And here's why.

If BuccaneerLover (gee, am I writing that?) is correct and the grades are bad, that would explain why there has been no contract extension.

If you could elaborate a bit, my friend (Man alive. This nice stuff. Where am I getting it from?), I'd love to hear it. Perhaps you can enlighten me, because while I am aware of grad rates and such I would be surprised to hear that it is possible to find actual statistics on team GPAs.

I got a tip saying there would be more transfers to follow and hinted they would be for academic reasons.

Well, okay then. But I think if that's your game, then you fire Murry.

Because with two years left on the contract you're not going to get quality recruits. You're only going to get JUCOs.

Now, maybe he can do what Jackie Sherrill did at Mississippi State. Sherrill recruited lots of JUCOs to MSU and had a high grad rate with them.

But is that likely?

Mind you, I am not leading the charge to fire Murry Bartow.

All I'm saying is if you were to get a new coach- wouldn't now be a good time to do it?

You could use the low academics- if that is true- as a factor.

You could also point to the 27-point loss to Belmont.

You could CERTAINLY say you were displeased with the performances in the A-Sun Tournament at home the last two years, that the feeling is the basketball program isn't as strong as it was when he took over the program (it isn't) or you were disapointed with the Bucs' performance in big games.

And, since the team is off a conference title, you should be able to get a good coach to come in, or at least you might be able to get a coach who would accept less money to inherit a good situation, thus making paying off Bartow's contract possible.

Of course we are talking Mullins here.

So, here's the theory again.

ETSU is waiting a year to see if Penn State fires Ed DeChellis after next season. If they do ETSU only needs to buy up one year of Bartow's contract.

Then they can re-hire Eddie D. Maybe even make him athletic director.

Let the rumors begin!