I believe that the firing of Jim Rosborough by Gerald O’Dell can be explained by asking ourselves some questions.

Northern has some choices to make. Are we serious about a quality athletic program, or are we just making the right noises but afraid to follow through? Do we want to continue the old tradition of apathy in dealing with mediocrity when it exists, or do we want to have a successful athletic program? Do we want an athletic director who can and does make difficult decisions, or do we want to handicap him by tying his hands behind his back?

I agree with Mr. O’Dell when he states that progress hasn’t been sufficient and isn’t likely to be in a year or two from now. The basketball team is not moving in a positive direction. Under good coaching, poor players can do well. Under poor coaching, good players do badly. I’m not convinced that our players are as bad as the record shows them to be. The easy way for Mr. O’Dell to have dealt with this situation would have been to plod through another year of poor coaching and empty stands and then do the inevitable—fire Mr. Rosborough. Instead, Mr. O’Dell took the more difficult, realistic, and possibly unpopular road and did what had to be done. I admire Mr. O’Dell’s integrity for making this decision.

We need to remember that the day after the end of any athletic season, be it basketball, football, baseball, etc., when we pick up the newspaper or watch television, we will read or hear about universities firing coaches they feel are not doing the job, regardless of contracts. That’s the nature of the profession.

We here at Northern should have more confidence in our ability to change in a more assertive, positive manner. I believe that Mr. O’Dell, in his position as athletic director, is trying to lead us in this direction, and I commend him for taking the first step.

Lydia Kaplan

office supervisor

Department of Biological Sciences