MBB: Coaching Carousel 2014

[jv001]

I was surprised that Buzz was fired. Not because his performance did not warrant it but UNCW has a history of being cheap in paying coaches. They paid Buzz more than double of those before him that include Brad Brownell who left for Wright State and was good enough to be an ACC coach but evidently not good enough for the powers to be here at UNCW. The shocking part for me is that they are going to eat this money on his contract and pay another coach at the same time.

I liked it when UNCW was relevant and made the NCAA tourney and even won a game. They should have beat Maryland but for a lucky 3 in 2003 at the buzzer ruined that. This is a beautiful area and while they can't pay the big bucks if they found the right fit my hope is that you have a situation like at Davidson where a coach loves the area and chooses not to chase the more lucrative jobs.

I am a diehard Duke fan but I sure would like to see UNCW be relevant again.

The Wilmington/Carolina Beach area is a beautiful area. Some nice golf courses there. I would like to see UNCW get a good coach and keep him. They let a good one get away in Brownwell. Maybe they get a good young guy to get the program going again. Beat Clemson and GoDuke!

[Henderson]

The Wilmington/Carolina Beach area is a beautiful area. Some nice golf courses there. I would like to see UNCW get a good coach and keep him. They let a good one get away in Brownwell. Maybe they get a good young guy to get the program going again. Beat Clemson and GoDuke!

Agreed about how nice it is, but it's a tough place to recruit to, both coaches and players, because it's a little isolated and not so easy to get into and out of. 2 hours to RDU. 3 ½ to Charlotte. 5 ½ hours to DC; 6 hours to Atlanta. There are daily non stops to DC and NYC directly from Wilmington, but still. If it were in a major conference with higher visibility, that'd be different.

Still, it's gotta be an intriguing job with very little downside (other than failing at UNCW, which wouldn't bolster anyone's credentials).

I wonder if there are any Duke assistants or alums who might be interested. It'd be great to have another team in NC for UNC-CH fans to hate and another NC team to kinda cheer for.

[wsb3]

I agree with what you posted about the isolation but I would think the Atlantic Ocean is a nice piece of scenery to show a recruit. The campus itself is ascetically pleasing as well, in many ways.

Buzz must have been one heck of a salesman because they would not pay Jerry Wainright or any of the previous coaches and something was amiss during the years with the athletic department as coaches left like Brad for a side ways move. But for him they opened the vault. People did not understand the decision to hire Buzz then at that salary and even less understand it in hindsight.

[Jim3k]

I agree with what you posted about the isolation but I would think the Atlantic Ocean is a nice piece of scenery to show a recruit. The campus itself is ascetically pleasing as well, in many ways.

Buzz must have been one heck of a salesman because they would not pay Jerry Wainright or any of the previous coaches and something was amiss during the years with the athletic department as coaches left like Brad for a side ways move. But for him they opened the vault. People did not understand the decision to hire Buzz then at that salary and even less understand it in hindsight.

The bolded word doesn't mean what you think it means.

[brevity]

I agree with what you posted about the isolation but I would think the Atlantic Ocean is a nice piece of scenery to show a recruit. The campus itself is ascetically pleasing as well, in many ways.

Buzz must have been one heck of a salesman because they would not pay Jerry Wainright or any of the previous coaches and something was amiss during the years with the athletic department as coaches left like Brad for a side ways move. But for him they opened the vault. People did not understand the decision to hire Buzz then at that salary and even less understand it in hindsight.

The bolded word doesn't mean what you think it means.

Inconceivable!

I was going to say something snarky about how fans of Dawson's Creek might regard the UNCW campus as a strict religious experience, but even then, the term "ascetically pleasing" would still be an oxymoron.

[grad_devil]

I agree with what you posted about the isolation but I would think the Atlantic Ocean is a nice piece of scenery to show a recruit. The campus itself is ascetically pleasing as well, in many ways.
...

The bolded word doesn't mean what you think it means.

One of my students misspelled "aesthetic" in a document the whole class was viewing. After some good natured ribbing, one of my students raised his hand and said

"what does 'aesthetic' mean?"

Another vocal student piped up:

"C'mon, man. Everyone knows what that means. It's when you lose a leg/arm and get a fake one. It's called an 'aesthetic'."

I teach at a university.

smh

[wsb3]

Inconceivable!

I was going to say something snarky about how fans of Dawson's Creek might regard the UNCW campus as a strict religious experience, but even then, the term "ascetically pleasing" would still be an oxymoron.

I have been called out for an error and properly so for incorrect word usage.

For the record I would like to point out I never was a fan of Dawson's Creek.

PS I still think this is a good place for the right coach.

[devildeac]

One of my students misspelled "aesthetic" in a document the whole class was viewing. After some good natured ribbing, one of my students raised his hand and said

"what does 'aesthetic' mean?"

Another vocal student piped up:

"C'mon, man. Everyone knows what that means. It's when you lose a leg/arm and get a fake one. It's called an 'aesthetic'."

I teach at a university.

smh

Couple more funny medical "definitions."

artery-study of paintings
barium-what doctors do when treatment fails

[Henderson]

Ironically, the point of my post above (#42) was kind of that Wilmington is ascetically pleasing. Or at least aesthetically pleasing for the ascetically minded.

[duke09hms]

I'm not saying you're right or wrong because I don't see many of Stanford's games. I know there have been injuries to some of his better players but do you think Johnny's not a good coach or is he not getting enough from his players. In other words, are they under performing or is it a lack of recruiting? I'd like to know. Dawkins is one of my all time favorites to play at Duke. Not just because he was a great player(he was) but because he seemed to be a very nice guy in the times I've been blessed to meet him. Beat Clemson and GoDuke!

I think Johnny D is a good coach, not a great coach. A mark of a great coach is that he/she can effect great turnaround with the same players when they take over.

Think Cutcliffe: 4-8 his first year with the same players that went 1-11
Think Harbaugh: 4-8 his first year with the same players that went 1-11
Even Chris Collins was able to take Northwestern to historical marquee wins against ranked teams his first year.

Dawkins is a good coach, but up to now, I don't think he is good enough for an upper echelon program like Stanford. 5 years without a tourney appearance. They haven't had a drought like that since the 80s. Even though it's early on, I'd say Collins has demonstrated more coaching skills than Dawkins so far.

He's actually a decent recruiter and has a great class coming in next year. That fact may keep him his job, and I hope he goes far with them. But given they lose 5 seniors of their standard 8-man rotation this year, I'm not very optimistic for next year.

[wsb3]

Thoughts about who might be a good fit at UNCW? I probably have more interest than most since I live at Carolina Beach and married a Seahawk girl last year.

So far I have not heard names thrown out. The buzz word says national search and while that sounds good I question how much $$$ the school will pay being as they are on the hook for Buzz salary.

Sure would like to see them in the tourney again. The year they won a game it was funny listening to ESPN explain to people where UNCW was at.

[Reilly]

Wonder if Capel's name will be thrown around (Virginia ties from VCU days; big-time head coaching experience).

[tbyers11]

Wonder if Capel's name will be thrown around (Virginia ties from VCU days; big-time head coaching experience).

It might get thrown around, but I can pretty much guarantee that no Coach K disciple will take an ACC job while K is still active

[Matches]

Wonder if Capel's name will be thrown around (Virginia ties from VCU days; big-time head coaching experience).

Candidates would be wise to give that job a very wide berth. I've never been a Greenberg fan but the way he was let go was tacky - he found out from the media before being informed by the school. Then they fire his replacement after two years. Yea they were a crappy two years but they lost half the team to transfers after the last abrupt coaching change. Total dumpster fire.

[MCFinARL]

Wonder if Capel's name will be thrown around (Virginia ties from VCU days; big-time head coaching experience).

Can't say this firing is a surprise, given the team's struggles over the last two years, but i feel a little bad for Johnson--he got a pretty tough row to hoe, given the peculiar way Greenberg was fired and the immediate loss of Finney-Smith and incoming recruit Harrell. And his remaining players have been plagued with injuries. Hope he catches on somewhere as an assistant or as a head coach of a lower-profile program to see what he can do in a more stable situation.

[Reilly]

David Teel tweeted that Johnson won't be unemployed for long -- very well respected assistant coach.

As to the instability of the back-to-back firings, it was done by two different administrations (VT has a new AD).

[sagegrouse]

It might get thrown around, but I can pretty much guarantee that no Coach K disciple will take an ACC job while K is still active

Link
I agree that K doesn't like to play against his former players or assistants. But suppose VT wanted to hire Capel or Wojo; they are willing cough up an offer of $1 million per for a four-year contract.

For your assertion to be true:

(1) K would have to persuade VT not to make the offer to a K "disciple." Uhhh, not likely.

(2) K would have to persuade Capel or Wojo not to take the job. Why would they listen to him on the basis of loyalty? They wouldn't, but they would listen to him that it is a lousy job (I don't happen to agree -- see below).

Thus, I don't think even K has the sway to avoid current or former assistants becoming ACC head coaches.

Virginia Tech is a potentially very good job; it's in arguably the strongest basketball conference -- about as good as the Big Ten and much bigger than the Big 12 ("Ten" but the name was taken). Jim Weaver, the former AD, fired Seth Greenberg after his top assistant left and took a lateral to Clemson. Seth was obviously on thin ice, and Weaver seemed unwilling to let him rebuild his staff with expensive guarantees when he wasn't likely to remain very long. And the other thing: how would you like to supervise the always carping Seth?

Weaver retired in November due to Parkinson's Disease. Whit Babcock was hired two months ago from Cincy. He evidently believes James Johnson is a weak coach, and he thinks he can do better. I find it hard to disagree, given the Bruce Pearls, Jeff Capels and other such candidates. (And also, the buyout is probably pretty small, as this is Johnson's first HC job.)

[SoCalDukeFan]

I think Johnny D is a good coach, not a great coach. A mark of a great coach is that he/she can effect great turnaround with the same players when they take over.

Think Cutcliffe: 4-8 his first year with the same players that went 1-11
Think Harbaugh: 4-8 his first year with the same players that went 1-11
Even Chris Collins was able to take Northwestern to historical marquee wins against ranked teams his first year.

Duke won 22 and 24 games the two years before K then 17, 10 and 11 the first three years under him. The G Man did graduate but he still had Banks.

SoCal

[RPS]

Duke won 22 and 24 games the two years before K then 17, 10 and 11 the first three years under him. The G Man did graduate but he still had Banks.

I was in CIS for every game of the 1980-81 season. K worked wonders with the talent on-hand. It was Tink, KD, Vince Taylor and role players.

[lotusland]

Link
I agree that K doesn't like to play against his former players or assistants. But suppose VT wanted to hire Capel or Wojo; they are willing cough up an offer of $1 million per for a four-year contract.

For your assertion to be true:

(1) K would have to persuade VT not to make the offer to a K "disciple." Uhhh, not likely.

(2) K would have to persuade Capel or Wojo not to take the job. Why would they listen to him on the basis of loyalty? They wouldn't, but they would listen to him that it is a lousy job (I don't happen to agree -- see below).

Thus, I don't think even K has the sway to avoid current or former assistants becoming ACC head coaches.

Virginia Tech is a potentially very good job; it's in arguably the strongest basketball conference -- about as good as the Big Ten and much bigger than the Big 12 ("Ten" but the name was taken). Jim Weaver, the former AD, fired Seth Greenberg after his top assistant left and took a lateral to Clemson. Seth was obviously on thin ice, and Weaver seemed unwilling to let him rebuild his staff with expensive guarantees when he wasn't likely to remain very long. And the other thing: how would you like to supervise the always carping Seth?

Weaver retired in November due to Parkinson's Disease. Whit Babcock was hired two months ago from Cincy. He evidently believes James Johnson is a weak coach, and he thinks he can do better. I find it hard to disagree, given the Bruce Pearls, Jeff Capels and other such candidates. (And also, the buyout is probably pretty small, as this is Johnson's first HC job.)

I can't think of any examples of ACC assistants taking HC jobs within the conference. Was Lefty a Duke assistant? Anyway I think loyalty is a good reason for Capel and Wojo to pass on that job and I doubt it happens. Maybe they should hire Dell Curry except that I think he is out of sons with eligibility and I can't imagine that he would coach defense very well. At least Seth's mom would be back in CIS occasionally