If you go back a few months, when there was talk of Butler joining the Big East, I posted multiple times that my concern over Butler was that should Stevens leave, the program would likely revert to just another mid major program. At the time I was concerned mostly about the UCLA job, with Howland on the ropes at the time. Those of you who follow these things more closely than I felt that he was locked in at Butler. I believe he had just signed a long term deal, however in college sports these deals tend to bind the school to a coach and not the other way around.
On an unrelated note, some of you are aware that since my son was 8 or so, I've written to former pro athletes and college basketball coaches around my son's birthday, asking them to send birthday greetings that I pre-stamp and address. Over that time, coaches like the late John Wooden, a healthier Dean Smith, Jim Boeheim, Rick Pitino, Coach Lou C. (of course), Jay Wright, even Norm and other have sent cards, many with warm greetings and notes of advice and encouragement. This year I wrote to Stevens, and did not hear back. That makes only three coaches over ten years - Stevens, John Thompson III, and Steve Lavin who couldn't find the time to sign a card and drop it in their outbox. At least Stevens had his mind in other places.
What a loss for the Big East, who certainly did not do sufficient due diligence before adding Butler, who now looks like an ugly duck in conference.
