Bye-Bye Braun, hello Russell

Tom Goss was California Dreaming but now he's got Georgia on his Mind.

Tuesday night, word leaked out that there would be an 8 p.m. news conference at California, announcing the intentions of Golden Bears' men's basketball coach Ben Braun.

As chaos ensued, the overall thought was that Braun would be announcing that he was leaving Cal to take the coaching position at Michigan, left open after the firing of Steve Fisher.

Potential questions crossed everyone's minds:

How are the players going to react, knowing that Braun stepped in just days after Fisher was fired?

FILE PHOTO Until Tom Goss finds a replacement for former Michigan men's basketball coach Steve Fisher, the courtside seats at Crisler will be missing a little fire. California coach Ben Braun signed a contract extension with the Golden Bears through 2004.

Would Fisher believe that this was the University's plan a long time ago?

Would Braun retain the Michigan assistants whom the players demanded be retained?

Will angry players lash out at Goss for the speedy decision?

Well, those questions can be held off for another day, because Braun isn't purchasing a Michigan tie. At Tuesday's press conference at Cal, it was announced that his contract had been extended another two years, to 2004.

Cross Braun off the list. Goss said he has talked to about 25 candidates and has narrowed the choices to eight. He wants to make the list four or five by the beginning of next week.

But today, it is Cazzie Russell's turn.

Goss said Russell, Michigan's sixth-leading scorer all time who plaed from 1963-66, and who will be starting his second year as coach of the Savannah College of Art and Design, a division III school - the man who turned Crisler Arena into "The House that Cazzie Built" in the 1960s - is scheduled for an interview today.

But let's get something straight about the man who seemed to be the lead candidate:

No, Braun wasn't in Ann Arbor the past few days, contrary to radio reports that he was in town.

No, Goss didn't speak with Braun, even though Goss said the former 11-year Eastern Michigan coach "would have been in his top five."

No, Braun didn't want to leave Cal for an equally beleagured Michigan program.

But oh yes, he would have been the right choice.

The man took Eastern Michigan to the NCAA Tournament in 1996 and led the Eagles to a first-round upset of Duke. Eastern Michigan made it to the Sweet 16 in 1991.

And three times he was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year.

He has turned a mediocre program into an annual NCAA Tournament sleeper.

Then he stepped into a program amidst scandal. Bears' coach Todd Bozeman was forced to resign as coach in August 1996. Bozeman admitted he supplied money to a players' family. Braun took the job that September, knowing that the school was under NCAA investigation.

All Braun did in his first year was lead the Golden Bears to a 23-9 record - the most victories by a Cal team in 37 years - and a berth to the Sweet 16.

Nonetheless, the Cal program was placed on three years' probation in July, and Braun remained.

Look at what the administration has done. They extended Braun's contract on top of a five-year extension he received in August.

Braun said timing was the issue and he didn't think it was "appropriate at this time to make a change."

But it makes you wonder. What if the legal report was given to the University a month ago - when everybody thought it was going to be delivered? What if this whole brouhaha happened a few weeks ago? What if Braun was offered the job in early September instead of mid-October, days before practices get underway?

Nobody knows the answer to these questions. Considering Kasser locked up Braun well into the next century within days of speculation that he was the top candidate for the Michigan position, the results might have been the same. But Michigan's chances still might have been better.

The red carpet practically was rolled out for Braun, but it was primarily the media that did the rolling. Goss was ready to speak to Braun, but now he has to take him off his speed dial.

Goss doesn't want to reveal his list because he is worried that all the media hype to one candidate will lead to another press conference like Braun's.

"What will happen is what happened (with Braun)," Goss said. "Coach Braun might have been the coach we might have wanted. But I never will know, will I? Because they started running articles on him right from the very start."

Goss need not worry that the same results with Braun will happen with Russell - no matter how much media attention he receives.

Do you think Russell, coach of a Division III school will have second thoughts about coming to Michigan - a college sports mecca - if he is offered the job?

I don't think so. Russell must be foaming at the mouth to come here.

The three-time All-American, two-time Big Ten MVP recipient and 1966 College Player of the Year holds the Michigan record for points per game in a single season with a 30.2 average during the 1965-66 campaign, his freshman year. His single-game output of 48 points against Northwestern ties him with Rudy Tomjanovich for the most points in a game by a Wolverines.

Before Russell, there were empty seats in the old Yost Fieldhouse. Then came Russell, who all but on his own, put the Michigan basketball program on the map.

His No. 33 jersey hangs from the Crisler Arena rafters, as he was the first Wolverine to have his number retired in 1993.

The Dawn of Braun is officially canceled. But if the interview today between Goss and Russell goes well, don't be surprised if Russell walks into "The House that Cazzie Built" in the near future as coach of the Michigan basketball team.

10-16-97