Izzo: Dwayne Stephens has been involved in a coaching search

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GophersOnTheRise said:
Izzo would have gotten to the game whether he picked him up or not. Might as well just do it if you're friends.
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It was mostly a joke.

But I have tried cases against many of my friends and I don't pick them up and bring them to court. I know it's different and it was mostly tongue-in-cheek.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
It was mostly a joke.

But I have tried cases against many of my friends and I don't pick them up and bring them to court. I know it's different and it was mostly tongue-in-cheek.
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You are right - it is different. Adversarial lawyers get along with each other WAY BETTER than rival coaches after the same recruit.
 



GopherJake said:
Petty much, lugnut?
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He's 100% right.

Most of us all went to the same law schools and run in a relatively small circle of people. There are a few people I don't like, like anywhere, but think of the court room like arguing with a friend who is a Badger fan. You still like him, but don't F'n bring up that blocked punt.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
He's 100% right.

Most of us all went to the same law schools and run in a relatively small circle of people. There are a few people I don't like, like anywhere, but think of the court room like arguing with a friend who is a Badger fan. You still like him, but don't F'n bring up that blocked punt.
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I wasn't arguing the lawyer side of it. I saw A Few Good Men.
 

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PiPress: Gophers basketball: Hiring an assistant coach might not be out of the question

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said Tuesday, April 2, that his assistant Dwayne Stephens has been involved with a job opening, according to the Detroit Free Press.

"I've seen his name mentioned," Pulley said. "I wouldn't mind if he got the job here. I've known him for years. He's recruited a lot of my players."

"The Gophers tried to look at some of the up-and-coming head coaches from midmajor colleges -- and it didn't work," Pulley said. "When Flip turned it down, now we're down to looking at assistants because there just aren't many head coaches they can get with a great name who would resonate with players here (in Minnesota)."

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci...rce=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Go Gophers!!
 





Some Day...Is Coming! said:
Pretty sad if MN can't get a head coach to come here. Shows u the state of the program.
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It really does. Ten years ago who would have thought we couldn't get a coach from VCU or Butler? I've lost interest in who our next coach is, but we had better join the arms race in a big way.
 




Dwayne Stephens is not the answer, hopefully this is just speculation. Stephens is a horrible choice, similar to Wojo he is known for recruiting at a school that recruits itself.
 

Benadryl Brownies said:
Dwayne Stephens is not the answer, hopefully this is just speculation. Stephens is a horrible choice, similar to Wojo he is known for recruiting at a school that recruits itself.
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I don't know if hiring Stephens is a horrible choice. I agree that MSU recruits itself, Izzo is a top tier coach and many players, including Tyus have stated that they would love to play for him. That said, we have no idea if Stephens is horrible. There is no evidence to base this on as he has never held a head coaching job before. His ability to lead and coach has not been exposed yet. Until given an opportunity the best we can tell is that he is unproven. He could be a success or he could be a bust, only experience can define his abilities.
 

Blitzkrieg said:
I don't know if hiring Stephens is a horrible choice. I agree that MSU recruits itself, Izzo is a top tier coach and many players, including Tyus have stated that they would love to play for him. That said, we have no idea if Stephens is horrible. There is no evidence to base this on as he has never held a head coaching job before. His ability to lead and coach has not been exposed yet. Until given an opportunity the best we can tell is that he is unproven. He could be a success or he could be a bust, only experience can define his abilities.
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If he's such a great coach why hasn't he been able to get a head coaching job at a mid major by now?
 

mkAz said:
If he's such a great coach why hasn't he been able to get a head coaching job at a mid major by now?
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I didn't say he was a great coach, he hasn't been given the opportunity yet and he was just named associate head coach by Izzo in the past year. He's unproven so its difficult to assume anything at this point.
 

There is no evidence to base this on as he has never held a head coaching job before. His ability to lead and coach has not been exposed yet. Until given an opportunity the best we can tell is that he is unproven. He could be a success or he could be a bust, only experience can define his abilities.[/QUOTE]

...and it's too bad if we have to hire the "we have no idea coach". No head coaching experience or resume to look at. Plus, 15 years as an asst. coach??? That's a long time. I'd prefer someone who actually has some head coaching experience to look at. MN shouldn't be a program where you get your first ever head coaching try.
 

Some Day...Is Coming! said:
There is no evidence to base this on as he has never held a head coaching job before. His ability to lead and coach has not been exposed yet. Until given an opportunity the best we can tell is that he is unproven. He could be a success or he could be a bust, only experience can define his abilities.
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...and it's too bad if we have to hire the "we have no idea coach". No head coaching experience or resume to look at. Plus, 15 years as an asst. coach??? That's a long time. I'd prefer someone who actually has some head coaching experience to look at. MN shouldn't be a program where you get your first ever head coaching try.[/QUOTE]

I wont argue that the U should be able to land a stronger candidate. I think we can all agree that Minnesota deserves better. I was only replying to the statement that he would be a horrible coach. We don't know that. Your comment that the U shouldn't be a springboard for a new unproven coach is spot on. I also would hope we can do better.
 

To say that we couldn't get a head coach is just wrong. We could get any number of current head coaches... but there are only a few out there who have shown a track record that would indicate that they would succeed here.

And yes, the facilities are a huge issue. I hope the people who keep poo-pooing the idea of the players needing a practice facility are paying attention. They seem to have faded a bit, but at recently as this past summer, a fair contingent of this board looked at it as an excuse and a waste of money. We're in the best basketball conference in the country, and we're the only school without one. If we don't want to be a doormat, we need to fix that situation.

I know I'm preaching to the choir now on the practice facility issue, but as I said, it wasn't long ago that that was a fairly widely held opinion on this board, and it's still a very commonly held opinion in the general public.
 

I think college basketball has changed so much over the last few years. Mid majors have a chance to compete at a high level and can afford to pay a coach a million a year. It's not like in football where being a mid major like Boise State can limit your season. Hiring a good headcoach in basketball has gotten much tougher.
 

Isn't it possible that he's been offered head coaching jobs at smaller schools, but turned them down? Stephens is a MSU alumni. It's his old school and he is learning under a hall of fame coach. Maybe given the circumstances he doesn't want to leave unless it's the right offer? It's possible that he wants to take over for Izzo once he retires. Who knows. Also, he's not only known for recruiting. Draymond Green was a 3* coming out of high school (#122 overall on Rivals) and developed into arguably the best college basketball player in the country his senior year. Draymond himself credited Stephens for that development.
 

WolfontheProwl said:
I think college basketball has changed so much over the last few years. Mid majors have a chance to compete at a high level and can afford to pay a coach a million a year. It's not like in football where being a mid major like Boise State can limit your season. Hiring a good headcoach in basketball has gotten much tougher.
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Even midmajors in football are difficult. The Chris Petersens and Garry Pattersons of the world are staying (now TCU has elevated). I just think that the absurd amount of money that college athletics are bringing in is letting the smaller programs pay a ton. So the coaches have the job security that they wouldn't get at some BCS jobs and really good money.
 

Having the opportunity to learn under Izzo is one thing, but waiting for a decade to it, is another. The astronomical difference in salary alone is a pretty good argument for making the jump.
 

This one made me lolz

34 hours ago via 247Sports Mobile

"Hey Minny. Tell me how my ass taste."

Sincerely,
Tubby Smith
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
This one made me lolz

34 hours ago via 247Sports Mobile

"Hey Minny. Tell me how my ass taste."

Sincerely,
Tubby Smith
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Dear Tubby Smith:

Thanks for checking in. Can't report on how anything "tastes" as haven't had time to eat. Been busy trying to figure out what to do with all that empty and unused space you left in trophy case.

As ever,

Minny
 

How old is Stephens? If he's still relatively young it would make this hire more attractive. If he's in his 50s already I wouldn't be as excited. If he could pull in one of the Big 3, it would probably be enough to make me happy. He'd probably do wonders for Mo and EE as well.
 

MadtownGopher said:
How old is Stephens? If he's still relatively young it would make this hire more attractive. If he's in his 50s already I wouldn't be as excited. If he could pull in one of the Big 3, it would probably be enough to make me happy. He'd probably do wonders for Mo and EE as well.
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Not sure.. but I know he played college hoops around the same time I was in college.. early 1990's.. so he must be around 41 or 42. So I would say he is young!! :)
 

I didn't see his exact age, but he graduated from MSU in '93, so that would make him roughly 42.
 

Thanks. I'd be open to taking a flyer on him. All depends on what our "established head coaching" options are. Stephens would probably be #1 for assistant coaches.
 

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