From the Sports Desk

with Carey Phillips: 12/28/00

I'm sure he was generous to all the good little boys and girls, but I hope he didn't forget the adults as well. Here's what I hope some of the leading sports figures in Jackson County and North Carolina found under their trees Christmas morning.

Cindi Simmons - A trip to the state finals. The highly-touted Lady Mustang freshmen of 1997-98 are now seniors. They have a chance to make this a very memorable basketball season.

Scott Hartbarger - A state playoff spot. The Mustang men's basketball team has a golden opportunity to end that streak of seven straight seasons with single digit victories. We could just ask for a winning season, but the way the Western Athletic Conference race is shaping up the playoffs are a realistic goal.

Beth Dunkenberger - A winning season. Western Carolina's new women's basketball coach appears to have turned the program around. The Lady Cats have a chance to finish above .500 for the first time since the 1982-83 season.

Steve Shurina - Some healthy players. Between injuries and discipline problems, the Catamounts' bench has been severely depleted. The going has been tough for WCU's first-year basketball coach.

Paul Silas - An NBA coach of the year award. Since taking over the Hornets, Silas has navigated turbulent waters to keep them competitive. Despite last year's death of Bobby Phills and the usual roster turnover in the off-season, Charlotte found itself leading the Central Division on Christmas.

George Shinn and Ray Wooldridge. - A new arena. The Hornet co-owners say they can't make it financially in the Charlotte Coliseum. If a new facility is not built, odds are that North Carolina's first major professional sports team could head to another city.

Derrick Coleman - Some workout videos and an exercise bike. The Hornets' big man may be the first professional athlete placed on the injured list with poor physical conditioning actually listed as the reason. Also, let's hope Coleman found a valid driver's license in his stocking.

Matt Doherty - The ability to continue the tradition. Forget about conference and national championships and trips to the Final Four. Doherty's job as North Carolina's new coach is to continue operating the most consistently successful college basketball program in the country without missing a beat.

Herb Sendek - An NCAA Tournament bid. The downfall of N.C. State basketball throughout the 1990s was one of the stories of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Sendek was supposed to have the Wolfpack back to national prominence by now. If he doesn't make it to the Big Dance this year, he could be out of work.

Mike Krzyzewski - Post season success to match that of the regular season. Despite having the best college basketball team in the country the past two years, the Blue Devils have no national championships to show for it. Last season, they didn't even make the Final Four.

Dave Odom - The ability to not peak too early. Odom has Wake Forest's basketball team in the top five. The Deacons hope the early success will continue throughout the year.

Tim Hawkins - An X-ray machine. The way Smoky Mountain baseball players have been coming up with injuries, their coach could take X-rays on the spot rather than sending them to the hospital. Cameron Brooks - A better start to the pre-season. In his first season as Smoky Mountain football coach, Brooks sustained a serious knee injury during practice that required surgery and hampered him throughout the year.

Bill Bleil - Another transfer quarterback. Western Carolina's football coach received a boost when Virginia transfer David Rivers stepped in at quarterback and had a tremendous season. With Rivers only year in Cullowhee now over, the Cats could use another transfer to fill his shoes.

George Seifert - A return to the playoffs. Seifert was the NFL's all-time leader in winning percentage when he took over as the Panthers' coach in 1999. A record of 15-17 has cost him that distinction, but he deserves a chance to again go for the big prize before his career is over.

John Bunting - Some top-notch assistants. After coming from the NFL, North Carolina's new football coach will need to surround himself with good people as he takes on the task of showing the Tar Heels how to reach their potential.

Chuck Amato - Enough wins to satisfy Marye Anne Fox. N.C. State's football coach restored excitement to the Wolfpack in his first season although they won just one more game than they did in the 1999 regular season. That may be enough for now, but State Chancellor Fox has made it clear she expects the Pack to be competing for national championships.

Carl Franks - A victory. After going 0-11, Duke's football coach would be glad to get a win over anybody.

Jim Grobe - Some good recruiting news. Shortly after being named football coach at Wake Forest, Grobe learned that star quarterback C.J. Leak planned to transfer. Grobe will need to do quite well on the recruiting scene to overcome the loss of Leak.

Back to Sports: 12/28/00.