Coaching movement that might affect SLU

[William Iken]

Martin would look good at UW if our under-performing former friend gets canned. Other than a desire to return to his roots, Mizzou and Illinois would be a back step in what has been an amazing upward trajectory.

[HoosierBilliken]

Mizzou has problems.  This is the post-campus protests era compounded by the fact that there has been limited success in basketball for years.  They're reputation has suffered.  When was the last time they had a decent coach?  Name one decent coach that would want to come there.  It will take a lot of money to get any decent coach with experience and he would be probably nearing retirement age, or they are going to find someone really young who is like, "I got nothing to lose."  I think Jim Crews would be a nice fit there.        

[Soderball]

10 hours ago, Glorydays2013 said:

Funny how a great location, top 10 academics and a A+ conference aren't enough. If he goes, that would be an easy fill I would assume. Look Saint Louis is a large city without a professional basketball program that breeds top recruits in the area. This is a great place for a coach who can recruit. For the best fanbase in baseball there is enormous potential for a basketball fanbase since they do not overlap. If Ford stays and keeps recruiting, 3 years from now we could be discussing if we should move to scotttrade for some big games since Chaifetz would no doubt sell out with players like Gordon

85 mil was not spent on Chaifetz Arena to play small-time games in.

It would be more likely that if SLU were to play SPUMAC or Kansas or Marquette or Illinois that the game would be played in the DOME, not in the kiel center.

[Soderball]

21 minutes ago, HoosierBilliken said:

Mizzou has problems.  This is the post-campus protests era compounded by the fact that there has been limited success in basketball for years.  They're reputation has suffered.  When was the last time they had a decent coach?  Name one decent coach that would want to come there.  It will take a lot of money to get any decent coach with experience and he would be probably nearing retirement age, or they are going to find someone really young who is like, "I got nothing to lose."  I think Jim Crews would be a nice fit there.        

#MizzouCrewsControl

[Old guy]

9 hours ago, TheChosenOne said:

Might be an attractive offer for him haha. What a stupid discussion, Tate will not be a candidate.

I agree he will most likely not be considered for a HC spot by Mizzou.

[Bills_06]

13 hours ago, MUTGR said:

That strikes me as nothing more than clickbait for Matter and Stltoday.com.

To go along with this, Ford isn't on the list of coaches from the KC star as candidates.  

[HoosierPal]

12 hours ago, NH said:

Hiring Ford would be a tough sell both ways. Mizzou would be hiring a coach who just got fired and then won ~10 games (situation not withstanding), and Mizzou would be trying to get Ford to take them out of a tough situation at program that has experienced minimal success in the last 15 years.

 

Not worried about it.

Exactly.  It would be a PR disaster for Missouri to hire a 11-20 coach, no matter where he came from, but particularly a SLU coach.  SLU is a four letter word in Columbia. 

[Bobby Metzinger]

14 hours ago, Glorydays2013 said:

That list seems like it was put together by dreamers. They had more than half the programs from winning coaches in a great conference. The funniest for me is the Cal coach leaving who has been doing fine in the Pac-12 and leave sunny California and amazing institution Berkeley, for Columbia Missouri. 

Both schools have amazing cardboard sign making classes w/ rhyme workshops on the lawn.

[slufan13]

Any "mutual interest" with Ford in the coming weeks is just a bargaining chip for Ford to get more from SLU. Not necessarily in terms of his salary, but more in terms of money pumped into the program. I know Ford is still wanting the locker-room/player's lounge upgrade.

[shempie]

2 minutes ago, slufan13 said:

Any "mutual interest" with Ford in the coming weeks is just a bargaining chip for Ford to get more from SLU. Not necessarily in terms of his salary, but more in terms of money pumped into the program. I know Ford is still wanting the locker-room/player's lounge upgrade.

I believe this is already in the works and will happen this off season. Has anyone else heard this? 

[brianstl]

5 minutes ago, slufan13 said:

Any "mutual interest" with Ford in the coming weeks is just a bargaining chip for Ford to get more from SLU. Not necessarily in terms of his salary, but more in terms of money pumped into the program. I know Ford is still wanting the locker-room/player's lounge upgrade.

If SLU was smart, this work would be getting ready to start right now.

[prebilliken]

Just now, brianstl said:

If SLU was smart, this work would be getting ready to start right now.

Agreed, 

Any whispers, murmurs, rumors, etc., about Ford leaving SLU to Mizzou are BS click-bait nonsense that should be treated as such. 

I'm all in on the new locker room, have one of our assistants give a cool tour of it to a local news anchor and blast that on youtube as much as you can. The Fetz is gorgeous but these things are being constantly improved. Villanova completely re-did their practice facilities coming off the Natty, and they're gorgeous. 

[slufan13]

7 minutes ago, shempie said:

I believe this is already in the works and will happen this off season. Has anyone else heard this? 

I know they had designs ready a few months ago, but somebody was saying that all major expenses were going to be vetted with the recent budget cuts for the school. 

[prebilliken]

9 minutes ago, slufan13 said:

I know they had designs ready a few months ago, but somebody was saying that all major expenses were going to be vetted with the recent budget cuts for the school. 

I am as interested/concerned with the recent budget issues (or non-issues, depending on what you read) as every other alum, but projects like this are where there needs to be some autonomy between the AD/rest of the school. 

[billikenfan05]

31 minutes ago, brianstl said:

If SLU was smart, this work would be getting ready to start right now.

It should have already started but it hasn't...

[Bills_06]

21 minutes ago, slufan13 said:

I know they had designs ready a few months ago, but somebody was saying that all major expenses were going to be vetted with the recent budget cuts for the school. 

I would assume items like this would be funded from donors for that specific reason.  Similar to how Mizzou is updating the football stadium and the AD is getting donors for that even though the school has financial problems and big decrease in enrollment.  

[Cowboy]

3 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said:

It should have already started but it hasn't...

-if that is the case, what facilities were the players supposed to be using before they left on Friday for Rich and the A10 tourney? seems like a logistical issue to have started before the team didn't need the room

[Billikenswin]

2 hours ago, shempie said:

I believe this is already in the works and will happen this off season. Has anyone else heard this? 

The design is very nice and it will include facilities for the men and the women. It will happen.

[prebilliken]

1 hour ago, Billikenswin said:

The design is very nice and it will include facilities for the men and the women. It will happen.

Pics or it didn't happen. 

I'm kidding, I believe you, but I would love pics. 

[brianstl]

1 hour ago, Billikenswin said:

The design is very nice and it will include facilities for the men and the women. It will happen.

Is there a timeline on this project?

[Glorydays2013]

I think this happened in november at the Billiken basketball dinner right? Last I saw of it

[Bobby Metzinger]

1 hour ago, brianstl said:

Is there a timeline on this project?

I remember seeing "Arena" renderings as an intern working in Laura Geiser's Universitas office in 2003. I'd be cautious asking for timelines. SLU operates at a snail's pace.

[Bills_06]

Frank mentioned on his show today that 2 people who are close to the program mentioned there is mutual interest between Ford and Mizzou.  He said he'd be shocked but he brought it up because 2 people he knows and trust told him about it.

[ACE]

14 minutes ago, Bills_06 said:

Frank mentioned on his show today that 2 people who are close to the program mentioned there is mutual interest between Ford and Mizzou.  He said he'd be shocked but he brought it up because 2 people he knows and trust told him about it.

Sounds like some BS somebody close to the SPUMAC program would float out there to try to create some uncertainty for SLU.

[brianstl]

18 minutes ago, Bills_06 said:

Frank mentioned on his show today that 2 people who are close to the program mentioned there is mutual interest between Ford and Mizzou.  He said he'd be shocked but he brought it up because 2 people he knows and trust told him about it.

It was two people close to the Mizzou program that Frank said he talked to.

I don't think there is any chance Ford goes anywhere in the next few years.  He needs to get the stain of having a conference winning percentage of 44% and never making the second week of the tournament at Okie St off of him before Power 5 programs are going to come calling.  That is going to take a lot more cleaning than what he has done on the recruiting front so far.

That said, rumors floating around about him and Mizzou serve a purpose for both Ford and Mizzou.  Ford wants more support from the administration at SLU and having people think you might leave is one way to try to get it.  Mizzou doesn't mind putting the thought in the heads of potential recruits that Ford is looking to get out of SLU right away.  So you will get reports in St Louis talking about Ford and Mizzou.  In the Kansas City area where Ford isn't viewed as a threat for guys Mizzou wants to recruit you hear absolutely nothing about Ford and Mizzou.