DoctorB Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 It seems clear right now that there are 2 inside candiadates, and theat Steve Alford is not one of them. My guess it is Mark Few and Wittman--not Tom Crean. I am not aware of any source that has Wittman supposedly the top pick, and would be interested to know where that came from. I imagine that if Few is the pick, he would be ecstatic--Indiana is one of the top 4-5 tradition-laden jobs in the industry, and recruiting to bloomington would make Gonzaga and spokane look like trying to recruit to Venus, or Afghanistan. Even Mike Davis could recruit to Bloomington. Probably the best source for info/rumors is the Indianapolis Star. Here is the list of potential candidates, according to the Star, which is the best insider source I know (I am a Hoosier and know about these things!): 1. Mark Few (Gonzaga): He has name recognition, he's a winner and surely it would be easier to recruit players to Indiana than to Gonzaga. His record in seven years with the Zags is 188-40. His name frequently is tossed about, but this might be the job he couldn't turn down. 2. Tom Crean (Marquette): He has Big Ten roots at Michigan State and proved he could recruit Indiana when he landed Richmond's Dominic James at Marquette. Crean would be a good face for the program, someone comfortable playing golf with alumni and entertaining at banquets. 3. Billy Gillispie (Texas A&M): He's the new hot name, and you can't discount his success at Texas A&M, a more difficult sell to recruits than IU. He also has Big Ten roots, coaching under Bill Self at Illinois. 4. Randy Wittman (Orlando, NBA): Again, he would be the right face for the program. The primary concern is that he has never been a college coach or recruited at this level. Recruiting is a top concern, but maybe that's something he could hire an assistant to do. 5. Alford (Iowa): Even with the disappointing end to the Hawkeyes' season, he has to be in the mix. He's the one guy with college coaching experience at the big-time Division I level who could reunite the fan base and get Indiana fans excited again. Missouri's interest in him could scuttle this scenario. 6. John Calipari (Memphis): It might be a difficult time for him to leave Memphis, but his name is well-known and he could immediately get Indiana back to the elite level. 7. Rick Barnes (Texas): It would be tough to leave that program, but the lure of being the showcase program and not the also-ran to the football team would have to at least be intriguing. The question? Money. 8. Karl Hobbs (George Washington): He's one of the hottest mid-major coaches after building the Colonials into a top-10 team this season. If not Indiana, another big-name school will be calling soon. 9. Billy Donovan (Florida): Some think he has his eyes on Kentucky if Tubby Smith leaves, but Indiana could give him pause. As may be the case in many of these situations, IU would have to make a serious commitment in terms of facilities. 10. Brad Brownell (North Carolina-Wilmington): Hoosier native falls into the up-and-coming category. He grew up in Evansville, played on the same high school team as Calbert Cheaney and played college ball at DePauw. The question is: Could he compete for the job with the coaches on this list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Law Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Good article. Gillespie announced yesterday he's staying at A&M, which surprised me. I have heard that Mark Cuban is involved now and is providing the financial resources to pay a coach top dollar (which IU previously has not been willing to do). Makes me wonder if Barnes is really a legit candidate now based on that - previously I dismissed him as one. I still think Whittman is the guy to beat (a Knight guy with NBA ties). FYI - Hobbs is rumored to be a candidate at Cincy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 If IN wanted Whittman he would have the job by now. Billiken Law you have your head so far up Marquette's rear that you will not even consider anything that might make MU look like they are not God's gift to Basketball. Now that being said, whether Crean is a candidate at IN or not - none of us know for certain. All I know that I have heard this three times from three different radio sources with none quoting the others. He was a serious candidate at IL so to think that he will retire from MU is unrealistic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SluSignGuy Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 It isn't any rumor about Hobbs. Cincy has asked, been granted, and has spoken to Hobbs... I think GW will very quickly return to mediocrity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Law Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 >If IN wanted Whittman he would have the job by now. >Billiken Law you have your head so far up Marquette's rear >that you will not even consider anything that might make MU >look like they are not God's gift to Basketball. Now that >being said, whether Crean is a candidate at IN or not - none >of us know for certain. All I know that I have heard this >three times from three different radio sources with none >quoting the others. He was a serious candidate at IL so to >think that he will retire from MU is unrealistic. I wouldn't say "none of us" know.... Besides, if he turned down Illinois why wouldn't he also do the same at IU, which has worse facilities? Why did he decline to talk to Ohio State? Now, if Michigan State, Kentucky, UNC, Kansas or Duke came calling then I'd see him as gone, but not right now. By the way, the other candidate of the 2 (Whittman and Mr. X) is still coaching in the tourney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 If Gillespie hopped to Indiana, it would be his third head coaching position in three years. He would have a reputation nationwide - and it wouldn't be one of a coach who stayed put. While Indiana is a coaching dream for recruiting, the fanbase expects a Final Four every five years, a top three finish in the B10, and all the best players to play at the U. Davis hit thejackpot in his first year, but struggled to do well in the B10 and didn't drive teams into the sweet 16. He did very well, but not good enough for Indiana fans. Few had little competition and no great fan expectations in Washington, other than to win his conference and play well at the dance. His best recruits are now being swallowed en masse by Lorenzo in Seattle, so he may jump ship while he is at his peak. I think he may find his recruiting base may double at IU, but the fan expections will increase twenty fold. Indiana fans DEMAND total excellance, which is much, much harder to deliver in the B10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 I don't think Crean nor any coach is above leaving a program. Crean sure did get himself a nice deal out of his situation....brand new facilities, huge contract....etc....so it would take a lot for him to leave. It would have to be a hoops school and a storied power...and also be a great fit in other areas.....I would add UCLA to that mix in theory, not current reality....as he talked with them a few years back too. Really very very few schools....but definitely some schools out there that would attract anyone. Anything less need not apply considering his current situation. He has it pretty good either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinfootes Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 when SLU starting talking about joining? While the A-10 has been down recently, I thought the historically (at least the last 10 years or so) they were comparable to CUSA. CUSA wasn't really considered a mid-major. I know the old CUSA is gone forever, but I find it interesting that A-10 coaches are being billed as some of the "top mid-major coaches". I guess Temple's slide has contributed to this perception. Here'a a question...is the A-10 on its way up or down? I think SLU and Charlotte help, but I just don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoat Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 I would have to say up at this point, especially with GW, STJ, Xavier, Dayton, SLU, and Charlotte all on the overall upswing. Who knows, we might all be really bad next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 Conference USA was begrudgingly given "major" status in basketball, because you couldn't ignore the history of some of the schools involved, multiple final fours, championships, and big time coaches. Now with that blown to bits "majors" are back down to the 6 BCS conferences. Everyone else is on the outside looking in, the BCS schools have all the money and all the power. Giving major status to any other team or league will equal possible loss of talent and most importantly loss of money to the BCS conferences. The A-10 had major status before the BCS was concocted. Prior to the BCS The A-10 featured besides some of its current members, BCS teams like Penn St, Rutgers, and West Virginia. Once they left for greener pastures and the A-10 took on Xavier, Dayton, Richmond, and LaSalle the A-10 straddled the line between major and mid major, just like the Great Midwest, later CUSA, WAC, then Mountain West. The A-10 will never be considered major again no matter how many teams we get in the tourney. And if there ever was a catholic school conference it would be mid major as well unless Notre Dame came along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinfootes Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 Penn St, Rutgers, and West Virginia are not basketball power houses. I don't believe they're better than the teams that replaced them. West Virginia is the only one that's done much of anyhthing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 All those teams are considered major schools, regardless of how well they have played. All three were extremely competitive in the A-10. Until UMass hit their stride in the 90s, Penn St, Rutgers and WV regularly challenged Temple for A-10 dominance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinfootes Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 I think there is a difference between being a "major school" and having a good basketball team. It's not just Rutgers and Penn State. I wouldn't say that Colorado, Oregon St., Washington St., etc. are good programs either. Also, I think the Big East is a borderline BCS conference these days. I wouldn't be shocked if they lost the automatic BCS tie-in and the NCAA added another at large. I know the Big East is still in some good markets, but very few people care much about the remaining teams. The networks wouldn't cry about trading a Big East team for another Pac 10, SEC, Big 12, Big 10, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 Well in football the Big East will have 2 pre-seaon top ten teams next year. Coming off of their rout of Georgia at Georgia Dome in Sugar Bowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinfootes Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 Preseason is very important in August. Let's see what happens throughout the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codolan Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I don't agree with ESPN but they are signing up BE football through 2013. I have no idea why, but they are throwing money at BE football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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