Name the next head coach (a GMUJim tribute album)

[wijg]

Maybe it is still the drinking binge talking, but I have fallen in love with the Howland idea. If that doesn't happen, Jim will likely be mentioned in my suicide note. Now, time for for some hair of the dog since it is saint patties day...

 

[GSII]

I'm not sold on Howland.

A) his name starts with an H and thats reminds me of that horrific virus with just got rid of.

B) He recruited kids that were either bad in character before arriving to UCLA, Or they felt they could do whatever they wanted b/c the coach let them. Either way this is a reciepe for disaster. We at Mason have witnessed this first hand with Paul 1. Thankfully, The Virus kept some order off the court.

Remember, we've had two horrific experiences with coaches. One from the West Coast. So forgive me if I twitch when I see simialr issues with a current candidates.

On the other hand, he seemed fine at Pitt, but I don't really know other than we went up there to play them and got worked under the OCM.

Ask yourself this, if Hewitt got paid to leave b/c of losses, can you accept a guy who got paid to leave AND WAS WINNING?

 

[gmujim92]

Maybe it is still the drinking binge talking, but I have fallen in love with the Howland idea. If that doesn't happen, Jim will likely be mentioned in my suicide note. Now, time for for some hair of the dog since it is saint patties day...

While I could wind up being wrong, I'm not just throwing Howland's name out there just for sh!ts and giggles. There is some logic involved in my thought process:

1. Howland was very successful at Pitt and remains very well respected in the northeast corridor where we now play and do most of our recruiting.

2. Howland wants desperately to get back into coaching and has said so to the press.

3. Nobody has hired him, for whatever reason.

4. Howland worked A-10 games for NBC Sports Network this season, so he was familiar enough with the league to know Hewitt was in serious trouble (if not worse).

5. Whether Howland inquired about the job through channels or Edwards initiated contact, the fact that Howland spent so much time on the east coast this winter left multiple opportunities for them to get together if they so desired.

5. My source told me Edwards already knew who our next coach would be, which I assumed meant that it was somebody not under contract elsewhere. Making even a handshake deal during the season with a coach already employed by another school would be considered unethical, I think. Don't they typically wait until after a team's season ends for this specific reason?

6. The source also told me that our fan base would like the hire and that it was a "substantial" hire. I took that to mean it was a recognizable name, and we've established that there aren't many out there who would satisfy that criteria while not being currently employed as a coach. Again, maybe my assumptions are way off.

Now, does any of this mean Howland is the guy? Of course not. Never said he was. But even without staying at a Holiday Inn Express last night, it's not that difficult to connect the dots ... and it's way more fun than ripping Hewitt a new one.

 

[gmujim92]

I'm not sold on Howland.

A) his name starts with an H and thats reminds me of that horrific virus with just got rid of.

B) He recruited kids that were either bad in character before arriving to UCLA, Or they felt they could do whatever they wanted b/c the coach let them. Either way this is a reciepe for disaster. We at Mason have witnessed this first hand with Paul 1. Thankfully, The Virus kept some order off the court.

Remember, we've had two horrific experiences with coaches. One from the West Coast. So forgive me if I twitch when I see simialr issues with a current candidates.

On the other hand, he seemed fine at Pitt, but I don't really know other than we went up there to play them and got worked under the OCM.

Ask yourself this, if Hewitt got paid to leave b/c of losses, can you accept a guy who got paid to leave AND WAS WINNING?

He didn't win enough for UCLA's fans.

Let that rattle around in your brain for a while.

The guy went to three Final Fours in a row and it still wasn't enough.

I have a good friend in LA who follows UCLA hoops. He believes the off-the-court stuff was overblown and used as cover because the AD knew it was ridiculous to fire a guy with Howland's resume -- but the big donors demanded it.

 

[Pablo]

He didn't win enough for UCLA's fans.

Let that rattle around in your brain for a while.

The guy went to three Final Fours in a row and it still wasn't enough.

I have a good friend in LA who follows UCLA hoops. He believes the off-the-court stuff was overblown and used as cover because the AD knew it was ridiculous to fire a guy with Howland's resume -- but the big donors demanded it.

So, why not have a search committee to thoroughly research these types of issues and present AD Edwards a list of highly qualified candidates who are seriously interested in the position?

 

[GSII]

Howland is a Gemini. Fearless and a go getter. Better than Hewitts Taraus day sign. Something about being nice and stubborn and bitter all at the same time.

 

[disgruntled]

Look at UCLA...John Wooden...who, expect maybe coach K, can compare to that kind of a winning tradition? Those Bruin alumni are on drugs...

 

[GSII]

He didn't win enough for UCLA's fans.

Let that rattle around in your brain for a while.

The guy went to three Final Fours in a row and it still wasn't enough.

I have a good friend in LA who follows UCLA hoops. He believes the off-the-court stuff was overblown and used as cover because the AD knew it was ridiculous to fire a guy with Howland's resume -- but the big donors demanded it.

Guys did get kicked off the team right? Lets just say he had some fault. Atleast the amount he admitted in some articles.

 

[gmujim92]

Guys did get kicked off the team right? Lets just say he had some fault. Atleast the amount he admitted in some articles.

Yeah, Howland admitted he didn't handle some stuff as well as he should've.

He also took two full seasons off to reflect on the good and the bad of his time at UCLA, and came away determined to do it better if he got another job.

Sounds like what Hewitt was planning to do until TOC convinced him to put off his beach vacation and come destroy our basketball program.

 

[GSII]

My instinct tells me Howland went thru a grind at UCLA, yet got great results, took a break and is ready to come back. But how do we know for sure? Thats where BBB comes in. We can only hope he vets him till he's green and gold in the face!

IF we bring in Howland, I wonder what Lamar is gonna think of it. ie really think of it.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

So, why not have a search committee to thoroughly research these types of issues and present AD Edwards a list of highly qualified candidates who are seriously interested in the position?

Brad Edwards has most likely been executing a search for several months now behind the scenes. How do we know he didn't use a committee?


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[KAOriginal]

If its Howland.....that would mean the 2 coaches following our FF coach had made it to the big show themselves.

So...how often does that happen? Throw the Hewitt hate, doubts and questions out. That gives a signal that the school wants win.

 

[A.-Siegfried]

So, why not have a search committee to thoroughly research these types of issues and present AD Edwards a list of highly qualified candidates who are seriously interested in the position?

What makes you think there isn't one? Or a firm? Or a magic 8 ball?

 

[Pablo]

Brad Edwards has most likely been executing a search for several months now behind the scenes. How do we know he didn't use a committee?

I certainly hope that he didn't use a search committee before Hewitt was fired.

 

[wijg]

While I could wind up being wrong, I'm not just throwing Howland's name out there just for sh!ts and giggles. There is some logic involved in my thought process:

1. Howland was very successful at Pitt and remains very well respected in the northeast corridor where we now play and do most of our recruiting.

2. Howland wants desperately to get back into coaching and has said so to the press.

3. Nobody has hired him, for whatever reason.

4. Howland worked A-10 games for NBC Sports Network this season, so he was familiar enough with the league to know Hewitt was in serious trouble (if not worse).

5. Whether Howland inquired about the job through channels or Edwards initiated contact, the fact that Howland spent so much time on the east coast this winter left multiple opportunities for them to get together if they so desired.

5. My source told me Edwards already knew who our next coach would be, which I assumed meant that it was somebody not under contract elsewhere. Making even a handshake deal during the season with a coach already employed by another school would be considered unethical, I think. Don't they typically wait until after a team's season ends for this specific reason?

6. The source also told me that our fan base would like the hire and that it was a "substantial" hire. I took that to mean it was a recognizable name, and we've established that there aren't many out there who would satisfy that criteria while not being currently employed as a coach. Again, maybe my assumptions are way off.

Now, does any of this mean Howland is the guy? Of course not. Never said he was. But even without staying at a Holiday Inn Express last night, it's not that difficult to connect the dots ... and it's way more fun than ripping Hewitt a new one.

Jim, I wasn't implying anything with my post. I like the detective-like work you have done to put pieces together. That is why I have been joking about being disappointed if it doesn't come true. Plus, it is fun to fill the time while we wait. What else are we going to do while we wait, work?

On that note, has anyone gotten less work done than me over the last six days? The anticipation, then the elation, and now back to the anticipation. I sure hope my F5 key (at least I think that is what used to be written on it before the writing wore off a couple days ago) lasts just a little longer...

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I certainly hope that he didn't use a search committee before Hewitt was fired.

I know I am missing a legal issue here - but why not.

 

[Raider_SPE]

Dunno if this had been posted before but just remembered I read a short SI article on why Howland's tenure at UCLA went south.

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2013/03/25/ucla-ben-howland

For those that don't want to read - He pissed off local AAU coaches.

 

[psyclone]

I'm a little concerned as the scenario that Jim has laid out sounds like a 1 person decision, not a search committee. I believe that's a criticism that was made of TOC in the Hewitt hire.

Does anyone know if a search committee has been formed? Normally that happens when the firing occurs--and as Pablo points out---not before that.

As to the term "significant hire" I took that it could mean someone with a head coaching track record. Hence, I was thinking, if BE has had someone lined up for a while, that Darren Horn because of the South Carolina connection may be that person. Good track record at Western Kentucky (but not so good the last 3 years at SC).

In terms of Howland, did he cover any of our games where Edwards was in attendance (and perhaps conduct a halftime interview of him that inevitably focused on the Super Bowl experience)?

 

[gmujim92]

Brad Edwards has most likely been executing a search for several months now behind the scenes. How do we know he didn't use a committee?

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Based on the downward trajectory of our program, I can imagine that Edwards began compiling a possible list of Hewitt replacements and started thinking about it very soon after being named AD.

Given that most of us expected us to have another losing season, failing to prepare for the nearly inevitable would've been inexcusable.

 

[gmutom]

Maybe it is still the drinking binge talking, but I have fallen in love with the Howland idea. If that doesn't happen, Jim will likely be mentioned in my suicide note. Now, time for for some hair of the dog since it is saint patties day...

You don't strike me as the the drinking type, wijg. What's your poison? I'm buying next time you're at Brion's.