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The more I think about NVE the more I like what he can do for the “swagger” of our program. I think that is what made UC great to watch under Huggins.

I also would like to see if we can hire Shaka Smart away from Texas. He has a style that I would like to see us play and I think we can recruit to that style.

I wouldn’t be pissed about Brannen but if we are going to mid major route then I would like to see more options. We can’t be thinking “local” when it comes to mid major CBB coaches in a pseudo mid major conference. I just don’t know how he would recruit well enough to stay at the top of the league and get the March success that we need. I don’t want to take a step back.

Only way we'd have a shot at Smart (not that I'd want him) would be if Texas fires him (otherwise he already makes more then we'd offer him). Seems like he has managed to barely hang on, but he's been a disaster at Texas.

Hate to break it to you, but Mid Major is by far the most likely route and the chances of taking a step back are better then the chances of taking a step forward. Brannen is the best option at the mid major level in my opinion (when accounting for likelyhood to stay long term). Coaches move up to a higher major level all the time and most of them have no problem recruiting at the higher level.

NVE I wouldn't hate, but it would be a high risk move. He could be a good coach, but he has the highest chance of crashing and burning.
 
Why are people caring about “staying a long time”? I’d rather have a coach that leaves in 4 years cause he is successful than one that sticks around a decade with no march success
 
Everything ive heard and read is he is highly thought of in the grizzlies organization. Now former players have gone to twitter to lobby the hiring of Van Exel or Erik Martin.

What if we hired NVE as head coach, Kmart, Demarr Johnson, Erik Martin, as the assistants?
 
FWIW I don't know if it's been posted yet or not but, Kenyon Martin posted on Twitter he essentially is rooting for Nick Van Exel to get the job. Someone commented and asked if K-Mart Jr. would be a bearcat then, KMart Sr responded with "better chance".
 
FWIW I don't know if it's been posted yet or not but, Kenyon Martin posted on Twitter he essentially is rooting for Nick Van Exel to get the job. Someone commented and asked if K-Mart Jr. would be a bearcat then, KMart Sr responded with "better chance".

Sweet, let's hire a coach to get a 3* player...

I loved NVE, one of my all time favorites, but I do not think he'd be a good hire. He needs more/better experience, and just because he was a great player does not mean he'll make a great coach. I'd love to bring him on as an assistant though.

Pitino - I seriously can't believe some of you fools are even talking about him. What ahole that guy is. Our program is better than stooping to that level.

Some of you need to try to take the emotion out of the hire. Obviously Bohn will.
 
The more I think about NVE the more I like what he can do for the “swagger” of our program. I think that is what made UC great to watch under Huggins.

I also would like to see if we can hire Shaka Smart away from Texas. He has a style that I would like to see us play and I think we can recruit to that style.

I wouldn’t be pissed about Brannen but if we are going to mid major route then I would like to see more options. We can’t be thinking “local” when it comes to mid major CBB coaches in a pseudo mid major conference. I just don’t know how he would recruit well enough to stay at the top of the league and get the March success that we need. I don’t want to take a step back.

shaka smart makes way more than we were paying mick, so that seems unlikely
 
Lolol

These candidates all suck

Can we just find a coach for 1 year to cosch the team mick left behind and hope some better candidates emerge next year.


I don’t see a candidate who is better than Mick Cronin.
 
Andy Kennedy

I thought he did pretty well, under the circumstances on the interim level before Cronin was brought in. He's available I believe, after his stint at Ole Miss. I like Frank Martin too.
 
Lolol

These candidates all suck

Can we just find a coach for 1 year to cosch the team mick left behind and hope some better candidates emerge next year.


I don’t see a candidate who is better than Mick Cronin.

People said Cronin sucked before he was hired.

Also, the guy left. He is gone. We have to get a new coach. Not sure you understand that.
 
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I really have no clue what we will do. Selfishly, I like Pitino and here is why...

Next years team is set to be pretty good if everyone sticks around. After that, the next couple years are crucial. If...and IF conference realignment should rear its head, I'd hate to be 4-5 in a pecking order because the basketball team took a few steps back. Houston is looking like they have solidity now in both football and basketball...same for Memphis....same might be said for UCF. UC is looking great right now, but what about 3-4 years?

It's a risky time. We have to stay up in football (which we currently are. Don't know what the future holds for Fickell) and basketball is on a slippery slope right now.

If Pitino came in (I understand the chances are wedged somewhere between slim and f*ck off) and gave 5 seasons of stability, I'd be fine with that.

Guy is slimy and shady and all the bad things your daddy warned you about...but the guy wins.
 
Lolol

These candidates all suck

Can we just find a coach for 1 year to cosch the team mick left behind and hope some better candidates emerge next year.


I don’t see a candidate who is better than Mick Cronin.



if there is one that is better on paper than mick, ucla would have hired him.
 
I'd be ecstatic with any of these:

John Brannen- Seems primed to make a big splash. Tremendous bball acumen and strategist. Would give us a new look and style of play this programs never seen before. Can't go wrong with him it seems. Recruiting unknown but I cant believe he could not get at least the same level of recruits Mick did and get more out of them.

Van Exel- Very highly regarded coach actually. Disciplined and preaches fundamentals. Would be a massive infusion of much needed energy and excitement around the program now that the funeral director has left for LA. Probably something similar to Penny at Memphis and I have to believe recruiting would jump immediately like Memphis. Particularly with how amped up former players are to help sell the program the best way and what it has to offer etc. Thats huge and I know he would use all of them to his advantage. Cronin was too much of a control freak and very offputting to most. If we can just get the recruits in here even if it doesnt work out in several years the cupboards not completely bare.

Pitino- My pick and a big time coup for the program if the administration had the nads to do it. Perfect fit for the city/program and I believe he'd be here tomorrow if we wanted him. The man would go absolute scorched earth campaign on all the NCAA and put every program on high alert in the region. He lives and breathes for basketball with a fervor unlike any coach. He wants revenge so badly and to regain his stature in the college ranks. It would be like unleashing a junkyard dog. He's a guy you despise if he's on the other sideline but love if he's in your corner. What he's done in his personal life and with L'ville has happened many times before. He has his foibles and character flaws. The fact that a guy like Bruce Pearl has a job and any ounce of credibility is why Pitino has a right to be pissed and deserves a second chance. What you see in the media is far from reality many times. Huggins was no choir boy and a Grade A jerk yet our fanbase catered to him. He'd step over most of your dead bodies and not think twice. Same with Mickey, total small man syndrome and very abrasive guy. I actually had the pleasure of staying at Rick Pitino's house in Nantucket in 2003 and he is engaging, funny, and generous. He'd put us back on the map in a huge way and be on his best behavior. The fanbase here would love him in no time. Make it happen!

Thad Matta- X factor candidate. The guy can recruit and flat out coach the game. Consistently wins at high levels wherever he goes. Has big time inroads and connections in this region already. Do not sleep on him he's a very wiley veteran coach. Even with the health issues hes an upgrade from Cronin.
 
Lolol

These candidates all suck

Can we just find a coach for 1 year to cosch the team mick left behind and hope some better candidates emerge next year.


I don’t see a candidate who is better than Mick Cronin.

Mick certainly left at a bad time. Bearcats missed out on 3-4 potential candidates already because of the timing.

The irony of all of this is the ones that supported Mick 100% and didnt want any change and complained about people not getting over Huggins and that people should support the program and not just a coach....well it seems like at least 1 of you are doing the exact same thing right now. Mick left on his own. He had a contract. He made over $2 million at his alma mater and his "dream job" and he left for the mess that is UCLA. Get over it and support the program.
 
You know, been thinking about this a lot. The fact that Mick has no assistant coaching tree is part of the problem. 13 years here and not one assistant that could be the Bearcats head coach?

Huggins tree was slim as well, but he did have Kennedy and Martin towards the end.

I think moving forward, until UC gets into a major conference (if it happens), the Bearcat program needs to be about developing coaching talent from the assistant coach pool. Not that they are always the best choice...but we will likely need some options in the next decade.
 
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