Vaughn Wilson
I would love for FAMU to revisit the one-year contract offered to men’s basketball coach Patrick Crarey.
FAMU men’s basketball program has not won a championship since 2007…they haven’t been close to winning one. Mike Gillespie’s team on a called last-second lob pass to Brian Greene and tip-in sealed Gillespie’s second MEAC championship. For those glory days, Gillespie was enshrined into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame this weekend.
Since Gillespie’s departure, the only coach that showed some progress was Robert McCullum. While serving as head coach, he had to deal with some ramifications that the basketball program was strapped with before he arrived. He had some decent teams, but was not able to get a championship.
Earlier this year, former FAMU Athletics Director Tiffani-Dawn Sykes notified McCullum that the program was going in a different direction. McCullum was not renewed.
Sykes would then search for a new coach during a time when several actions had caused her to fall out of favor with stakeholders within the university. There was contention with virtually every decision she made leading up to her dismissal.
Before she left, she hired Patrick Crarey as head men’s basketball coach. She offered him a three-year deal to lead the program. However, the deal would not be approved.
The FAMU Board of Trustees was not fond of the three-year deal and rejected the contract. One of the first known times that has happened. The FAMU BOT has to approve multi-year athletic contracts at FAMU and they disapproved of the contract.
Former FAMU President Dr. Larry Robinson was left with a standard employee contract of just one year. Robinson would execute it and Crarey was hired with just one year guaranteed.
I completely understand the contention with Sykes. I understand it on so many levels. She didn’t do herself any favors by alienating alumni, donors, fans, and superiors. From December of 2023 until her departure in 2024, it was the weirdest and most contentious situation FAMU may have ever seen.
However, Crarey should not be a victim of that relationship. He is a smart, young, energetic, and capable coach. When we announced the hiring of him, a friend who was Hampton University’s sports information director called me and said “Y’all got a good one. We only beat them by two points when we were dominating the MEAC,” he said.
That sentiment was echoed by professional coaches, former NBA players, and several coaches in the collegiate ranks. His resume was solid, but his references were over-the-top.
They had an open practice two weeks ago. I attended and left floored. How could our team look so different so fast. The style of play was different, the personnel was different, and the attitude of the players was totally different. In a short time, I have seen what appears to be a building process for a basketball program that desperately wants to be great once more.
I am not guaranteeing anything about Crarey’s success. As we know the best laid plans are subject to scrutiny. However, our eyes know when we see something different…and special.
Now that Sykes has been employed elsewhere and left FAMU in her rear-view mirror, I strongly encourage the FAMU Board of Trustees, athletic department, and Interim President Dr. Timothy Beard to at least look at the whole of the situation.
In college basketball, coaches are typically given at least three years to build a winning program. It takes that long to get personnel, style-of-play, and systems in place to succeed. Many in the collegiate ranks frown on FAMU’s decision because of the gorilla in the room. If Crarey goes out and has a successful season, there is no doubt he will be offered to go elsewhere and the lack of FAMU’s commitment to him will play big in seeking further employment. That could be a catastrophic, immature, and defining blow to our department of athletics.
Additionally, what message does this contract send to future prospective coaches.
As a Rattler, I have no choice but to root for Crarey to have an amazing season. However, in the current state of affairs, if he does in fact have a great season, it may be his only as FAMU Men’s Basketball Coach.
