WVU is screwed; I'm depressed

[throatybeard]

There are some reports that Michael Beasley isn't sure if he wants to follow Huggins to WVA but isn't sure he wants to stay at K State either so we should try and get this kid if he backs out of K State.

How is that even remotely likely? We're already in a scholarship crunch.

[dyedwab]

Likely that UT will then immediately look to Gillispie at A&M and A&M and KState will be the teams hosed in the Big XII by the coaching carousel. I'd rather Texas take someone from outside the conference, but other than Crean, Hewitt or maybe Mark Few, I can't see anyone who's as good an alternative as Gillispie.

Didn't A&M just extend Gillespie? Boy wouldn't that just stoke those long seething tribal hatreds between A&M and Texas...

[rthomas]

Thanks to everyone for their condolences.

So the official WVU story is: Beilein wanted out so he's paying his own 2.5 million dollar buyout to move to Michigan. WVU looks at coaching options, Huggins want to come home to Morgantown so he's a great choice.

I had a meeting this morning with an Associate Provost (completely unrelated to basketball of course). This is the unofficial story: The associate provost had a meeting with our President the day after the NIT championship. Our president was playing with a piece of the NIT net and looked glum so the AP putting 2 and 2 together said, "Don't tell me Beilein is leaving." The president said "yes, he's leaving." The AP then says, "Well we'll be allright as long as we don't go after Huggins." The President looked at the AP, shook his head and said "It's been in the works for weeks."

What??? So who can blame Beilein for wanting to get the hell out of Dodge. OK and on top of it all, apparently the Michigan lawyers went through the Beilein contract and found that there is no time constraint on paying the 2.5 million buyout. It could be 100K over the next 25 years. Now that is funny.

You think your AD should be fired?

[throatybeard]

That story is somewhat similar to the story about how Chancellor Marye Ann Fox left NC State for UCSD. That, basically, UNC system prez Molly Broad leaked her "completed" departure to the press before it was anywhere near decided. Except that Broad basically did it to get rid of Fox.

Throaty, waiting to see if WVU will hire MSU's president Fogelsong away to replace Chancellor Hardesty (as has been rumored).

[rthomas]

Throaty,
The finalists have been set for President Hardesty's replacement. MSU's president Fogelsong was not one of the finalist. YET. If you think Beileingate is crazy, you should hear what is going on with the president job. It's unbelievable.
rt

[dukelifer]

There are some reports that Michael Beasley isn't sure if he wants to follow Huggins to WVA but isn't sure he wants to stay at K State either so we should try and get this kid if he backs out of K State.

Who is we? Duke was never recruiting him. He was also looking at Pittsburgh which is actually near WVa. I will bet if he leaves KState- he (another Brewer) will joing Patrick Patterson ( another Noah), and Jai Lucas (another Green) in Fla with another McDonalds All American Calathes who will assume the role of the outside gunner Humphrey . That is a junior version of what just left for the NBA.

[crimsonandblue]

Barnes has supposedly elected to stay at Texas. Pretty stunning. Gillispie probably won't stay at A&M if offered and it's thought he's next for UK...

[Susan]

We need to print new "I said No" t-shirts... this time for Kentucky!

Here's a link that mentions Barnes staying put at Texas: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2827053

[Channing]

Who is we? Duke was never recruiting him. He was also looking at Pittsburgh which is actually near WVa. I will bet if he leaves KState- he (another Brewer) will joing Patrick Patterson ( another Noah), and Jai Lucas (another Green) in Fla with another McDonalds All American Calathes who will assume the role of the outside gunner Humphrey . That is a junior version of what just left for the NBA.

except i would be shocked if Beasley is anything more than a 1 and done.

[chris13]

I have never heard that story. Do you know why this was done? Was Fox annoyed? Did this action lead to Molly's departure in favor of Erskine?

[ArkieDukie]

Meanwhile, I hear that Arkansas is now accepting applications from junior high assistant coaches for their head job.

Personally, I'm holding out hope that they'll hire Patrick Davidson.

[ArkieDukie]

We need to print new "I said No" t-shirts... this time for Kentucky!

Or Arkansas. How's this for a list: Billy Gillispie, Bill Self, Tim Floyd, Tom Crean, John Calipari, Dana Altman. (I think that's everyone who was reportedly offered the job.)

Oh, and I actually saw Matt Doherty's name on a Razorback message board as a potential choice for the new head coach. I honestly hope that someone without inside info was just proposing a name and that he's not really a candidate. What are the odds of 2 different coaching searches with a long and distinguished list of rejections ending with the name "Matt Doherty"?! Maybe KY will hire him first.

[throatybeard]

I have never heard that story. Do you know why this was done? Was Fox annoyed? Did this action lead to Molly's departure in favor of Erskine?

I wish I could tell you more accurately or more authoritatively, Chris. I was around State at the time and I first heard this from a person in the Provost's at the time. The person I heard it from has moved on from State. All I can say it that it was "reported fact" at the time rather than "now here's an interesting rumor I heard."

There's a lot of secrecy above the Dean level in searches. (Hell, if you've got sense, you're secretive about your action at other schools all the way down to the asst professor level, until things are signed). The way I heard it, MAF got an offer from Cal-San Diego, and told Broad, not necessarily intending to leave, but seeing if State could match or do some other things for her or something. Broad was sick of her and had someone leak news of MAF's [supposed] finalized departure to UCSD, leaving MAF no option but to go. They then promoted Oblinger to Chancellor, I think, after a not terribly long search.

Again, I can't vouch for the accuracy of this, but it was presented to me as news rather than gossip. It had been no secret that MAF was very difficult to get along with, so it's certainly plausible.

I have no idea about anything concerning the Broad to Bowles transtion.

[rthomas]

Seems like I am the only one who is pessimistic about Thuggings at WVU. Maybe I just got used to the integrity of Krzyzewski and then Beilein.

Even Jerry West (who's son redshirted this year) is enthusiastic about Thuggy.

http://www.dailymail.com/story/News/...about-Huggins/