A replacement for Pearl

#1

MikeHamiltonFan

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#1
I do not believe Pearl will be fired. The purpose of this exercise is to establish who we would want as coach in a world where:

The NCAA comes out with major violations and drop a hammer on Pearl. There is no post season ban, but Pearl is banned from coaching for a year.

Hamilton turns in his resignation.

This occurs in April of 2011. At that point, we have to make further assumptions in the hypothetical to make it real
1. There is no postseason ban
2. The NCAA does not allow Ware, Jones, or the current roster to decommit or transfer without penalty ala USC.

If either of the above happen, very different situation.
If Pearl is fired without findings of major violations by the NCAA, very different situation.

Assuming everything I said above happened, I think TN could bring in a GREAT coach. Lets talk about who you would want. If you say Calhoun or Boeheim I will laugh at you and so will everyone else on here who knows basketball. If you say Steve Lavin, I will just think it is kind of like listing Gruden. His deep connections that enabled him to get off to a meteoric start are in the city where he coaches.

A great coach at UT cannot rely on Knoxville talent. He either needs to be able to recruit nationally or he needs to be able to have great connections to some AAU coaches in places closer like Memphis, Kentucky (getting periodic UK leftovers is not a bad place to be with the way Cal is recruiting, some 4 stars will get left behind) and Georgia.

Some guys are not on here because they would not come and asking them to tell us know seems like a waste of time. Coach K, Bill Self, Izzo, John Thompson III etc. Some guys I do not think are a fit recruiting wise (Weber gets Illinois guys).

I would say we should start with
1. Josh Pastner.
I do not know if we can get him, but the guy wants to shine brightly on the highest stage. The SEC is not considered the highest stage in terms of bball conferences, that is reserved for the Big East or the ACC, but aside from a few jobs like Duke and UNC and Kansas and Kentucky, you will not find better facilities and better pay and more exposure than Pastner could find at UT.
He would also enjoy making $2,000,000 a year, and I think he should be offered 1.8 to start (a million more than he is making) and have it explained clearly that if he gets UT to Final 4s and wins a NC, he will be compensated at a level that puts him right up there with the highest paid coaches in the game. Would Jimmy Sexton use feigned interest from Pastner to get Fred Smith money for his client to stay in Memphis? Yes. But we should still pursue him.

2. Mike Anderson.
We would have to pay $500,000 to get him but he is making 1.5 million right now at Missouri. The guy is a good coach, we have a better program and he just saw how little anyone cares about basketball in the conference when the breakup of the Big 12 negotiations happened. He is a great recruiter, and unlike Baylor I do not think he will be caught cheating.

3.Buzz Williams
The guy is 38, does not have a tremendous track record of success but I think he is a very strong coach and a good recruiter who has the potential to be great. He also is making less than a million a year at Marquette right now. I like him and think he could come to UT and stay for 10 years if he is succeeding. There are also no whispers of dirty recruiting, yet 2010 and 2011 he is showing great ability in that area.

4. Travis Ford
Same high school as another TN great, Ford grew up in the SEC. He is 40, would be 41 when we brought him in. Would he leave us for KY? I do not think he would if they are radioactive due to problems with the NCAA that make ours look minor, but I also think that being the coach at UK would be his dream job like USC was for Kiffin. If we paid him plenty he would stay here and build a strong legacy.
The guy is an aces recruiter. We would have to pay OSU $3 million. Thanks to T Boone, OSU is paying Ford pretty well:
CONTRACT BREAKDOWN

Year-by-year compensation for Oklahoma State basketball coach Travis Ford. Salary bumps begin July 1 of each year.

Year Base salary Talent-personal services Total
2009 $275,000 $1,125,000 $1,400,000
2010 $300,000 $1,225,000 $1,525,000
2011 $325,000 $1,375,000 $1,700,000
2012 $350,000 $1,525,000 $1,875,000
2013 $375,000 $1,675,000 $2,050,000
2014 $400,000 $1,825,000 $2,225,000
2015 $425,000 $1,975,000 $2,400,000
2016 $425,000 $1,975,000 $2,400,000
2017 $425,000 $1,975,000 $2,400,000
2018 $425,000 $1,975,000 $2,400,000
Total $3,725,000 $16,650,000 $20,375,000

Read more from this Tulsa World article at Ford's OSU contract is made public | Tulsa World
5. Steve Lavin.
Very much a long shot. The guy has not used his west coast connections and is the hottest recruiter in CBB. He may be dirty, but if he is not he has the skill set to grow TN immediately.
Why is he a long shot?
Since his firing at UCLA he was wooed by Arizona, California, DePaul, Memphis and South Florida and turned down N.C. State.
"I haven't gone on wild-goose chases," Lavin told The Post. "It's going to take a unique situation for me to put the armor on one more time. St. John's is a tremendous opportunity: a great city, a great conference, a great talent base, great academics."
He said he would make them great again, and leaving after two years would not fulfill that promise. He also makes 1.6-1.8 million so $ would not be that different (although living on 2 million in Knoxville is like living on 3 million in NYC).


Read more: St. John's on the verge of signing a deal to make Steve Lavin their new head coach - NYPOST.com

Now I think Bruce Pearl is a very strong recruiter. He has brought in arguably more talent than anyone who has been in his position. Yet coming in to this job, there was no way to know that. Someone may know of a stud coach who is at a small program who has never recruited a great class because no one can recruit a great class to his school. Pearl grew into his recruiting prowess, and has done lots better recently with the increased profile and success of the Vols than before. I do not want the Jurick and Ramar Smith years to return. That is why I like someone like the guys above who we know can recruit great classes and who have some coaching success to sell.

Would love to hear more people talk about their view on who we could get and should go after.
 
#3
#3
I do not believe Pearl will be fired. The purpose of this exercise is to establish who we would want as coach in a world where:

The NCAA comes out with major violations and drop a hammer on Pearl. There is no post season ban, but Pearl is banned from coaching for a year.

Hamilton turns in his resignation.

This occurs in April of 2011. At that point, we have to make further assumptions in the hypothetical to make it real
1. There is no postseason ban
2. The NCAA does not allow Ware, Jones, or the current roster to decommit or transfer without penalty ala USC.

If either of the above happen, very different situation.
If Pearl is fired without findings of major violations by the NCAA, very different situation.

Assuming everything I said above happened, I think TN could bring in a GREAT coach. Lets talk about who you would want. If you say Calhoun or Boeheim I will laugh at you and so will everyone else on here who knows basketball. If you say Steve Lavin, I will just think it is kind of like listing Gruden. His deep connections that enabled him to get off to a meteoric start are in the city where he coaches.

A great coach at UT cannot rely on Knoxville talent. He either needs to be able to recruit nationally or he needs to be able to have great connections to some AAU coaches in places closer like Memphis, Kentucky (getting periodic UK leftovers is not a bad place to be with the way Cal is recruiting, some 4 stars will get left behind) and Georgia.

Some guys are not on here because they would not come and asking them to tell us know seems like a waste of time. Coach K, Bill Self, Izzo, John Thompson III etc. Some guys I do not think are a fit recruiting wise (Weber gets Illinois guys).

I would say we should start with
1. Josh Pastner.
I do not know if we can get him, but the guy wants to shine brightly on the highest stage. The SEC is not considered the highest stage in terms of bball conferences, that is reserved for the Big East or the ACC, but aside from a few jobs like Duke and UNC and Kansas and Kentucky, you will not find better facilities and better pay and more exposure than Pastner could find at UT.
He would also enjoy making $2,000,000 a year, and I think he should be offered 1.8 to start (a million more than he is making) and have it explained clearly that if he gets UT to Final 4s and wins a NC, he will be compensated at a level that puts him right up there with the highest paid coaches in the game. Would Jimmy Sexton use feigned interest from Pastner to get Fred Smith money for his client to stay in Memphis? Yes. But we should still pursue him.

2. Mike Anderson.
We would have to pay $500,000 to get him but he is making 1.5 million right now at Missouri. The guy is a good coach, we have a better program and he just saw how little anyone cares about basketball in the conference when the breakup of the Big 12 negotiations happened. He is a great recruiter, and unlike Baylor I do not think he will be caught cheating.

3.Buzz Williams
The guy is 38, does not have a tremendous track record of success but I think he is a very strong coach and a good recruiter who has the potential to be great. He also is making less than a million a year at Marquette right now. I like him and think he could come to UT and stay for 10 years if he is succeeding. There are also no whispers of dirty recruiting, yet 2010 and 2011 he is showing great ability in that area.

4. Travis Ford
Same high school as another TN great, Ford grew up in the SEC. He is 40, would be 41 when we brought him in. Would he leave us for KY? I do not think he would if they are radioactive due to problems with the NCAA that make ours look minor, but I also think that being the coach at UK would be his dream job like USC was for Kiffin. If we paid him plenty he would stay here and build a strong legacy.
The guy is an aces recruiter. We would have to pay OSU $3 million. Thanks to T Boone, OSU is paying Ford pretty well:
CONTRACT BREAKDOWN

Year-by-year compensation for Oklahoma State basketball coach Travis Ford. Salary bumps begin July 1 of each year.

Year Base salary Talent-personal services Total
2009 $275,000 $1,125,000 $1,400,000
2010 $300,000 $1,225,000 $1,525,000
2011 $325,000 $1,375,000 $1,700,000
2012 $350,000 $1,525,000 $1,875,000
2013 $375,000 $1,675,000 $2,050,000
2014 $400,000 $1,825,000 $2,225,000
2015 $425,000 $1,975,000 $2,400,000
2016 $425,000 $1,975,000 $2,400,000
2017 $425,000 $1,975,000 $2,400,000
2018 $425,000 $1,975,000 $2,400,000
Total $3,725,000 $16,650,000 $20,375,000

Read more from this Tulsa World article at Ford's OSU contract is made public | Tulsa World
5. Steve Lavin.
Very much a long shot. The guy has not used his west coast connections and is the hottest recruiter in CBB. He may be dirty, but if he is not he has the skill set to grow TN immediately.
Why is he a long shot?
Since his firing at UCLA he was wooed by Arizona, California, DePaul, Memphis and South Florida and turned down N.C. State.
"I haven't gone on wild-goose chases," Lavin told The Post. "It's going to take a unique situation for me to put the armor on one more time. St. John's is a tremendous opportunity: a great city, a great conference, a great talent base, great academics."
He said he would make them great again, and leaving after two years would not fulfill that promise. He also makes 1.6-1.8 million so $ would not be that different (although living on 2 million in Knoxville is like living on 3 million in NYC).


Read more: St. John's on the verge of signing a deal to make Steve Lavin their new head coach - NYPOST.com

Now I think Bruce Pearl is a very strong recruiter. He has brought in arguably more talent than anyone who has been in his position. Yet coming in to this job, there was no way to know that. Someone may know of a stud coach who is at a small program who has never recruited a great class because no one can recruit a great class to his school. Pearl grew into his recruiting prowess, and has done lots better recently with the increased profile and success of the Vols than before. I do not want the Jurick and Ramar Smith years to return. That is why I like someone like the guys above who we know can recruit great classes and who have some coaching success to sell.

Would love to hear more people talk about their view on who we could get and should go after.

All moot - will not waste my time by even offering up an opinion. Pearl will be here 10 years from now imo.

Move along here - nothing to see.
 
#4
#4
hahah, watching gameday while typing, I said Steve Lavin no shot, then decided he should be #5.

I think Pearl will be here. I also think if Pearl was not here we could get a great coach but it would depend on:
Is there a postseason ban?
Does TN have decreased scholarships?
Was Pearl fired after or before a finding by the NCAA?

Anyway. Speculation is only interesting because we get to debate whether or not UT is an attractive bball job now.

I think because of Pearl and Hamilton, it is one of the most attractive jobs in CBB.
 
#7
#7
North Hall,
Have you looked at the recruiting prowess of the other candidates? They are at schools that are not as good as TN (although I am sure Memphis people will cry about that) and they are bringing in top 25 classes year after year.
 
#8
#8
I will really laugh if someone calls me a negavol or a Pearl hater. I love Pearl, I believe the hypo will NOT become true, but I think it is also absurd when people keep talking about the complete destruction of the TN bball program.

If we get a two year postseason ban and lose 3 scholarships and Pearl is banned, TN basketball will be hurting in a major way.

If we get no postseason ban and lose no scholarships and Pearl is banned, TN would be able to bring in a stud coach.

If we fire Pearl without waiting on the NCAA, we will have difficulty finding a stud coach. One of the things people forget is that TN was viewed as a school with an AD who hated bball when we fired Jerry Green. It made the options for coach very limited.
 
#11
#11
Travis sure sucked beating us two years ago.

Based on success in the tournament, Travis is lacking at this point.

Based on talent he is bringing to Stillwater, Travis is already a rousing success, but his top 25 class this year is not as good as his top 25 class next year.
 
#12
#12
The same little clique now hates Bruce Pearl and Travis Ford. Are you going to tell me a story about Ford turning someone in to the NCAA or does he have a star of david necklace I did not know about?
 
#13
#13
The same little clique now hates Bruce Pearl and Travis Ford. Are you going to tell me a story about Ford turning someone in to the NCAA or does he have a star of david necklace I did not know about?

Good call there genius, I am so obviously bigoted.
 
#14
#14
Every time NYYVol, Law, or emain post something it's like there is an echo 2-3 posts down.
 
#15
#15
I guess I should expect ridiculous crap from MHF, the same guy who openly wished ill to Aaron Craft because he dare show up at a barbecue to which Bruce Pearl had invited him.
 
#17
#17
Every time NYYVol, Law, or emain post something it's like there is an echo 2-3 posts down.

Really? In the basketball forum, when the same stupid "who u gunna git" bs about the program failing when Pearl is gone is posted approximately every four seconds, you want to bring up the fact that NYY and I happen to agree on Travis Ford?
 
#19
#19
Really? In the basketball forum, when the same stupid "who u gunna git" bs about the program failing when Pearl is gone is posted approximately every four seconds, you want to bring up the fact that NYY and I happen to agree on Travis Ford?

I actually agree with you about Ford. Just saying that I don't need the echo every time one of you guys post something. It's gets annoying.

I'm probably a little *****y today though. I'm sitting at work all day and not able to watch the game tonight. My apologies.
 
#20
#20
I actually agree with you about Ford. Just saying that I don't need the echo every time one of you guys post something. It's gets annoying.

I'm probably a little *****y today though. I'm sitting at work all day and not able to watch the game tonight. My apologies.

It's all good. I get that way just about every time I read one of MHF posts.
 
#21
#21
What about Bill Grier? I've always thought he should get more consideration for a big time job.
 
#22
#22
Try premarin. Or spend time finding where I said I hoped craft would fail.

Or list 5 coaches you want who we could get.

Or give real reason Ford sucks.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#24
#24
I have been told for a couple of years that our only choice is Buzz.

That is why I posted. As a Pearl supporter I still believe that he will and should be the coach. I am tired of people acting as if Pearl cannot be replaced by anyone if he ever has to leave. Because of Pearl and Hamilton to some degree this is now a great cbb job.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#25
#25
One of the most sad, yet true aspects of this proposition is as follows...

I believe the main reason that MH and our fanbase is so attached to Bruce is not even related to winning or to his style of play, but because of the way he reaches out to the fanbase. Lets be honest, as much as some of us love our basketvols, we are a football school. Winning a NC wouldn't change that. Some of us are more attached to bball than others but the main reason we have been top 5 in attendance the past 4 straight years is because of the way Bruce puts himself out there and promotes the program.

Finding another coach that can win is one thing, but finding another coach that is a "total package" is quite another task. The coaches that you named, while all are good coaches, are not going to fill the seats the way Bruce does. From a money standpoint, keeping Bruce is the ONLY way to go. Even if we have a post-season ban, with Bruce we will still have high attendance, concession sales, etc. The hardest part about hypothetically replacing Bruce is finding another coach that has the qualities the majority of our fanbase need to have the motivation to get out and go to a game on Wed night at 9PM against WKU.

That being said, not a single coach comes to mind that possesses what Bruce has. That "it" factor is remarkable in Bruce, and regardless of who we brought in, it would feel like dating a nun after divorcing a stripper
 

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