Southeast's hiring of Edgar deserves thumbs up

I know Southeast Missouri State men's basketball fans all had their personal favorite regarding who should be hired as the Redhawks' next coach.

The three finalists -- Scott Edgar, Rod Barnes and Jay Spoonhour -- each seemed to have his share of support. And I'm sure those who favored the two not hired were a little disappointed, at least initially.

But in my highly unscientific poll from talking to people around the area in the couple of days since Edgar was introduced on Thursday, I haven't heard many complaints.

And, although I really didnot have a strong personal preference prior to Thursday, the more I've had time to dissect everything --and after getting a chance to talk with Edgar -- the more I give the hire a thumbs up.

Edgar is impressive, not only when looking at his extensive and decorated resume, but also when listening to his coaching philosophies and plans for the program.

The man has been involved with 17 teams that made postseason play during his 25 years in college coaching. And as a head coach at Murray State from 1991 to 1995, he won three Ohio Valley Conference titles in four seasons while going 56-16 in league play.

Always known as an ace recruiter, Edgar has recruited, signed or coached 17 professional players, including several during his tenure at Murray State.

I think what ultimately sold Edgar to Southeast officials over Barnes -- a former national coach of the year at Mississippi who I believe was Edgar's main competition for the job, with Spoonhour a distant third -- was his background in the OVC and his exciting style of play patterned after former mentor Nolan Richardson's "40 minutes of hell."

By the way, for people who wonder why Edgar would want to be a head coach in the OVC again after having done that more than a decade ago -- and for those who think he longed for a bigger head coaching job like UAB before settling on Southeast -- I had an interesting conversation with Knoxville News-Sentinel sports writer Mike Griffith shortly after Edgar was hired.

Griffith covered Tennessee basketball this past season, when Edgar was an assistant with the Vols. He told me Edgar had mentioned to him how he really wanted the Southeast job, mainly because this general region became his area of recruiting expertise through his days not only at Murray State but also when he assisted Richardson at Arkansas.

The point Griffith was making is that Southeast fans shouldn't think Edgar was simply "settling" for this job as he sought to re-enter the head coaching ranks. Griffith believes Edgar is genuinely thrilled to have it.

Other people I've talked to who are familiar with Edgar also told me glowing things, saying Southeast supporters will love him -- and saying they should get ready for plenty of success.

As I wrote when Southeast football coach Tony Samuel was hired in December, only time will tell how good a move the university made by handing Edgar the keys to the program.

And only time will determine how long Edgar remains in Cape Girardeau. He said he can see himself coaching at Southeast "a long time."

Edgar, however, still is young enough at 50 and connected enough with his background. Assuming he has a few really good years, that could lead to major programs calling.

But if you're a Southeast supporter, my advice is to not worry about all that right now.

From everything people have told me, Redhawks' fans should get ready for some exciting basketball at the Show Me Center.

I say enjoy the ride and see where it takes you. If you're lucky, the journey will lead to OVC championships and NCAA tournament appearances.

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Edgar said Thursday that one of his first orders of business was to contact the two players who signed with the Redhawks in November, point guard Roderick Pearson and forward JaJuan Maxwell, both high school seniors from Raytown, Mo.

A newspaper report in the Kansas City area Friday said that both Maxwell and Pearson are planning to honor their commitments to Southeast.

That is noteworthy, since a previous Internet report indicated Pearson might ask to be released from his letter of intent.

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Two former Southeast men's basketball assistants who were interested in becoming the program's new head coach but did not make the list of three finalists are apparently trying to diversify their careers.

Anthony Beane recently announced that he is resigning his job as an assistant at St. Louis University to pursue other interests.

Central Florida assistant Tom Schuberth was recently announced as a finalist for the head coaching position at the University of Texas-Pan American. Schuberth has never before been a college head coach.

The other finalists are former Mississippi State head coach Richard Williams and Creighton assistant Brian Fish. The new coach is expected to be announced in the next few days.

In addition, the Nashville Tennessean newspaper reported in Friday's edition that Schuberth could be a possibility to replace Edgar as an assistant at Tennessee. Schuberth was a candidate to join the Vols' staff last year before Edgar got the nod.

Schuberth and Beane were both on Gary Garner's staff in 1999-2000 when Southeast made its only NCAA Division I tournament appearance.

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And yet another note regarding a former Southeast assistant men's basketball coach:

Drake recently announced that Keno Davis will replace his father Tom Davis as the Bulldogs' head coach when Tom Davis retires, although no timetable for that has been released.

Keno Davis has assisted his dad at Drake since 2003, when Tom Davis took over the program.

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Major kudos to the Southeast women's tennis team and third-year coach Jay Pacelli for the program's first winning regular-season record since 1997.

The 12-11 Redhawks still have a chance to qualify for the OVC tournament.

Whether they do will not detract from the marvelous rebuilding job Pacelli has done with the Redhawks, after they won just one match during his first season.

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Here's wishing Mary Bolen a speedy recovery from an illness she is battling.

Mary's husband -- longtime Capahas manager and local baseball legend Jess Bolen -- might be better known to the area's general sporting public, but Jess will be the first to tell you that Mary has been the driving force behind much of what he has accomplished.

Mary, like Jess and others, also had a major hand in making the new Capaha Field press box a reality.

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Speaking of the Bolens, the annual Capahas auction -- the major fundraiser for the Cape Girardeau summer baseball team -- will be Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. at the new American Legion Hall on Thomas Drive.

As usual, a variety of interesting and unique items will be auctioned off.

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I was saddened to learn of the recent death of Gary Call, a former local standout athlete who had been living in the southwest Missouri area.

Gary passed away while coaching at Licking High School.

I didn't know Gary in his younger days around Southeast Missouri, but I did get to know him after I moved to Cape Girardeau through both our loves of playing pickup basketball.

Not only was Gary a heck of a player, but a good guy to boot. At 56, he left us much too young.

I extend my deepest sympathies to the Call family.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.