Is too much to ask to find a coach that 1). Isn't a control freak, 2). Is a good teacher, 3). Communicates with the community and 4). Can get a good mix of HS Players and Proven JUCO players to field a team that can be competitive?
What coaches offer, particularly in basketball is pretty complicated. I guess I'd break it down to three categories (in terms of just results, I suppose you can add an additional category for communication/promotion). Program building, recruiting, coaching.
In terms of program building, I think that's a vital component to long-term success. There are coaches that seem to just go around doing that, not necessarily winning championships, but going from place to place bettering the program. I think you can say that C.M. Newton had that quality, he put Alabama on the right track, he put Vanderbilt on the right track, and he even helped Kentucky get back on track.
Marshall seems to have this trait, he didn't start out with much but he build something where he's at. Alabama could use someone who knows how the basketball program should be run and insure things are put in order.
Then you get into recruiting, that to me was Wimp's strength. He brought the talent in, and if you have talent you are practically guaranteed a certain amount of success. The issue though, and I think both Barnes and Wimp demonstrate this, is that just recruiting isn't going to bring championships.
Finally, there's the coaching part, a great coach can step into the right situation and win right away, go deep into the tournament and so on. The problem is, sometimes a great coach, doesn't manage the other aspects well, the recruiting, the maintenance of a program. I think it's valid to question whether or not Alabama has ever had a truly great coach. None have ever even made it to a final four, anywhere, and sadly Alabama might miss out the chance to have a coach who actually had reached those heights, yet again.
Nick Saban is great because he does all three, Greg Marshall was a great candidate because he clearly can do 2 out of the 3 (recruiting being the only question mark). What scares me though, is when you have the potential to get someone that might not be great at any of those. If the best thing on a guy's resume is a conference title at a mid-major, what does that really say? So I'm just hoping Alabama, no matter what, goes out and gets a guy that has a resume that says more than automatic bid to NCAA tournament. I'm ok with a guy who is mainly a program builder, Alabama can use that, I'm ok with a guy who is mainly a recruiter (as long as he can show some consistency), Alabama can use that, and obviously I think if Alabama finally gets a great coach, they will win.
