Penn basketball alum, board member speaks about Allen firing

Stan Greene played for the Penn basketball program from 1974 through 1978, winning two Ivy League titles while playing for Chuck Daly in his first three seasons before playing under coach Bob Weinhauer in his senior campaign. Now a member of the Penn basketball board, Greene spoke to The Daily Pennsylvanian on Sunday, the day after news that coach Jerome Allen will not return to the team next season.

Daily Pennsylvanian: Given the events that happened this weekend and everything you've seen in the past few years, what is your opinion about the news that coach Allen won't be coming back?

Stan Greene: Starting with the news, my first reaction is that it hurts. It's like having something bad happen to a member of your family. I didn't think I would feel this way, but I do because I know the character of Jerome Allen. This isn't a situation where someone gave a lackluster effort and they only cared about their own career. We had an individual who was committed to doing anything in his power to return this program to the status it enjoyed when he was a player. I was always convinced -- and I think I speak for everyone, not only my basketball colleagues but the fans who respect and love Jerome -- that there wasn't a minute that went by, even in his sleep, when he wasn't working actively to make this program better than it could be. That's why it hurts, because we know he gave it all he could. You look at this weekend, he coached every minute of those games [against Columbia and Cornell], and he'll do the same thing on Tuesday [against Princeton].

DP: I spoke to a few people who said they were surprised that the move happened. Were you one of those people who was expecting him to have more time and finish out his contract?

SG: I think when you have a five-year contract, it's for a reason. You've been given an opportunity to work through things that may not go right. So, if it was all about winning immediately, the contract should have been a shorter contract. But there is a realization when you inherit a program that you are going to have ups and downs until you reach a stable point. Having said that, I can't say I was surprised because that is the nature of our society and I don't fault anyone for doing this. I think Jerome Allen would be the first to tell you that he recognizes how things work in the business of sports. But if you look at the past few years, there's been an improvement in some things that the program has done. For example, you take a look at this freshman class. Looking at the past few games, they've shown tremendous confidence over where they were at times throughout the year, and they seem to be enjoying themselves and each other. That's all a process. Unfortunately, it's the way things are and there is an expectation that things happen fast. But because of the man that Jerome Allen is, because of his commitment and his loyalty, he will bounce back quickly.

DP: As a member of the Penn basketball board, do you know what went into the move? Was there a certain benchmark that Allen had to reach in terms of win total?

SG: No, I don't. We had a board meeting at the beginning of the year, and the sense that I had from the board and the athletic director was that we were all behind Jerome. And we still are behind him. I don't know the circumstances of the decision, but I think, given the context, the administration made a decision and now it's time to move forward. I don't think there was a benchmark as it relates to number of wins or scoring averages. I don't think there was one. I really believe that at some point, a person charged with making the decision made the call. I think everyone to a person accepts it, and now we move on. Our desire and hope was that it could work out differently for everyone. But we will all move forward and embrace the new coach, but most importantly continue to embrace our fellow Penn basketball player and one of the greatest human beings to put on a uniform and attend this University. We will always be committed to Jerome, whether he coaches here or somewhere else, because this is a family and he is a big part of this family.

DP: What do you think needs to be looked for in the person who tries to fill the vacancy?

SG: Obviously, the Ivy League is very unique. One has to have an understanding and better yet experience at understanding the recruiting process in the Ivy League. They need to know the type of student-athlete you have to bring into this university -- high character, intelligent and, at the same time, very athletic and committed to succeeding. There are not many coaches in the country that can do this. I believe there are many coaches that have coached in a scholarship situations that would fall flat on their face here at Penn. We don't give out athletic scholarships, the academic requirements are high and the Penn tuition is high, and those factors mean that there is a certain type of athlete you have to focus on. So, as a coach, you need a certain type of skill and even experience doing that. There is a recognition that Penn basketball means something to this University, and we want to make sure it's operating at its highest level. For coaches, one thing that is essential is that they have a respect for the fans and a willingness to interact with the Penn basketball family.

DP: What did you make of the decision by Penn Athletics to notify coach Allen of his dismissal prior to his final three games?

SG: One thing that needs to be recognized is that anything can happen at any time. And life isn't fair. So, whether it was fair or not, I don't think any of that really matters. What matters is that coach Allen is in a good place. I spoke with him [Saturday] night and he was upbeat as usual and extremely positive. So, whatever happened, it did not cause any bitterness on his part. Whether it was three days earlier than it should have been or took place before the end of the season ... anyone who sees that has had things like that happen to them. As long as the individual affected has the ability to make adjustments and bounce back, you just keep moving. Because he is Jerome Allen, I believe that whatever communications happened, it was a positive and respectful decision and process.

The thing that I know is that Jerome has put pieces in place that will eventually let this program succeed. I go back to my junior year when we had a tough campaign and a lot of fans were upset at our coach. My sense was that they didn't think he shouldn't be there. By my senior year, he did move on and people felt good about this. Some people thought he wasn't a good coach. But his name was Chuck Daly. So, I really expect...we're going to see Jerome Allen in the future. Whether it's in the NBA or in college, when we see him coaching again, this experience was something that was part of his evolution. He's going to leave a legacy here with this group the way Chuck Daly -- while he doesn't get credit for it -- recruited the players that went to the Final Four [in 1979]. While Chuck moved on, his players moved on to success. I think we'll see a lot of that with Jerome as well.

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