(Some) UK fans getting their wish???

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by paintmered

Last time I heard, he was staying at Xavier.


Err...whoops.

UK is a step up from tOSU in the world of college basketball.

[Reds Fanatic]

Here are some more names thrown out as possible replacements in CBS Sportsline's article.

Names that will surface as possible replacements are Florida's Billy Donovan, Texas A&M's Billy Gillispie, Memphis' John Calipari, Marquette's Tom Crean, Villanova's Jay Wright, Ohio State's Thad Matta, Gonzaga's Mark Few, Texas' Rick Barnes and countless others. Also, don't be surprised if the interest of Louisville's Rick Pitino is gauged. He preceded Tubbs at Kentucky before leaving for the NBA.

[flyer85]

Everybody other than guys like Coach K, Roy and Bill Self(and maybe even him) are possible candidates.

[guttle11]

Originally Posted by 5DOLLAR-BLEACHERBUM

X fan?

No. Not at all.

[Sweetstop]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

Why not interview Coach K and Roy Williams while you're at it?

Sorry for the sarcasm, I just don't think UK's head coaching position is that incredible that someone like Thad Matter would leave a now Top 5 program for, or Billy Donovan would leave a Top 5 program for.

RL, I hope you aren't trying to compare OSU and FL's basketball history and tradition to Kentucky's here. Ky is still the winningest program in the NCAA, last time I checked.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by paintmered

Last time I heard, he was staying at Butler.


Err...whoops.

Fixed that for you.

[Red Leader]

Originally Posted by Sweetstop

RL, I hope you aren't trying to compare OSU and FL's basketball history and tradition to Kentucky's here. Ky is still the winningest program in the NCAA, last time I checked.

I'm not trying to compare history, tradition, any of that stuff because I think we'll all agree that they're not even close.

What I'm saying is that currently both of those coaches (Matta and Donovan) are running Top 5 programs in the nation. They've built those programs. I guess there could be intrigue there to move to a "history rich" program like UK and try to build that program back up, so I could see that being an argument for them taking the job, but what if they don't experience immediate success? What if it takes 4-5 years and then, they are only considered an "above average" basketball program? The UK fans will be all over them, calling for their heads. Donovan and Matta are both seen as gods in their current situations. If I was a coach, I'd be happy with that (as long as the dollars were close - and looking at that link someone provided, they aren't far off from what Tubby was being paid). I don't know, maybe these guys are more "gamblin' men" than I am, but it's not like Florida and Ohio State are Div III schools or anything.

Having said all of that, I am not a basketball fan. I never played basketball, hardly ever watch basketball and generally (w/the exception of March Madness) could care less about basketball. If I changed this over to football, I could see a coach at a good football school, say Wisconsin, very much wanting to move to a school like Notre Dame, or Florida, or USC, or Ohio St., or Michigan. So maybe it is that you just need to have a basketball background to understand the significance of the UK coaching position vs all other "big schools having success" around the country...

[Puffy]

Originally Posted by flyer85

but a great recruiter/coach(like Pitino was) could win a number of NCAA titles. Not many schools afford that opportunity.

If Pitino had stayed at UK I believe he would have had at least 4 titles by now.

Not picking on you but 4 more titles by now is a little overboard on the hyperbole dontcha think?

Coach K doesn't yet have 4 at Duke, Roy Williams has 1 at Kansas and UNC, Bobby Knight didn't win 4 total at Indiana

[Blimpie]

Good move for Tubby. Great hire by Minnesota.

No way on God's green Earth will Travis Ford be the next coach at UK. He has never done anything to warrant a head coaching job of this magnitude.

Pedigree is nice, but it only serves to perpetuate lore. UK has not hired a "pedigree" head coach since Joe B. Hall.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by Puffy

Not picking on you but 4 more titles by now is a little overboard on the hyperbole dontcha think?

I meant 4 overall. He won one, Tubby won the next year after he left(98), I think Pitino would have won that as well. Pitino also lost an OT final to Arizona while he was there. I think 2 additional titles in the last 9 years would not have been a stretch had Pitino stayed.

Pitino had set up the UK for one of the great all-time runs. They played in three championship games in a row(96-98) and won two of them and only lost in OT to a loaded Arizona team.

Pitino's biggest mistake was leaving UK.

[Heath]

If Thad Matta headed to UK, John Groce would get the nod at Ohio State.

Would Rick Majerus be interested?

[Blimpie]

Originally Posted by flyer85

I meant 4 overall. He won one, Tubby won the next year(98), I think Pitino would have won that as well. Pitino also lost an OT final to Arizona while he was there. I think 2 additional titles in the last 9 years would not have been a stretch had Pitino stayed.

I can think of at least two games in the 1998 tourney run in which Tubby's coaching tactics single-handedly were responsible for UK winning. Those games would not have been won if Pitino was holding the clipboard IMO...

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by Heath

If Thad Matta headed to UK, John Groce would get the nod at Ohio State.

Would Rick Majerus be interested?

You think OSU would hire a guy with no head coaching experience?

Majerus is interested wherever food is served.

[Sweetstop]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

I'm not trying to compare history, tradition, any of that stuff because I think we'll all agree that they're not even close.

What I'm saying is that currently both of those coaches (Matta and Donovan) are running Top 5 programs in the nation. They've built those programs. I guess there could be intrigue there to move to a "history rich" program like UK and try to build that program back up, so I could see that being an argument for them taking the job, but what if they don't experience immediate success? What if it takes 4-5 years and then, they are only considered an "above average" basketball program? The UK fans will be all over them, calling for their heads. Donovan and Matta are both seen as gods in their current situations. If I was a coach, I'd be happy with that (as long as the dollars were close - and looking at that link someone provided, they aren't far off from what Tubby was being paid). I don't know, maybe these guys are more "gamblin' men" than I am, but it's not like Florida and Ohio State are Div III schools or anything.

I agree w/ everything you just said here, RL. I can't imagine Matta or Donovan wanting to leave the top programs they've built to come to a pressure-cooker job like KY's. I think it would be foolish. I guess stranger things have happened though.

[Sweetstop]

Originally Posted by dabvu2498

Majerus is interested wherever food is served.