Coaching carousel really turning. Should be interesting with Bob Huggins currently out of work. Strong rumor is that OJ Mayo and Billy Walker (probably the top 2 juniors in the nation) will follow Huggins to any school. Though Huggins has baggage the Mayo-Walker duo (and supposedly Keenan Ellis a top 100 junior and Patrick Patterson another top 100 junior as part of a package) could make some programs very interested in his services.
Who coaches IU next year? I'm thinking Alford, but that might be too easy...
University of Kentucky basketball isn't a matter of life and death, it's much more important than that.
I'd probably vote for Randy Wittman over Alford just because Alford's not going to want to leave Iowa for Bloomington and the mess that's there. Wittman wants to be a head coach again and I don't see him getting an opportunity any time soon in the NBA after his last stint in Cleveland.
Alford's got a great situation in Iowa where he is loved by the fans and has a good young team. At Indiana, he'd inherit a program with a lot of expectations and not a lot of short term promise. Could he reverse the damage that Bob Knight did to the program over the last decade of his tenure and after he was fired? Maybe, but I think Alford's smarter than to try when he's already got a team and program with good short and long term prospects.
Tim
Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit. -- Erasmus
Wittman seems more likely, considering he's more cost-effective for Indiana than having to buy out Alford and then make him a better offer than what Iowa could. But Randy Wittman's standing regarding IU basketball is about as high as Alford's is if they're looking to bring one of the Children of the Atom to bring back that era of Indiana basketball.
Dark Horse: Bowling Green HC Dan Dakich, who is also an Indiana alum most famous for keep Michael Jordan under control in the 1984 Tourney.
(edited by JoshMann on 16.2.06 1417) Mr. Pibb + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious
I've heard former Hoosier Damon Bailey's name tossed around a little, though I'm not sure an Indiana grad is the way they'll go. I don't agree with the reasoning that IU fans would embrace an IU grad more. Bob Knight was an Ohio State grad. But Bob Knight also coached teams that were successful in the playoffs for the first two-thirds of his Indiana tenure.
(edited by StegDutchie on 16.2.06 1743) "You rock, Rolfski. You are one hep cat." "Ya, ya, sock it to me."
Originally posted by RudoublesedoublelAt least accourding to "sources" and ESPN .
Coaching carousel really turning. Should be interesting with Bob Huggins currently out of work. Strong rumor is that OJ Mayo and Billy Walker (probably the top 2 juniors in the nation) will follow Huggins to any school. Though Huggins has baggage the Mayo-Walker duo (and supposedly Keenan Ellis a top 100 junior and Patrick Patterson another top 100 junior as part of a package) could make some programs very interested in his services.
Who coaches IU next year? I'm thinking Alford, but that might be too easy...
Well, Keenan Ellis left the high school team and word around the campfire is that a large part of why has to do with not getting along with Mayo and Walker. And don't be so sure that Mayo and Walker are going to want to play together in college.
As for the Indiana situation, yeah, Bob Knight was an OSU grad, but he basically built the Indiana program and is still idolized there. It's always better to be the guy who follows the guy who followed the legend, as opposed to being the guy who followed the legend.
Whoever they get, Indiana connection or not, he HAS to recruit Indiana. As an OSU fan, I'm obviously thrilled that Conley and Oden are coming to Columbus, but there's no way those guys should have gotten away from IU.
To tie all this together, I don't know if Indiana would take a run at Huggins or not. He's a heck of a coach, but considering his baggage and personality _ basically, Bob Knight Jr. _ I don't know if IU would want to take a chance so soon after the Knight situation blew up.
Originally posted by RudoublesedoublelAt least accourding to "sources" and ESPN .
Coaching carousel really turning. Should be interesting with Bob Huggins currently out of work. Strong rumor is that OJ Mayo and Billy Walker (probably the top 2 juniors in the nation) will follow Huggins to any school. Though Huggins has baggage the Mayo-Walker duo (and supposedly Keenan Ellis a top 100 junior and Patrick Patterson another top 100 junior as part of a package) could make some programs very interested in his services.
Who coaches IU next year? I'm thinking Alford, but that might be too easy...
Well, Keenan Ellis left the high school team and word around the campfire is that a large part of why has to do with not getting along with Mayo and Walker. And don't be so sure that Mayo and Walker are going to want to play together in college.
As for the Indiana situation, yeah, Bob Knight was an OSU grad, but he basically built the Indiana program and is still idolized there. It's always better to be the guy who follows the guy who followed the legend, as opposed to being the guy who followed the legend.
Whoever they get, Indiana connection or not, he HAS to recruit Indiana. As an OSU fan, I'm obviously thrilled that Conley and Oden are coming to Columbus, but there's no way those guys should have gotten away from IU.
To tie all this together, I don't know if Indiana would take a run at Huggins or not. He's a heck of a coach, but considering his baggage and personality _ basically, Bob Knight Jr. _ I don't know if IU would want to take a chance so soon after the Knight situation blew up.
I just saw today that Ellis was gone. All I've ever heard about Mayo is that he and Walker are a package, but all I've ever "heard" is Internet gossip, though I do believe they have the same legal guardian.
I wouldn't call Huggins Bob Knight Jr. though. Knight's players stay out of trouble, tend to graduate, and Knight has never been suspended due to drinking problems. On the other hand, Huggins has never been kicked out of Puerto Rico, never offended the nation in a Connie Chung interview and can't be as "mean" as Knight is.
The latest Huggins rumor I've read has Lon Kruger to Arizona State with Huggins going to UNLV. Now, I can see Huggins as Jerry Tarkanian, Jr.
As on OSU fan are you afraid that Matta might have interest in IU? Another "rumor" that is floating around.
University of Kentucky basketball isn't a matter of life and death, it's much more important than that.
Originally posted by RudoublesedoublelAs on OSU fan are you afraid that Matta might have interest in IU? Another "rumor" that is floating around.
I'm not worried in the least about Matta going anywhere. No coach in his right mind would give up a chance to coach Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Daequan Cook and David Lighty. And if Matta jumps to IU, there's no way in hell that OSU will let those guys out of their letters of intent. Throw in Ron Lewis and Jamar Butler coming back and you've got one hell of a team. I just wish Je'Kel Foster had another year. He's the TRUTH.
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Someone opined in the Kobe Bryant thread that Kobe “doesn't deserve a max contract”, and it reminded me that, in The Sporting News, they just had a list of the 30 players in the NBA currently under maximum contracts.