The opening contest featured New York City’s traditional basketball powerhouse, St. John’s University Red Storm (7-1) against the University of Georgia Bulldogs (4-4). St. John’s was for many years one of the premier basketball programs in the nation. The school ranks seventh in Division I victories, 1,693, and ninth in winning percentage in Division I games. The team has fared poorly since the controversial and unsuccessful years the team was coached by Mike Jarvis. The team, thus far this season, appears to be improved.

The Red Storm, on the familiar court of MSG, where it was appearing in its 638^th game, took an early 9-3 advantage. The visitors, after its 9-3 scoring run, tied the game at 12 with 11:58 remaining in the half. St. John’s scored 8 of the next 10 points to achieve its biggest lead of the half, 20-14. St. John’s not only never relinquished the lead, but increased it to double digits in the second half. The final score was 66-56. Red Storm coach Norm Roberts spoke enthusiastically of how his players closed the game in the second half, “I thought we played with more energy in the second half. We were much better defensively. I thought we turned them over, which is what we needed to do, and I thought we finished plays better and moved the ball better in the second half.”

Interestingly, four of the men were starting their first game of the year. Sean Evans, D.J Kennedy, and Paris Horne were not in the starting lineup for the first time this season. All three upperclassmen were late for the team bus to MSG, and were kept from their normal starting spots. Roberts explained, “If you have seniors showing up three minutes late or whatever, what are you telling our freshmen? That they can show up late too. D.J., Paris and Sean are great leaders, great kids. Ninety-nine percent of the time, they do everything we want them to do, but today they were a little late, so it was a good teaching point, learning point…I think it is important for our guys to learn from mistakes because everybody makes them and try to turn a negative into a positive.” Justin Burrell also did not start for the first time this year. He sprained his right ankle in the team’s last contest, and is expected to miss three weeks of action.

The usual non-starters did an excellent job. Evans spoke with high praise of the job done by the newcomers to the team who were in the starting lineup, “I think that is a big from our team. It shows we have depth. A lot of people stepped up today. It took a load off from me. Everybody came off from the bench and played well.”

The second game was an elite match-up of highly ranked teams, each of which had its large group of vocal supporters in the arena.  The University of Kentucky Wildcats (9-0) kept its record unblemished as it won a close victory over the Connecticut Huskies (6-2). After the first four minutes, the game appeared as if it would be a rout as the Wildcats took a 12-0 lead.  The game turned into a “barn burner” after the Huskies scored the next 10 points. The 18-16 Kentucky lead with 9:17 remaining in the first half was its last until it recaptured the advantage with a 41-40 score with 11:35 left in the contest. Jerome Dyson, with 13 points in the first half, put the huskies back into the fray. The 64-61 Kentucky win gave the team a 9-0 mark. This was the first time since the 1930-31 season that the winningest team in NCAA Division I history has started a season this well. The fourth ranked team in the nation is carrying five freshmen on the roster. Three of them had major roles in the victory. The player of the game was John Wall, who scored 25 points and had six steals. Kemba Walker, who guarded him in the contest, said, “He’s not a freshman at all. The ball is always in his hands and that’s good for him and his team.” Calipari, the former New Jersey Nets coach, who was booed lustily when introduced before the game, was not enthusiastic about his team’s play, “We were lucky to win. We got to get more consistent. We’re a 4-5 club.”

Now the owner is stepping in to try and salvage the season his way, sink or swim. Bud Adams has been a bit more vocal this past week or so about the quarterback position. He has told Fisher that he wants Young in the starting lineup as soon as this Sunday at home. Now this puts Fisher in a bind because he appears to favor Kerry Collins, though he has not committed to that so far this week. Does he listen to his boss or to his gut? Is his job on the line if he defies Adams or will he be trusted to make the move on his own? The fans and some media are wondering if it is the right time for Young.

What does the team have to lose if they believe the season is shot? Young cost a good sum of money and he is an investment that needs to be worked. The team needs to find out if Vince has anything left to offer for the future or at the very least showcase him for a possible trade. You don’t want him to sit and then go elsewhere and shine. If he gives you no better chance than Collins as some think then why not give him a shot. Some would say that if the team starts to win with Young then Fisher would take the blame for not playing him earlier. Some would say that since Adams made the call the fall would fall on him.

Either way the team is not going to improve unless something is done. Fisher has his fans and has worked hard to build winners. He has one of the best winning percentages among active coaches today. Having a bad season, after so many successful ones, doesn’t make you a bad coach worth firing. Fisher has built his resume and Adams knows if he gets rid of him another team will scoop him up quick. Wouldn’t that be something to have Young and Fisher elsewhere and then come back and beat you? Then there is Young to think of. He lost his job to an injury not because he wasn’t getting the job done. Yes he made some bone head comments and has been accused of not taking a bigger part on the team.

So he made the decision to shut up and practice. Learn the game and earn his place back as the starting quarterback. He has been quiet for the most part but has made some comments that were viewed as unfavorable. If he gets his chance he must prove himself beyond a game or two. He must show he can move this offense and earn the trust back from his teammates. He has an 18-11-career record and has been here before. He has faced adversity, as have the Titans.

The real question is what are they all going to do about it now that panic has sunk in. The season still has 10 games left to be played. The fans have had enough and express themselves on the local radio shows and out in public. They talk in the tobacco stores or at the grocery store. Everyone wants answers and they want them now. Players that have been injured are using the bye week for possible returns.

Fisher knows what he is doing but he needs help like his receivers holding on to the ball. Like LenDale White and Chris Johnson stepping up the run game. Special teams and the kicking game continue to suffer as well. There are so many problems with this team and they will get worse with no action. The final answer will come from within the organization as it always does. Let’s just hope that they can get things turned around before the roof falls in on them.