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Report: Murphy interested in open coaching job
Associated Press Updated: July 19, 2007, 2:58 PM ET

HOUSTON -- Texas Southern University fired coach Ronnie Courtney on Thursday, and former Rockets star Calvin Murphy is interested in the job, according to a television report.

"We just believe in moving in a different direction," athletic director Alois Blackwell told Houston television station KRIV. "New leadership might be a better thing for us."

Blackwell said the school wants to talk to Murphy, 59, about the opening. Murphy, who has never coached college basketball, said he wanted the job.

"I can take TSU to the next level -- no question," Murphy told KRIV.

Murphy played for the Rockets first in San Diego and then in Houston from 1970-83. He averaged 17.9 points and 4.4 assists and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993. He still holds the NBA's single-season free-throw shooting record for shooting 96 percent in 1980-81.

In 2004, Murphy was cleared by a jury of charges he sexually abused five of his daughters. He worked as a TV analyst for Rockets broadcasts from 1989 until 2004 when his contract was not renewed following the charges.

Texas Southern was 14-17 overall and 9-9 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference last season. Courtney went 77-98 in six years with the Tigers and led them to the SWAC tournament title and an NCAA Tournament play-in game in 2003.

Interesting that there's really no discussion on the firee in this article other than the management-speak "we're going in another direction." Even more interesting that they mentioned charges against the only mentioned candidate that he was acquitted of. Sounds like the paper is trying to throw up stuff and hope it sticks against SOMEONE.

Yellow journalism at its best....

I talked to Calvin and he says TSU has not talked to him about the job but he would love it. After living in relative seclusion the past couple of years since the charges first went public, Calvin just started work as a sports talk show host this past week just a couple of days before his name popped up for this gig.

SuperHornet - As for the charges, its not as simple as it appears.

If Murphy is hired, they'd be the least fouled team in their conference. You KNOW they'd shoot a high FT %!!

This hiring could only help the SWAC like the Cynthia Cooper hiring at PVU last year. Could make for an interesting season, of course less money games could also help.

Its funny that you would mention Cynthia. She & Calvin both were on the Rockets broadcast team a couple of years ago. And Calvin points to her success as evidence that he could do the job.