For some observers, Dean Bellanti's record tells you everything you need to know in regards to his ouster.
He was 47-125 in his eight years in charge of the Beaver Dam boys basketball program. In the last two years, he went 2-40, leading to his being pushed out a week ago after refusing to resign twice.
If he's such a lousy coach, why have so many esteemed basketball people gone out of their way to compliment and/or defend him?
In recent days, Hall of Fame coach Eli Crogan has pledged the support of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. Hugh Roberts of the highly-regarded Randolph Boys/Girls Club has spoken out on Bellanti's behalf.
Most people are well aware that just over two years ago, Beaver Dam nearly upset state powerhouse Madison Memorial in a thrilling 42-38 Division 1 sectional final at Middleton. What most people don't know is what happened afterwards.
Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan was on hand to recruit Memorial's Keaton Nankivil. He waited outside Beaver Dam's locker room for 20 minutes to talk to Bellanti, who was tending to senior Matt Hein as he suffered from dehydration and exhaustion in the sweltering gym.
Ryan had kinds words for the job Bellanti did that night and encouraged him after a tough loss. It was a classy gesture on Ryan's part to go out of his way when he didn't have to.
Recently, D.J. Braemer shared a story from later that week. A teammate of Hein's, he learned from the sister of Drew Minning, another player on that BD team, that Marquette coach Tom Crean had been on a Milwaukee sports talk radio program and described the Golden Beavers as "great team basketball" and "fun to watch."
It doesn't add up — how a program can go from fun to watch to an eyesore in two years.
Crogan, with his 42 years of coaching experience, says that losing a talented, senior-laden team like the one BD faced Memorial with is always a challenge.
"Anytime you lose a lot of seniors, the next couple of years will be tough," Crogan said.
Tough is one thing. Winning 17 percent is yet another.
If you look deeper at the numbers, an understanding is gained of why BD bottomed out.
Here's how the last two senior classes and the seniors-to-be fared on their way up to varsity:
• Class of 2009: JV - 5-16, Freshman 1-19.
• Class of 2008: JV - 2-18, Freshman 1-19.
• Class of 2007: JV - 5-15, Freshman 1-19.
Clearly, the talent level endured a dramatic drop-off from the Class of 2006 to the current squad. Braemer, for one, has an interesting perspective as a summer coach of last year's team.
"The biggest problem the last two years was senior leadership and dedication," Braemer said. "We've got a couple of younger guys now that play a lot but I don't know if any coach would have won a lot."
Collin Kuhn was a senior the year after BD went to the sectional finals and sparked the Beavers' rally against Memorial. Based on that performance, he looked like a player to build around the following year.
Then Kuhn received a baseball scholarship to Arkansas. Kuhn wasn't really the same basketball player his senior year.
"Kuhn and (Matt) Kieffer are baseball players," Braemer said. "There wasn't real dedication the last two years. That was the big thing."
With Kuhn and Kieffer focused on baseball, a leadership void developed. Last season, BD was forced to rely on two promoted sophomores, Tal Diekvoss and Dan Docter, who predictably had their share of struggles against more physically mature and experienced opposition.
"Our best two players are probably sophomores," Braemer said. "Body-wise, they weren't ready and they were kind of forced in there."
Braemer encountered the same struggles when he and several of his classmates were promoted to varsity as sophomores. He admits there were problems initially with Bellanti's coaching style.
"It was a little different for me and it was a tough adjustment," Braemer said. "As a sophomore, I sat more and it was a learning process.
"There were times when we didn't see eye-to-eye but he was willing to work with me. We had a lot of one-on-one talks and our senior year, he gave us more space and we were always on the same page."
Hein was BD's most decorated player that played under Bellanti. He was named Little Ten Player of the Year and Daily Citizen Player of the Year before heading on to UW-Parkside, where he now plays on scholarship.
Like Braemer, Hein struggled initially under Bellanti. And like Braemer, he's now a staunch believer in Bellanti as a coach.
"He tried to build up your mental toughness for teams like Memorial," Hein said. "I was on varsity since I was a freshman and my freshman year, he really got down on me one time and I was really angry. My parents just told me he was making me a better player and the next day, I realized what he was doing.
"He reminds me of a college coach — a good coach. Some kids aren't ready for that in high school and that could have a lot to do with this."
Hein felt Bellanti largely deserves the credit for BD's playoff run that year. He admired the way Bellanti patched up tenuous relationships with parents and coaches before his senior year.
"He made everyone a better basketball player and a better team player," Bellanti said. "Once we started winning, we had him to thank.
"Playing at the next level, you realize it has a lot to do with coaching. Halfway through our senior season, some of the players that didn't like him said 'Wow, he knows what he's talking about.'
"We respected his work ethic and the way we wanted to play and how he got us to play. We had nothing to hang our heads about except for not going to state. We didn't get him fired."
Perhaps Bellanti's lasting legacy is Positively Hoops, the BD youth basketball organization that he was a driving force behind. Jeff Zuhlke, the boys coordinator for Positively Hoops, said Bellanti worked tirelessly to put that structure in place.
"He was very hands-on and was one of the founders," Zuhlke said. "He was involved in all of those decisions and there wasn't much in town at the time."
Zuhlke was disappointed by Bellanti losing his coaching post. He felt that Positively Hoops was positioning BD for future success.
"Our teams are more and more competitive every year," Zuhlke said. "We're playing better competition and finishing better.
"He took the kids to practice with the varsity for a day last year and I don't think a coach has ever done that. The new board of Positively Hoops totally supports Dean. My total belief is that Dean's been wronged here and I'm on my own with no leader here now."