Partly because of the turnover at the top of the athletic department, but partially because he's always right there.
Historically, a coach that takes us to the NIT every year is better than we've normally had. The end of the Evans era and beginning of the Barnes era was obviously our best stretch ever, but outside of that run, getting to the NIT pretty much every year is well above average.
Personally, I don't enjoy college basketball all that much other than the tournament, and really then it's mostly the first weekend that's the best part, so I would be content with letting Kennedy try to go for the record for consecutive NIT appearances, at least up until we get the new arena built around 2015-16.
We've never made a commitment to basketball. Building a new, nice arena, plus having a new practice facility would be two steps towards being committed to the sport. If, once that's completed, we decide we really want to invest in a coach as well, that would be the time to start asking more of the program.
For now, let him toil with the crappy AAU college basketball product and take us to NITs. That's just me.