By Paul Perillo

Eight months have passed since the Northeastern men's basketball team was upset by Hartford in the America East tournament quarterfinals. As it happened, the frustrating loss marked the start of a rather tumultuous time for the Huskies.

First, a sense of missed opportunity gnawed at the team. The number-three seed in the tourney, NU had watched top seed and host Boston University lose to Stony Brook, and knew second-seeded Vermont would play its first two tourney matches without conference player-of-the-year Taylor Coppenrath. The Huskies raced to an early

14-point lead against sixth-seeded Hartford before they self-destructed, falling in a 79-74 decision that cost them their chance to make their first NCAA appearance since 1991.

Then rumors started swirling around all-conference point guard Jose Juan Barea. Would he leave Northeastern to turn pro? The speculation was only fueled by Barea's stellar performances during the summer on Puerto Rican junior national teams. The good news: Barea is back for his junior year, ready once again to fire up the Huskies' game.

But perhaps the most serious concern centered on coach Ron Everhart, who spent a couple of weeks debating whether to take a job at the University of Cincinnati, where he would work with close friend Bob Huggins. After some sleepless nights, Everhart ultimately decided to remain on Huntington Avenue.

"Bob is a lifelong friend, and the thought of joining him was tempting," Everhart said in September. "But I really like Northeastern and my team. Sometimes the grass isn't greener elsewhere. I think this program is on the right track."

There's good reason for optimism. After a 7-22 campaign in his first year as Huskies coach, Everhart has posted back-to-back winning seasons, including last year's 19-11 mark. And in March, he was one game away from hosting the America East title match before a national ESPN audience.

When the new season opens November 19, Everhart will be expecting Barea and backcourt mate Marcus Barnes to reshoulder the scoring load. Last season, they were the team's top two scorers and finished second and third in the league. At 5-foot-11, Barea is the league's quickest player, able to penetrate almost at will and shoot over much bigger defenders. Barnes, a senior from Miami, is a 3-point specialist. Together, they form America East's most potent tandem.

Sophomore Bennet Davis, who returns to the center spot, has added muscle to his sinewy 6-foot-9 frame. Bobby Kelly, last year's freshman walk-on—who far exceeded his coaches' expectations with defensive tenacity and a scoring touch—will fill in as a swingman.

Two players who sat out last season with injuries will be welcomed back to the fold. Senior Aaron Davis will likely start at small forward; junior Adrian Martinez can provide backup there as well as at both guard positions. "Having them healthy is big," Everhart says. "They'll both play significant roles."

Newcomers Shawn James, Janon Cole, and Mark Washington will compete for the starting power-forward spot. James is a 6-foot-9 shot-blocker who prepped at Notre Dame in Fitchburg, Massachusetts; Cole, also 6-foot-9, is a community-college transfer from Michigan; Washington is a 6-foot-8 banger from Louisiana.

Jamal Dart, who played with James at Notre Dame, will likely compete for playing time at small forward, while O'Bryant High grad Jerome Kirkland will back up Barea at the point.

One interesting name among the newcomers: Shae Pinckney. Shae's father, Ed, played college ball at Villanova and spent time with the Boston Celtics during a solid NBA career.

When Everhart spoke with Ed and his wife, Rose, last season, they expressed interest in Northeastern. "Ed and Rose thought the school made a lot of sense for Shae academically, and they thought he could try to walk on with us," says Everhart. "He had a nice year at Brewster Academy last year. We think he's going to develop into a player for us."

Ed Pinckney, now an assistant coach at Villanova, had his own firsthand experience with Northeastern. In an epic second-round NCAA tournament game on Long Island in 1982, when Pinckney was a Villanova freshman, the Wildcats kept Northeastern from advancing to the Sweet Sixteen with a scintillating 76-72 triple-overtime win.

Turnabout being fair play, perhaps Shae Pinckney will be helping a determined Husky team stay on their path to glory someday.

For Straight Poop, Fetch Diehard Dogs

Ever wonder why a certain recruit chose Northeastern over all the other schools in close pursuit? How about whether former Northeastern basketball coach Jim Calhoun will ever return to pit UConn against NU at Matthews Arena? Or how—and when—the Beanpot might find its way back to Huntington Avenue?

Diehard Dogs promises answers to questions like these, and many more. It's a new, no-holds-barred print publication and website devoted to Northeastern sports, intended to serve as a definitive source for unbiased assessments of Husky athletics.

The print piece is tentatively scheduled to publish four times a year, in September, November, January, and March. Initially, it will be distributed at many Northeastern sporting events, around campus, and through subscription, and will also be made available as a benefit to Husky Athletics Club members.

The website, located at the URL www.dieharddogs.com, will be updated more frequently. It will include some of the print edition's content, like "The Dog Whistle" column for insider news, along with web-only features. It will also house a message board, where fans can chew over the latest Husky configurations, conquests, and clunkers.

The inaugural Diehard Dogs print edition made its debut around campus last month, and an early version of the website is currently up and running as well.

Since Diehard Dogs will not be officially linked to the university, organizers say it will not be afraid to ask the tough questions — about team performance, for instance, or the direction of Husky programs in general. It will also focus on the arcane topics dyed-in-the-wool fans love to discuss, such as recruiting plans or scheduling decisions.

The timing of the Diehard Dogs launch is not accidental. Northeastern athletics will take a major leap forward in July 2005, when it leaves America East for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), joining forces with Delaware, Drexel, George Mason, Hofstra, James Madison, Old Dominion, Towson, the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, Virginia Commonwealth, and William and Mary (Georgia State moves to the CAA in 2006).

With such major-market company in the offing, Husky devotees are especially eager for information and opinion on their favorite teams. And Diehard Dogs intends to look at Northeastern athletics from the fan's perspective.

"It's exciting that we've built our athletic program to the point where we have a community of fans who are looking to communicate and exchange information about our teams," says athletics director Dave O'Brien.

Diehard Dogs takes its inspiration from similar setups at major universities around the country. Michigan and Notre Dame have built enormous followings around their fan-based communications vehicles. Locally, there's Boston College's Eagle Action, available in an online edition.

NU's new bid to excite fan interest will not replace the official website of Husky athletics, www.gonu.com, which will continue to offer the same comprehensive, newsy content.

But for unmuzzled fan chat and backroom information about hot-button issues — think the Don Brown situation — Diehard Dogs will likely become a faithful Husky's destination of choice.

For more information or a peek at the early action in the pound, visit www.dieharddogs.com.