I was thinking the same thing considering he is unemployed right now.
Asst coach discussion
- Thread starter gman
- Start date
[/quote]redfan259999888
Active member
[quote="panther2" post=347288]Coach Anderson appears to be taking his time with this decision which is very understandable. Whatever happens at St Johns will define his legacy as a Coach. It will also have have significant impact on St Johns basketball going forward. For all of those wondering why he has not named his assistants, I would advise you to be patient. One or two weekends during the Spring is not going to destroy our program.
All of us when making career or hiring decisions take our time and give careful consideration to our options. Why should we expect anything less from him. Have heard that he has interviewed and consulted with multiple people. Coach Anderson has been on the job less than two weeks and "we" want him to name assistants that meet "our" timeline, lmao.
Let's let Coach Anderson do his job. There is a reason why he is the Coach and we ain't.[/quote]
I guess my post never posted.
Cma should hire panther, he'd make a killing recruiting.
? Ok i tried to put a smile there 3 times, and 3 times it gives a question mark.
Pos android
All of us when making career or hiring decisions take our time and give careful consideration to our options. Why should we expect anything less from him. Have heard that he has interviewed and consulted with multiple people. Coach Anderson has been on the job less than two weeks and "we" want him to name assistants that meet "our" timeline, lmao.
Let's let Coach Anderson do his job. There is a reason why he is the Coach and we ain't.[/quote]
I guess my post never posted.
Cma should hire panther, he'd make a killing recruiting.
? Ok i tried to put a smile there 3 times, and 3 times it gives a question mark.
Pos android
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[quote="Paultzman" post=347647][quote="gman" post=347644][quote="Knight" post=347642]Borland still in the mix?[/quote]
I hope so. I say get a dobo hired and elevate him for recruiting until Borland can join. It not, CMA seems to be thoughtful and I’m sure he will find a good 3rd assistant.[/quote]
Doubt Borman is still in mix, but we’ll see.[/quote]
Borman and Hsu were obviously mentioned well before we even had a head coach. It seems apparent MA is a man who is going to hire HIS staff. I do not think Borman is coming. We finally have a coach with.........well, we all know the punch line to the Fraschilla story. We finally have a coach who knows what HE is doing. It appears the SJU Mom and Poppers can sit back and watch how a pro does it.
I hope so. I say get a dobo hired and elevate him for recruiting until Borland can join. It not, CMA seems to be thoughtful and I’m sure he will find a good 3rd assistant.[/quote]
Doubt Borman is still in mix, but we’ll see.[/quote]
Borman and Hsu were obviously mentioned well before we even had a head coach. It seems apparent MA is a man who is going to hire HIS staff. I do not think Borman is coming. We finally have a coach with.........well, we all know the punch line to the Fraschilla story. We finally have a coach who knows what HE is doing. It appears the SJU Mom and Poppers can sit back and watch how a pro does it.
boo haarvey
Active member
[quote="Logen" post=347705][quote="Paultzman" post=347647][quote="gman" post=347644][quote="Knight" post=347642]Borland still in the mix?[/quote]
I hope so. I say get a dobo hired and elevate him for recruiting until Borland can join. It not, CMA seems to be thoughtful and I’m sure he will find a good 3rd assistant.[/quote]
Doubt Borman is still in mix, but we’ll see.[/quote]
Borman and Hsu were obviously mentioned well before we even had a head coach. It seems apparent MA is a man who is going to hire HIS staff. I do not think Borman is coming. We finally have a coach with.........well, we all know the punch line to the Fraschilla story. We finally have a coach who knows what HE is doing. It appears the SJU Mom and Poppers can sit back and watch how a pro does it.[/quote]
I can’t help but read these posts and be reminded of the similar comments during the last two hires (Lavin and Mullin). I guess there is nothing wrong with healthy optimism following a new start. For my part, I will watch with a healthy dose of skepticism. Let’s see how the staff, once assembled, recruits, coaches and develops players. There is a lot of work to be done.
I hope so. I say get a dobo hired and elevate him for recruiting until Borland can join. It not, CMA seems to be thoughtful and I’m sure he will find a good 3rd assistant.[/quote]
Doubt Borman is still in mix, but we’ll see.[/quote]
Borman and Hsu were obviously mentioned well before we even had a head coach. It seems apparent MA is a man who is going to hire HIS staff. I do not think Borman is coming. We finally have a coach with.........well, we all know the punch line to the Fraschilla story. We finally have a coach who knows what HE is doing. It appears the SJU Mom and Poppers can sit back and watch how a pro does it.[/quote]
I can’t help but read these posts and be reminded of the similar comments during the last two hires (Lavin and Mullin). I guess there is nothing wrong with healthy optimism following a new start. For my part, I will watch with a healthy dose of skepticism. Let’s see how the staff, once assembled, recruits, coaches and develops players. There is a lot of work to be done.
[quote="Boo Harvey" post=347713][quote="Logen" post=347705][quote="Paultzman" post=347647][quote="gman" post=347644][quote="Knight" post=347642]Borland still in the mix?[/quote]
I hope so. I say get a dobo hired and elevate him for recruiting until Borland can join. It not, CMA seems to be thoughtful and I’m sure he will find a good 3rd assistant.[/quote]
Doubt Borman is still in mix, but we’ll see.[/quote]
Borman and Hsu were obviously mentioned well before we even had a head coach. It seems apparent MA is a man who is going to hire HIS staff. I do not think Borman is coming. We finally have a coach with.........well, we all know the punch line to the Fraschilla story. We finally have a coach who knows what HE is doing. It appears the SJU Mom and Poppers can sit back and watch how a pro does it.[/quote]
I can’t help but read these posts and be reminded of the similar comments during the last two hires (Lavin and Mullin). I guess there is nothing wrong with healthy optimism following a new start. For my part, I will watch with a healthy dose of skepticism. Let’s see how the staff, once assembled, recruits, coaches and develops players. There is a lot of work to be done.[/quote]
Except I am talking a specific. Word was MA was handed Borman and Hsu by the powers that be or “would be”, got the job and said “no thanks”. Of course there is work to be done and water is wet. I am not predicting how things will play out I am reacting to what is happening. I very much like what I am seeing, nothing more, nothing less.
I hope so. I say get a dobo hired and elevate him for recruiting until Borland can join. It not, CMA seems to be thoughtful and I’m sure he will find a good 3rd assistant.[/quote]
Doubt Borman is still in mix, but we’ll see.[/quote]
Borman and Hsu were obviously mentioned well before we even had a head coach. It seems apparent MA is a man who is going to hire HIS staff. I do not think Borman is coming. We finally have a coach with.........well, we all know the punch line to the Fraschilla story. We finally have a coach who knows what HE is doing. It appears the SJU Mom and Poppers can sit back and watch how a pro does it.[/quote]
I can’t help but read these posts and be reminded of the similar comments during the last two hires (Lavin and Mullin). I guess there is nothing wrong with healthy optimism following a new start. For my part, I will watch with a healthy dose of skepticism. Let’s see how the staff, once assembled, recruits, coaches and develops players. There is a lot of work to be done.[/quote]
Except I am talking a specific. Word was MA was handed Borman and Hsu by the powers that be or “would be”, got the job and said “no thanks”. Of course there is work to be done and water is wet. I am not predicting how things will play out I am reacting to what is happening. I very much like what I am seeing, nothing more, nothing less.
[quote="Boo Harvey" post=347713][quote="Logen" post=347705][quote="Paultzman" post=347647][quote="gman" post=347644][quote="Knight" post=347642]Borland still in the mix?[/quote]
I hope so. I say get a dobo hired and elevate him for recruiting until Borland can join. It not, CMA seems to be thoughtful and I’m sure he will find a good 3rd assistant.[/quote]
Doubt Borman is still in mix, but we’ll see.[/quote]
Borman and Hsu were obviously mentioned well before we even had a head coach. It seems apparent MA is a man who is going to hire HIS staff. I do not think Borman is coming. We finally have a coach with.........well, we all know the punch line to the Fraschilla story. We finally have a coach who knows what HE is doing. It appears the SJU Mom and Poppers can sit back and watch how a pro does it.[/quote]
I can’t help but read these posts and be reminded of the similar comments during the last two hires (Lavin and Mullin). I guess there is nothing wrong with healthy optimism following a new start. For my part, I will watch with a healthy dose of skepticism. Let’s see how the staff, once assembled, recruits, coaches and develops players. There is a lot of work to be done.[/quote]
Difference is that Mike Anderson is closing in on 400 wins in the next year or two and built 3 separate programs, all very successful, with no losing seasons to his name. There’s something to be said for his resume’ when looking at what to expect.
. Lavin was out of coaching for years, and his track record was decent at UCLA, but they reeled in 5 star players left and right . Lavs did a decent job here, but took and entire year off and was derailed by a medical problem that left him mentally fragile after that and I’d say, not himself. In addition, he hired some dopey staff members as well.
Mullin has zero head coaching credentials and didn’t want to recruit, spending time between coasts. Norm before that had an awful record at Queens College. Certainly wouldn’t indicate he could be successful.
Jarvis had a nice resume’ and did a decent job here. He’s was just too smug, also didn’t like to recruit, and became a fat-cat when moving to NY, preferring a life of leisure.
Coach Anderson doesn’t seem to be any of those things and has an excellent track record of a given coaching, recruiting and work ethic. Just about every pundit in all spheres of media and cos hung have great things to say about him overall.
Agree that skepticism is a prudent approach. I do think we have been ruined psychologically by really bad hires in the past though. I also think our AD Cragg is a big help in all this and is gonna see us through the dark tunnel we’ve been living in as fans.
I hope so. I say get a dobo hired and elevate him for recruiting until Borland can join. It not, CMA seems to be thoughtful and I’m sure he will find a good 3rd assistant.[/quote]
Doubt Borman is still in mix, but we’ll see.[/quote]
Borman and Hsu were obviously mentioned well before we even had a head coach. It seems apparent MA is a man who is going to hire HIS staff. I do not think Borman is coming. We finally have a coach with.........well, we all know the punch line to the Fraschilla story. We finally have a coach who knows what HE is doing. It appears the SJU Mom and Poppers can sit back and watch how a pro does it.[/quote]
I can’t help but read these posts and be reminded of the similar comments during the last two hires (Lavin and Mullin). I guess there is nothing wrong with healthy optimism following a new start. For my part, I will watch with a healthy dose of skepticism. Let’s see how the staff, once assembled, recruits, coaches and develops players. There is a lot of work to be done.[/quote]
Difference is that Mike Anderson is closing in on 400 wins in the next year or two and built 3 separate programs, all very successful, with no losing seasons to his name. There’s something to be said for his resume’ when looking at what to expect.
. Lavin was out of coaching for years, and his track record was decent at UCLA, but they reeled in 5 star players left and right . Lavs did a decent job here, but took and entire year off and was derailed by a medical problem that left him mentally fragile after that and I’d say, not himself. In addition, he hired some dopey staff members as well.
Mullin has zero head coaching credentials and didn’t want to recruit, spending time between coasts. Norm before that had an awful record at Queens College. Certainly wouldn’t indicate he could be successful.
Jarvis had a nice resume’ and did a decent job here. He’s was just too smug, also didn’t like to recruit, and became a fat-cat when moving to NY, preferring a life of leisure.
Coach Anderson doesn’t seem to be any of those things and has an excellent track record of a given coaching, recruiting and work ethic. Just about every pundit in all spheres of media and cos hung have great things to say about him overall.
Agree that skepticism is a prudent approach. I do think we have been ruined psychologically by really bad hires in the past though. I also think our AD Cragg is a big help in all this and is gonna see us through the dark tunnel we’ve been living in as fans.
SeattleJohnny
Well-known member
MarkRedman
Well-known member
[quote="mkras99" post=348158][quote="Paultzman" post=348156]Zach B
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
I like it.[/quote]
Must say I'm unfamiliar with the name, except 'Esposito' would ring faint bells to any NY native. Lol.
Sense he's got a good resume. Great to see another guy with solid NY Metro roots.
Figure CMA and TJC know the southern and SW scenes cold.
Interesting that one doesn't hear much about what CMA & Staff are up to, until it's late in the process.
Refreshing.
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
I like it.[/quote]
Must say I'm unfamiliar with the name, except 'Esposito' would ring faint bells to any NY native. Lol.
Sense he's got a good resume. Great to see another guy with solid NY Metro roots.
Figure CMA and TJC know the southern and SW scenes cold.
Interesting that one doesn't hear much about what CMA & Staff are up to, until it's late in the process.
Refreshing.
[quote="Paultzman" post=348156]Zach B
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.
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Moose
Well-known member
[quote="SJU61982" post=348161][quote="Paultzman" post=348156]Zach B
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.[/quote]
His time at Kentucky was disappointing?
He made the tournament every single year.
10 years. 10 tournaments. Always made 2nd round at min.
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.[/quote]
His time at Kentucky was disappointing?
He made the tournament every single year.
10 years. 10 tournaments. Always made 2nd round at min.
[quote="SJU61982" post=348161][quote="Paultzman" post=348156]Zach B
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.[/quote]
Why should Esposito have a strike against him because he worked with Tubby Smith? Because you lost respect for Tubby because he won with Pitino's players at Kentucky, and then couldn't sustain what he did at Kentucky earlier? That kinda sounds like a non sequitur.
By the way, Tubby did take Kentucky to two Elite 8's, and first place finishes in the SEC, without the aide of Pitino's recruits.
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.[/quote]
Why should Esposito have a strike against him because he worked with Tubby Smith? Because you lost respect for Tubby because he won with Pitino's players at Kentucky, and then couldn't sustain what he did at Kentucky earlier? That kinda sounds like a non sequitur.
By the way, Tubby did take Kentucky to two Elite 8's, and first place finishes in the SEC, without the aide of Pitino's recruits.
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SeattleJohnny
Well-known member
He was last at UNLV - I wonder if this would help with Ntambwe
[quote="Moose" post=348162][quote="SJU61982" post=348161][quote="Paultzman" post=348156]Zach B
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.[/quote]
His time at Kentucky was disappointing?
He made the tournament every single year.
10 years. 10 tournaments. Always made 2nd round at min.[/quote]
Kentucky is a program.
Unless they bring in someone grossly incompetent (who would never get to stay that long anyway - see Billy Gillespie), they will always be good, and most years, great. Every coach they have had, has had some level of success there. Kansas and UNC are two other examples (Doherty, again, was let go once he started staining the program - they didn't wait it out, and his replacement has won more national titles at UNC then the great Dean Smith did).
It's not like UCONN, which was a national power under Calhoun, but garbage before and after he was there. Ditto John Calipari at UMASS, who built that program from the ground up, and now, nobody even knows that it exists.
Smith's record at Minnesota, Texas Tech, and Memphis was very underwhelming (although he didn't get much of a chance with the Tigers, once they realized that they could get Penny Hardaway's entire AAU team, if they brought him on as a coach).
All four of those fanbases, on the whole, were not sad to see Smith go. They didn't even give him the treatment that Arkansas fans have given Mike Anderson (I do believe they are genuine, BTW, when it comes to CMA). Heck, Minnesota fired him after he won a game in the NCAA Tournament, and nobody credible had any problem with that. That says something to me.
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.[/quote]
His time at Kentucky was disappointing?
He made the tournament every single year.
10 years. 10 tournaments. Always made 2nd round at min.[/quote]
Kentucky is a program.
Unless they bring in someone grossly incompetent (who would never get to stay that long anyway - see Billy Gillespie), they will always be good, and most years, great. Every coach they have had, has had some level of success there. Kansas and UNC are two other examples (Doherty, again, was let go once he started staining the program - they didn't wait it out, and his replacement has won more national titles at UNC then the great Dean Smith did).
It's not like UCONN, which was a national power under Calhoun, but garbage before and after he was there. Ditto John Calipari at UMASS, who built that program from the ground up, and now, nobody even knows that it exists.
Smith's record at Minnesota, Texas Tech, and Memphis was very underwhelming (although he didn't get much of a chance with the Tigers, once they realized that they could get Penny Hardaway's entire AAU team, if they brought him on as a coach).
All four of those fanbases, on the whole, were not sad to see Smith go. They didn't even give him the treatment that Arkansas fans have given Mike Anderson (I do believe they are genuine, BTW, when it comes to CMA). Heck, Minnesota fired him after he won a game in the NCAA Tournament, and nobody credible had any problem with that. That says something to me.
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Moose
Well-known member
[quote="SJU61982" post=348168][quote="Moose" post=348162][quote="SJU61982" post=348161][quote="Paultzman" post=348156]Zach B
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.[/quote]
His time at Kentucky was disappointing?
He made the tournament every single year.
10 years. 10 tournaments. Always made 2nd round at min.[/quote]
Kentucky is a program.
Unless they bring in someone grossly incompetent (who would never get to stay that long anyway - see Billy Gillespie), they will always be good, and most years, great. Every coach they have had, has had some level of success there. Kansas and UNC are two other examples (Doherty, again, was let go once he started staining the program - they didn't wait it out, and his replacement has won more national titles at UNC then the great Dean Smith did).
It's not like UCONN, which was a national power under Calhoun, but garbage before and after he was there. Ditto John Calipari at UMASS, who built that program from the ground up, and now, nobody even knows that it exists.
Smith's record at Minnesota, Texas Tech, and Memphis was very underwhelming (although he didn't get much of a chance with the Tigers, once they realized that they could get Penny Hardaway's entire AAU team, if they brought him on as a coach).
All four of those fanbases, on the whole, were not sad to see Smith go. They didn't even give him the treatment that Arkansas fans have given Mike Anderson (I do believe they are genuine, BTW, when it comes to CMA). Heck, Minnesota fired him after he won a game in the NCAA Tournament, and nobody credible had any problem with that. That says something to me.[/quote]
I'm only focusing on his Kentucky time. Lets be fair Kentucky has had 7 coaches in the modern era. 6 after Rupp. All of them won 75% of their games except Gillespe and even Eddie Sutton failed to win 75% of his games.
Rupp 82%
Pitino 81%
Cal 81%
Tubby 76%
Hall 75%
Sutton 69%
Gillespie 60%
His starts at Tulsa and UGA were tremendous as well. His time post Kentucky hasn't been great. At Minny he still won 60% of his games. And made the dance in half his time pretty much. Since then it looks like he's almost burnt out. I don't know the ins and outs of what troubles he had but I think you are greatly diminishing his time at Kentucky. Winning 76% of his games is no laughing matter. Lots of coaches could have taken Pitino's players and done squat with them. He didn't.
Hearing former Memphis, Texas Tech and Minnesota assistant coach Joe Esposito in mix for last spot on Mike Anderson’s staff. Bronx native who went to Marist. #sjubb[/quote]
Obviously, he has worked with Tubby Smith in the past.
Tubby is the only national championship winning coach who's accomplishment's I can't respect (talking on-the-court reasons here only). Inherited Rick Pitino's very talented group, won with it (give him credit for that), then rode it through many disappointing finishes at Kentucky, and the three schools above.
Maybe this guy is a great coach, and is a great recruiter (I hope so), but because of who he's been associated with in the past, he's going to have a strike against him, at least from me, right at the start.[/quote]
His time at Kentucky was disappointing?
He made the tournament every single year.
10 years. 10 tournaments. Always made 2nd round at min.[/quote]
Kentucky is a program.
Unless they bring in someone grossly incompetent (who would never get to stay that long anyway - see Billy Gillespie), they will always be good, and most years, great. Every coach they have had, has had some level of success there. Kansas and UNC are two other examples (Doherty, again, was let go once he started staining the program - they didn't wait it out, and his replacement has won more national titles at UNC then the great Dean Smith did).
It's not like UCONN, which was a national power under Calhoun, but garbage before and after he was there. Ditto John Calipari at UMASS, who built that program from the ground up, and now, nobody even knows that it exists.
Smith's record at Minnesota, Texas Tech, and Memphis was very underwhelming (although he didn't get much of a chance with the Tigers, once they realized that they could get Penny Hardaway's entire AAU team, if they brought him on as a coach).
All four of those fanbases, on the whole, were not sad to see Smith go. They didn't even give him the treatment that Arkansas fans have given Mike Anderson (I do believe they are genuine, BTW, when it comes to CMA). Heck, Minnesota fired him after he won a game in the NCAA Tournament, and nobody credible had any problem with that. That says something to me.[/quote]
I'm only focusing on his Kentucky time. Lets be fair Kentucky has had 7 coaches in the modern era. 6 after Rupp. All of them won 75% of their games except Gillespe and even Eddie Sutton failed to win 75% of his games.
Rupp 82%
Pitino 81%
Cal 81%
Tubby 76%
Hall 75%
Sutton 69%
Gillespie 60%
His starts at Tulsa and UGA were tremendous as well. His time post Kentucky hasn't been great. At Minny he still won 60% of his games. And made the dance in half his time pretty much. Since then it looks like he's almost burnt out. I don't know the ins and outs of what troubles he had but I think you are greatly diminishing his time at Kentucky. Winning 76% of his games is no laughing matter. Lots of coaches could have taken Pitino's players and done squat with them. He didn't.