Thursday, December 15, 2005

Matt Doherty begins to list the names, people who at some difficult point in their careers as a coach or manager had been invited to leave.

Joe Torre, more than once, before he began collecting World Series rings with the New York Yankees. Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay before he pointed the Indianapolis Colts toward perfection. Rick Carlisle by the Detroit Pistons before he found a home with the Indiana Pacers.

''You learn from it, and you move on," says the new men's basketball coach of the 3-2 Owls of Florida Atlantic. '"'You can't take it personally."

That sounds much too easy. '"'It's very hard," he says. '"'Especially when it's your alma mater."

By Malcolm Moran, USA TODAY