What's that smell?

[Volznut]

It's the stench of our coaching search.

We're sitting here hoping we get a guy named Donnie Tyndall. This is what UT basketball has sunk to after going to the sweet 16 a few weeks ago.

 

[Clockwork Orange]

It's the stench of our coaching search.

We're sitting here hoping we get a guy named Donnie Tyndall. This is what UT basketball has sunk to after going to the sweet 16 a few weeks ago.

 

I'm not hoping for that unless he's the only thing stopping us from falling to Byrd and Wade.

Now's a good time to remember that we don't know everything about this coaching search, and that Gary Parrish is our only apparent source because the AD is sharing with him what it chooses to share with him. So we don't know what the details with White are, or that Tyndall is the next guy we'll offer, or that Mack, Cronin, etc. are not in contention. We'll just have to see.

[Volznut]

I'm not hoping for that unless he's the only thing stopping us from falling to Byrd and Wade.

we're going the cheap route CO.  This is exactly what we are doing

[Clockwork Orange]

we're going the cheap route CO.  This is exactly what we are doing

That's not inherently bad, just like paying top dollar is not inherently good. I do think we continue to undervalue ourselves but I'm trying hard not to worry about it until we see what the new guy, whoever he is, does. Nobody was happy with the Butch hire until he got here and started doing every single thing right. That could happen again . . . or we could fall on our faces. That can happen even if you open the wallet too far.

[Creek Walker]

I'm not hoping for that unless he's the only thing stopping us from falling to Byrd and Wade.

Now's a good time to remember that we don't know everything about this coaching search, and that Gary Parrish is our only apparent source because the AD is sharing with him what it chooses to share with him. So we don't know what the details with White are, or that Tyndall is the next guy we'll offer, or that Mack, Cronin, etc. are not in contention. We'll just have to see.

I would take Byrd or Wade over Tyndall.

In fact, I really like Wade. It's a gamble that probably no major school AD would be willing to take, but there's lots of potential there.

[Volznut]

That's not inherently bad, just like paying top dollar is not inherently good. I do think we continue to undervalue ourselves but I'm trying hard not to worry about it until we see what the new guy, whoever he is, does. Nobody was happy with the Butch hire until he got here and started doing every single thing right. That could happen again . . . or we could fall on our faces. That can happen even if you open the wallet too far.

It's usually bad.

[Clockwork Orange]

I would take Byrd or Wade over Tyndall.

In fact, I really like Wade. It's a gamble that probably no major school AD would be willing to take, but there's lots of potential there.

Yikes. Byrd can coach basketball but has zero experience at any high major program, even as an assistant. There's no reason to suspect he can recruit (not that Tyndall is THAT much better, but he did assist in the SEC and is a program-seller).

Wade? That would be an absolute hail mary. It could pay off or it could be a complete disaster, and I don't think we can afford the risk of sending the program down that path. With basically no track record at all I just don't see how you could like the potential.

And trust me, when I say this I do not say it as a fan of Tyndall. I'm not keen on another slow tempo approach, nor on a guy who may or may not recruit well.

[Clockwork Orange]

It's usually bad.

Do you think failing to get Smart or Marshall is a failure in this search then? Or would you call Mack and Cronin successes? Is anything outside those 4 a failure? I just don't see it that way. Very few programs in the entire country hire basketball coaches that way.

[Volznut]

Do you think failing to get Smart or Marshall is a failure in this search then? Or would you call Mack and Cronin successes? Is anything outside those 4 a failure? I just don't see it that way. Very few programs in the entire country hire basketball coaches that way.

I have no idea if we even tried to get any of those guys. There has been no indication that we did. If we tried and are down to our 5th or 6th choice, then I guess we're not who we thought we were.

[Clockwork Orange]

I guess we're not who we thought we were.

There's some truth to this. We're not an elite program, probably fringe top 25 if you consider the last two decades or so. We're not going to make hires like Kentucky, Kansas, UNC, Indiana, etc. make hires but that's what the fans thirst for. I think some feel if we just spend the money it will make it so . . . but obviously our administration is not the only one in the country which feels that this approach isn't the wisest.

It's actually pretty weird, though, to think about how much money we spent to renovate TBA and build Pratt . . . contrast that with what we're willing to spend on a coach. It's a little backwards. You could make the same argument for football facilities, probably. We'd be in better shape economically if we had scaled some of that back.

[Volznut]

There's some truth to this. We're not an elite program, probably fringe top 25 if you consider the last two decades or so. We're not going to make hires like Kentucky, Kansas, UNC, Indiana, etc. make hires but that's what the fans thirst for. I think some feel if we just spend the money it will make it so . . . but obviously our administration is not the only one in the country which feels that this approach isn't the wisest.

It's actually pretty weird, though, to think about how much money we spent to renovate TBA and build Pratt . . . contrast that with what we're willing to spend on a coach. It's a little backwards. You could make the same argument for football facilities, probably. We'd be in better shape economically if we had scaled some of that back.

Well we finished in the top 25 this year. I think we should expect someone at least like a Mack or Miller to give us the time of day. I'll be honest, I had no idea who the hell Tyndall was.

[Cobbvol]

Our MO is we build "Taj Mahal's" as facilities and go cheap with the coaches who work inside them. This search looks to be no different from any in the past as a "big name " coach never gets hired.

[Creek Walker]

Our MO is we build "Taj Mahal's" as facilities and go cheap with the coaches who work inside them. This search looks to be no different from any in the past as a "big name " coach never gets hired.

If multiple athletic directors (three, in this case) repeatedly fail to bring in a "big name" coach, maybe it's time to ask ourself whether our perception of our program is skewed...are we failing to lure the big name coach because our AD isn't willing to pursue them, or because our program isn't what we think it is?

Our biggest misfortune was the timing of Pearl's transgressions. Facilities alone do not make a top-tier program, but Pearl was able to use the facilities (specifically, facility upgrades) to turn Tennessee into a Top 25 program. If Pearl had simply retired, we could've lured a better coach than Martin. Instead, there was the NCAA cloud hanging over the program, a bare cupboard, and most coaches shied away for those reasons. Now we've lost a lot of what Pearl built. We aren't coming off 6 straight NCAAT appearances, we aren't averaging over 18,000 fans per game. This program, realistically, is not even a Top 30 program at the moment. It's probably somewhere between 30-40 if you rank every program in America.

For this program to get to where it CAN be, it's going to take a homerun hire on what most of us would consider to be a B-list coach who is able to build this program the way Pearl was building it when he was canned. Right now, we aren't a school that can go out and ask an A-list coach to come here and expect to get yes for an answer. It isn't just us. Outside Kentucky and Florida, there isn't another program in the SEC that can do that right now.

[PirateVOL]

Our MO is we build "Taj Mahal's" as facilities and go cheap with the coaches who work inside them. This search looks to be no different from any in the past as a "big name " coach never gets hired.

The bottom line is that Hamilton bankrupted the AD and we are paying the price.

[Cobbvol]

If multiple athletic directors (three, in this case) repeatedly fail to bring in a "big name" coach, maybe it's time to ask ourself whether our perception of our program is skewed...are we failing to lure the big name coach because our AD isn't willing to pursue them, or because our program isn't what we think it is?

Our biggest misfortune was the timing of Pearl's transgressions. Facilities alone do not make a top-tier program, but Pearl was able to use the facilities (specifically, facility upgrades) to turn Tennessee into a Top 25 program. If Pearl had simply retired, we could've lured a better coach than Martin. Instead, there was the NCAA cloud hanging over the program, a bare cupboard, and most coaches shied away for those reasons. Now we've lost a lot of what Pearl built. We aren't coming off 6 straight NCAAT appearances, we aren't averaging over 18,000 fans per game. This program, realistically, is not even a Top 30 program at the moment. It's probably somewhere between 30-40 if you rank every program in America.

For this program to get to where it CAN be, it's going to take a homerun hire on what most of us would consider to be a B-list coach who is able to build this program the way Pearl was building it when he was canned. Right now, we aren't a school that can go out and ask an A-list coach to come here and expect to get yes for an answer. It isn't just us. Outside Kentucky and Florida, there isn't another program in the SEC that can do that right now.

If Tyndall, or whomever off that B-List is ready to sign, I say get it done. This is a huge recruiting weekend as it is the first evaluation period of 2014. All the AAU events are occurring all across the country and we need a HC and some staff there with shirts showing a "T" and recruiting for Tennessee. The advantages of debating between Tyndall, Wade, Byrd, Howland, etc are minimal in my opinion because they are pretty much in the same pond for their own unique reasons. Hire the best recruiter with a 5 year $6.5M deal and tell him to start working beginning at these AAU events.

[Cobbvol]

The bottom line is that Hamilton bankrupted the AD and we are paying the price.

I agree as Dooley's buyout is for another two years unfortunately.

[Tnphil]

Paying Fulmer 6 mil to go away....paying Dooley 6 mil to go away....Paying Sal 'I can't coach a lick of defense' around 800,000 to go away.....paying many (as in several) asst. coaches to go away = athletic Dept. is hurting for money.

I said it about football head coaching searches and the same applies to the basketball head job.....Top coaches are not going to bust down our doors to come here just because we have nice, pretty, big buildings.

Somewhere along the way too many UT fans idea that just ask and they will come....Ain't gonna happen folks!!

[Black Diamond Vol]

Been out of pocket today, so forgive my ignorance- but who is this Wade?  Surely you're not talking about Will Wade at UTC, are you?

[Creek Walker]

Been out of pocket today, so forgive my ignorance- but who is this Wade?  Surely you're not talking about Will Wade at UTC, are you?

Yes. It would be a last-resort type of hire, but the waters have been tested.

[Black Diamond Vol]

Yes. It would be a last-resort type of hire, but the waters have been tested.

Wow.  Honestly, he did an amazing job this year.  He inherited a pathetic roster, even by Southern Conference standards, and had a better season than anyone expected.  He also fired up the fanbase, as UTC had its best attendance in decades.  He's a guy I was keeping an eye on for a potential UT hire- in 3 or 4 years.  But after one season?  Really?  I think there's potentially a huge upside there, but I'd sure like a larger sample size before handing him the keys.   

[Black Diamond Vol]

BTW, for folks who were hung up on the Dooley/La. Tech thing- the last time we raided UTC we got Ralph and Karen Weekly, and I think it's safe to say that that was a home run hire.  Just sayin.

[Volznut]

Wade isn't ready

[BanditVol]

It's actually pretty weird, though, to think about how much money we spent to renovate TBA and build Pratt . . . contrast that with what we're willing to spend on a coach. It's a little backwards. You could make the same argument for football facilities, probably. We'd be in better shape economically if we had scaled some of that back.

Yup.  Hamilton's "legacy".  Although I suppose it's nice to have the facilities....