DATE: Tuesday, March 25, 1997               TAG: 9703250476

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Column 

SOURCE: Tom Robinson

                                            LENGTH:   70 lines

CAPEL'S SILENT TREATMENT IS, UH, LOUDLY CONFUSING

With the kind of money Rutgers University can supposedly throw at its new basketball coach, in the $500,000-to-$700,000-per-year range, it's only natural that Old Dominion's Jeff Capel would pursue that job.

The real shock would be if he didn't. Times have been lean at Rutgers, but the place still offers major possibilities; big bucks, the Big East Conference and a legitimate shot at recruiting top talent from the Northeast's basketball-rich schools and playgrounds.

Looks to me like an opportunity any upwardly mobile coach would be proud to be linked with.

So why the Garbo act from Capel?

Capel vants to be alone, all right. Reporters call, hoping to brief ODU patrons on what's up with Rutgers and their coach, and Capel can't hang up the phone fast enough, without as much as a ``no comment.'' They show up at his office and Capel ducks into his sanctum in silence.

What, the coaching carousel is some sort of secret? It comes around every spring. It whirls like crazy for a few weeks, and coaches from all over climb on and off at various stages, many more than once. And when it's over, there's a run on change-of-address packets at the post office.

That's the business, so what's the big deal? The word is out from coast-to-coast that Capel's a pretty decent coach drawing interest from other schools - apparently, Memphis is the latest - yet Capel can't bring himself to acknowledge it, let alone comment on it?

Strange. Perhaps he believes he's a longshot at Rutgers, and that to acknowledge his interest in that or other jobs is to kill ODU's recruiting should he return.

But kids good enough to get basketball scholarships know what's going on. They read the ... er, I mean, they watch SportsCenter. They know the tenure of coaches at mid-major programs like ODU is usually short, that in most cases, if the coach is any good he moves up and if not he ships out.

More than ever, they understand the gritty business of college hoops. ODU sophomore Cal Bowdler spoke to that last week when he said, ``I really like coach Capel, but he's got a family to take care of.''

Of course he does. A family that features a prized high school basketball recruit heading into his senior year, don't forget.

Capel should say something. I suggest this:

``I am flattered to be considered for the coaching position at Rutgers University. I have spoken to its athletic director. However, if I do not get the job, I am happy with my position at ODU and am eager to build on our success here.''

Tom Penders has the right idea. The Texas coach is said to be the front-runner for the Rutgers job. This information was either presented to Penders or he just came out with it. Either way, he isn't shrinking from the situation. ``Rutgers is a great job for somebody because the school has tremendous resources, and I think they're tired of losing,'' Penders said.

Spoken like a man comfortable with himself and his capabilities.

For Capel, though, maybe there looms a certain caveat to job hunting, that being the lackluster results Colonial Athletic Association progeny have endured recently at their new schools.

Oliver Purnell left ODU three years ago for Dayton. The Flyers are 35-48 under Purnell with no postseason appearances. Kevin Eastman has done better at Washington State, going 48-41 with two NIT bids in three seasons since leaving North Carolina-Wilmington. Then there's Eddie Payne, who bolted East Carolina two years ago for Oregon State. He is 11-43 there.

But just as the grass is always greener, a coach is always positive he can win wherever and, yes, whenever he goes. Certainly, Capel believes that, whether he wants to talk about it or not. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

Old Dominion coach Jeff Capel can't hang up the phone fast enough on

reporters, without as much as a ``no comment.''

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