Why SLU over USC?

[slu72]

Not taking into consideration his mother's health.

1.) Pressure at USC would have been immense. Big media market, celeb fan base, big $$ donors wanting a piece of him. USC was a heart attack waiting to happen. He won't find that at SLU, other than Broy being a celeb (sorry Broy).

2.) Utah, prior to his takeover, was not a big time or well known program in a BCS league. Under him they dominated their conference. I think he believes he can do the same with the A-10. USC will never dominate the Pac 10 in hoops. Football maybe, but too much strength in Westwood, AZ, UW, Stanford.

3.) St. Louis has better Italian than LA.

4.) Recruiting at USC would be a tough business. He'd have to go after OJ Mayo's and other lottery picks. He'd be up against the rest of the Hoops Divas for their services. Then if he lands a few they're mostly one and done. He'd rather deal with kids who are open to his teaching and will stick around.

5.) Media exposure. He's likely to get more of it here than in LA. Lakers, Clippers, UCLA probably dominate the sports scene in the winter months. He's got the only hoops show in town.

5.) He looks better in Royal Blue and White sweaters than Maroon and Gold. Hell, would he even need a sweater in LA?

[kshoe]

sometimes you just need some time away to re-charge your batteries and decide what you really want to do...which is coach for a guy like RM.

[slu72]

Agreed, but I'd bet a plate of toasted raviolis, he looked at the USC job and said, "that's going to be a real pressure cooker, which may crush my ticker like a grape." The point is if someone said two months ago, you know I think RM would take the SLU job over USC, you'd have bet the farm that would never happen. I'm still just astounded at this move.

[kshoe]

He wasn't offered the USC job this time around though. Fact is, RM hurt his coaching opportunities big-time by backing out of the USC job 3 years ago. Hell there are some one this board that didn't want him, at least partially for that reason.

RM may very well be a coach that feels most comfortable in a mid-major conference but I don't think anyone can argue that he isn't as attractive a coach now as he was 3-5 years ago when he was turning down BCS caliber jobs like UW and taking jobs like USC. Put those two together, and we were made for eachother.

[JaleJarr]

The point is if someone said two months ago, you know I think RM would take the SLU job over USC, you'd have bet the farm that

would never happen. I'm still just astounded at this move.

Not that I knew this would happen, but I'm not astounded. Reason being all the points you mentioned. SLU or more to the point, St Louis is a much better fit. In a city like LA, Majerus would stick out like a 300lb man on a beach(culturally). Expectations would not be as high at SLU. At USC he would be competing against UCLA. Who does SLU have that is comparable, SIUC, MO. St.,or Missouri. All fine programs, but not on the level of a UCLA.

[TheA_Bomb]

Why is USC a pressure cooker? What have they ever done in Basketball to warrant a high amount of pressure on the basketball coach there? Nothing, is Nebraska's BB Head Coaching job a pressure cooker? How about Virginia Tech? Just because a school is in a BCS conference doesn't mean that all jobs in that program are high pressure. It is especially true if the school is a Big Time Traditional Football Power. Cliff Ellis stayed at Auburn forever and really didn't have that much success. If we think that SLU's Hoops lacks coverage in our own hometown think about how low on the sports totem pole USC is in LA. So where is the pressure there. Memphis is a player on the National scene and they aren't in a BCS conference. Furthermore, last I checked BCS is a football thing. I know what distinction your making but this is college hoops where everyone in the tournament has a shot at the National title not like football where Boise St. won't ever get a shot at it.

Basketball is the #1 Sport at SLU maybe Rick is used to being the top dog in the AD.

SLU is Mid-West, Catholic, similiar to his background and near home

SLU is paying him alot of $

LA has great weather but can be a tough place to live due to cost and traffic (not as tough if you live in a Hotel and Make millions).

[Billikan]

I know some people who are involved with USC and that situation for the basketball coach is an immense pressure cooker because of the constant comparisons to the football team and the fact that their intense rival UCLA is kicking butt and taking names while they have been basically irrelevant. The fans and boosters were furious. It looks like their new coach has turned things around although the solid team that would welcome seems to be falling apart because of NBA defections. Make not mistake, in LA, with the Lakers and UCLA, the coach of USC has a big target on his chest!

[Four Seventeen]

I'd rather work for Cheryl Levick than Mike Garrett any day of the week.

[shempie]

First day on the job RM showed up at 11. Mike Garrett was looking for him at 8,9,10... and told him that at USC we work 8 to 5. RM was gone a few days later.

[Four Seventeen]

Cheryl is prettier than Mr. Heisman Winner.

[cheeseman]

17 - how long have you had this MILF fixation?

[Four Seventeen]

You mean the Moro Islamic Liberation Front? Is that the MILF you are referring to? If so, I've had the fixation for about a week or two. Thanks for asking. Not a lot of people are aware of the plight of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Our goal is to educate people on the whereabouts of the MILF and hunt them down.