There has been some natural speculation about the future of Arkansas State men's basketball Coach John Brady.
OK, more than usual.
Brady, the fiery, opinionated (most times right) and competitive head coach of the Red Wolves is down to one year on his contract, which was not extended by Athletic Director Terry Mohajir (pronounced Mo-Hodger).
Mohajir was on The Zone (KABZ-FM 103.7), last week with Justin Acri and Pat Bradley and was candid and to the point.
Contracts, he said, generally aren't worth the paper they are written on. Nothing should be read into ASU not rolling over or extending "Coach Brady's" contract, that ASU women's Coach Brian Boyer had his best recruiting class when he had one year on his contract.
That makes sense.
And Brady hasn't complained publicly about much of anything since becoming ASU's head coach seven seasons ago.
Brady came to ASU after a very emotional breakup with LSU, where he had success but didn't seem to get along with then Athletic Director Skip Bertman.
Brady was 192-139 in 11 seasons at LSU and made the NCAA Tournament four times, including a trip to the Final Four two years before he was let go and the Sweet 16 a few years before that.
At a football school he seemed like a good fit.
LSU's football stadium seems to always be getting a facelift and expansion while the Maravich Center, named after the late great Pete Maravich, is a mostly neglected facility that at one time was desperate for a new roof.
So Brady came to Jonesboro and set out to find peace with a smaller budget, bus rides and still living in the shadow of football.
Mostly, he has found it.
As Mohajir pointed out, before last season Brady's Red Wolves won 19 games in back-to-back seasons and in 2012-2013 won the Western Division of the Sun Belt for the second time in three seasons.
The flip side of that coin is what does Brady want?
Understand he is a very private person with great contacts in the New Orleans area.
He is not the sometimes -- OK mostly -- animated coach you see on the sidelines of games.
He's an incredibly caring and doting father of two daughters. A close friend to a few and confidante to many.
At 60 years old and after 24 years as a head coach he may be ready for a change of pace. Only he knows.
One thing is certain: If next season is his last, especially if it is his choice, look for the Red Wolves to go out making lots of noise, maybe some during March Madness.
ASU went 11-18 this past season, but with no seniors, all of his top scorers are expected to return, including 6-8 Anthony Livingston, a second-team All-Sun Belt selection after averaging 15.9 points and 10 rebounds per game. Livingston is the first ASU player since Jeff Clifton in 1993-1994 to average more than 10 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Livingston is a very versatile player who scores inside and out.
Cameron Golden and Sean Gardner, who will be seniors, also averaged more than 10 points per game.
Brady will be ready, with that much experience and talent. Of course, ASU has to avoid the injury bug, but law of averages should be on Brady's side where that is concerned. ASU and Brady have endured more than their share of injuries.
Brady, who started his career as a Louisiana high school coach, was an assistant at Mississippi State before going to Samford as the head coach, and after winning the Atlantic Sun conference his last two seasons, was named Dale Brown's replacement at LSU.
Now, he's seven seasons established at ASU and next year something will happen and mostly on his terms.
Sports on 04/21/2015