Aug. 24, 2006
Maybe Jimmie Miles really did just want out. Maybe Homer Drew really did have no intention of ever reinstating him.
Or maybe the split really was amicable, and both sides genuinely thought a transfer was in Miles’ best interest.
Regardless of the behind-the-scenes reasoning, one thing is clear: Valparaiso University has lost its projected starting point guard, and one of its few experienced players, mere months before the start of the season.
Here’s another thing that’s clear: the Crusaders will be far better off for it.
The Miles situation was going to be an albatross around the Crusaders’ necks throughout the season. After his arrest in mid-July for his role as a delivery man in a stolen cell phone scam, Drew promptly suspended Miles from the team.
Drew stood by his man and said all the right things about how Miles cooperated with police and owned up to his actions. But there was no way this was going to end well.
If Drew makes the suspension permanent and kicks Miles off the team, he looks cold and callous, particularly in the wake of his post-arrest comments.
That hurts recruiting, as no kid wants to think he might ever be hung out to dry by his coach.
If Drew reinstates Miles, he runs the risk of setting a dangerous precedent. Where do you draw the line? What crimes are forgivable, and what crimes are too egregious?
That hurts recruiting, too, as no parents want to send their kid to a troubled program.
If Drew keeps Miles suspended, he’s perpetually bombarded with questions about his status, and the season’s focus becomes this minor stain on the program rather than all the good things going on, including a talented freshman class and the upcoming move to the Horizon League.
That hurts recruiting the most, as the conference change could be Valparaiso’s best recruiting tool since Bryce Drew’s famed shot in the NCAA Tournament.
Miles’ apparently amicable departure — particularly before the season really gets going — is the absolute best resolution to an unfortunate situation at Valparaiso.
There’ll be no distractions and little impact on the program’s prestige, as Miles and his minor offense should be distant memories by the time November rolls around. And Drew avoids having to decide Miles’ fate, instead magnanimously helping the player find a new school and a fresh start.
On the court, it’s not quite so rosy. Without the talented-but-underachieving Miles, the Crusaders have only 11 players — three of them true freshmen. Inexperience was already a concern heading into the season, as all five starters from last season graduated. Now it’s even worse.
But in the long run, Miles’ absence could be a blessing in disguise. Frankly, what matters most this season isn’t this season — it’s preparing for next season and the jump to the much tougher and higher-profile Horizon League. With Miles out of the picture, future standouts such as sophomore Brandon McPherson and freshmen Paul Guede and Samuel Haanpaa will be that much more seasoned when the Crusaders make the big leap.
The best-case scenario, of course, would have been if Miles had never gotten caught up in this mini-crime syndicate. But his imminent — and amicable — departure is the next best thing.
Contact Mark Lazerus at 648-3140 or mlazerus@post-trib.com
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