New coach search...
- Thread starter TIDE-HSV
- Start date
What does any of that have to do with being an AD? Now, I will say I have been critical of Battle since his hire...this isn't just a "well now he's done it" kind of thing. So, take that for what it's worth. Being successful in one aspect of the business world doesn't mean you're automatically a success at other things. Whether or not the rest of his tenure is a success or not, and I hope it is, to this point in THIS particular dealing...it has been a joke.
Moving on...
Signing day is April 15. That means as of this moment we have 13 days to try and secure a Coach, have him try and contact recruits to keep them on board, and hope to keep this clas together. That isn't very much time, so now this process needs to move quickly. Too much time has been wasted already, and unless you concede that this year is a throwaway you've got to act. I won't rehash candidates AGAIN, as I think I (and most everyone else) has been through that multiple times. I will address a couple that people have thrown out there this morning.
Avery Johnson - While I have always liked Avery Johnson as both a player and a Coach, I don't know if that would be a good direction to go. He's an NBA guy, which would do well for recruiting. The problem is, I think with success he just uses us as a quick stepping stone back to the NBA. I don't know, obviously, but I think he likes to be an NBA guy. It would be a splash hire for sure.
Brad Stevens - If anyone else suggests we should have gauged his interest, I am going to ask you to share what you are taking. He may not be making as much as we can offer, but the Celtics can pay whatever they want #1. #2, he is in the midst of taking a team picked to finish at the BOTTOM of the East to the playoffs. That team is loaded with so many draft picks and trade exceptions over the next few years, plus a ton of young players, that they will likely be one of the better option to play for in 2-3 years. Why in the world would he leave that? One of the two most storied NBA franchises on the cusp of rebuilding, with pockets deep enough to pay whatever they want. Someone compared it to CNS in the NFL, but it isn't near the same. The Dolphins were a mediocre franchise, going nowhere, with no prospects of going anywhere in the near future.
It actually is worse because Gruden has at least been on Tennessee's campus before.
Or, for self-reflection: We botched it again
Some quotes:
13 pages worth.
So, the Rich Rod and Marshall situations are different. But the fans' reactions appear almost identical.
Now, if only we can have the same ending to this search as we had then.
I have no problem with us going after Marshall, but Battle allowed him to see what happened in Austin at UT, then we messed around long enough for WSU to gather themselves and put together a package to keep him that was very close if not the same as our offer. There should have been a drop dead date for him to take the job or not that was no more than 3 days. Now we are sitting here with all the pundits like that idiot Brando laughing at us. We've lost any leverage we had and seemingly had no plan to contact anyone while he was deliberating. Our job is a good job, not a great one yet, but the potential is there for us to do the same as tOSU,Michigan State, and Florida. This hire needs to send a message to the college basketball world that Bama is now ready to play on the big stage. More importantly recruits need to see us as a destination because that is how you get to the big stage.
If we can get Miller, I'll be happy. However, I hope we have multiple targets where we can say something like "We are currently offering Coach X, Y, and Z a similar offer at this time. The difference in your contract is ________________. Please let me know within 24 hours if you are interested."
It is worth picking up the phone and making a call to Brad Stevens agent. If he says no then we move on. All the things said above about the Celtics is true. I do not follow the NBA but read an article yesterday about the progress they have made this year. However, perhaps Stevens, like Saban, prefers coaching college players. The Dolphins future success or failure had almost nothing to do with Saban's decision. If anything I'm sure Saban would have buckled down and worked even harder to be successful but he realized that his real passion was working with college kids. Perhaps Stevens feels the same way. I'm not optimistic about that but a phone call is quick and doesn't harm anyone. I'm not sure where Avery Johnson's name is coming from. I did see it connected to the Texas job so I assume someone automatically connected it with our job based on that. I'm not too keen on NBA coaches because the game is drastically different than college (which is why I don't follow the NBA) and a coach has to recruit players and work fans, boosters, high school coaches, AAU coaches, etc. I doubt too many career NBA coaches really want to do that just like most career NFL coaches would want to do that either.
If you are going to offer Izzo money to Marshall, why not offer Kryzewski money to Izzo? Doubt if Michigan State would even try to match that.
How do we know that hasn't happened? People are angry that Battle isn't asking top tier guys - what if he has but they're not interested?
But really, Brad Stevens isn't coming. That is almost literally like people saying Kansas football should have called Chip Kelly when they fired Weis. If Battle wants to make the call, fine. I'd suspect if Stevens was remotely interested in going back to college, someone involved in our hiring process would know.
Comparing UA basketball to Kansas football, is that a joke? We don't know if that has happened or not but a big problem with Stevens is that the NBA season is still going so he will not be available until the Celtics are eliminated. I'm certain he will not be fired but if he is unhappy then he would have to work out a release from his contract with the Celtics. Look, I'm pessimistic about Brad Stevens but I'm not going to automatically assume that we have no chance.
Naysayers notwithstanding - yeah, there's big bleacher section of them on here about 'Bama basketball throughout the coaching search - is there a more attractive job that's come open in D1 this year? The almost impromptu sacking of Grant put Battle behind the 8-ball in lining up a successor, but I reiterate the first objective was reviving the program, who ever that may be who's given (and accepts) the opportunity. Bottom line: Bigtime upside and identity factor for the right coach - whether he stays a year or 41 years bringing 'Bama to the next level. (Shaka, can you hear me?)
no question gillespie sunk the ship, but tubby won a championship in his 1st or 2nd season (largely pitino's players, im pretty sure) and then proceeded to run the program into the ground.
I'll say it for you...we have no chance. If he wanted to return to college, he could just wait until after July 1 when Tom Crean's buyout drops from $12 million to $7.5 million and go to Indiana where he would be much more comfortable (blue blood program, in the part of the country he is used to). I am sure IU would pay that to get Stevens. He is not coming to Alabama.
This why you use a search firm (starting many weeks sooner) to feel out any potential candidates. You find out what circumstances they will move for, and which ones it is better not to inquire about.
Of course, the only caveat.............you have to decide weeks sooner a change has to be made.
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