There are so many things to say about John Chaney, but sitting here and watching his press conference only one thing comes to mind: teacher.
There will be plenty of time to write the last chapter in Chaney's book, and there will be no doubt countless references to his "thug ball" episode last season. And that's a shame. He's a man who (rightfully so) saw big-time college basketball as a means, not the end. It was a means for scores of underpriveledged children of broken homes and families and essentially left to rot among the broken-down cars and crime-riddled streats that are home to far too many Americans living a life of hopelessness and despair. If you think I'm overplaying it, take a trip to any of John Cheney's recruiting grounds and tell me what you see.
But his goal was less abpout winning basketball games and more about salvation. His kids graduated. They stayed out of trouble. I think it's safe to say, he was the anti-Jim Calhoun.
Now that Chaney has turned in his whistle and playbook after 24 seasons on the Temple sidelines, you will hear many basketball analysts pontificate wildly that it is a shame Chaney never made it to the Final 4. I think the bigger shame is that we all didn't get a chance to thank the old ball coach for everything he did to make college athletics a more honorable endeavor.