College Coaching Rumors

Pearl said no to Iowa. I don't know if this link will work or not, but here goes:

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/govols/article/0,1406,KNS_294_5445842,00.html

KY fans seem to think Donnovan is a shoo-in. I don't know if I agree.

 

As I stated on the Arkansas thread - Billy Clyde is staying in College Station for a reported 2 mill/year - through 2012 - or another bif name program comes calling - whichever is first

 

Seth Davis of cnnsi.com doesn't think Donovan's going anywhere either. He thinks it will be Tom Crean. Not sure what to think of that one, if it happens. Marquette went to the Final 4 a few years ago, but I think that had more to do with Dwyane Wade than it did anybody else.

 

Interesting if Gillespie gets 2 mil a year. Pearl is getting a raise and extension at UT after all the moves shake down. His new salary will be based on the market at that time.

I personally don't think Donnovan is going to UK either, unless they just throw an insane amount of money at him. Even still, that may not move him.

The UK people I talk to believe they will not hear a "no," that whoever they ask will immediately say "yes." I don't agree, though I don't believe we'll necessarily see their first candidate give an answer. UK has too much pride to go through a series of "no" answers.

 

Coaches

I don't know who is going where, but there is a rumor that Belien from WVU is going to Michigan. WVU just won the NIT tonight (GO MOUNTAINEERS) and I for one don't want to see him go. raying:

If he does, then he will be a success wherever he goes.

 

Great news for Aggie fans, because Gillespie turned down the Ark. job.

 

John Beilein is mentioned frequently as a candidate for open jobs. Michigan might be a good fit for him.

 

Kentucky's new coach?

A UK booster told me today that Donnovan is a lock. He'll be paid 2.75 - 3 million and bonuses could take him to 3.5 mil. I was also told that Rick Pitino, Jr. will join his staff there, irking Rick Sr and the UK faithful, but that the Big Blue Nation is so glad to get Donnovan that they're willing to overlook it.

I don't think I believe it, but I thought I'd mention it to kick it around. (I believe UK and Rick would be irked if Pitino Jr. came to Lexington, but not the Donnovan part - yet).

 

Billy Donovan would be an OK coach, I guess. Let's see, If you have no real interest in going for one of the best college coaches anywhere, who is winning games at an 85%+ rate and that is recruiting players who have to pay their own way to play for him, since there are no athletic scholarships in that division, (and who would not even have to move from his currect residence, as it is within 20 miles of the UK campus, already), "Happy" Osborne, and you have managed to run off the coach ("Tubby" Smith) who had, by far, at 76%+, the best winning percentage in the SEC over the last ten years, winning five regular season titles, five conference tourneys, having the only undefeated complete season in the Conference in the last 50 years, One NCAA title, and three Elite Eights in that span, at least try and get the number two winningest coach in the toughest Conference, top to bottom, the SCE, at 71%, who is Billy Donovan! Then in about 8 or 10 years, we, the fans, can run him out of town as well, and go for Travis Ford or John Pelphrey.

Wake up, UK fans! The grass is not really always greener on the other side of the fence. There are many good coaches, and good players out there, today, unlike say, 40-50 years ago. Parity is close to being here, in the top twenty teams in any given year. The names, among others, of Izzo, Calapari, Pearl, Donovan, Weber, Kruger, Gillespie, Ford, Pelphrey, and Rick Pitino, who is not returning, keep cropping up, at least in some whispers. Only one, Rick Pitino, has a better record than the departed "Tubby". It is simply unreasonable to expect year in; year out, dominance, these days, and in fact, most days over the last half century. Adolph Rupp couldn't do it, after the great five year run around 1950. 'Phog' Allen couldn't do it at Kansas. Hank Iba could not keep it up at Oklahoma State. Fred Taylor couldn't do it at Ohio State. Branch McCracken and Bob Knight couldn't do it at Indiana. Dean Smith and Coach K couldn't do it along "Tobacco Road" South. Only John Wooden kept it going for more than about five years, and only Ed Jucker at Cincinnati around 1960 and Uncle Adolph at Ky around 1950 had super great five year runs. And that kind of dominance ain't gonna' happen, these days, no matter who sits, as the head coach, on the bench at Rupp Arena, Freedom Hall, Pauley Pavilion, the DeanDome, or any other arena.

Ed

 

Ed, you and I both know how the rank and file feel in the Big Blue Nation. Anything less than conference, dominance, regular trips to the Final Four and occasional national championships are unacceptable. I don't think there's any question that you're right, but I don't believe there's any dispute that your opinion is probably in the minority, at least among the "movers and shakers" in the Commonwealth

 

Of course! Which is exactly why we will be seeing this repeated in 7-10 years, again, if not sooner. Need more examples, someplace else? Look at UCLA. How many good coaches have left or been axed simply because they were not John Wooden? Look at NC and Bill Guthrie saying "Enough of the nonsense!" His winning percentage equalled that of Dean. Look at Indiana and Mike Davis. The same thing will happen at Arizona, Duke, U Conn, and Syracuse, as well as some other schools, when their current coaches hang up their whistles, as well. But it does afford some better coaches the chance at mega-bucks, if only for a few years.

And as a KY fan, and former UK student, I'd be happy if UK hired "Happy". :laugh: :laugh:

AND I'd :sleeping_2: well, knowing the program was in capable hands. :thumbs:

Ed

 

FWIW...

News stations are reporting that Arkansas is going after John Calipari with a 2 million+ offer.

 

And the news stations bungle it again!

 

I have heard from many sources that Donovan will come to KY, but you never know I guess.

I don't like most of the plan B guys but I think Mitch has a couple surprises up his sleeve and we could get someone pretty good noone is thinking about if Donovan slips away...

 

Looks like it's going to be Dana Altman from Creighton for the Arkansas job. ----Press conference scheduled for 5 PM today.

 

Wonder how many of those who are really some A.D.'s or President's choice(s) #11, #12 and #13, , for reasons we never hear about, get put out as choice(s) #1, #2, or #3?

>
>
>
>
>
And sometimes they actually work out, a la some who may have made the tourney this year! :laugh: :laugh:

Ed

 

The search firms are doing a really good job of keeping names a secret. However, ARK bungled this for one reason only: Frank Broyles.

KY may get surprised, but most of the time when you settle on a man, you know the answer.

Besides, think about how many men churches screen and go through before we end up as their pastor. Do we care we were 15th on the list?

You're right, Ed.

 

YES. It has been very frustrating as a hog fan with Broyles at the helm. He was on his game years ago, but Broyles has stayed at least a decade beyond his time.

Unfortunately, he gets to stay for his "fifty-year" pin, thereby ensuring the further embarrassment of UA athletic department until we get a new AD in January. Unfortunately, he did enough damage in this year to set us back several years.