Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 23, 1994 TAG: 9404230016
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That's the lot of Radford University basketball coach Ron Bradley, who must chill while his candidacy to succeed Oliver Purnell at Old Dominion is mulled, analyzed, and critiqued by Monarchs athletic director Jim Jarrett and a search committee.
No clue has Bradley when this little melodrama will play out.
Thus, he kept himself busy Friday by working in the office and visiting the Roanoke home of defecting George Mason point guard Troy Manns, who is entertaining thoughts of transferring to another school. Today, Bradley and his staff will welcome for a campus visit 6-foot-7 Mike Petin, who is considering a transfer from North Carolina-Wilmington.
In other words, Bradley has nothing to do but discharge the duties of the coach of the Radford Highlanders.
That and wait.
"I did enjoy my interview at Old Dominion," Bradley said. "I liked the people I met and I was very impressed with the school and its athletic facilities."
Bradley and his wife Denise met with Jarrett on Wednesday night and toured the Norfolk area. Thursday, Bradley went through the more formal interview process with the search committee.
All of this was done in great secrecy. From Tuesday afternoon until Friday, it was almost as if Bradley had been swallowed by the ground on which he stood.
All of this was by design, of course.
"I think they are very concerned about protecting the coaches and their present situations," Bradley said.
Aside from Bradley, the contenders include Bowling Green boss Jim Larranaga; South Carolina State coach Cy Alexander; Old Dominion assistant Pete Strickland; and former Auburn aide Tic Price.
A wild card is a possible late entry by Montana coach Blaine Taylor in the sweepstakes. Whether Taylor has or will be interviewed is not known, although there was speculation that Jarrett intended to conduct one more interview Friday before meeting with the committee today.
With all the cloak and dagger contortions, the specter of the unknown candidate looms. Could it be that Jarrett has somebody stashed somewhere that nobody but he and the committee know about?
In that vein, rumors continue to swirl that James Madison coach Lefty Driesell is trying to become or already is involved. Driesell is a Norfolk native who was once offered the job at ODU when he was still at Maryland. After lengthy deliberations, he turned it down.
One source at Old Dominion dismissed the thought of Driesell coming to ODU early in the process.
"That'll never happen," the source said. "No JMU coach will ever be the coach at Old Dominion."
by CNB