little quicker on -- but anymore and recruiting there's a process to get everything set. And you know you're talking about how quickly can you recruit the the underclassmen as well. As far as getting them interest in whether they come on unofficial visits are -- just getting it. In the Providence steam out to -- so you know when I get my staff together and I'll be working around the clock here for awhile it. As well trying to make sure that we get. I ourselves positioned the best we can in the recruiting process because with July recruiting anymore is that it's a big factor they have that the majority of the eighties turned toward coaches are out. I you have to make sure you're in bad positions so we get some time yet to be working around the clock to get ready that that period."
" Providence affiliate is the proud home of Providence College basketball were very much looking forward to getting a chance to meet in person and best of luck to -- that it job. Much thanks -- Coach Keno Davis the a new head basketball coach at Providence College"
RSS Center
