2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

[Razor Shines]

Is Stevens going to be doing Amex commercials?

You bet, if he can get them.

[macro]

I'm sure Rick Barnes will withdraw his name from consideration, if he had an offer or not.

:lol:

I haven't cared for Barnes ever since he did that and I think he made it clear twice in three years that he wasn't interested in coaching at Kentucky. Hopefully he won't get another chance to "turn the job down" for a long time.

[WVRed]

:lol:

I haven't cared for Barnes ever since he did that and I think he made it clear twice in three years that he wasn't interested in coaching at Kentucky. Hopefully he won't get another chance to "turn the job down" for a long time.

Difference is, Barnes is from North Carolina. I think he would be more likely to listen.

I do agree though, especially since he was never actually offered and only used it to get a raise in Austin both times.

[Razor Shines]

Stevens signs a 12 year extension with Butler.

http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2009-10/releases/040810aaa

[gilpdawg]

I'd be surprised if Stevens stays there the length of that contract. He'll have a huge buyout now though.

[Hoosier Red]

I'd be surprised if Stevens stays there the length of that contract. He'll have a huge buyout now though.

The length of the contract is mainly ceremonial. He was "under contract" for the next season so it's not like he needed to be renewed for Butler to lock him up. What it means is he's not going anywhere this year. Every time a big school calls him at the end of the season, he'll probably get another extension.

[WMR]

Anyone know whether or not he gives the vibe that he'd be amenable to spending his entire career at Butler? He could build something very impressive there.

[Hoosier Red]

It's hard to say WMR. I've speculated that a finals run takes him out of the running for most jobs that someone from Butler goes to.

He'd have no reason to go to Nebraska(like Collier) Xavier(like Matta) or Iowa(Lickliter.) Butler is already as prestigious as those programs if not more.
He doesn't need to go to stepping stone program.

Really he's going to be on the short list for any job he wanted but short of say Kansas, Kentucky or IU, I'm not sure where would be a definitive step up for him at this point.

Wake Forest would have been an interesting case because they have basketball tradition(were #1 just a few years ago) but are clearly a step down in prestige from Duke and UNC.

[WMR]

Yanno... just thinking about it a little more, can you REALLY see him saying no to one of the blueblood programs (UCLA, Kansas, Kentucky, UNC, Duke)? The Hoosiers have much deeper pockets than Butler... maybe they get some of their rich alumnus together and put together a Calipari-level deal... Butler can't pay their basketball coach 4.5 million per season, they just can't.

It's amusing to now see the Memphis fans who have totally cursed the name Calipari--the same fans who would still be idolizing him to this day if he hadn't accepted his dream job--so completely embrace Josh Pastner. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Kentucky came and claimed another coach from them ten years from now.

[Razor Shines]

It's hard to say WMR. I've speculated that a finals run takes him out of the running for most jobs that someone from Butler goes to.

He'd have no reason to go to Nebraska(like Collier) Xavier(like Matta) or Iowa(Lickliter.) Butler is already as prestigious as those programs if not more.
He doesn't need to go to stepping stone program.

Really he's going to be on the short list for any job he wanted but short of say Kansas, Kentucky or IU, I'm not sure where would be a definitive step up for him at this point.

Wake Forest would have been an interesting case because they have basketball tradition(were #1 just a few years ago) but are clearly a step down in prestige from Duke and UNC.

I agree I don't see him leaving unless it's for a "destination" job, but those jobs don't open up every year. I know some of my friends are saying that since he didn't leave this year he won't leave at all. I disagree with them though, I still think there's a good possibility he would leave but this year the right job wasn't open.

And it may be several years before that right job opens up and maybe by that time he'll have built Butler into something that will keep him in Indy.

[Hoosier Red]

Yanno... just thinking about it a little more, can you REALLY see him saying no to one of the blueblood programs (UCLA, Kansas, Kentucky, UNC, Duke)? The Hoosiers have much deeper pockets than Butler... maybe they get some of their rich alumnus together and put together a Calipari-level deal... Butler can't pay their basketball coach 4.5 million per season, they just can't.

It's amusing to now see the Memphis fans who have totally cursed the name Calipari--the same fans who would still be idolizing him to this day if he hadn't accepted his dream job--so completely embrace Josh Pastner. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Kentucky came and claimed another coach from them ten years from now.

Well as I mentioned Kansas, Kentucky and IU i'd say yeah he'd probably leave for a job like that if offered. I didn't mention UNC, Duke or UCLA because he's not from the area so they may not be as good of fits.

My point was that there are no more stepping stones for him. It's like when Huggins had so much success in 92-93 with UC. After that the only jobs he was mentioned being in the running for were WVa(his Alma Mater) and the NBA jobs. At the time the true Blue Blood programs only had two coaching changes(Smith for Pitino and Lavin for Harrick) As I understand it, neither looked at Huggins very closely.

But the point of my rambling is this. Unless the university is offering so much more money than Butler, there's no reason for Stevens to go to a Texas A&M, a Oklahoma State, a Purdue(not that Painter's going anywhere) a Michigan, etc.... His program has acheived more than those programs have in the past 10 years.
Possible locations I could see it making sense for him to go:

Kansas
Michigan State
Kentucky
Indiana(only for local ties, I acknowledge they're not on the list otherwise)
Duke
North Carolina
UCLA
The Ohio State University(just because they can pay an insane amount of money)
Texas(See above: these two universities have the financial resources that dwarf pretty much everyone else. Plus unlike SEC schools not named Kentucky, they actually care about basketball.)


Now tell me when the coaches from one of those programs is leaving.

[Boston Red]

Butler's not as prestigious as Xavier based on one Final Four run. But you're right that if Mack were to leave Xavier Stevens isn't going to leave Butler for Xavier now. Things have definitely changed since Matta left.

[Hoosier Red]

Butler's not as prestigious as Xavier based on one Final Four run. But you're right that if Mack were to leave Xavier Stevens isn't going to leave Butler for Xavier now. Things have definitely changed since Matta left.

Ya know what I find amusing? How getting to the Championship game is seen as no more of an accomplishment than the final four. It's like there's the Champion and three runners up.

Not a complaint just an observation.

I agree with your overall point. If Butler and Xavier both came open tomorrow. Xavier would still be able to attract a better coach. Let's face it a lot of jobs around the country would make that claim against Butler. However, none of them are a big enough jump to have value to someone who's already proven that he can in fact get to the final four at Butler.

I think the list of schools I mentioned is a big enough jump. Anyone off the list I just dont' see it.

[WVRed]

Kansas
Michigan State
Kentucky
Indiana(only for local ties, I acknowledge they're not on the list otherwise)
Duke
North Carolina
UCLA
The Ohio State University(just because they can pay an insane amount of money)
Texas(See above: these two universities have the financial resources that dwarf pretty much everyone else. Plus unlike SEC schools not named Kentucky, they actually care about basketball.)


Now tell me when the coaches from one of those programs is leaving.

I mentioned Indiana on another board and I could see that being a real possibility in a couple of seasons if the fans get impatient waiting on Crean to turn things around. I ultimately think Crean will and he is one of the better in-game coaches in the nation, but he is having to rebuild from the ground up. IU right now IMO is the 4th best program in the entire state (Butler, Purdue, and Notre Dame are better).

UCLA maybe, but I doubt it. Ben Howland is like Billy Donovan, he is going to get a break for his past success even if he has fallen on hard times right now. Then again, the entire Pac-10 is down.

Texas could be interesting for another reason. Rick Barnes is a North Carolina native and has been mentioned as a possibility at Wake Forest. If he would decide to leave, Texas could make a run at Stevens. I doubt either happens though.

Actually, nevermind. I've been told that Rick Barnes has withdrew his name from the Wake Forest coaching search.

[15fan]

And it may be several years before that right job opens up and maybe by that time he'll have built Butler into something that will keep him in Indy.

I'm with you. It's kind of like what Mark Few has going at Gonzaga. His name now gets him into the living rooms of a ton of recruits. They play a bunch of big names in the out of conference porition of the schedule, which gets them on tv a lot. Then they get to roll through their conference, which pretty much guarantees they'll get a solid seed each year in the NCAAs.

And in all of that, Few (and likely Stevens) don't have to worry as much about delusional fan bases demanding Final Fours every year. They get to coach good kids who generally want to go to class and play college ball for 4 years. They're kids who come in with a chip on their shoulders because they weren't courted by the big dogs. The coaches can develop players over time and not have to worry about kids jumping to the NBA after a year or two.

For Stevens, he also has the upside of being in hoops happy country. If all he ever does is recruit Indiana and the bordering states, he has a tremendous amount of talent within driving distance of Indy.

Staying, at least for a while, makes a lot of sense.

[WMR]

If Texas ever got a real coach who could do more than recruit they would be a monster.

Of course, as I type that, they're supposed to have another top 10 team next season. We'll see I guess.

[Revering4Blue]

- Wake Forest has targeted Colorado's Jeff Bzdelik to replace Dino Gaudio. Sources indicate it could be done within the next day or two.

- Clemson has, according to sources, spoken to ex-Boston College coach Al Skinner and Wright State's Brad Brownell. The Tigers have also reached out to Wofford's Mike Young - who went to the NCAA tournament this past season.

- Charlotte has tabbed Ohio State assistant Alan Major to replace Bobby Lutz. Major was the dark-horse in a group that also included Russell Springmann (Texas), Pat Kelsey (Wake Forest) and Joe Dooley (Kansas). Mike Hopkins, the future coach at Syracuse, turned down the gig.

http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/

[Hoosier Red]

I think Brownell would be a good hire for Clemson and I think he'd be wise to take it. The sheen has come off a little bit with Wright State not keeping up with Butler recently but he had a lot of success at UNC Wilmington.

[Revering4Blue]

I think Brownell would be a good hire for Clemson and I think he'd be wise to take it. The sheen has come off a little bit with Wright State not keeping up with Butler recently but he had a lot of success at UNC Wilmington.

I couldn't agree more.


Baylor coach Scott Drew spoke with Clemson officials earlier today, according to a source. He is believed to be interviewing for the position today along with Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel. :shocked:

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/apr/09/clemsons-search-mens-basketball-coach-heats/

[Revering4Blue]

Wake Forest will hire Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik to replace Dino Gaudio.

FOXSports.com reported that Bzdelik was the frontrunner on Friday and the two sides have agreed to a deal, according to multiple sources.

Bzdelik, 57, has been at Colorado for the past three years and spent two seasons in the NBA as the head coach of the Denver Nuggets from 2002-04.

He and Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman, a former college baseball coach, have a relationship that dates back to when both were at Northwestern.

Bzdelik's daughter also attends Wake Forest.

Prior to taking the Colorado job in 2007, Bzdelik compiled a 50-16 record in two seasons at Air Force from 2005-07 and went to the NCAA tournament.

Bzdelik has also been a college assistant at Davidson, Northwestern and UMBC and has been in the NBA as an assistant and scout for 15 years.

Bzdelik would take over a Wake Forest program that has lost three players early to the NBA in the last two seasons: James Johnson and Jeff Teague last year and Al-Farouq Aminu this year.

The front-runner to replace Bzdelik is Colorado assistant Steve McClain - a former head coach at Wyoming.

[Revering4Blue]

Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury is staying in Starkville.

According to multiple sources, Stansbury was targeted by Clemson and was set to accept the job, but a hefty buyout may have gotten in the way of Stansbury leaving for the ACC.


http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/

[bucksfan2]

Kansas
Michigan State
Kentucky
Indiana(only for local ties, I acknowledge they're not on the list otherwise)
Duke
North Carolina
UCLA
The Ohio State University(just because they can pay an insane amount of money)
Texas(See above: these two universities have the financial resources that dwarf pretty much everyone else. Plus unlike SEC schools not named Kentucky, they actually care about basketball.)

MSU is a coach right now. I wouldn't want to see that program without Izzo.

Indiana is also very interesting. They have been a disaster ever since Knight left. I don't see them as a top tier program anymore but that can always change.

OSU is not there just because of money. They have some of the best facilities in the game, NBA or College. Its one problem I have with their arena but prospects like that luxury.

Texas is in the same boat as OSU. Big AD budgets and great facilities.

[Hoosier Red]

MSU is a coach right now. I wouldn't want to see that program without Izzo.

Indiana is also very interesting. They have been a disaster ever since Knight left. I don't see them as a top tier program anymore but that can always change.

OSU is not there just because of money. They have some of the best facilities in the game, NBA or College. Its one problem I have with their arena but prospects like that luxury.

Texas is in the same boat as OSU. Big AD budgets and great facilities.

Obviously that's all related. tOSU and Texas both have enough money to build whatever a coach and recruits want and can spend as much money as they want on a coach. I simply listed them as programs that aren't considered blue bloods by reputation but as a program that has the resources to hire a top level coach.

Indiana has certainly fallen on hard times recently but its still the dominant team in Indiana in terms of fan support and coverage.

[WVRed]

MSU is a coach right now. I wouldn't want to see that program without Izzo.

Indiana is also very interesting. They have been a disaster ever since Knight left. I don't see them as a top tier program anymore but that can always change.

OSU is not there just because of money. They have some of the best facilities in the game, NBA or College. Its one problem I have with their arena but prospects like that luxury.

Texas is in the same boat as OSU. Big AD budgets and great facilities.

Just thinking off the top of my head, but didn't Ohio State play some games in Nationwide Arena?

If I were tOSU, I would look into securing a lease with the Blue Jackets for the arena. A new arena could be a major drawing tool to recruits. See Memphis and the FedExForum.

[paintmered]

Just thinking off the top of my head, but didn't Ohio State play some games in Nationwide Arena?

If I were tOSU, I would look into securing a lease with the Blue Jackets for the arena. A new arena could be a major drawing tool to recruits. See Memphis and the FedExForum.

:confused:

Ohio State doesn't have any trouble pulling in recruits and they play in a still new NBA style arena.

[WVRed]

:confused:

Ohio State doesn't have any trouble pulling in recruits and they play in a still new NBA style arena.

True. My point is though that if the Schott is the only complaint, there is a new arena in Columbus that has housed college basketball before.

[Razor Shines]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2010/news/story?id=5088162
Gordon Hayward declares for the draft. He didn't sign with an agent though. I'm kinda surprised by this one, I thought he'd be back for sure.

[dabvu2498]

True. My point is though that if the Schott is the only complaint, there is a new arena in Columbus that has housed college basketball before.


Just thinking off the top of my head, but didn't Ohio State play some games in Nationwide Arena?

If I were tOSU, I would look into securing a lease with the Blue Jackets for the arena. A new arena could be a major drawing tool to recruits. See Memphis and the FedExForum.

The complaints about the Schott are that it's TOO MUCH like an NBA arena. Not a very festive college atmosphere.

The place is a palace though. It sparkles from head to toe and I can't imagine an arena in the country with more amenities. It's just kind of a ho hum place once the game starts because it's so cavernous.

It's funny... My alma mater's high school girls team made the state tourney at the Schott this year and they had the entire upper deck curtained off. It made the place much more enjoyable.