In Reply to: Howland's final season posted by JakeB on December 10, 2024 at 11:46:27
Not faulty at all—look it up. I think you’ve mistaken me for a hater, which I’m not. I was very familiar with the circumstances around Howland’s firing and strongly opposed it. In his final year, he brought in a top-rated recruiting class featuring Shabazz Muhammad, Jordan Adams, and Kyle Anderson. These players were seen as "one-and-done" rentals, which many considered unsustainable.
Additionally, Howland had strained relationships with former players, faced criticism from the BRO community, and dealt with a damaging article from Sports Illustrated. Despite his excellent on-court coaching (as you pointed out), including winning the conference that year, he was still let go. The issues alumni and others raised focused on his demeanor and playing style—ironically, not much different from Cronin’s. If you’re skeptical, check out Bill Walton’s public rant during a live broadcast or the many forum posts on this site from that time.
Howland’s personality and approach didn’t change. What shifted was the team’s performance—missing the tournament for a few years and early exits in others. That, more than anything, sealed his fate.