VTTW Board Index

Rob Lewis reports that Marquette is definitely talking to him and he is listening.

Good for him. He did a good job here, and is leaving while his market value is maximized. Let's pursue Shaka Smart or Gregg Marshall...or Brad Stevens if he's tired of the NBA.

Makes you wonder.... he must be doing something right if they want him.  I'm sure Stokes is gone if Cuonzo leaves.

Murf,

If Shaka Smart would not go to Marquette, why would he come to Tennessee?  Shaka was asked if interested and offered big money and turned it down.

I can understand why you think it worth pursing, but he will not come IMO.  Does not hurt to ask, but looks like a No answer.

We still have a coach, so I think it's premature to be having this conversation.  But if it does come to that, you'd better adjust your expectations- because we're not getting any of those guys.  We might be able to get someone like Howland.  He's widely considered damaged goods at this point, but we could do a lot worse. :dunno:

I have no clue who would come, but situations are fluid. A promise is broken, relationships sour, etc. The UT job also looks better than it did three years ago thanks to Cuonzo's work. If he stays that's fine, but I wouldn't break the bank to keep him. If he makes another Sweet 16 in the next three years I will change my stance.

Is Marquette better than Tennessee?  Maybe...they won a NC in the 70s, but that was long ago and kind of a fluke IYAM.

Yes, they have a better tradition than Tennessee, but I am not sure that recent success or recruiting capability is much better. Proximity to Chicago probably does tip the recruiting a bit to Marquette...but it's not like  a huge step up IMO.

I'm not ready to say that he's likely gone if he's willing to entertain offers from Marquette. That's a lateral move at best. However, I certainly wouldn't blame him if he left after what he endured this season at UT, and I say that as one of the fans who was convinced he wasn't the right guy for the job. (And I'm far from convinced at this point, despite the tourney run.)

What DOES concern me is that if he leaves, there aren't many guys out there for UT to pursue. We're gonna have to hire an up-and-comer and hope for a home-run hire. UT could do better than Cuonzo, but UT could also do worse.

My first phone call would be to Marshall. I think he would laugh at us after the way UT has treated him in the past, but Hart is a new guy. Let him sweet-talk the guy and see what he says.

Marshall's character issues not withstanding, if losing Cuonzo means getting him, I'll wish Cuonzo good luck. And let's face it -- even though I wouldn't blame him for leaving (I didn't learn of the VQ allegations about boosters refusing to allow him to use their planes for recruiting trips until yesterday...how shameful is that?), if he would rather be at a school like Marquette than commit to building the program here, I would rather pursue someone else.

Stokes is gone regardless

Disagree, Marquette is a much better program in terms of basketball.

So, instead of getting Pearl, we lose him AND Cuonzo.  I have NO idea if the man is a great coach, but if he leaves, this program, barring a miracle or some legacy hire, is likely very screwed.  A huge part of the fanbase pretty much gave up on Cuonzo 2/3rds of the way through the season and a petition is signed when he was having a less than horrible season.  What coach would want to touch this program considering the volatility?

BTW, what is it with UT basketball and the city of Milwaukee?  We hired O'Neill from Marquette and Bruce from UWM, and now Marquette may hire CM from us.  Weird. :loco:

I don't think this job is any less attractive now than it was when Cuonzo was hired.  Whoever took the job back then was walking into a situation where he would have to follow the most popular coach in our history (who was still living in Knoxville), with an NCAA cloud hanging over his head, and a lame duck athletic director for a boss.  All of those things are now in the past.  That's not to say we're going to get the next John Wooden- in fact, history says our next hire will fail, like most of his predecessors.  But I don't think the list of applicants this time around would be any worse than it was 3 years ago.

If five big names say "no", get Rick Byrd. He's not young, but I'll take him for five years. I think UT will be fine. The most frequent hoops mistake is throwing money at a guy who has just made a tournament run.

Agree. Tennessee will never be able to lure a top-notch coach, simply because of the nature of the job here. But it's a better job now than it was three years ago, despite the nonsense of us fans.

In fact, it's the only major American city to have elected three socialist mayors...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5FT3IGXtAk

 :naughty:

 In fact , it's pronounced "mill-e-wah-que" which is Algonquin for "the good land."   :dielaughing:

We're not worthy! We're not worthy!

So if Andy Katz is right, it sounds like Marquette has offered Martin the job but Martin is willing to see what Tennessee will do in response.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10701512/tennessee-volunteers-coach-cuonzo-martin-meets-marquette

So the question is: Do we pay Cuonzo a significant raise to keep him? I'm far less inclined to say "NO!" now than I was a month ago, but I'm still not convinced that we should dig ourselves a big hole to keep a guy who, if we're being honest, still hasn't proven his mettle.

If there's not a semi-proven coach to be had, what's the point in letting him go to roll the dice again?  How big of a hole will we be digging ourselves to keep him, anyway?

Depends on what he requests. We could easily be putting ourselves in a situation where we're facing another major buyout in a couple of years.

Whatever his decision, ZO will not make a decision till tomorrow, after his buyout has dropped

Question, what in the world makes ppl think we could land Marshall?

Hw wanted the job a long time ago. I don't know he would now

He reportedly wanted the job the last two times it was open, and that is what is fueling most of the speculation. Obviously if I were in Hart's shoes Marshall would be my first call, but one has to assume that with a 35-0 record and a 1-seed in the NCAAT, if a better school than UT isn't knocking on his door, it's because of some other reason, and there are all those rumors about his personality issues.

Speculation is pointless at this point. I think people who speculate that UT will target Marshall and he will listen just because of past history are conducting an exercise in futility. By the same token, people who automatically assume Marshall wouldn't give UT the time of day because UT rejected him twice before are doing the same. There's a different sheriff in town these days.

You're right.  At this point, there's only one logical thing to do..

(http://darrel4dc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/petition.jpg)

I googled Marshall today. Did he even play college ball? Not according to his wiki. fizzle him. All accounts are his personality is comparable to Kevin O'Neill. Been there done that.

In fine UT fashion we will go the cheap route...hire a coach from Southeast Dakota State with a .500 career record who has little upside but has PROMISE!!

It's the UT way!!

All the money is in facilities & buyouts I reckon.

I'll be shocked if this doesn't happen.

Does he also have a famous Daddy? 

What is Bobby Knight's son's record at Tejas Tech???   :naughty:

On a more serious note, it was HAMILTON who was a cheap bastard.  Hart I think has more sense.  I hope we don't have to find out because I don't want a coach who finally accomplished something to leave right after doing it.

But we will see...