SEATTLE – Quin Snyder didn’t exactly have this in mind when the Battle in Seattle was scheduled in his former hometown.
Snyder brings in his third-ranked Missouri Tigers to Seattle to play No. 17 Gonzaga, an intriguing matchup in itself without all the extra-curriculars.
The storylines are many. Snyder, now 37, returns to where he starred as a high-schooler at Mercer Island, where he was named the state’s Player of the Year in 1984. From there, he was a two-year starter at Duke, where he played in two Final Fours at point guard.
He later returned to Duke, where he served as a graduate assistant, assistant and associate head coach before taking over for Norm Stewart at Missouri.
Snyder’s star is shining. He’s young, energetic and articulate. Barbara Hedges tried to lure him to the University of Washington two years ago before she hired Lorenzo Romar. Missouri responded with a contract extension, one that was later extended to the tune of $1 million a year.
Now, however, Snyder is going through the dirty side of the profession.
When Missouri agreed to come to the Battle of Seattle, Ricky Clemons was a point guard in dire need of a course in shot selection.
Now, Clemons is taking some shots at the Missouri program.
Videotaped in April while serving time in jail on charges of false imprisonment and domestic assault against former girlfriend Jessica Bunge, Clemons, since kicked off the team, said he and teammates were paid by Snyder’s assistants, Lane Odom and Tony Harvey, contrary to NCAA rules.
Although Snyder hasn’t been directly implicated, his statement this week on the matter sounds more Neuheiselian than one from a rising star.
“As tough as it is for me personally not to respond and for my coaches not to respond, I cannot discuss these allegations. As I have said all along, I respect the process of the investigation and until the university and the NCAA reach the conclusion of this process, I cannot comment on individual allegations or stories.”
The story is embarrassing on several levels.
First, it was disclosed that Clemons had many conversations in jail with Carmento Floyd, wife of Missouri president Elson Floyd. At one point, Carmento Floyd advised Clemons to date black women instead of white women. Bunge is white. Clemons and the Floyds are black.
Another set of conversations happened between Clemons and Amy Stewart, wife of Missouri associate athletic director Ed Stewart.
In one passage, quoted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Amy Stewart expresses glee at the possibility of the coaches’ demise.
“I’m taking great pleasure,” she said. “You’re taking them down.”
So this is what Snyder is dealing with as he comes home. He will talk only about today’s game. The Tigers are 3-0 and have been in the NCAA tournament in each of Snyder’s four years as the boss. He is 87-49 as a head coach while toiling in the rugged Big 12 Conference. He took the team to the regional finals in 2002 and lost to Final Four participant Marquette in the second round last season.
Snyder has two players from the Pacific Northwest on his roster, which is no accident.
“It’s a natural fit with me being from Seattle,” he said in a press conference this week. “Any time you know an area, it’s an advantage. That familiarity makes the job easier at the start, but ultimately, the fit has to be right.”
Clearly, the fit was wrong with Ricky Clemons.
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