Air Force Faces Former Coach

Air Force basketball players are saying the right things in former coach Jeff Bzdelik's return to Clune Arena on Wednesday night -- his first after pulling a Josh Duhamel and moving on to his own Fergie, Colorado.

Senior guard and the Falcons' leading scorer Tim Anderson told writers that he respected his decision and that he doesn't hold a grudge.

Can we cut the crap for a moment please?

Not to pretend that we know what was said during the recruiting process, but what kind of sales pitch do mid major coaches give to these guys? They likely talk about opportunity to play and building a new tradition. Most mid major coaches preach about being a part of the building process. Yet, these coaches have no problem jumping at the first big-time offer that comes their way.

The Mountain West is currently a two bid conference, but growing. There is something to build on here, especially at Air Force where the team did so well last year in the NIT. Why not stick around and build a legacy instead of hiking up your skirt and running to Boulder?

And really, that's the most disturbing thing. Hey, if a coach leaves for UCLA or some traditional college basketball power, that's cool. But Bzdelik left for freaking Colorado. Not exactly one of the powerhouses in college basketball. Not even the Big XII. What is the school known for other than hippie chicks and a Promise Keeper football coach, Bill McCartney? Nice lateral move, Bzdelik. Hell, it's a step-down considering the beating that Air Force leveled on the host Buffaloes last year.

Hopefully the Falcons can put Bzdelik in his place this time. Air Force is led by Jeff Anderson who was reprimanded for questioning an official in a loss to Montana on Saturday. (Although Anderson was totally right, why was a referee on the opposite side of the court making that call?) Anderson was Bzdelik's top assistant and personal recommendation for the Air Force gig.

Despite a few speeds bumps (most recently to Washington State), Air Force has been playing pretty well. Look for the Falcons to win this game, despite Bzdelik's familiarity with the program. Colorado is 4-2 this season, but got spanked in their only real games so far, against Wisconsin and New Mexico. Hope it was worth it, Jeff.

The players may be saying the right things leading up to the game, but expect them to not grant permission for a flyby as the roll past Colorado.

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