New coach search...

Putting out a release about not getting who you want as a coach seems like a terrible idea.

Couldn't agree more.

It's like going on Facebook and saying, "Well, I went after Peggy Sue, but she just wasn't feeling it. She's the one I really wanted. Is anyone else interested?"

Just incredible.
 
I don't see Battle's release as a big deal. Is there anyone who was even remotely following our coaching search, or college basketball in general for that matter, that was unaware we were pursuing CGM? There was no hiding that he was our top choice, so the announcement wasn't breaking news nor did it reveal anything that wasn't already known. Will be interesting to see where we go from here.

The only reason it's bad is it confirms that Marshall was our top choice. It makes us look like the laughing stock of NCAA sports in that we spent two whole weeks on one guy
 
I'm curious as to what we do next. According to an earlier post, someone (don't remember who. thought it was Cecil but don't see it on his account) tweeted that Archie Miller is our 2nd choice. Archie just signed an extension, so isn't likely to leave unless we offer him big-time money, which he hasn't yet earned. Since that is the case, I don't see why we wouldn't give Shaka a call before it's too late. Going after Miller will only waste more time. The longer this goes on, the more terrified I'll become that we'll be forced to settle for Little Pitino. Who knows, he could very well be a good coach, but he hasn't done well at Minnesota with what I presume to be quality players inherited from Tubby. I will say that he did a remarkable job at FIU, going 18-13 his first and only season while inheriting only a six-man roster. He has a lot more work to do, and I don't see any reason why we can't get a more proven coach. People say that Texas is a top job, but personally I would prefer Bama over Texas. A school that fires a coach who has gone to the tournament 16 times in 17 seasons just isn't enticing to me. Take out the national championship and his results are pretty darn similar to Bill Self at Kansas. I don't hear them calling for their coach's head. Everyone seems awfully interested in the Texas job despite that. We have just as much money and resources as they do, so why can't we generate that interest?
 
The only reason it's bad is it confirms that Marshall was our top choice. It makes us look like the laughing stock of NCAA sports in that we spent two whole weeks on one guy

While in the meantime, all the other potential top candidates got hired away by schools that fired their coaches AFTER Bama did. What coach in their right mind would take a program in Bama's current situation while being viewed as an obvious (distant) second choice? Someone talk me off the ledge and tell me how this situation is salvageable....
 
Last edited:
I'm curious as to what we do next. According to an earlier post, someone (don't remember who. thought it was Cecil but don't see it on his account) tweeted that Archie Miller is our 2nd choice. Archie just signed an extension, so isn't likely to leave unless we offer him big-time money, which he hasn't yet earned. Since that is the case, I don't see why we wouldn't give Shaka a call before it's too late. Going after Miller will only waste more time. The longer this goes on, the more terrified I'll become that we'll be forced to settle for Little Pitino. Who knows, he could very well be a good coach, but he hasn't done well at Minnesota with what I presume to be quality players inherited from Tubby. I will say that he did a remarkable job at FIU, going 18-13 his first and only season while inheriting only a six-man roster. He has a lot more work to do, and I don't see any reason why we can't get a more proven coach. People say that Texas is a top job, but personally I would prefer Bama over Texas. A school that fires a coach who has gone to the tournament 16 times in 17 seasons just isn't enticing to me. Take out the national championship and his results are pretty darn similar to Bill Self at Kansas. I don't hear them calling for their coach's head. Everyone seems awfully interested in the Texas job despite that. We have just as much money and resources as they do, so why can't we generate that interest?

I don't know what tubby did at minn, but I do know what he did to uk. They had to go out and hire possibly the best coach in the game (as much as I hate to admit that) just to get back in contention after his tenure.
 
While Tubby isn't the greatest coach in the land, Cal inherited the mess that Billy Gillespie made after Tubby resigned. It went south in a hurry under Gillespie.
 
I don't see Battle's release as a big deal. Is there anyone who was even remotely following our coaching search, or college basketball in general for that matter, that was unaware we were pursuing CGM? There was no hiding that he was our top choice, so the announcement wasn't breaking news nor did it reveal anything that wasn't already known. Will be interesting to see where we go from here.

Good post. Battle didn't give away anything that wasn't already known, and he officially ended speculation before Marshall could hold his press conference, whenever that might be. Getting out in front of Marshall in formally announcing the parting of ways was a smart play IMO. It steals the spotlight and puts him in the rearview mirror, while Battle immediately focuses on the next guy. And don't think for one minute that Coach "Plan B" will feel slighted at being our #2.
 
Last edited:
I have zero problem with Gregg Marshall. Maybe he never planned to come, maybe he wanted to hear Bama out. It doesn't matter to me. He had his salary doubled and will stay "home" for the next several years. We're just ticked off because we look like idiots. That's not his fault either way.

I'll second that.

There are several other things I would like to say, but to stay out of trouble, I'll just briefly state:

1.) I don't know why so many assume Shaka Smart would consider coming here. He has turned down much better jobs in the past.

(And if he does go to Bevo Land................good luck, pal. He will need it. He has no idea what he is in for.)

2.) If I hear one more "We should have hired Bruce Pearl", I going to...............well, let your imagination fill in the rest.

3.) Anyone who thinks we should have hired Howland or Barnes might just be his agent. No to either, for different reasons.

4.) The only real way this has been mishandled is that it was not done after last season.

OK, maybe hiring a search firm would have helped. In order for that to have worked, Brother Bill would have concluded during the season that a change had to be made. Making the change on the day tournament bids go out is probably way too late to successfully start a search. Quietly scouting around sooner helps to weed out the tire kickers, and guys looking to feather their nest.

[/rant]
 
What BB does next will define our basketball program. Will we try to hire someone that will make us glad CGM said no or will we "settle" ? We can go one of two ways, either up or down, but like I said earlier...we'll get the coach we deserve.

Michigan St. pays Izzo $4m and we offer Marshall $4.2 ? Did we offer all we could? Or all we wanted to?
Brad Stevens makes $3.7m and we offer CGM more?
Someone said these names were unrealistic, but we didn't even try. Sure they may have said no, but so did CGM. If we want to be one of the top programs in the country we need to do whatever it takes.
 
100% simpatico with.

Short-term net gain is ousting Grant with the program in death throes. Yeah, it should've gone down last year but what if he'd been retained, went 20-14 next year, got in the Dance, was one and done but 'Bama was compelled to re-up him with no fannies in the seats and nothing different in his "promoting" or administering of the program? Can you say rigor mortis? So whatever the eventual outcome of the coaching search, try not to forget this twist on the old saying, "The operation was a success, but...no, the operation was a success and the patient's been resuscitated - and may be better than ever with proper care and can-do attitude for recovery." Also applaud Battle how ever manner he chose or chooses to swing for the fences.

I'll second that.

There are several other things I would like to say, but to stay out or trouble, I'll just briefly state:

1.) I don't know why so many assume Shaka Smart would consider coming here. He has turned down much better jobs in the past.

(And if he does go to Bevo Land................good luck, pal. He will need it. He has no idea what he is in for.)

2.) If I hear one more "We should have hired Bruce Pearl", I going to...............well, let your imagination fill in the rest.

3.) Anyone who thinks we should have hired Howland or Barnes might just be his agent. No to either, for different reasons.

4.) The only real way this has been mishandled is that it was not done after last season.

OK, maybe hiring a search firm would have helped. In order for that to have worked, Brother Bill would have concluded during the season that a change had to be made. Making the change on the day tournament bids go out is probably way too late to successfully start a search. Quietly scouting around sooner helps to weed out the tire kickers, and guys looking to feather their nest.

[/rant]
 
I'm curious as to what we do next. According to an earlier post, someone (don't remember who. thought it was Cecil but don't see it on his account) tweeted that Archie Miller is our 2nd choice. Archie just signed an extension, so isn't likely to leave unless we offer him big-time money, which he hasn't yet earned. Since that is the case, I don't see why we wouldn't give Shaka a call before it's too late. Going after Miller will only waste more time. The longer this goes on, the more terrified I'll become that we'll be forced to settle for Little Pitino. Who knows, he could very well be a good coach, but he hasn't done well at Minnesota with what I presume to be quality players inherited from Tubby. I will say that he did a remarkable job at FIU, going 18-13 his first and only season while inheriting only a six-man roster. He has a lot more work to do, and I don't see any reason why we can't get a more proven coach. People say that Texas is a top job, but personally I would prefer Bama over Texas. A school that fires a coach who has gone to the tournament 16 times in 17 seasons just isn't enticing to me. Take out the national championship and his results are pretty darn similar to Bill Self at Kansas. I don't hear them calling for their coach's head. Everyone seems awfully interested in the Texas job despite that. We have just as much money and resources as they do, so why can't we generate that interest?

I think bama would pay millers buyout. The post you are referring to was a moderator simply saying what they have been told. Cecil did not tweet anything .Shaka was not a candidate they were considering right or wrong. I would not be surprised to see them pursue Miller.
 
OK,
Remember when we had basically hired Rich Rodriguez?? And all of a sudden there was a problem, and coach Saban popped in to take the job. Maybe we will have a coach Saban type basketball coach jump in, and bring our basketball program to the same place that Saban took our football program. And, Marshall will be a distant memory. Same as coach Rodriguez is with us today.
 
I want to be mad at CGM but there is no reason to be. He got a raise and got to stay at a (currently) more productive program than Bama. The second Battle stepped on that plane without Marshall he should have been contacting other candidates. That's the biggest mistake that was made.
 
If BB offered north of $4 million, how did he handle it poorly? From where I stand, I think that was, if true, more than reasonable, and pretty much handing him the keys to the vault.

You don't get on the private plane and fly to Wichita unless you have the contract in hand for him to sign. It looks bad. We've got egg on our face, and now anyone we try and go after knows they weren't our 1st choice. That doesn't help.
 
I just can't believe that we let this drag on for two weeks and didn't contact anyone else to pressure this guy. He is just a name, there are others that know the same X's and O's. You can talk about family input .... Blah, blah, blah, but it became obvious that we couldn't put enough money in front of this guy and he was never coming.

He played us hoping to get the UT job. Once it was clear he wasn't getting it, he used us to get a big raise out of a school that clearly can't afford it. Now we've missed on quality coaches because he played us. He was never serious. If he was, he'd have come to see the city and University.

The SEC network is going to cause tremendous inflation on coaches salaries in the next 5 years. The way Marshall handled this will keep him stuck there at WSU for a long time. He better hope he wins his conference every year or it is the NIT for them. Do the Koch brothers cough up a big check to see them go to the NIT.
 
Advertisement

Trending content

Advertisement