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Post being replied to

I'm not sure it's a model. by John@Indy

If it is, it's the generic "find an excellent coach who is committed to your university and give him whatever he needs to succeed." As mocopdx notes, the first part is the tricky part.

Undoubtedly, Gonzaga has made an institutional commitment to basketball, but without the Elite 8 run in 1999, it never would have gotten off the ground. It was a stroke of good luck that Mark Few, who had never coached anywhere other than Gonzaga and didn't even play college basketball, was a generational coaching talent, and (this is the more important part) didn't follow Monson's lead by taking the first respectable power conference job he could find.

Until the past four seasons, ND had a pretty respectable 21st century going, with 12 NCAA appearances, two Elite 8s and another Sweet 16 and an ACC title. It certainly was a step forward from the 1990s and above average in the grand scheme of major college basketball. What you are saying about Gonzaga could be said by nearly every WCC school, every hoops-first Catholic school, or really almost any other university of any stripe. Why not Santa Clara? Why not DePaul? Why not Georgia?

Gonzaga was dealt a lucky hand and played it wisely.