What a coach faces and then does

With the National Football League draft sucking all the oxygen out of other sports at the moment, it's yet another moment to take a look at its long distance relative, college basketball recruiting.

Fans have the sense that coaching staffs bore in on minute details, determining both who and what they are pursuing and getting.

 Count that as a qualified yes.

Sometimes they do know or have a good sense what they are bringing in vis-a-vis a recruit's personality, work ethic, academic commitment, ability to adapt to new and challenging situations and roles.

Sometimes not.

Because predicting behavior is not a science, maybe not even an art.

The Dukes, Kentuckys, UCLAs and Floridas have it better than the second tier and lower programs because the quantity of prospects requiring focus and study can purposefully be limited. A wide net need not be cast by these entities. Therefore, the possibility of getting a solid read on someone is greater. Besides this, plus possessing major money and therefore clout, these premier entities also have the advantage of simply dismissing knuckleheads and misfits whenever they wish because so many others are pining to fill their openings.

For the non-A Teams (if you will), it's very different.

The net has to reach further, the number pursued must be larger -- at least initially -- because the ability to catch is so much more iffy. Besides less allure, there is also a shortfall of money to be applied.

That why deficiencies in knowledge, less pickiness and greater rolls of the dice occur. Holes have to be filled and depth hopefully generated via additions from the unwashed hoi polloi, or else.

Of course, these factors result in greater surprises -- sometimes not necessarily pleasant ones.

And when that takes place, the coaching staff can face the situation of 'yes, so-and-so is not a good teammate (or an outright jerk) but he can play (or is our best player) and we don't have a replacement, nor can we likely or quickly land one'

It's a situation of 'what to do?'

Grimace and bear with the default even if it's a culture killer?

Play Dr. Phil and hope the individual comes to see the light?

Banish the problem person and hope subtraction actually proves to be addition?

Take the chance that enough non-impropriety-laden talent can be landed?

Such can be the life of the everyday NCAA coach, the ones who have to grind minus the built-in advantages of status, power and money.