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Historically, football has been king at ASU. Down the road in Tucson, the University of Arizona has reigned as the state's college basketball power, with the legendary Lute Olson orchestrating that program's success.

In Tempe, where the sprawling main ASU campus sits, Sun Devil Stadium stands as a gleaming reminder of the order of importance of things here.

But it's not only college football that puts ASU basketball on the inside pages of the local newspapers. The area also supports four professional sports teams.

On Feb 3, the area will host Super Bowl XLII.

This places ASU basketball under the radar, where Sendek has the space to rebuild a program that has reached just three NCAA Tournaments since 1981.

Fans recognize the herculean task before Sendek and believe he has the basketball pedigree and passion to excel.

Even after a dismal 8-22 season last year, they expressed satisfaction with the coach.

"I don't know what he was like before, but he gets it here," said Ken Whitley, a season ticket- holder since 1974. "This offense isn't boring. This offense is moving the ball. And they're scoring some points. And the defense is a lot better than it's ever been."

Many fans speak of Sendek in unusual yet flattering terms.

"Sparkplug," Krug said.

Sparkplug?

"Sparkplug," he repeated. "He's always on campus. ... He'd just go in the middle of there and introduce himself, talk to [students] while they're eating lunch, sit down with them. Communicate. Not just say, 'Hey, we have a game tonight,' but get to know who they were."

Winning over team

One reason students might choose energetic adjectives to describe Sendek is that he's been spotted this season roaming the student section at several football games with a megaphone, rallying fans and promoting basketball.

Sendek gave the ASU community another glimpse of his fiery side last season when he was ejected from a home game against Washington.

With ASU struggling near the end of the Pac-10 season, a player was called for a foul as he hustled on defense in the second half. Sendek, who had convinced his young team its strength was defense, implored the crowd to cheer such effort. He lifted his arms to pump up the crowd.

An official called a technical on him. He continued to gesture to the crowd, which earned him a swift ejection.

As Sendek made his way toward the locker room tunnel, he lifted his arms again, eliciting a roar from the crowd.

"The whole place just fell in love," Love said.

ASU players were next.

"We were kind of iffy about him, and we see that and we're like, 'Holy cow,' " said junior forward Jeff Pendergraph. "He's willing to get kicked out for us, we're like, 'Man, we can't let his getting kicked out be in vain.' ... That's when everybody started having each other's backs. We had Coach Sendek's back, he had our back."

Sendek described it this way: "It was just a spontaneous moment that happened."

Always on the stage

Spontaneity was a word seldom associated with Sendek, but it appears to be part of his identity at ASU.

Although Sendek has not directly answered his critics at N.C. State, many of whom lashed out at him from their protected cyberspace keyboards, he seems to have indirectly addressed some of their criticisms.

A few months ago, he discovered Frank Luntz's book "Words That Work" and has tried to apply its concepts.

Intrigued by the book's central theme of using clear and precise words to ensure listeners hear an exact message, Sendek handed out about eight copies to staff.

His cadence can still sound wooden, but he's direct about his mission at ASU.

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