🏀 Tide Basketball Coach?

[alabama mike]

I realize CAG is still the coach of the Tide Cagers and if this thread is inappropriate, one of the moderators please take it down. I keep reading and at times posting myself that a change needs to be made in the HC position. With that being said, who would you like to see BB pursue as the next head basketball coach.
Here are some names that I would like to see what kind of interest they may have in coming to Tuscaloosa.

In no particular order:
Kenny Payne- longtime UK assistant who has been with Cal since UMass
Josh Pasteur Memphis head coach
Archie Moore University of Dayton
Patrick Ewing, yes that one, longtime NBA assistant

I do not see us getting a name coach even if $$$ is on the table. Let's face it, we are a football school and living in the shadows of CNS would be intimidating to a lot of people. I didn't put Greg ???? From Wichita St. bc I do not see him coming to Bama.

 

[psychojoe]

I realize CAG is still the coach of the Tide Cagers and if this thread is inappropriate, one of the moderators please take it down. I keep reading and at times posting myself that a change needs to be made in the HC position. With that being said, who would you like to see BB pursue as the next head basketball coach.
Here are some names that I would like to see what kind of interest they may have in coming to Tuscaloosa.

In no particular order:
Kenny Payne- longtime UK assistant who has been with Cal since UMass
Josh Pasteur Memphis head coach
Archie Moore University of Dayton
Patrick Ewing, yes that one, longtime NBA assistant

I do not see us getting a name coach even if $$$ is on the table. Let's face it, we are a football school and living in the shadows of CNS would be intimidating to a lot of people. I didn't put Greg ???? From Wichita St. bc I do not see him coming to Bama.

Mike, you are right about Greg Marshall. He has already spurned efforts to hire him away from the Shockers.

In another thread I mentioned Andy Kennedy, the OM coach. I believe that we could pry him loose from the Rebs with cash. I also mentioned Steve Prohm, the current Murray State coach who has done quite well there. He is an Alabama grad, though hedid not play basketball at Alabama.

After supporting CAG for these six years, I do think it is time for a change. The program seems stuck in a rut. The same problems occur year after year, with no real improvement. The buyout is four million now, but you also have to consider the money lost because of declining attendance and not making the big dance

 

[TerryP]

Mike, you are right about Greg Marshall. He has already spurned efforts to hire him away from the Shockers.

...and Mizzou, and UCLA, and Arkansas. All three good jobs at this level of pay. (Why he wasn't even given an interview at UofSC before they hired Darin Horne still baffles me.)

Interesting note about Marshall. In an interview about a year ago he was commenting on how Calipari had asked him why he hadn't moved on earlier from Winthrop. As their conversation went Cal told him a lot of the times it's easier to get the school you are currently working for to "pony up more money" for things like facilities and salaries. Cal compared Winthrop to UMASS (don't get that) and said his road to UK was much like Marshall's road to Wichita State.

This is one area I see basketball differing from football. In a lot of cases the best move for a head coach isn't to chase money at another job but to make yourself a commodity at the school you're at and create enough leverage where they'll pay you the same as other schools are throwing around just to stay put.

Considering the influences your shoe contracts have now-a-day, and the feeder systems their AAU camps have become, it's a job I wouldn't even dream of wanting.

 

[psychojoe]

Before Marshall there was Brad Stevens at Butler, who eventually left them for his dream job with the Celtics, but not before he had made them a nationally respected team.

 

[alabama mike]

Oh how I miss Wimp and the Plaid Palace days!

 

[TerryP]

Oh how I miss Wimp and the Plaid Palace days!

We both do. In fact, I'd say any fan who remembers those days long for them to return.

Hey Mike, recall how people said "Bama fans are living in the past" during our DuBose - Shula years? In this case, I think there are a large contingent of fans who are living in the past.

The only thing that's remained the same are the dimensions of the court and rim.

 

[alabama mike]

Hey Mike, recall how people said "Bama fans are living in the past" during our DuBose - Shula years? In this case, I think there are a large contingent of fans who are living in the past.

The only thing that's remained the same are the dimensions of the court and rim.

When I was coaching in Alabama and southern middle TN. I loved going to games in Tuscaloosa to watch Bama basketball. I remember the past well and it was so sweet.

 

[TerryP]

When I was coaching in... southern middle TN

Where?

 

[UAgrad93]

@alabama mike and @TerryP, I too long for the days of Wimp and the Plaid Palace! I was there in school during some of his best teams. I had classes with Robert Horry and Phillip Pearson. Weight room with have Latrel Sprewell, James Robinson, Robert Horry, Marcus Webb, and so many others. The argument from the fanbase back then was that Wimp couldn't get past the Sweet 16! DAMN!! I LONG FOR THAT ARGUMENT!!!

 

[TerryP]

The argument from the fanbase back then was that Wimp couldn't get past the Sweet 16

There is one of the big differences in today and yesteryear.

I see so many people saying "fire," without sufficient explanations as to where to go. Trust me, I don't know the answer.

Point being...the complaints are often knee-jerk rather than point by point, ya know?

 

[UAgrad93]

I think those of us that care for the program, want them to be in the NCAAs and win a game or two each year. Occasionally, make a run at an Elite 8 or the Holy Grail, the Final Four. Our more delusional fans wants Final Fours every year and a damn Natty every other year.
Gottfried was much like Wimp in that way. He was consistent with getting us there. He recruited well enough to keep us there too. Wimp would have probably been around longer and we would have not had the David Hobbs years IF, he and his secretary hadn't tripped the night fantastic. Gottfried would have slid in to take over and would probably still be here IF, he hadn't been interviewing potential babysitters at The Houndstooth and other establishments.
Grant recruits well to an extent, but the development and maturity isn't there. I still see some of our older guys making silly freshmen mistakes. Grant doesn't market himself nor his team well either. His offense has no rhyme nor rhythm to it. We don't have a lot of cutters or ball screens, pick and rolls, or pick and pops. We do play pretty good defense though. Our rebounding has improved this year, but we still do a poor job of boxing out in zone.
I don't watch enough college basketball to start naming names of potential coaches that we should look to hire or see what their feeling is for this job. I do know that they should look at attendance numbers along with the facilities when approached. When BAMA puts out a competitive product, Coleman will be at or near capacity. If the guy isn't afraid of the man over in the Mal Moore building, he will see that he can win here on a consistent basis. We have good facilities, good talent around to draw from, the football coach WANTS a winner in Coleman, etc.

 

[TheChief]

Rick Byrd, Belmont

 

[psychojoe]

I think those of us that care for the program, want them to be in the NCAAs and win a game or two each year. Occasionally, make a run at an Elite 8 or the Holy Grail, the Final Four. Our more delusional fans wants Final Fours every year and a damn Natty every other year.
Gottfried was much like Wimp in that way. He was consistent with getting us there. He recruited well enough to keep us there too. Wimp would have probably been around longer and we would have not had the David Hobbs years IF, he and his secretary hadn't tripped the night fantastic. Gottfried would have slid in to take over and would probably still be here IF, he hadn't been interviewing potential babysitters at The Houndstooth and other establishments.
Grant recruits well to an extent, but the development and maturity isn't there. I still see some of our older guys making silly freshmen mistakes. Grant doesn't market himself nor his team well either. His offense has no rhyme nor rhythm to it. We don't have a lot of cutters or ball screens, pick and rolls, or pick and pops. We do play pretty good defense though. Our rebounding has improved this year, but we still do a poor job of boxing out in zone.
I don't watch enough college basketball to start naming names of potential coaches that we should look to hire or see what their feeling is for this job. I do know that they should look at attendance numbers along with the facilities when approached. When BAMA puts out a competitive product, Coleman will be at or near capacity. If the guy isn't afraid of the man over in the Mal Moore building, he will see that he can win here on a consistent basis. We have good facilities, good talent around to draw from, the football coach WANTS a winner in Coleman, etc.

If you look back at XCMG's record, he got his big contract the year we unexpectedly made the Elite 8. From that point on recruiting declined, as did our record. The dipping his pen in the wrong inkwell didn't really start until his last year in T'town, as I remember it. Yes, our fan base really wants a winner and we would show up in large numbers to watch winning basketball. Just look at the attendance we had in Grant's first two years, and even into the third year when he made the dance but lost in the first round.

As far as specifics of what I don't like-

1. an offense that passes the ball around the perimeter instead of trying to attack for the first 25 seconds of the shot clock, then ends up taking a difficult, contested shot as the time clock expires;

2. getting so little out of late game key situation timeouts, players don't seem to know what is expected the, rarely does the play called lead to a good shot, and I can't remember any makes;

3. inability to handle pressure, whether full or half court- if our guy is trapped or in difficulties teammates are not making themselves available by running to a spot where they can receive a pass,

My dream for the new coach would be that Brad Stephens would tire of coaching in the NBA, as Pitino and Calipari did, and want to come back to the college game. I don't expect that to happen, nor do I expect us to be able to hire a top tier coach. The one possible exception might be Jim Boeheim, and I am not sure we would want to deal with the 'show cause' order.

 

[TerryP]

Rick Byrd, Belmont

He is an example of what I was talking about a few days ago on Cal and Marshall. While Belmont might not be the best gig in basketball, Byrd has stated that he values the quality of life around him more so than climbing the proverbial coaching ladder.

UT reached out to him before they hired Cuonzo...never got an interview much less an offer.

 

[TerryP]

FWIW, there isn't anything that makes me believe there is a change coming. Quite frankly, with so much up in the air around the athletic department and University, I wouldn't be interested in talking about the position of I were a coach looking to move up the ladder...

There are people who are grumbling; people who push the decision making buttons.

 

[mhardiman]

Quite frankly, with so much up in the air around the athletic department and University, .....

What? Can you explain? I thought we had one of the best most efficient Athletics Dept. in the country?

 

[TerryP]

What? Can you explain? I thought we had one of the best most efficient Athletics Dept. in the country?

Two things. One, any prospective basketball coach wouldn't know who is going to be the President of the University in a year. Two, according to what I've heard, we're likely looking at a new AD within nine to ten months. I understand Battle never took the job as something he'd continue with as long as Coach Moore.

So, as a prospective employee, how would you feel if you couldn't get an answer to "who is the next President?" Or, "who is going to be my boss?"

 

[TheChief]

He is an example of what I was talking about a few days ago on Cal and Marshall. While Belmont might not be the best gig in basketball, Byrd has stated that he values the quality of life around him more so than climbing the proverbial coaching ladder.

UT reached out to him before they hired Cuonzo...never got an interview much less an offer.

That's a shame. He'd be one of, if not the best, coaches in the SEC. He's a little older, but he'd be a great hire. Watch his team in the tourney. They're fundamentally sound. It's refreshing. They took down Murray State, a top 25 team, to qualify.

How long has it been since Grant beat a top 25 team? I'm thinking a couple of years at least.

 

[bama alum]

That's a shame. He'd be one of, if not the best, coaches in the SEC. He's a little older, but he'd be a great hire. Watch his team in the tourney. They're fundamentally sound. It's refreshing. They took down Murray State, a top 25 team, to qualify.

How long has it been since Grant beat a top 25 team? I'm thinking a couple of years at least.

He may have come close a couple of times...