Commentary: Whether he deserves it or not, Romar has one more year to prove he still belongs

Exactly one year ago, I said, "If the Huskies go a fourth consecutive season without an NCAA Tournament bid, it will be time to consider a change on Montlake."

Well, here we are – Dawg fans frustrated as ever... Some defending Lorenzo Romar, others at their wit's end.

While I won’t take a side, I will say this: The NCAA Tournament is the minimum – minimum! - standard for any Division I Program. I don’t view a spot in the Big Dance any differently than a Bowl Game for any college football team, nor a playoff spot for any professional sports team. When a team consistently fails to meet that standard, regardless of circumstance, rarely does a head coach or manager last more than three or four years.

For example: The Husky football team went seven seasons without a Bowl Game from 2003 to 2009. During that span, no head coach lasted longer than four seasons.

The Mariners have now gone 14 playoff-less seasons. No manager during that span has lasted longer than three seasons.

Fail to meet the minimum standard – the head coach or manager takes the fall.

In fact, here’s a total hypothetical, and one we hope would never happen: What if the Seahawks missed the playoffs this year...and then again next year... and then again... and then again? After four straight playoff-less seasons, regardless of Pete Carroll’s SUPER BOWL success, there would be a great debate over his future in Seattle.

Romar might be one of my favorite coaches and favorite people. He might have solid values, and he might have built the program from nothing.

But right now, there are no national titles. There are no Final Fours.

There’s only the hope of a top-10 recruiting class, and the hard-to-swallow $4.2 million buyout if they let him go.

So Huskies athletic director Scott Woodward will likely stand pat. It’s his decision to make.

But while we watch another Husky-less tournament, whose annual theme is “one-and-done,” it should also be the theme for Romar next year, if the Dawgs aren’t in the Big Dance for the fifth straight year.