Billy Donovan and UK...

[WMR]

Originally Posted by Chip R

How dare you suggest that Mark Few wouldn't take the UK job. You hate UK and all it stands for and are a boob.

Yeah that's exactly what I was saying.

[WMR]

Can we get some Troll-Raid for this thread?

[BRM]

Here's your guy WilyMo

[WMR]

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by macro

I just took a look at Rick Barnes' career record, since he's being touted by the media as the next choice, and I am UNIMPRESSED! What exactly has he done to deserve this status as the second choice?

Please, no Barnes!

He recruited Kevin Durant, TJ Ford, and LaMarcus Aldridge, among others.

That being said, he has no championships to show for it.

He is the anti-Tubby.

[paintmered]

Originally Posted by Joseph

I can't fault him for staying at a place he built, but in his lifetime it will never surpass what he could have done at UK.

There's something else besides winning consecutive championships?

[Reds4Life]

Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS

I think my top two choices are Mark Few and Tom Izzo.

As good as Mark Few has done recruiting at Gonzaga, hopefully he'd carry those west coast connections with him and hire some assistants who know the south.

Few is a life long west coaster, he ain't leaving. He's turned down several power conference jobs on the left coast in the past too.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by paintmered

There's something else besides winning consecutive championships?

What do Ed Jucker and Phil Woolpert have in common?

Now tell me, what does John Wooden, Coach K, and Adolph Rupp have in common?

Answer:All of these men have won back to back NCAA tournament titles. However, I would venture to say that if you asked most sports fans, nobody would be able to identify Jucker at UC or Woolpert at San Francisco.

Winning back to back national championships is great, but the program has a lot of bearing on who is remembered.

[paintmered]

Originally Posted by WVRed

What do Ed Jucker and Phil Woolpert have in common?

Now tell me, what does John Wooden, Coach K, and Adolph Rupp have in common?

Answer:All of these men have won back to back NCAA tournament titles. However, I would venture to say that if you asked most sports fans, nobody would be able to identify Jucker at UC or Woolpert at San Francisco.

Winning back to back national championships is great, but the program has a lot of bearing on who is remembered.

So if Coach K were to move to an SEC school not named Kentucky, he would be viewed in a lesser light? I think not. Likewise, the assumption that Donovan can't achieve that status while at Florida is wrong.

Coaches make the school in basketball, not the other way around.

[DTCromer]

Barnes is overrated. He's had so many athletes, yet so few big wins. You think UK is going to get on Tubby? Wait til Barnes is in his 4th year with top notch recruits and losing in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8.

[CrackerJack]

Originally Posted by WVRed

What do Ed Jucker and Phil Woolpert have in common?

Now tell me, what does John Wooden, Coach K, and Adolph Rupp have in common?

Answer:All of these men have won back to back NCAA tournament titles. However, I would venture to say that if you asked most sports fans, nobody would be able to identify Jucker at UC or Woolpert at San Francisco.

Winning back to back national championships is great, but the program has a lot of bearing on who is remembered.

Now if we would jump forward into our lifetimes, and a coach at a "lesser" school did this, most would indeed remember I think.

I think your point is that the UK fan base and Lexington would idolize him much more so than Florida fans will/would. You'd be suprised how little people care or pay attention to UK outside of Lexington or their fan base. Most people couldn't even tell you off the top of their head which year Tubby won a championship - or if he even did I'm guessing.

But at the same time, when Billy has a down season or two at Florida, as all coaches do no matter who they are or where they coach (see Duke lately) he won't be run out of town and lose sleep over it. Can't put a price on that, and even the illustrious UK can't replace the happiness and health of yourself and your family.

I recall Tubby's comment just after accepting the Minnesota job - indicating that he got a full night's sleep for the first time that he could remember. Who would want to live like that?

Honestly I cannot see why anyone would want the UK job these days. You can never satisfy the unrealistic and obsessive expectations of that fan base - a guy like Pitino was smart and left at the right time.

I went to school in Kentucky and lived with and hung out with UK fans left and right - and I know what it's like down there.

I honestly feel sorry for whomever takes that job right now.

[IslandRed]

I can really see both sides of this.

The truth of the matter is, with so much football money floating around and NCAA Tournament money out there and ESPN covering everyone that breathes, being a basketball school is no longer a prerequisite for building a top-tier basketball program. It helps, but it's not required. Having won back-to-back championships at Florida, it's hard to come up with a good reason why Donovan needs to go to UK or anywhere else.

At the same time, coaches at the top of the profession usually, eventually, end up at places that eat, sleep and breathe basketball just like they do, as opposed to a place where they slap you on the back, say "great job" and go back to talking about the football team. With the pressure and expectations of UK, UNC or Kansas comes the sort of ego-feeding 24/7/365 attention that some guys shrink from and others lap up.

[jmac]

Donovan made his choice knowing he was losing his starting 5.
The guy must really like Fla or he will be having a big extension announced shortly.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by DTCromer

Barnes is overrated. He's had so many athletes, yet so few big wins. You think UK is going to get on Tubby? Wait til Barnes is in his 4th year with top notch recruits and losing in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8.

I think there was another reason that people were quick to jump the gun on Tubby, but the Peanut Gallery would be the best place to talk about that elephant.

Barnes has already turned Kentucky down, so its a non issue now. I look for Crean or Few to be announced either tomorrow or next week.

[jmac]

For what it's worth :


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reported over the radio during the A&M baseball game:
"Dave South just read a release from Alan Cannon, indicating that at 7 pm, Mitch Barnhardt contacted Byrne and asked for permission to speak to Billy Gillispie. Byrne granted his request."


IMO.....this guy has the Crean's and Few's beat.