OK, this search firm thing has officially gotten out of control.

Everyone knows that search firms have been critical lately in terms of hiring head coaches in college basketball. Numerous athletic directors have also been tabbed by search firms.

But Stanford head coach Johnny Dawkins actually hired a search firm to round out his staff.

I understand that Dawkins hasn't really seen the recruiting trail in years, but the former Duke assistant should still be able to choose his staff without having to pay a search firm.

San Jose Mercury News writer Jon Wilner recently wrote that Dawkins, after being spurned by NBA assistant Brian James, hired a search firm to eventually hire former Santa Clara coach Dick Davey.

DUQUESNE LAWSUIT

Speaking of ridiculous, how about the lawsuit that former Duquesne players Shawn James and Kojo Mensah are expected to file against the school.

The players, who were among five shot back in Sept. of 2006, are expected to file separate lawsuits, according to the New York Daily News, that Duquesne was negligent in failing to prevent the shootings.

The players attorney, Teresa Toriseva, said that both of her clients draft stock was affected by the injuries.

The bottom line here is that if the players were concerned that the injuries would affect their draft status, they would have waited another year to get completely healthy.

This is a case of two kids being advised to make the wrong decisions.

CHARLESTON TOURNEY

A new tournament is starting up in Charleston, S.C. this year.

It'll run from Nov. 14-16 and will include host College of Charleston, Clemson, TCU, Temple, Western Michigan, East Tennessee State and North Texas.

RUCKER PARK MOVIE

``Gunnin' For That #1 Spot", a movie about the Elite 24 event at Rucker Park that is  produced and directed by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch ,will premiere Wednesday at the Magic Johnson Theater in Harlem.

Three of the potential top five picks - Michael Beasley, Jerryd Bayless and Kevin Love - are in the movie.

Here's the web site for the movie - http://www.gunninmovie.com/trailer/lo-res.php

RANDOM NOTES: Look for former Indiana guard Armon Bassett to wind up at West Virginia. ... Indiana signed one-time USC commit Malik Story, a shooter out of California. ... Andy Rautins is one of 22 players trying to make the Canadian Olympic squad. The Syracuse guard tore his ACL last summer in the FIBA Americas qualifying tournament and missed the entire season. Rautins' fate will be determined by his father, Leo, the head coach of Canada's Olympic squad. Purdue received a commitment from Class of 2010 big man Travis Carroll of Danville High (Ind;). The 6-foot-9 rising junior averaged 20.7 points and 13.2 rebounds per game last season.