Same reason with Medved. Same reason there is clamoring for Thorson and Dame Johnson to be brought in as assistant coaches.What is everyone's infatuation with Craig Smith?? I don't get it.
The one of us Minnesota angle.
Same reason with Medved. Same reason there is clamoring for Thorson and Dame Johnson to be brought in as assistant coaches.What is everyone's infatuation with Craig Smith?? I don't get it.
The MN tie is a bonus to me, not the main reason. It MAY help in local recruiting. For me, it's his track record. Career conference record of 109-49 at three stops. Hasn't stayed at a place long enough to see if he can sustain it with "his own" players, but the only demerit I can think of. Agree with BTP above that he's "gettable". Sitting here and saying let's go after guys like Mussleman are silly. He's making $2.5MM in his second year at an SEC school, where they are currently ranked. He's not coming here.It's the Minnesota angle. People get wrapped up in the notion that if someone who has some sort of emotional tie to the state or university, they will be more willing to stick around if they have great success. There's something to be said for knowing the area, the high schools and all that, but it's not the be-all, end-all.
Also, guys like that seem more "gettable" in the eyes of most.
There is literally zero chance of that happening. If Miles wanted to coach, he'd have a HC job at a lesser school in a heartbeat. Assuming he likes the low pressure of being a talking head and maybe waiting for a "good" job to come calling.
Belein is one of the best. However, I think we need a 15-20 year coach here. A builder.I would love to bring in John Bellien. Though, I think Pitino will be gifted one more chance next year if Carr returns they could have a decent squad with the development of Mashburn and it looks like Tre Williams may be coming into his own. Pitino will never get this team to the upper level of the BIG, though. That's been proven. They'll always be a mid-tier NCCA team or a bubble team and in the bottom-middle of a loaded BIG under Pitino. The real question is can the Gophers do any better than Pitino? I don't see Dutcher leaving his ranked squad in Sunny San Diego for Minnesota. Musselman, maybe, but I know he just took over at Arkansas which is arguably a better program than MN and ranked in the top-25 and trending upwards.
Belein is one of the best. However, I think we need a 15-20 year coach here. A builder.
Risky. I have no idea if he would succeed or not, but he would be every bit the risk Pitino was. Never a college head coach.Couldn't agree more with you there. They thought they had that in Pitino, but it's just too up and down with him. Would you think Ryan Saunders might be good? He is not going to cut it with the Wolves, but maybe a better college coach?
In the end, Coyle's phone will blow up for this job.Couldn't agree more with you there. They thought they had that in Pitino, but it's just too up and down with him. Would you think Ryan Saunders might be good? He is not going to cut it with the Wolves, but maybe a better college coach?
Maybe. But the Big Ten isn't a "learn on the job" kind of place. Go someplace else and prove you can win first.Couldn't agree more with you there. They thought they had that in Pitino, but it's just too up and down with him. Would you think Ryan Saunders might be good? He is not going to cut it with the Wolves, but maybe a better college coach?
In the end, Coyle's phone will blow up for this job.
I hope so! I am not sure how desirable frigid MN is. I live in AZ and it seems even ASU isn't that desirable for top level coaches and even in-state recruits. I think a lot of people think that because the Gophers are in the BIG it will attract top level talent and coaching. I think that narrative is false. I hope I am wrong though. We need to select the RIGHT coach this time and not take a huge gamble.
All I know is that he developed and coached up Liam Robbins big time. He came to the Gophers a very finished product.What about the guy that replaced Niko at Drake. Darian Devries. Hes won 20+ games with Drake since taking over the past 3 seasons. Midwest guy. I dont know much about him just know he's winning alot of games.
Risky. I have no idea if he would succeed or not, but he would be every bit the risk Pitino was. Never a college head coach.
Juwan Howard was never a HC, just an assistant for one team in the NBA. Some guys have it and some don't.Risky. I have no idea if he would succeed or not, but he would be every bit the risk Pitino was. Never a college head coach.
Wouldn't be a good hire IMO.
Saunders is similar to Pitino. No backbone with his players. They flat out don't listen to him. Once he is fired here, my guess is he never gets another head coaching job in his career.
Right...plus Coyle came from Syracuse which is a basketball school. I'm honestly surprised he didn't make a coaching change already having his connections and what not from before coming here.I'm guessing he had a short list before the season started, I think he said a good AD always has short lists for all sports, at all times.
Also I guess the back channel stuff is done via the agent who has an idea if their client's seat is hot and/or they'd be open for greener pastures.
This is a great name but I would think he is holding out for an ACC job.Wes Miller.
Come at me. This is the guy.
He arrived two months too late to do it in 2016. Then 2017 was a good year and 2018 had injuries. He was probably going to do it in 2019 but Pitino won just enough to save himself. Then COVID. And now here we are.Right...plus Coyle came from Syracuse which is a basketball school. I'm honestly surprised he didn't make a coaching change already having his connections and what not from before coming here.
Local ties help, but he's a top candidate for almost any power 5 job. He turned USD around and is doing very well at Utah State.It's the Minnesota angle. People get wrapped up in the notion that if someone who has some sort of emotional tie to the state or university, they will be more willing to stick around if they have great success. There's something to be said for knowing the area, the high schools and all that, but it's not the be-all, end-all.
Also, guys like that seem more "gettable" in the eyes of most.
Carr's not coming back next year. I'd say Carr, Gach, Johnson and Freeman are likely to leave if Pitino stays. He will be scrambling to fill at least 4 scholarships, 3 of them key players. It's very likely we will be worse next year, not better.I would love to bring in John Bellien. Though, I think Pitino will be gifted one more chance next year if Carr returns they could have a decent squad with the development of Mashburn and it looks like Tre Williams may be coming into his own. Pitino will never get this team to the upper level of the BIG, though. That's been proven. They'll always be a mid-tier NCCA team or a bubble team and in the bottom-middle of a loaded BIG under Pitino. The real question is can the Gophers do any better than Pitino? I don't see Dutcher leaving his ranked squad in Sunny San Diego for Minnesota. Musselman, maybe, but I know he just took over at Arkansas which is arguably a better program than MN and ranked in the top-25 and trending upwards.
This is the baseball analogy of letting the ball play you instead of playing the ball. It's Coyle's job to evaluate his staff, which needs to go deeper than looking at the standings.He arrived two months too late to do it in 2016. Then 2017 was a good year and 2018 had injuries. He was probably going to do it in 2019 but Pitino won just enough to save himself. Then COVID. And now here we are.
I know, really? Is it just me, but Saunders comes across as not very intelligent, (maybe even slow) in his interviews. As noted in another post, I doubt he ever lands another head coaching job again.I cannot believe Ryan Saunders is still the Timberwolves coach.
Least experienced, least qualified NBA basketball coach ever.
More puzzling is how much the NBA media is this town has never questioned his experience to gain the job, nor his ability to win games and why he is still coach.
Not sure I agree. Sometimes it's the hand your dealt. He couldn't help when he arrived in 2016. Firing Pitino in June would have put us in a tough spot finding a replacement. It's pretty hard to fire the B1G coach of the year so 2017 was out. And nothing could be done about COVID shutting everything down.This is the baseball analogy of letting the ball play you instead of playing the ball. It's Coyle's job to evaluate his staff, which needs to go deeper than looking at the standings.