CHANDLER (AZ) — I’m going to admit up front that I am a basketball fan. I am not a player, a coach or an advisor. I am terrible at X’s and O’s. The highest level of basketball that I ever played was intramurals at Chaminade. I could score a bit, but I was also labeled a gunner by the guy that kept the stats and put out a weekly newsletter on our games. So understand, I am the typical fan. I feel as though I understand the game, but are no where near the level of a high school coach, let alone a college coach.

I have followed UD basketball for 49 years. Yes, I expect a big cake next year for lasting through 50 years of UD basketball. I have watched through the good years and the bad years, but I always watch. I have interviewed three of the last four coaches (including you), so I have known them just a little bit better than the typical fan. But other than that, I am Joe Fan. I live and die with the results of each and every game. It isn’t my profession, but it is pretty ****ed important to me.

Let me also say that I am a supporter of yours. I love who you are as a person. If there is one thing this University does right, it is hiring coaches that are in the profession for the right reasons and I fully believe that you are one of them. As the most well known person employed by the University (sorry Dr. Curran), you have a great deal of weight on your shoulders and I have to say, you handle it as well as can be done. I am proud to say that you are the coach of the Dayton Flyers. You understand the University and what it means. You also understand the tradition and who we are and how important we are to the Athletic Department.

Having said all of that, I want you to also understand that this season was one of the most disappointing that I have ever lived through. (1967-1968 wasn’t easy, but that was before I had given my heart and soul to the program.) I’m afraid I bought into the hype. Deep down inside, I knew there were problems with the personnel. Great guys, just not all skilled in areas needed to be highly successful. I didn’t care, I saw a Sweet 16 in my future. You notice I said “my” not “UD’s.” It is that important to me.

Last year, the Flyers were unbelievable in close games, 11-1, if my memory serves me correctly. Bill James, a noted baseball statistician long ago proved that a team that is that good in one run games, does not typically repeat. I knew that, yet, I again talked myself into believing that luck is not why the Flyers won those games. It had to be guts or skill or coaching. I was wrong, as our 3-9 record this year clearly shows. Last year the ball went in for us and didn’t for them. This year, just the opposite.

We just didn’t have anybody that could give us a basket when it was absolutely necessary. Good teams have that person, UD does not. Not necessarily anyone’s fault. I’m sure all of these guys could do it in high school. It just doesn’t always follow to college.

I’ve taken a lot of your time to get to the point, so I better just get it out. You need to make some changes. I’m not even going to bring up the Xavier thing, despite the fact that my children have not seen us win in Cincinnati in their lifetimes.

Since you arrived, there is one thing that we fans could count on and that was a second half swoon. In your seven years, the team is 37-19 in the first half of the A10, and 26-30 in the second half. Some of it may be scheduling, but the fact of the matter is, there hasn’t been one year when the last eight games represented a winning record. Not once.

I realize there have been injuries, but there is more to it than that. Not sure if they are wearing out because of the style of play or the tough practices, but there is something wrong with the current system. Fix that and there would be at least two more NCAA banners hanging from the ceiling.

If you have ever taken the time to read the fan bulletin boards, you would know that universally your substitution patterns are maddening to those of us in the stands. On the surface, what you do makes sense. However in looking at the results, I would again say that something is wrong. Maybe it’s just because there are no Brian Roberts on the team offensively, but no one could ever make the claim that he played stellar defense. So I know you have more time for Chris Wright and Chris Johnson, you just need to adapt the system a bit.

Just to let you know, I am not talking for all fans, just one. What you have accomplished for me outweighs what you haven’t so I am not one that feels that there needs to be a change of personnel. I want you to retire as a UD Flyer. Just make a change or two to your current thinking. Trust me, I have had to rethink much of my life as the years have gone by. One thing is for sure, there are no absolutes, but there is always room for change.

Sincerely,

John Churan