David Ramsey at The Gazetteof Colorado Springs has a great column this week about the drama that could unfold next season. But first, in case you haven't been following this story, here's the quick version: Air Force's basketball coach of 2 years, Jeff Bzdelik, just left Air Force to coach at Colorado University, which Air Force demolished this season. The two teams have a 2-year contract, which means that CU is supposed to come play at Clune Arena. Well, here's his column. I think he's got something...
Betrayal has long served as a gripping plot device, most notably the day Judas sold his friend, a man named Jesus, for 30 pieces of silver.
Betrayal is why the Air Force Academy cannot — under any circumstance — allow the University of Colorado to wriggle out of its commitment to a basketball clash next season.
Think of it. Jeff Bzdelik will walk into Clune Arena to face the players, fans, athletic director and, most delicious of all, the Section Eight he abandoned.
His return is priceless. Air Force athletic director Hans Mueh must refuse to allow the school that stole his coach to escape its contract.
If the Buffaloes seek a release, which would cost them $50,000, Mueh should call them cowards. He should roar to the heavens about the absolute requirement that these teams meet. He should refuse to go quietly.
Colorado — the state, not the school — needs this game. This is hardly the center of the basketball universe, and games this juicy come along, oh, once every century.
Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn chuckled when asked about Colorado’s plans.
“Yes, of course we’re coming,” Bohn said. “We have an agreement with them.”
Great to hear, Mike, but I still have doubts.
There have been rumblings at the academy that the Buffaloes won’t make the trip. When the Falcons annihilated lame-duck coach Ricardo Patton’s team in November at the Coors Events Center, the Buffaloes looked helpless, clueless and lazy.
That was just in the first five minutes.
After the game, Bzdelik told academy confidants he expected the Buffaloes to refuse the return trip to Clune. Consecutive losses were too risky for Colorado, he reasoned.
Don’t let the man become a prophet.
Trust me, the next meeting will not be another comedyfilled rout. Bzdelik will bring an enraged bunch of Buffaloes to Clune. He’ll shout at them about last season’s slaughter. He’ll thirst for this win like a man who’s wandered without water in the desert for 40 days.
The Buffaloes don’t have much, but they do have Richard Roby. Sure, Roby all but took a nap during last season’s mismatch, but he’s a major talent. If he doesn’t play with a surging fire against the Falcons, Bzdelik might make him run to Cheyenne and back.
To add to the fun, Bzdelik will be joined by freshman guard Levi Knutson, who was Air Force’s top recruit last fall. Knutson decided he wasn’t interested in the rigors of a military education and instead chose Colorado. Now, in a strange twist, Bzdelik and Knutson will travel together to the arena they rejected.
Here’s one more multiplier to the drama: The Falcons will desire to crush the coach who deserted them.
On Tuesday evening, Bzdelik motored down Interstate 25 to meet with the Falcons. Don’t let him fool you. He knew he would be introduced the next morning as Colorado’s new coach, but he lacked the courage to speak clear truth to his soon-to-be former players.
He claims he told the Falcons he was “leaning heavily” toward Colorado. Air Force teammates Andrew Henke and Matt McCraw politely disagree. Both say Bzdelik said it was “50-50” between the Falcons and Buffaloes.
That night, Bzdelik called only a few of the Falcons to say he was leaving. He declined to take an extra 30 minutes to speak to each of his players man-to-man. Remember, he frequently told these same players he “loved” them. This will be their chance to deliver a harsh, and deserved, payback.
Air Force fans should remind Bzdelik of his faithlessness. They should shout and wave signs — no obscene words, please — and stomp.
The betrayer’s return will be loud. It will offer stupendous basketball theater.
It must happen.
