What Others are Saying About the Dawkins Hire

Yes, Duke and Stanford are eerily similar—from to top-notch academics and great athletics to unparalleled mascot drama (three cheers for drunken trees and blown knees!)—but what are writers from North Carolina and California saying about Johnny Dawkins’ ability to lead the Cardinal?

• Ray Ratto at the San Francisco Chronicle gives a cautious endorsement of the hire, lauding Dawkins’ accomplishments as a player and as an assistant while bringing up the shortcomings of other K disciples, Tommy Amaker and Quin Snyder. Another Chronicle writer says Dawkins arrival at Stanford marks the redemption of AD Bob Bowlsby.
• The Herald Sun’s Frank Dascenzo weighs in on the risks and rewards for Dawkins in leaving, how long he might be gone—depends on how much Dawkins wins and how long K wants to continue coaching, he says—as well as the strange web that is Alleva and Trent Johnson to LSU and Dawkins to Stanford.
• The San Jose Mercury News gives a State of the Cardinal Basketball address.

Full recap of the Sunday morning papers and blogs to follow.

In other big news, and to keep you amused until then, Ramses the Ram was killed by a blow from his own son! Talk about a modern-day Oedipal tale, if Oedipus were, you know, a blue-horned ram known for parading around Kenan Football Stadium. This little guy could give Chicago's cursed billy goat a run for his money.

—by Meredith Shiner