College Sports Business News - The Publication for College Sports Administrators

The Coca-Cola of College Hoops

Is there a more venerable brand identity in college sports than Princeton basketball? There are coaches (with systems) who travel around from campus to campus scribbling the same X’s and 0’s at every stop along the way; and there are coaches who are institutions in and of themselves, whose names and reputations overshadow the name on the front of their players’ jerseys. However, few offensive systems have been taught, learned and shared as widely as the Gospel According to Pete Carril. Which is why few marques in college sports can instantly excite basketball purists and cause coaches to lose sleep at night quite like Princeton basketball.  

From the Bill Bradley-led teams of the early 1960s, the Princeton style of play has meant constant player movement, crisp passing and nifty back-door layups. With the hiring of Mitch Henderson as the Tigers’ new head coach, Princeton AD Gary Walters has once again dipped into the Pete Carril well and set course to sustain one of college basketball’s truly legendary programs. As with any coaching change there have been bumps along the way. Much like the new Coke, the Joe Scott years were a disappointment and left fans longing for the original recipe. But Sydney Johnson seems to have righted the ship before leaving for Fairfield (no reflection on the Stags, but Why?), and now it will be up to Henderson to steward the Tigers trademark.

As much as Tommy Amaker’s Harvard team deserved a shot in the NCAAs this year, no matter how you parse it, Harvard-Kentucky does not generate excitement with fans anywhere near Princeton-Kentucky. Now that Amaker has decided to pass on the Miami job and stay at Harvard, perhaps the Crimson can expect to be in the Ivy League hunt for the foreseeable future. Just now, however, it’s good to have Princeton back on the prowl and competing, we hope, in March Madness’ to come.