A10 around the league

[cheeseman]

23 hours ago, slu72 said:

I read an article about him a few years ago. He’s like Few. He’s found a home there. He also lives in a nice house with Ocean views. I don’t think a view of the Mississippi would compare. Good coach. The article said he’s been offered PAC 12 jobs but’s content at St M’s. I always hoped we’d get a winning coach that would find a home here. Be careful what you wish for, because I think we found him. Now all he has to do is WIN! 

I was talking to a fan who sits behind me last night and he says Ford will never leave because he loves it here.  I pointed out that Ford can stay in StL but that does not mean he gets to decide that he stays the coach.  He also gave me the well he wins 20 games every year and I pointed out that winning 20 games doesn't get you anything anymore because the schedule has expanded.  He looked at me and then shrugged like he had never thought about it before.  I would love a coach who decides he likes it here and wants to stay but he also has to be successful.

[slu72]

3 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

I was talking to a fan who sits behind me last night and he says Ford will never leave because he loves it here.  I pointed out that Ford can stay in StL but that does not mean he gets to decide that he stays the coach.  He also gave me the well he wins 20 games every year and I pointed out that winning 20 games doesn't get you anything anymore because the schedule has expanded.  He looked at me and then shrugged like he had never thought about it before.  I would love a coach who decides he likes it here and wants to stay but he also has to be successful.

Ford likes it here. Glad he’s found his home. But do the fans like him here is the issue. Last season was a real wake up call for most fans. And this year’s likely demise will make last season’s collapse look like a banner year. 

[ACE]

On 11/24/2023 at 7:49 PM, slu72 said:

But losing by 34? That’s a beat down. I watched some of it and kept wondering why we didn’t try and bring Bennet back. St M’s is a very solid team. The A10 is not even a shadow of it’s former self. They were primarily EC teams that could get good players from EC high schools and AAU teams. Obviously those days are fading fast. 

Bennett was never coming back, after he headed back West. He's even turned down Pac 12 jobs.

This is a good article about Bennett, an interesting guy. Very loyal, which is rare in college sports these days. https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/Randy-Bennett-still-going-strong-at-little-old-17001617.php

BUT, here is an interesting what if scenario. What if Bennett doesn't get the St. Mary's job and he stays here one more year as Romar's assistant. Following that 2001-02 season, Romar leaves SLU, Bennett would still be the top assistant at the time NOT Uncle Brad - who replaced Bennett as our assistant. Of course Sodie gets the head coaching gig, even though he had no prior connection to Romar prior to him coming aboard as assistant for one season.  Bennett, on the other hand, came with Romar from Pepperdine and had a much stronger connection, so surely he would've been the logical candidate to take over. especially considering SLU wound up taking an internal candidate for the head job.

Bennett had no prior connection to the Midwest, BUT read the article and how loyal he is to St. Mary's - because they were the first place to give him a head coaching job. IF it was SLU that give him that first head job, how loyal would he have been to SLU over the years? And on a personal level, he was married, but without any kids yet at the time. Imagine he's head coach at SLU, starts a family here, builds connections and starts putting down roots, it is possible to imagine a scenario of Bennett becoming our version of Mark Few - a highly successful coach who stays in one place for a long time despite having "bigger" job offers. Plus, the new arena is on the horizon at the time, so he sees this as a place where he can continue to grow and build something long-term.

At some point Lisch and Liddell are joined by future NBA player Patty Mills. Ah... it doesn't hurt to dream.  Sometimes timing is everything.

 

[slu72]

I thought Bennett was an AC under Spoon. Am I wrong? 

[Bay Area Billiken]

1 hour ago, slu72 said:

I thought Bennett was an AC under Spoon. Am I wrong? 

Randy Bennett was Assistant Coach under Lorenzo Romar for the first two of Romar's three years at SLU.

[Soderball]

On 11/26/2023 at 9:57 AM, cheeseman said:

I was talking to a fan who sits behind me last night and he says Ford will never leave because he loves it here.  I pointed out that Ford can stay in StL but that does not mean he gets to decide that he stays the coach.  He also gave me the well he wins 20 games every year and I pointed out that winning 20 games doesn't get you anything anymore because the schedule has expanded.  He looked at me and then shrugged like he had never thought about it before.  I would love a coach who decides he likes it here and wants to stay but he also has to be successful.

20 wins is .500ish anymore, and many of those wins are against "buy game" foes. 20 wins is more impressive at Savannah State than at SLU. people that do this also count games against non-D1 competition.

30 wins is the hallmark of a truly great team anymore. The years of jj/mm/km/de/rl/ce we had 27 and 28 wins and won the a10 and went to the tournament. That's a GOOD or GREAT team. Last year was mediocre or average.

Jim Crews last two years we surpassed ten wins. It's hard to lose when you're playing Dartmouth.

[HoosierPal]

Not sure if this is still an A10 thread or just another hijacked thread. 

In A10 news, yesterday, VCU took down their old coach Rhoades and his Penn State Nittany Lions by 12. Ballwin and Kern start for PState and shared in the humiliation. 

[Lord Elrond]

1 hour ago, HoosierPal said:

Not sure if this is still an A10 thread or just another hijacked thread. 

In A10 news, yesterday, VCU took down their old coach Rhoades and his Penn State Nittany Lions by 12. Ballwin and Kern start for PState and shared in the humiliation. 

While it’s always good to see a B1G school taken down, I don’t know what to think of actually rooting for VCU, so for me

[Dr Bird]

1 hour ago, HoosierPal said:

Not sure if this is still an A10 thread or just another hijacked thread. 

In A10 news, yesterday, VCU took down their old coach Rhoades and his Penn State Nittany Lions by 12. Ballwin and Kern start for PState and shared in the humiliation. 

neutral site game in Kissimmee Florida.   Nice win for VCU

[WVBilliken]

On 11/26/2023 at 11:08 AM, slu72 said:

Ford likes it here. Glad he’s found his home. But do the fans like him here is the issue. Last season was a real wake up call for most fans. And this year’s likely demise will make last season’s collapse look like a banner year. 

Still backing Ford.  

[HoosierPal]

32 minutes ago, Dr Bird said:

neutral site game in Kissimmee Florida.   Nice win for VCU

Nice. Ace did go for 27 and played all 40. His ex-teammate Zeb Jackson went for 22 for the Rams. 

[Dr Bird]

4 minutes ago, HoosierPal said:

Nice. Ace did go for 27 and played all 40. His ex-teammate Zeb Jackson went for 22 for the Rams. 

Not gonna miss Ace this year.  

[Bay Area Billiken]

@Fordham (4-3) 93 Manhattan 61- Final, in the Battle of The Bronx. 

[HoosierPal]

1 hour ago, Dr Bird said:

Not gonna miss Ace this year.  

Neither does Yuri.

[billikenbill]

The Iron Five of LaSalle knock off Coppin State to move to 5-1 and give Fran Dunphy his 600th career win. All of Dunphy’s wins have come in Philly as he’s the only person to have coached three of Philly’s Big Five schools.

Was a little surprised to see that LaSalle has had 8 straight losing seasons. No MTE for them this year so they’ll need to win at least 15 to break the string. Probably will go 9-3 non-con so six A-10 wins gets them there. 

[Soderball]

21 hours ago, ACE said:

Bennett was never coming back, after he headed back West. He's even turned down Pac 12 jobs.

This is a good article about Bennett, an interesting guy. Very loyal, which is rare in college sports these days. https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/Randy-Bennett-still-going-strong-at-little-old-17001617.php

BUT, here is an interesting what if scenario. What if Bennett doesn't get the St. Mary's job and he stays here one more year as Romar's assistant. Following that 2001-02 season, Romar leaves SLU, Bennett would still be the top assistant at the time NOT Uncle Brad - who replaced Bennett as our assistant. Of course Sodie gets the head coaching gig, even though he had no prior connection to Romar prior to him coming aboard as assistant for one season.  Bennett, on the other hand, came with Romar from Pepperdine and had a much stronger connection, so surely he would've been the logical candidate to take over. especially considering SLU wound up taking an internal candidate for the head job.

Bennett had no prior connection to the Midwest, BUT read the article and how loyal he is to St. Mary's - because they were the first place to give him a head coaching job. IF it was SLU that give him that first head job, how loyal would he have been to SLU over the years? And on a personal level, he was married, but without any kids yet at the time. Imagine he's head coach at SLU, starts a family here, builds connections and starts putting down roots, it is possible to imagine a scenario of Bennett becoming our version of Mark Few - a highly successful coach who stays in one place for a long time despite having "bigger" job offers. Plus, the new arena is on the horizon at the time, so he sees this as a place where he can continue to grow and build something long-term.

At some point Lisch and Liddell are joined by future NBA player Patty Mills. Ah... it doesn't hurt to dream.  Sometimes timing is everything.

 

Played this scenario twice; once with Bennett and once with Porter Moser.

Bad luck is a common theme here. We were on time to pick up Ford and have him "love it here" and end up being around for a decade though. Honestly never expected Ford to be here this long. He's a move-on-or-move-down kind of guy. at UMASS he was able to move up(great) .. his career is on the ending trajectory now. He's just not good. IMO we need to make another shocking, splash hire. Wade at McNeese St and Chris Mack at nowhere would be my top two candidates no doubt.

Wade might even have some guys, who are eligible and can PLAY NOW he could bring from McNeese.

[JMM28]

37 minutes ago, Soderball said:

Played this scenario twice; once with Bennett and once with Porter Moser.

Bad luck is a common theme here. We were on time to pick up Ford and have him "love it here" and end up being around for a decade though. Honestly never expected Ford to be here this long. He's a move-on-or-move-down kind of guy. at UMASS he was able to move up(great) .. his career is on the ending trajectory now. He's just not good. IMO we need to make another shocking, splash hire. Wade at McNeese St and Chris Mack at nowhere would be my top two candidates no doubt.

Wade might even have some guys, who are eligible and can PLAY NOW he could bring from McNeese.

Wade wouldn't be hirable because he is on a 2 year show-cause from his various transgressions. 

Mack might be a good hire. I just worry that he is the kind of guy that took over a program on its high and maintained success. He has never been a guy that rebuilt a program. His situation at Louisville is also very strange, although Louisville is a dumpster fire larger than SLU at this point. 

Plucking a guy like Brian Wardle or Darian Devries from Bradley/Drake would be great gets. Devries has done really well at Drake and would possibly bring his son with him for a final year. Wardle rebuilt Bradley from ground zero and would bring an actual system with fundamentals and player development that hasn't been seen here since Majerus. 

Would Bryce Drew leave Grand Canyon for SLU? 

Look at Bobby Hurley if he gets canned at AzState? 

[TheA_Bomb]

I've been thinking about this a lot. I think Mack would work if he's willing.   But I also am willing to go after relative unknowns. Almost all big coaches were nobodies until they made the most of their shot (excepting former players,  children of coaches) We need to have some criteria in place on what will work at SLU and do a real search, hold detailed interviews to meet the criteria.   We don't need to win the press conference we need to win the A10 Conference. 

Majerus was a slam drunk hire that's not a normal thing. So don't think we'll replicate that again. 

[Pistol]

It's going to be a timing thing with Mack. He and his family seem very content in Fort Meyers right now. He has a third grade son, a daughter playing volleyball at Flagler College (St. Augustine, FL), and another daughter who is a HS senior at IMG and is committed to play volleyball at Vanderbilt when the program re-launches in 2025 (she'll redshirt next year until play begins the following season).

When asked this past spring cycle about coaching, he said that schools had reached out and added: 

I'm coaching St. Mary's second-grade soccer team right now currently. Here's the thing: When this time of year comes around, you know, and all the agents doing all the backchanneling and talking and putting your name here. I decided that this cycle, it just, it's not right for the timing of my family. … I'm sort of a volleyball dad. And we [just moved to Florida]. So I haven't even inquired about any jobs. I mean I've been flattered there have been several that have reached out to my agent. But at this point, I just - I'm not gonna say never. But not for this coming year. I think, you know, this time of the year always gets your juices flowing. And, you know, I miss it. But for me, for this coming year, it's not something that's gonna be in the cards for me.

So maybe next year when both daughters are in college would be a better time, although St. Louis would put them a lot farther away from the one already in college. The daughter going to Vandy was originally committed to Mizzou, so that actually could've been a bonus of being in STL.

[gabriel]

 

Went through a couple of online articles and a few discussions on the blog and put together my view of the coaching candidate landscape. Pedigree and difficulty (likelihood we could actually land them) are on a scale of 1-10. Again, purely speculation but thought I would share my thoughts. 

[JMM28]

41 minutes ago, gabriel said:

 

Went through a couple of online articles and a few discussions on the blog and put together my view of the coaching candidate landscape. Pedigree and difficulty (likelihood we could actually land them) are on a scale of 1-10. Again, purely speculation but thought I would share my thoughts. 

Brey had a weird go around with USF this past cycle. I wonder if he wants to just have a TV gig and go the way of some of the old dogs that didn't want to deal with the NIL landscape. 

Johnny Dawkins is like Travis Ford. Get ya 1 NCAA in 9 years and a lot of underwhelming years. I shudder at most of the Coach K underlings in general. 

Langel is an interesting name. He is having a mediocre start to this year but has had more success at Colgate than just about anyone. 

Pass on Jones. Amaker is an interesting name too, but he has passed up other (better) opportunities to stay at Harvard. 

[Billiken Rich]

Maybe 1-2 of those names is exciting?  Maybe?  How many new a$$es is CY Young going to put in the seats for you?  

[gabriel]

24 minutes ago, Billiken Rich said:

Maybe 1-2 of those names is exciting?  Maybe?  How many new a$$es is CY Young going to put in the seats for you?  

Agreed, but I don't know how many coaches out there would instantly get attendance up at chaifetz that would be realistic options for us to bring in. I think a good young coach could gain excitement not around their name but around bringing in a new batch of exciting players, playing a new brand basketball, and winning early. 

 

 

[JMM28]

24 minutes ago, gabriel said:

Agreed, but I don't know how many coaches out there would instantly get attendance up at chaifetz that would be realistic options for us to bring in. I think a good young coach could gain excitement not around their name but around bringing in a new batch of exciting players, playing a new brand basketball, and winning early. 

 

 

I'd at least call Gregg Marshall, too. 

[ACE]

3 hours ago, JMM28 said:

Wade wouldn't be hirable because he is on a 2 year show-cause from his various transgressions. 

Mack might be a good hire. I just worry that he is the kind of guy that took over a program on its high and maintained success. He has never been a guy that rebuilt a program. His situation at Louisville is also very strange, although Louisville is a dumpster fire larger than SLU at this point. 

Plucking a guy like Brian Wardle or Darian Devries from Bradley/Drake would be great gets. Devries has done really well at Drake and would possibly bring his son with him for a final year. Wardle rebuilt Bradley from ground zero and would bring an actual system with fundamentals and player development that hasn't been seen here since Majerus. 

Would Bryce Drew leave Grand Canyon for SLU? 

Look at Bobby Hurley if he gets canned at AzState? 

Hurley? How is he better than Ford? Hurley 3 Tourney appearances (One of those a 1st Four) at AZ State in 8 years and zero wins; Ford 5 Tourney appearances in 8 years and 1 win.

Dusting off former board darling Bryce Drew? He's at Grand Canyon for a reason.

If we're going to make a change, let's do better.