Ford contract

[Taj79]

Cowboy:  how about we agree to disagree?  I have it from multiple sources that Majerus recommended good friend [dead] to take over for him, over and above former Loyola Coach Jim Whitesell.  [dead] came out of retirement to work for Majerus for free.  Majerus and [dead] might have even been on an Olympic team coachign staff once upon a time.  Majerus and [dead] were tight, anyone that says otherwise is kidding themselves.  That move was why Whitesell moved on to St. John's (now head coach at Buffalo after Oates went to Alabama).  Now, Majerus may have thought he was coming back but we all know he didn't.  It is then my opinion (and others) that May could not fire the recent Coach if the Year in [dead] for fear of the public relations image that would create and we all know how badly that went.     Enter Travis Ford (Yay!).

The concerns about Ford and UK seem off kilter.  Again, as a Louisville Courier Journal article suggested over two years ago, Ford is no spring chicken.  At the tiem of the writing, Ford had yet to do much here at SLU to warrant consideration.  Has he now?  I'd say absolutely.  Has he knocked anyone's socks off?  i say absolutely not.

In April 2019, Calipari signed a lifetime contract with UK.  At that time, he was 60 years old.  So he's approaching 62.  I don't think UK would hire a former player at thsi point only because there is not a lot fo success out there to pick from.  In April 2019, who from the UK ranks were actual college coaches?  Allen Edwards, Wyoming (fired March 2020).  Travis Ford, Saint Louis.  Steve Masiello, Manhattan.  Walter McCarty, Evansville (fired January 2020).  Scott Padgett, Samford (fired March 2020).  John Pelphrey, Tennessee Tech.  Mark Pope, Brigham Young.  Sean Woods, Southern.  Joe B. Hall was the last UK player to serve as head coach (1972-85)  The article, again now two years old (https://www.kentucky.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mark-story/article229072589.html) stated Pope was on the upswing but Ford had the most wins.  

As you can see, there ain't a whole lot of pickings to choose from in terms of former UK players now coaching.  And sincethe 1985 parting with Joe B. Hall, UK has always seemed to have gone for the big splash it seems, hiring Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith and Billy Gillespie before going with Calipari in 2009.  Concerns about Ford seemed unfounded.

 

[Taj79]

Thank you CB fan.  Appreciate it.  Ford bought Holliday's house for $4 million and its listed just iver $5 million.  Nice pocket change, eh?

As for Ford, I want him to retire here.  Make no bones about it.  He is a good coach.  A great recruiter.  A great spokesperson.  A fine lead example for the school and of the program.  He's fiery and energetic.  Passionate.  But i just don't see it where he has done enough for the big boys to come knocking.  Please see the post above as well ... UK doesn't trend to hire former players and Calipari has a lifetime contract.  I just don't see it and I don;t see Ford saying "Lincoln, Nebraska; Ames, Iowa; Pulliman, Washington; Eugene, Oregon; State College, PA, Minneapolis, Minnesota" is the place for me.  Just like Stillwater, Oklahoma wasn't either.

 

[Taj79]

@ Big Bill Fan:  because i did not knwo that.  At most, I called it downsizing.  What I do know is his current house is on the market.  I don't know anything more and I said that.  I thank you for filling in that blank in my story.

[RUBillsFan]

3 hours ago, cgeldmacher said:

The one job that always worries me with Ford is Kentucky.  Here goes my unreasonably worrisome rantings.  Please don't reply that this is not a feasible scenario.  I know.  It's just how my anxiety ridden brain works.  It's possible that Kentucky fans and AD were upset with Calipari before this season for only winning one championship in his tenure and none since 2012.  If they were already questioning him and then this dumpster fire of a season happens, it may be the impetus to get rid of him.  It is possible that they have already decided to dump him at the end of the season.  I understand all of the arguments for why Ford hasn't necessarily proven his capabilities for long term success yet, but some in Kentucky might just convince themselves that his recruiting abilities combined with the resources and name of Kentucky would vault them to SEC championships and annual appearances in the final four.  If they have already decided that Calipari is out, it isn't beyond the realm of comprehension that someone from Kentucky reached out to Ford made a back door offer that he was receptive to.  I'm sure that the folks at Kentucky would want to hit the ground running if they were going to make a coaching change, and having your new coach already thinking about who to bring in and how to change the program would seem to be something that Kentucky would want.  Then, Coach Ford, wanting to be able to get his family to Kentucky ASAP after the announcement, puts his house up on the market.

Okay.  That's enough.  Now I'm back to thinking about Ford staying here 20 years, turning us into the next Gonzaga, and becoming the next Mark Few.

I get that Kentucky fans are kind of nuts, extremely demanding and have unrealistically high expectations.  Therefore, they may be unhappy about Calipari "only" delivering 1 national championship so far during his tenure.  They also seem to really really love Travis Ford (the college player, anyways).

However, I cannot fathom Kentucky fans being happy about adding Ford as a coach unless he has a long run of success at SLU with annual trips to the NCAAs and multiple deep tournament runs.  Right now he is a failed Power 5 coach who had appeared in 1 NCAA tournament in 4 seasons for an A10 school.  His national rep is still a recruiter who can't coach very well and UK fans already believe they have a much better version of a coach with that narrative in Calipari.

If someone offered me a deal that said Ford will have a wild amount of success at SLU, BUT after 5 years of NCAA appearances including at least 2 sweet 16s & final four run he will move on to Kentucky, I would absolutely take that deal.  NCAA banners hang forever and getting another coach who can deliver them will be easier after Ford has proven that successful.

If I had to speculate about who Kentucky would go after if Calipari was let go, names 1 - 10 on my list are Chris Beard of Texas Tech.  He's making over $4 mil at Texas Tech, but Cal games over $9 mil at Kentucky.  I think they can get any coach they want aside from Coach K.

[cheeseman]

4 hours ago, slu72 said:

I shared the same thoughts a little while ago in a different post. I play golf with a pretty serious connected UK fan. UK fans are over their romance with Calipari. They don't really like him and would probably be glad to see him go. They are fed up with the his one and done strategy. As my friend said, it takes you half a season to know who the players are without looking at your program. UK players are idolized in Lexington, but not when they're just passing thru. Every time I ask him if Ford would be considered he smiles and says he bleeds UK blue doesn't he?  Travis as a player was loved by UK fans. And they'd probably be all in for him to replace Calipari. All that said, I think the problem would be Calipari got an extension about 2 years ago, and I think it was a large and long one that would take him to the end of his coaching days. Can you say, BIG MONEY BUY OUT. Not sure they'd want to go that route at this time given the state of AD bank accounts due to the China plague. Every year the SEC distributes about $45mm to it's member schools, but I'm not sure that will be done this year, ie no ticket revenues and probably a dip in licensing royalties as well.  I think we're ok for the immediate future. Unless Travis falls flat on his tukus at SLU, I can see the day where he will likely be asked to return to his Old Kentucky Home.  

While we like Ford lets be honest we are not UK.  Ford would not last long there the knives would be out quick.  He does not have the reputation of the coaches they hire and keep.

[majerus mojo]

No offense to Coach Ford (big fan) but all of the posts connecting him to the UK job are insane at this point. 
 

That’s not even considering the only news here, which is that he very recently signed a lucrative extension. Glad May realizes what we have 

[ARon]

10 hours ago, brianstl said:

I expect DePaul to have an opening.

That’s an evergreen post if there ever was one.

[slu72]

https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball
 

Make of this what you will. Good article on Porter. But it’s really about P6 coaching hot seats. 

[Billiken Rich]

After our elite eight run, Travis will be a sexy hire.  Until Then I am not too worried.......

[slu72]

I should add to my SI link above, Pat Forde writes about Caglimari’s future at UK. Also, a list of other P6 HC’s whose seats are warming up. Good read. 

[Clock_Tower]

15 hours ago, Taj79 said:

Cowboy:  how about we agree to disagree?  I have it from multiple sources that Majerus recommended good friend [dead] to take over for him, over and above former Loyola Coach Jim Whitesell.  [dead] came out of retirement to work for Majerus for free.  Majerus and [dead] might have even been on an Olympic team coachign staff once upon a time.  Majerus and [dead] were tight, anyone that says otherwise is kidding themselves.  That move was why Whitesell moved on to St. John's (now head coach at Buffalo after Oates went to Alabama).  Now, Majerus may have thought he was coming back but we all know he didn't.  It is then my opinion (and others) that May could not fire the recent Coach if the Year in [dead] for fear of the public relations image that would create and we all know how badly that went.     Enter Travis Ford (Yay!).

Taj. Assuming your source is 100% correct, and others have suggested it is not, the key is the intent of RM. Did he want a short term loyal trusted coach to maintain and be the caretaker of the program as constructed or did he truly think he was dying, not coming back and that RM thought Crews would be an excellent guy to lead SLU forward. I believe the former. 
And without more from your source, your statement that we all know that RM did not come back proves your point. 

[Taj79]

As I said we'll agree to disagree because we won't really know Majerus/ intent until we ask him.  It is my contention, and others, that Majerus had no intentions of doing any more once his contract was up.  He was fed up with the Biondi crap and wasn't going to put up with it any more.  How else do you explain a cupboard left bare because that's all it was with Manning and Glaze?  BLUF:  we will never know.  Done with rehashing this old subject.

And I don't know why I called you "Cowboy,"  must've been the C and O in "Clock."  Sorry.

[CBFan]

15 hours ago, Taj79 said:

Thank you CB fan.  Appreciate it.  Ford bought Holliday's house for $4 million and its listed just iver $5 million.  Nice pocket change, eh?

As for Ford, I want him to retire here.  Make no bones about it.  He is a good coach.  A great recruiter.  A great spokesperson.  A fine lead example for the school and of the program.  He's fiery and energetic.  Passionate.  But i just don't see it where he has done enough for the big boys to come knocking.  Please see the post above as well ... UK doesn't trend to hire former players and Calipari has a lifetime contract.  I just don't see it and I don;t see Ford saying "Lincoln, Nebraska; Ames, Iowa; Pulliman, Washington; Eugene, Oregon; State College, PA, Minneapolis, Minnesota" is the place for me.  Just like Stillwater, Oklahoma wasn't either.

 

Even a millionaire does not mind making another million.

My house 40 miles south of St.Louis is worth more than it ever has been.  Real estate in most states is crazy hot because of the crazy low interest rates.  Homes are getting multiple offers hours after going up for sale and offers over asking price.

I just closed on a lake front home that I offered more than asking price.  I was on the property the hour it went up.  That home had multiple offers higher than my offer the difference was I had a risky no contingent offer.

The point of this is fans should not get worked up if the Fords decide to save 20 percent by waiting for the market to cool and lease a place for a year or two.

Your point about coach Ford I agree with and since this is a results business a school trying to hire coach Ford will not say to its fans that situation 2, 2 big men leaving, and COVID has hurt his results and record.

 

[Clock_Tower]

Again, the worst part of S2, according to my source, is that the paid, independent, expert law firm that inexplicably had their findings delayed for months throughout the season, then their findings and results which favored the players and the team and were made known to Coach Ford and his coaching staff who was told the boys would return that season but then SLU chose send Coach Ford a curveball and chose not to follow these findings and recommendations and expelled the kids long after recruiting deadlines.  
It’s very simple, if kids act inappropriately, are knuckleheads, are bad students or bad teammates then you cut your losses and move on. Coach Ford was not given the opportunity to cut his losses and move on. The news broke public prior the start of school in August. By November signing., Coach Ford knew or should have known to cut losses i. November but was told the opposite and S2 then affected two years. At the time I said this would be used against Coach Ford and him taking longer than some expected to turn our program around. 
 

[cheeseman]

8 minutes ago, CBFan said:

Even a millionaire does not mind making another million.

My house 40 miles south of St.Louis is worth more than it ever has been.  Real estate in most states is crazy hot because of the crazy low interest rates.  Homes are getting multiple offers hours after going up for sale and offers over asking price.

I just closed on a lake front home that I offered more than asking price.  I was on the property the hour it went up.  That home had multiple offers higher than my offer the difference was I had a risky no contingent offer.

The point of this is fans should not get worked up if the Fords decide to save 20 percent by waiting for the market to cool and lease a place for a year or two.

Your point about coach Ford I agree with and since this is a results business a school trying to hire coach Ford will not say to its fans that situation 2, 2 big men leaving, and COVID has hurt his results and record.

 

I wonder just how easy it is to sell a 5 million home as opposed to those in much more moderate price ranges.  Where did you see that Ford was going to lease and not buy?

[Taj79]

CB ---- we moved and sold in the midst of the COVID uproar, May 2020.  I would not say we got a gazillion offers or that they were outside the market rates.  But we got what we wanted and made it work into paying straight cash for the golf course villa that we will likely die in.  I'm pretty simple when it comes to that kind of stuff.  I have no clue how anyone pays for a $500,000 home, let alone a $5 million one.  Outside my knowledge range.

[Clock_Tower]

15 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

As I said we'll agree to disagree because we won't really know Majerus/ intent until we ask him.  It is my contention, and others, that Majerus had no intentions of doing any more once his contract was up.  He was fed up with the Biondi crap and wasn't going to put up with it any more.  How else do you explain a cupboard left bare because that's all it was with Manning and Glaze?  BLUF:  we will never know.  Done with rehashing this old subject.

And I don't know why I called you "Cowboy,"  must've been the C and O in "Clock."  Sorry.

That’s fair. Everyone is free to have their own opinion. Just read more like a fact than an opinion. 
As to John Manning, without the injury, he becomes a very good player for us. With the injury not so much. As to the empty cupboard, I cannot agree with that. We had Manning and that promising PG who left bc of Crews. And while I am not, and was not a big Grandy Glaze fan, I do believe RM would have gotten more out of him than Jim Crews. And the whole Jordair Jett, class was only Juniors when RM stepped down and then died. We had alot of Juniors and Seniors and not that many empty scholarships. 
And I believe that anything RM had his name associated with he would either do his way and at 100% or not at all. When his contract was up, would he walk away? Maybe  But I don’t buy into this theory that RM was getting even with Fr Biondi by slowly and intentionally ruining the basketball program which he spent years building. I believe RM would quit but would never do this to his players and coaches. Just din’t believe this was in his DNA. Again we can agree to disagree. 

[slu72]

Ford's decision to sell may just come down to the simple fact it's a seller's market so why not now, honey? We don't need all this space anyways. As for leasing he's only got 18 months to purchase a new place or it's big capital gains time, right? Bottom line I have no idea why the Ford's have put their place on the market at this time. My gut says do it now while it's hot, or wait and take the risk it may take a while to sell a $5 mil estate. I'll wager Ford's getting a big chuckle out of this thread. Why we love the MBM board so much. 

As for the real estate market, it's red hot in Charleston. At my condo project we have agents knocking on our doors asking us if we want to sell at top dollar and close in a week.  I struggle with this as I know someday, probably sooner rather than later, this boom will go bust. The problem is you sell now and where do you go? You're only going to pay more once you're on the buyer's side of the equation. So, I'm staying put. 

[slu72]

As for the RM situation, Broy contends that RM would want to leave us with a third rate HC so as to make us appreciate him more once the program went into a tailspin. I really don't think when he went to LA for care he thought he'd return. Not saying he was planning on going to the great beyond, just that he'd not want to risk his life by returning to coaching. So, he suggests Dead to be interim because they were, according to Crews' wife, really good friends. And the rest is history as they say. 

[Clock_Tower]

38 minutes ago, slu72 said:

As for the RM situation, Broy contends that RM would want to leave us with a third rate HC so as to make us appreciate him more once the program went into a tailspin. I really don't think when he went to LA for care he thought he'd return. Not saying he was planning on going to the great beyond, just that he'd not want to risk his life by returning to coaching. So, he suggests Dead to be interim because they were, according to Crews' wife, really good friends. And the rest is history as they say. 

Yes. And most likely Dick Bennett recommended his friend Brad Soderberg but Wisconsin chose Bo Ryan instead who successfully coached Wisconsin for over a decade.  And when Romar left, the players all lobbied for and got Brad Soderberg but I suspect they would’ve been happy with a Rick Majerus or a Travis Ford. And yes there was pressure upon athletic director May after the National Coach of the Year though a one year extension tender to the formerly retired Interim coach following Jim Crews’ first year as interim coach would not have been out of line  i said it then  Roy said it then ...many others as well  Does anyone think Jim Crews would have said no? Does anyone think we would have replaced him with a worse coach?

But everyone knew of Jim Crews’ age, his inability to relate well with the players and his prior multiple failures as a head coach. Remember he had been retired, completely out of the game after having left to prior places because he could not relate with the younger players.  These were unusual certain circumstances- the death of a Hall of Fame legend midseason, and a one-year extension would not have been unusual under these circumstances if AD May could not bring himself around to changing coaches and going in a different direction. Athletic directors are paid good money to make tough decisions, not go with flow and whims at the time. Add a minimum, the one year extension could have allowed the program to conduct a national search for a younger coach to take the Billikens in a direction for the next decade. No one thought Jim Crews could coach for a decade. 
And if Fr. Biondi equally disliked Rick Majerus why would he honor or factor in Rick Majerus’ alleged wishes in his hiring decision?

[CBFan]

1 hour ago, cheeseman said:

I wonder just how easy it is to sell a 5 million home as opposed to those in much more moderate price ranges.  Where did you see that Ford was going to lease and not buy?

I said, “if they decided” in my post not that were going to lease.

The point was not to get worked up or read too much into if they go that route because of the hot area market.

It would be nice to be in a financial position to know what the 5 million dollar market is.

Happy Friday 

[willie]

2 hours ago, Taj79 said:

As I said we'll agree to disagree because we won't really know Majerus/ intent until we ask him.  It is my contention, and others, that Majerus had no intentions of doing any more once his contract was up.  He was fed up with the Biondi crap and wasn't going to put up with it any more.  How else do you explain a cupboard left bare because that's all it was with Manning and Glaze?  BLUF:  we will never know.  Done with rehashing this old subject.

And I don't know why I called you "Cowboy,"  must've been the C and O in "Clock."  Sorry.

For what it's worth I was hearing that Biondi wasn't going to renew Majerus's contract. Either way he was probably gone. No love lost between the two. 

[Brighton]

3 pages over nothing. A mountain out of a molehill.

[Compton]

Had it already been reported that Ford signed a big extension recently? I wouldn't call that a mole hill. That's a pretty big deal.

[Brighton]

Yes, but the usual suspects are fretting for no reason.