Goodbye Tubby, Hello.....??/ Rich Pitino

[PierBridge]

Quote:

Any coaching change is a gamble, but Shaka or Flip could get fans, boosters and recruits excited about the Gophers again. And if that happens, that $2.5 million will be recouped quickly.

Exactly its chump change, the boosters and alumni who control this for the most part will more than make up the money that they have stopped or THREATENED to stop giving.

And even if you don't grasp that part of the equation to compare a 2.5 mill buy-out over 3 years to the U's 1.9 Billion dollar "budget" ANNUAL cluster is a stretch to say the least.

[SkunkedAgain]

Quote:

All that money likely would be raised through private fundraising because the athletic department still is paying off a loan it received from the school's central administration to cover buyout costs for former coaches Glen Mason, Dan Monson and Tim Brewster. The athletic department owes $400,000 annually until 2017

I understand your concept quite well. However, the reality is that it doesn't work that way at the UofM. As you can see above, these buyouts aren't covered by alumni and boosters. They are taken out as loans that have to be repaid. If you are so confident that alumni/boosters would pay it because of the "excitement," then explain to me why this didn't happen when we went from unknown Monson to Tubby Smith? Unless they conjure up the ghost of Jimmy V then I can't believe in the kind of excitement you envision.

And even if you don't grasp that part of the equation to compare a 2.5 mill buy-out over 3 years to the U's 1.9 Billion dollar "budget" ANNUAL cluster is a stretch to say the least.

Haha, that's wonderful. You do realize that these are separate groups that - while under the veil of the UofM - have separate funding sources? They don't just absorb this type of expense.

[harvey lee]

and dont extend it 3 years first, then fire him.

I agree but why wait for 3 more years with Tubby at the controls.

Goodbye old man. He has no fire, cannot adjust and it is time for Tubby to go away.

Not the first time this has happened and will not be the last, right or wrong.

[blue_healer_guy]

Skunked, youve admitted he is a bad coach. So your saying this buyout would justify keeping another mediocre coach?

[SkunkedAgain]

Absolutely. These aren't mutually exclusive notions. I can want a different coach but have the control to realize that it's not fiscally responsible to do it right now. I'm a huge Gopher fan, but like I said, we suck no matter who the coach is for the team. I'm not a fan of going deeper into debt just to hire another bad coach.

[Getanet]

I'm really surprised it's taking this long to announce a new coach. I wouldn't think they would cut Tubby loose unless they have a better coach already secured.

I understand the financial concerns, but on the other hand, letting the program languish/be mediocre until his contract was finished would only make it harder to land a good coach. Also, there apparently are three highly ranked Juniors in MN right now, and the right coach could entice them to sign. And if Teague was confident he could get Shaka or Flip, he had to strike while the proverbial iron was hot.

[Coach1310]

I was time for Tubby to go. When he was hired, he was a slam dunk because we had ZERO shot at any other coach with the pedigree behind him. His most successful season, EVER, was his first season at Kentucky, with someone elses recruits. Tubby may be great man, good for the community etc, if so, make him the Grand Marshall of the Parade. Tubby had to go. You can't start 15-1 and completely fall apart. The team didn't improve, it actually go worse. That means the message is old and the locker room is starting to be lost. They caught lightning in a bottle beating UCLA because they had the same issues AND they were missing a top player.

Dtro- I hate to break it to you, but if you think Tubby's buyout is the only place the U of M or state for that matter is wasting $$$, thats too bad. There is no doubt in my mind we have a ton of people working for the state that accomplish very little and their total compensation is much more than Tubby's buyout. Not to mention, their position does nothing to generate revenue for our state or the U. In regard to taking the $$$ to give free rides to random kids..... might as well keep the handouts going, most of the world expects it now anyway. As a school, the U had decided that in the major money, pressure sports, being mediocre isn't an option. That is why Mason was fired, that is why Tubby was fired.

In finding Tubby's replacement, I see it like this:

HOME RUN- Shaka Smart. Without the Teague connection, there would be ZERO chance and with it, I think it is 5% because of that and his Wisconsin roots. His style would be AWESOME and would give us a chance at the great recruits we have right here in our high school Junior Class.

Makes Sense- Flip Saunders. Minnesota guy, Minnesota Alum, highly respected in basketball circles. Not sure we would go that way due to never recruiting before and always having to wonder if any success will lead to another NBA offer and I have to believe he loves his ESPN gig.

Who I think it will be- Buzz Williams(Currently at Marquette). I think Teague did it quick, so he could talk to Shaka before UCLA go to him, to make sure he had a shot. Marquette is still alive in the tourney and the longer this search stretches, the more I am convinced. He has connections to Teague and he plays a style a lot like the Big Ten does. He has had issues with his AD this year so he is looking to get out. If he was openly on the market, he would generate a lot of interest, so hopefully Teague locks him up before that.

The toughest sell Teague has to make to anyone-- FACILITIES- Some folks say they don't matter, but when a coach is choosing where to go next, he is going to figure in all the tools and the U is way behind most in that regard. Old Arena and No practice facility. It is like picking between two houses that are exactly the same and the same price, but one has a brand new shed for your toys, a tricked out garage and comes with all brand new HD TV's. Which would you choose?

It should be interesting. I am still praying for Shaka because I love his energy, but am convinced it is gonna be Buzz.

[rundrave]

If so the big10 just got even tougher:

Quote:

Duke assistant coach Chris Collins and Northwestern are close to a deal to install him as the Wildcats' next coach, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com senior writer Andy Katz on Wednesday.

CBSSports.com reported Collins and Northwestern have agreed to a deal, but the source told ESPN.com's Katz there were still details to be worked out and a news conference would not be held until after Duke is done playing this season.

Meanwhile in Gopherland.....

[bobbymalone]

Dtro- I hate to break it to you, but if you think Tubby's buyout is the only place the U of M or state for that matter is wasting $$$, thats too bad. There is no doubt in my mind we have a ton of people working for the state that accomplish very little and their total compensation is much more than Tubby's buyout. Not to mention, their position does nothing to generate revenue for our state or the U.

The U's athletic department doesn't even pay for itself, this money generated for the U from basketball games is just spent on paying coaching staff and ensuring that the U's money losing ping pong team can travel to tournaments.

Hate to break it to you, but the purpose of the U isn't to entertain sports fans.

[Coach1310]

Hate to break it to you, but the purpose of the U isn't to entertain sports fans.

Then why do we have all the sports? To provide a positive experience for the few selected to play them?? You live in an idealistic world if you think it is going to change anytime soon that sports won't be an important part of the U. I guess we could eliminate them all-- and plenty of students and job will go along with it.

[bobbymalone]

I don't expect it to change, I just wish it paid for itself.

Outside of entertainment purposes, the positive experience brought about NCAA sports is pretty limited to just the athletes.

[Coach1310]

Agreed..... I would love for them to be self sufficient. It WAS getting better and I have no idea what the 2012 fiscal year brought, but in 2002, they were subsidized $6.8 million from the general university fund and in fiscal year 2011 they were only subsidized $2.3 million. The power football schools MAKE money(Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State) with their athletics, but the same article I got this from says conferences like the WAC subsidized 48% of their Athletic Department budget, so by comparison to those the U does pretty well. That is why the Football program is so important as it can generate so much revenue and I believe a powerhouse basketball program like Mich State would provide some relieve as well.

[bobbymalone]

Maybe recruiting a top of the line basketball coach will turn the program around... except... they tried that 5 years ago.

[Getanet]

Aren't you a scientist Bobby? If one experiment fails, what do you do?

[bobbymalone]

Aren't you a scientist Bobby? If one experiment fails, what do you do?

Nothing, unless I have funding for additional experimentation

Surprisingly, the U doesn't float me an extra couple million to repeat a failed experiment.

[Getanet]

That is a bit surprising.

[bobbymalone]

The U doesn't fund much research directly. But they take money off the top of all research grants for indirect costs.

Indirect costs like the athletic department that can't pay it's own way.

[Getanet]

Not to mention the armada of administrators.

[LMITOUT]

You can cross Shaka off the list.

[DTro]

Dtro- I hate to break it to you, but if you think Tubby's buyout is the only place the U of M or state for that matter is wasting $$$, thats too bad.

Really? NO way!

Seriously that is an excuse to just keep wasting more money? Please

How sad is it that a High School Junior or 2 could be dictating what happens in this whole deal?

[Dotch]

You can cross Shaka off the list.

Yup, didn't figure that one was anything but someone's dream.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9106022/shaka-smart-remain-coach-vcu-rams

Flip, old buddy, old pal, remember us from your glory days with Mychal Thompson?

[SkunkedAgain]

Trust me. Flip would have said yes already. You can cross him off of the list too. Does anyone smell a boondoggle?

[Snag]

I don't see any chance for the Butler coach. Maybe a slight chance for the Marquette coach. Everybody is going to be a little upset by a no name assistant coach, but if they are as connected as they say they are, then maybe that guy is the real deal.

I think Flip would be good and would probably be able to get us one of the 3 local kids. I'm pretty sure he would have an in bounds play or two.

Looks like Shaka is waiting for one of the premier coaches to retire.

[Coach1310]

Seriously that is an excuse to just keep wasting more money? Please

It isn't a good excuse, but the "belief of a reward" is the one they use. It is the same as any river fisherman dragging a jig or pitching a jig towards the same snag over and over and over again. You may bust off 20 times in one day, but along with that comes 20 good bites too!

I just find it funny that folks want big money sports to be "realistic"... when they aren't. They are "idealistic" so most of the basic logic can be thrown out the window when it comes to financial decisions.

If I had to bet my house on it the next coach at the U will be Buzz Williams. He fits the Big 10 mold, will give us some recruiting ties we don't have as his teams are pretty darn athletic and he can't wait to stick it in his AD's face by leaving. Shaka was the Hail Mary and kudos to him for staying as he is happy there, however, one sub par season at VCU and a lot of people forget you are there and so do the recruits, but with Butler leaving the A-10 VCU becomes the big fish. I just hope Marquette gets eliminated soon, so we can get it over with.

I heard yesterday that Teague was interviewing someone... any news out there about who?

[CodyDawg]

I remember reading an article that we have a unique situation in that we have 3 revenue (profitable) making teams (mens basketball, mens hockey, and football). Most schools only have 2. Ironically, I think money is one of the reasons Tubby got fired. He had lost the fan base and the boosters. Faced with declining revenues, you take the short term pain for the long term gain.

My thoughts...if it comes out today, it is Flip and I would like that. If it drags on at all, it is probably Buzz, but possibly someone we dont know yet. 60-40 Buzz are my odds if it drags on past today. I dont know much about Buzz, so I am going into it with an open mind.