Lots of interesting coaching news this week so I thought I would post and elicit your opinions on a few topics.
1. Jim Calhoun and Arizona Coaches
You probably have heard about the controversy which colored the Jim Calhoun's 800th college basketball victory. A few days before the game a reporter asked him if he would return some of his salary to the state of Connecticut to assist the state in its massive budget crisis. Calhoun blew up, asked the reporter to check his facts, then he quoted some incorrect facts and basically tried to shame the guy. From what I have read the reason Calhoun exploded is actually an issue of etiquette. Reporters are supposed to ask hard questions in personal interviews and not in front of a whole press core. Journalism conventions aside, I thought it was a fair question. You may have heard that coaches from publicly funded Arizona schools have been forced to take paycuts in order to meet the needs of their Universities. Now I am not suggesting that these Arizona coaches have the clout of Calhoun but what is the answer to this situation. Is this simple economics (best coaches have highest demand and therefore get paid the most) or are we in extraordinary times which demand fiscal sacrifice?
2. Russ Pennell Coach of the Year
If you would have told me at the beginning of the year that UofA interim head coach would be up for an award by the end of the season I would have guessed it would be the, "Best Home Haircut Award." But there has currently been a lot of discussion about him as a probable Pac-10 Coach of the Year. The justification being that he was given an impossible situation and has allowed the team to excel. The general consensus on the ASD (Arizona Sports Diaspora) has been that the Cats have been winning because of their talent and not their coaching but maybe we have missed something? Do you buy this?
3. New Arizona Coach
Aside from Reggie Theus, the former star of NBC's Mid-90s Teen Sit-Com "Hang Time," offering his services for the Arizona Wildcat Basketball Head Coaching vacancy, the AD's office has been predictably quiet about the possible new coach. I keep reading that Mark Few of Gonzaga is a more than likely candidate, which I fully support and Phil has suggested that Livengood should go after the coach of Maryland, Gary Williams. The local papers all want the coach to be combination of Sean Elliot, Steve Kerr and Josh Pastner. Personally I think the way that Kerr has screwed the Suns disqualifies that three headed beast. I don't want him any where near his alumna mater. As a long shot the Cats could keep Pennell in the Steve Lavin model if we were to make a long and successful tourney run. Who would you like to see as the new coach?
I would like to be coach and I would immediately put Tyler on scholarship to play the 2. Musa would be the third point guard off the bench so the crowd could cheer for him during our 40 point blow outs of UCLA and ASU. Now that the Walter Mitty moments has passed I think Few is the obvious choice but that could also turn into a Dirk Koetter like hire. Other than that I think you have to go to a young upward coach like Capel or someone like him.
ReplyDeleteI think Mike D'antoni would be fun to watch in college...
ReplyDeleteJaime Dixon would be awesome. He can recruit the West Coast and would have a natural rivalry with Howland, being his former assistant and all.
ReplyDeleteWhat would be particularly vengeful would be to take Herb Sendek from ASU. It's like saying, "Cool, congratulations for two above average years. We're going to take your coach because we're far and away a more superior program than yours. Go back to your hell hole." Then we fire him just because we can. Also because I think it's justifiable to hate that horrendous atrocity he calls an offense.
I would never be a Gumby, and I will not become the next Bagga. Put me in coach, I'm ready to play. Today. Look at me, I can play: Center.
You guys just haven't seen the post moves yet.