GDT: Paying the New Doctor's Bills (St. Joe's)

[JMM28]

Agree with brian.

I don't agree that this is a must score hire. If the hire flops, you know where SLU is? Still in the A10, still a fairly attractive job. The Big East ship sailed far away long ago, was torpedoed after it hit international waters, then Chris May sent a crew to pillaged the wreckage. If this hire fails, SLU will be in pretty much the exact same position as it is right now. Firing a coach.

SLU is in an interesting position with the Rams leaving town though. If they were to make a big name hire, they could possibly capitalize on the void of Rams coverage, interest, and money. It is literally a once in a lifetime period of time though.

[brianstl]

Agree with brian.

I don't agree that this is a must score hire. If the hire flops, you know where SLU is? Still in the A10, still a fairly attractive job. The Big East ship sailed far away long ago, was torpedoed after it hit international waters, then Chris May sent a crew to pillaged the wreckage. If this hire fails, SLU will be in pretty much the exact same position as it is right now. Firing a ###### coach.

SLU is in an interesting position with the Rams leaving town though. If they were to make a big name hire, they could possibly capitalize on the void of Rams coverage, interest, and money. It is literally a once in a lifetime period of time though.

The reason I think it it is pretty close to a much score hire is thinking about where the season ticket numbers will be if they have to fire another coach in 3 or 4 seasons. That half empty arena should be scaring the hell out of everyone with juice inside the basketball program. That building is a lot harder to pay off when the main tenant sucks. We know attendance numbers matter when it comes to paying off the building. That is why Brad got canned and replaced with a guy that could sell tickets at higher prices.

[waldo027]

The same way most schools who go that high pay for a coach. The same way they ponied up for Majerus. You get donors to pay for a large part of it. If no donors want to step up and pay the freight, the school will be forced to go cheaper.

Only about 25 schools pay 2M+ for a basketball coach, nearly all of them are huge state schools in power conferences. If Dr C is really embarrassed by these results and really feeling generous, along with the recent NCAA credits, then maybe we can pay 1.2-1.5M. To increase it past that, I don't know where that extra 3-6M is going to come from.

[brianstl]

Only about 25 schools pay 2M+ for a basketball coach, nearly all of them are huge state schools in power conferences. If Dr C is really embarrassed by these results and really feeling generous, along with the recent NCAA credits, then maybe we can pay 1.2-1.5M. To increase it past that, I don't know where that extra 3-6M is going to come from.

I don't think the program will pay a coach $2 million a year. I just think it is foolish to act like there is no way SLU will pony up big bucks for a new coach. They did it before when they didn't have NCAA credits to help pay the salary.

[Soderball]

I don't think the program will pay a coach $2 million a year. I just think it is foolish to act like there is no way SLU will pony up big bucks for a new coach. They did it before when they didn't have NCAA credits to help pay the salary.

Reasonable. My 2M comment was meant to be more the spirit of makibn a big ticket hire rather than the actual amount of money.

I think this biondian concept of grabbing some lowball coach and hoping against hope it pays off could be disastrous. We have to show we are not committed to playing valley-ball forever.

We will never be big east, but we have never made regional rivals in the a10. Losing X did irreparable damage to the conference.

SLU becoming a trainwreck further curtailed our conference standing. We should have been carrying the torch sith UD and VCU. Instead we are a bottom feeding pile of #!@$. This program is making lifelong avid followers into apathists. Normally i spend a whole week getting hyped and psyched for a game. Now i make impotent rage-posts on billikens.com.... I cant stand this crap.

[Cowboy]

-brian I agree with much of what you said but one big change is there is a new occupant in the corner office of DuBourg Hall and his reaction to this dumpster fire will be key since we don't really know DrP's thoughts on athletics overall and this program specifically

-I have blind hope we will know two weeks from today or tomorrow

[Taj79]

This is dated, as Barnes, Donovan and Ryan are gone but this was last year at this time.

Top 20 Highest Paid College coaches:

01) Mike Krzyzewski, Duke, @$9,682,032

02) Rick Pitino, Lousiville, @$5,758,338

03) John Calipari, Kentucky, @$5,511,381

04) Bill Self, Kansas, @$4,960.763

05) Billy Donovan, Florida @$3,905,964

06) Tom Izzo, Michigan State @$3,893,954

07) Steve Alford, UCLA, @$3,473,973

08) Thad Matta, Ohio State, @$3, 282,000

09) Josh Pastner, Memphis, @$2,650,000

10) Sean Miller, Arizona, @$2, 627,806

11) Rick Barnes, Texas, @$2,550,000

12) John Beilein, Michigan, @ $2, 498,242

13) Jay Wright, Villanova, @ $2,489.332

14) Travis Ford, Oklahoma State, @ $2,450,000

15) Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh, @ $2, 445, 682

16) Bo Ryan, Wisconsin, @$2,413,500

17) Tony Bennett, Virginia, @ $2, 291,100

18) Lon Kruger, Oklahoma, @$2, 200,000

19) Scott Drew, Baylor, @ $2,133,120

20) Mark Gottfried, NC State @ $2,009,000

The 20th highest paid coach in American just broke $2 million a year. back in the days of some old A10 coaches, Jim barron got $700k, same with Fran Dunphy, Everhardt got $600K at Duquesne, same with Kellogg at Umass. Brian Gregory got $541k last year at Dayton so you figure he went up at Georgia Tech. It just seems ludicrous to suggest Saint Louis University should and could go out and spend $2 million on a coach. Too rare already.

[jimbofive]

This is dated, as Barnes, Donovan and Ryan are gone but this was last year at this time.

Top 20 Highest Paid College coaches:

01) Mike Krzyzewski, Duke, @$9,682,032

02) Rick Pitino, Lousiville, @$5,758,338

03) John Calipari, Kentucky, @$5,511,381

04) Bill Self, Kansas, @$4,960.763

05) Billy Donovan, Florida @$3,905,964

06) Tom Izzo, Michigan State @$3,893,954

07) Steve Alford, UCLA, @$3,473,973

08) Thad Matta, Ohio State, @$3, 282,000

09) Josh Pastner, Memphis, @$2,650,000

10) Sean Miller, Arizona, @$2, 627,806

11) Rick Barnes, Texas, @$2,550,000

12) John Beilein, Michigan, @ $2, 498,242

13) Jay Wright, Villanova, @ $2,489.332

14) Travis Ford, Oklahoma State, @ $2,450,000

15) Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh, @ $2, 445, 682

16) Bo Ryan, Wisconsin, @$2,413,500

17) Tony Bennett, Virginia, @ $2, 291,100

18) Lon Kruger, Oklahoma, @$2, 200,000

19) Scott Drew, Baylor, @ $2,133,120

20) Mark Gottfried, NC State @ $2,009,000

The 20th highest paid coach in American just broke $2 million a year. back in the days of some old A10 coaches, Jim barron got $700k, same with Fran Dunphy, Everhardt got $600K at Duquesne, same with Kellogg at Umass. Brian Gregory got $541k last year at Dayton so you figure he went up at Georgia Tech. It just seems ludicrous to suggest Saint Louis University should and could go out and spend $2 million on a coach. Too rare already.

duke, villanova and baylor the only non-state schools. UCLA and arizona the only western schools. rich nasty bidness.

[DeSmetBilliken]

It just seems ludicrous to suggest Saint Louis University should and could go out and spend $2 million on a coach. Too rare already.

The thing to add to this is who out there that we could take a run at would be worth $2m, or maybe even $1.5-1.75m? I have read suggestions here for a while that we need to throw some cash around and make a big splash hire, but no one has provided any names that would be a truly "splash" hire. I think the only chance on that front is to find a coach from a lower tier Power 5 program who wants to get out before he gets fired. It would sound cool to say that we plucked a coach from a power conference school, but is it really that big if he's coming to SLU to get out of a tough situation?

[brianstl]

Again, I don't think the school will spend $2 million. It wouldn't shock me if they tried to make a splash hire and spend would spend more than many on this board believe. Majerus salary was in the top 30 when he was hired.

I think they will be making a mistake if they hire a coach who will command less money than Crews was making.

[brianstl]

The thing to add to this is who out there that we could take a run at would be worth $2m, or maybe even $1.5-1.75m? I have read suggestions here for a while that we need to throw some cash around and make a big splash hire, but no one has provided any names that would be (a) a truly "

Bryce Drew would be worth the inflated salary we would have to pay him to consider the SLU job. We would have to offer him well over a $1 million a year to even consider us. He would be worth every penny SLU would pay him.

Heck, a guy like Russell Turner is probably going to cost you more than you are paying Crews. He turned down over $700,000 per from Mason after last season.

[DeSmetBilliken]

Bryce Drew would be worth the inflated salary we would have to pay him to consider the SLU job. We would have to offer him well over a $1 million a year to even consider us. He would be worth every penny SLU would pay him.

Heck, a guy like Russell Turner is probably going to cost you more than you are paying Crews. He turned down over $700,000 per from Mason after last season.

I would be thrilled if SLU hired Bryce Drew. I'd also have no problem with Russell Turner. Maybe I'm wrong here, but when I've seen people posting about making a splashy hire, I've generally thought that they're expecting SLU to find another coach with the name recognition of Majerus.

Either of Drew or Turner would be a good hire for SLU, but would either be someone that the casual fan would say "Wow, SLU hired Bryce Drew!!"?

For the record, I'll take the guy that is a good fit that not everyone knows about over the guy who isn't a good fit that people know every time.

So basically, I see those guys in the "smart hire" category rather than the "splashy hire" category. If they're available and interested, SLU should look to spend for those guys.

[Soderball]

I would be thrilled if SLU hired Bryce Drew. I'd also have no problem with Russell Turner. Maybe I'm wrong here, but when I've seen people posting about making a splashy hire, I've generally thought that they're expecting SLU to find another coach with the name recognition of Majerus.

Either of Drew or Turner would be a good hire for SLU, but would either be someone that the casual fan would say "Wow, SLU hired Bryce Drew!!"?

For the record, I'll take the guy that is a good fit that not everyone knows about over the guy who isn't a good fit that people know every time.

So basically, I see those guys in the "smart hire" category rather than the "splashy hire" category. If they're available and interested, SLU should look to spend for those guys.

Those are good names.. They are splashy.

Noone out there has Majerus cred. Lavin would do it but he isnt coming.

Hiring soderberg(unproven assistant at top rated school) is the question mark.

Drew has deep roots at Valpo, would he leave to come here? We have to face facts: money is all we got. We have to pay.

[Billiken Law]

Soderberg was an "up-and-comer"

Then again so was Romar.

Personally I'd rather do better than 50/50. I think this next hire is pivotal for the program. We are in bad, bad shape. We have had a 15-year average of being in the top 100, we are now in the realm of the lower third of D1 hoops. I think we need someone with a track record of success.

The next great up-and-comer can also be the next great gaffe. If we fail with another coach I'm not sure where we'll be at 10 years from now. We need success and improvement NOW. This team cannot take more rebuilding.

If this up-and-comer has the ear of some top recruits and is a high energy guy who comes from a respected coaching tree, then let's talk. We just cannot fail this time around. The money is secondary.. NCAA tournament appearances easily repay for the coach.

Coach > arena. If we spent this money on an arena, but are unwilling to put a product in it, it is the ultimate in futility. 80 million for a place to hold commencement? SNORE.

Soderberg was Biondi cheaping out on a hire.

Plenty of proven low to mid major guys who would take the job for $700K or less. It has to be a good fit philosophy wise, mission and culture wise and geographically. I've served on committees where a great candidate didn't fit the culture and we moved on.

[cheeseman]

I get what everybody is saying - both sides. First the get rid of Crews then have a short list - no national ad like they did before, no committee just the AD, the prez, the money people. Wrap this up in a couple of weeks no matter who they hire. I do think after reading this thread that we are talking at least 1 mm

[Clock_Tower]

Spending money on a coach just to say we are spending money on a coach makes no sense and does not prove we are committed to men's basketball. The coach needs to be worthy of the salary. If we can get the right coach for only $700k, then great. But looking at the following summary of recent SLU coach salaries and recognizing that head coaching salaries have dramatically increased over the past 20 years, I would suggest that a coach truly worth $700k would be going on the cheaper equal to or greater than we did with Brad. A head coach truly worth $1.25 to $1.5 million is what this program needs.

Grawer -- I have no idea what he made. Anyone know?

Spoon -- I don't know what he made initially when we lured him away from SMS but believe he ended making $700k

Romar -- Believe he made $550k initially and then his salary increased to $600k

Brad -- Believe he was hired for $325k and then left earning $375k to $400k

RM -- earned $1 million

Crews - earns $850k

And while I have no insight into the finances of Chaifetz Arena, continued loss of season ticket sales, plummeting tv ratings and no future NCAA credits will devastate the entire SLU athletics program but not Chaifetz which appears to do quite well with concerts, shows and events week after week.

[CBFan]

Those are good names.. They are splashy.

Noone out there has Majerus cred. Lavin would do it but he isnt coming.

Hiring soderberg(unproven assistant at top rated school) is the question mark.

Drew has deep roots at Valpo, would he leave to come here? We have to face facts: money is all we got. We have to pay.

I agree, Drew would be a splash hire and I hope that SLU will offer Drew to much money to oppose becoming the coach at SLU. I think Chris Crutchfield of Oklahoma looks good and would be a splash hire to me. These are just my opinions and that of a fan that loves Billiken Basketball and will miss Billiken Basketball when the season is over so consider the source.