We have not been able to transition successfully over the years from the D
Donoher era. Blackburn dies in the midst of the season and we get a untried assistant to take the helm and what does he do? Makes the program better and in fact provides a run that really elevates the program far beyond the past.
Donoher is requested (?) to leave and we get JOB'ed enough said. His only true success is the first year.
Move on to Purnell and he has to totally re-build the program from scratch. He does a commendable job (my opinion) but basically not to the level during Donoher era. (AT least Purnell is a HC previously.)
Again a transition is faced and we go with an unproven assistant. In which case B
Gregory takes a senior laden team to some not recently seen highlites. In future years, he has a series of great wins over ranked teams yet in conference and post season we typically fall flat. Some injuries and personnel issues impact the teams. It begins to unravel as each successive year we find ways NOT to move the program over hurtles.
Once again transition is lived through with an unproven assistant and need to rebuild a roster. It takes Archie a couple years to achieve great success as we once saw under Donoher and we believe that maybe just maybe this is the one and this is the time ...... Even with defections, injuries, discipline issues and tragedy we seem to persevere. Yet the program does not quite get to a level of sustainability as AM leaves and the program is faced with questions about the recruits and the group that is left behind.
So what is it that makes this cycle?
Poor coaching selections?
Recruitment cycles?
Misfortune? (Doesn't everyone at some time have these?)
Tagging the program with great support is fine but having a nice personality at the dance doesn't make you the person being sought out (necessarily). Last I looked we get accolades for this on air (radio/TV) but people remember the Duke's, NC's, Florida's, Villa's since they get the most tournament time and team honors.
After a few years of 'Nice Try' it gets very old.
So nothing about the arena, fan support, past history will get us to the level of sustainability in and OF ITSELF. If that was the key, well past experience indicates that approach isn't working, is it?
Nothing magical is needed.
But my opinion is the transition, how it is handled, who is next up, and the influx of very good recruits every recruitment cyclic is the major keys to driving this program to sustainability.
Go Flyers!