Happy Hour 03/27: Waiting For Bill
I understand that perception doesn't always equal reality, but right now, doesn't it seem like everyone except the Michigan athletic department is interested in hiring a men's basketball coach?
I'm distinguishing between the men's and women's positions because Michigan has reportedly contacted Vanderbilt and Bowling Green for permission to interview their coaches for the women's basketball job. Meanwhile, it appears that none of the schools that currently employ any of the rumored candidates for the men's coaching gig have received requests for interviews.
Am I being a bit hasty in asking just what the hell is going on here? There has been almost zero noise surrounding the men's basketball coaching search over the past week. The only chatter that is coming out is from coaches acknowledging that the position is open (or just casually mentioning Michigan as a state in which they've recruited before). And considering most every candidate that's been rumored is now available to be interviewed (or has received a contract extension from their respective employers), that's a bit surprising.
It's borderline shocking when you see that Iowa isn't showing Michigan the common courtesy of waiting until the Wolverines have decided to make their move before requesting permission to interview prospective coaches. I mean, the Hawkeyes have already contacted Tennessee so they can talk to Bruce Pearl. How rude! What the hell happened to all the kindness and politeness I encountered from people during my two years in Iowa City? See what a having a head coach opening can do to your manners?
So seriously - what's happening? Is Michigan gathering its reserves to make a really big move, one that might test the resolve of anyone claiming loyalty to their current position? Is the administration waiting until the coach of a certain NIT semi-finalist (who's been heartily endorsed by local columnists) is available to formally chat? Or are they still trying to figure out just what the hell they're going to do?
Okay, the waiting is the hardest part. I know that. But why is there any waiting at all?
I'm distinguishing between the men's and women's positions because Michigan has reportedly contacted Vanderbilt and Bowling Green for permission to interview their coaches for the women's basketball job. Meanwhile, it appears that none of the schools that currently employ any of the rumored candidates for the men's coaching gig have received requests for interviews.
Am I being a bit hasty in asking just what the hell is going on here? There has been almost zero noise surrounding the men's basketball coaching search over the past week. The only chatter that is coming out is from coaches acknowledging that the position is open (or just casually mentioning Michigan as a state in which they've recruited before). And considering most every candidate that's been rumored is now available to be interviewed (or has received a contract extension from their respective employers), that's a bit surprising.It's borderline shocking when you see that Iowa isn't showing Michigan the common courtesy of waiting until the Wolverines have decided to make their move before requesting permission to interview prospective coaches. I mean, the Hawkeyes have already contacted Tennessee so they can talk to Bruce Pearl. How rude! What the hell happened to all the kindness and politeness I encountered from people during my two years in Iowa City? See what a having a head coach opening can do to your manners?
So seriously - what's happening? Is Michigan gathering its reserves to make a really big move, one that might test the resolve of anyone claiming loyalty to their current position? Is the administration waiting until the coach of a certain NIT semi-finalist (who's been heartily endorsed by local columnists) is available to formally chat? Or are they still trying to figure out just what the hell they're going to do?
Okay, the waiting is the hardest part. I know that. But why is there any waiting at all?
Labels: coaching moves, Happy Hour, Michigan basketball
posted by Ian C. @ 4:30 PM
sweatymen[at]gmail[dot]com
6 Comments:
At March 27, 2007 7:01 PM,
Kurt said…
Possibly of interest to you, Ian, Michigan has asked UW-Green Bay permission to talk to Kevin Borseth. He a Michigander who found a lot of success with that small program and is originally from Rapid River, by Escanaba.
Of course, no one really cares about women's basketball. but that's all I got for ya!
At March 27, 2007 7:03 PM,
Kurt said…
that's for the women's coaching position, just to be clear! This thing needs an edit function!
At March 28, 2007 4:39 PM,
Anonymous said…
If it's not Belein, then U-M has discovered how poor its job is, because it must be getting rebuffed at every turn.
Former Huron Stan Heath ... now available!
At March 28, 2007 6:12 PM,
Ian C. said…
Stan Heath played at EMU? Son of a gun, I did not know that.
Any coach who has his own website, however (stanheath.com), has to be an okay guy, right? (I imagine they'll have to tweak the current design a bit...)
At March 28, 2007 8:56 PM,
Anonymous said…
Yep, I saw Stan miss the front end of a one-and-one in South Bend that would've beaten the David Rivers-led/Digger Phelps-coached Fighting Irish. Instead the Hurons went to OT and lost.
Another reason why Michigan's slow to move on this coaching thing is that a few dominoes need to fall. If Donovan does leave Florida for the bluer pastures of Kentucky, then Florida jumps to the front of the line in terms of marquee jobs.
You'd have to think Arkansas is ahead of U-M in the pecking order as well. And if Gillespie takes the Razorbacks' job, who's to say the A & M job isn't on equal footing with U-M?
I suspect many of the coaches are waiting to see how things shake out after this weekend.
No excuses, however, Bill Martin should be in Atlanta pressing the flesh.
At March 28, 2007 10:41 PM,
Ian C. said…
Doug, I think you touched on one of the craziest aspects of this Michigan basketball coaching search. It didn't even take a week for them to get shuffled down the totem pole and watch the whole thing slip out of their control.
Michigan might also deserve some credit for keeping their moves discreet (though time will tell if that's something they actually deserve credit for), and thus avoiding prospective hires hearing where they rank on the preference list.
Post a Comment
<< Home