2009.03.29
Late Sunday night
Went into the office to dig up Dell Curry's phone number (Seth is transferring to Duke) and had two voice messages.
One caller wanted Rick Carlisle as Virginia's new coach. The other wanted Bobby Knight.
Hey, I wouldn't mind Bobby Knight. I'd love to cover him once in my career. And, I think it would create a lot of buzz for UVa men's basketball at the front end.
But, once the buzz died down, where would they be?
As for Carlisle, do people know that he's with the Dallas Mavericks? If this were a year ago, when he was working with ESPN, maybe he would have considered it. Not now.
Can't say I have a really strong sense for any of the potential targets. I was told Friday night that an offer was on the table but my source didn't think the choice was Tubby Smith.
So, if an offer was on the table and it wasn't Tubby Smith, who was it?
I'll stick with what I've said all along -- that Jeff Capel is the best bet, but I wouldn't put a lot of money on it.
After the obligatory digs at my column on Jeff Jones in Saturday's print edition of The Roanoke Times, Jeff White made an observation that summed up my feelings.
"If they were going to hire Fran McCaffery, then they'd be just as well off bringing back Jeff Jones," he said.
My feelings exactly. Nothing against McCaffery, a one-time Craig Littlepage assistant who has done an outstanding job with Siena, but he wouldn't be nearly as familiar with the landscape as Jones.
If there really is an offer outstanding, it can't be Capel, because his team (OU) was still alive as of Friday. UVA would first have to ask permission, which OU wouldn't grant until post-tournament.
Comment by TimmyG — March 29, 2009 @ 11:54 pm
Do coaches hide from their players the fact that they're talking to a school, so that their prospective recruits won't know that they might be about to leave if they get a good offer? So, if the coach leaves, they would still be committed to...............................the coach, and change their minds and come with him? That's the only possible reason I can think of. If the coach wanted them to come to the school even if he left, he would just tell the media, "I'm talking to UVa. The odds are very, very slim that anything will come of it! But even if I take the job, I want the recruits who are considering us to come here anyway."
Nope: he wants the recruits who were going to come there to come with him. So, he doesn't say anything about it until he's about to go, and he can encourage them to follow him. No one ever talks about this! Why don't they figure this out?! Think about it! Not too honest! Ha.
Comment by Nelson — March 30, 2009 @ 4:58 am
well I think schools got hip to this and started stipulating in their contracts that kids can be released but can't follow their coaches to their new school
Comment by Bardy — March 30, 2009 @ 10:22 am
Check out Sean Miller.
Comment by Roger Lon — March 30, 2009 @ 11:11 am
If Fran McCaffery can convince Philly kids to go to Londonville, NY (4:10 away), I'm sure he can get Philly kids to go to Charlottesville (4:45). Given that he also has some experience in North Carolina, I'd think he'd be a solid fit.
By the way, look at where Londonville is on a map. Just look. And Siena's arena is nice, but it's not like the campus and facilities are Valhalla.
Comment by SammyK — March 30, 2009 @ 11:41 am
Rumors are growing by the hour that UVA has reached a deal with its next basketball coach. Only comment from the SABRE is that the Tubby rumors have legs.
Let it be true.
Comment by Joe — March 30, 2009 @ 1:17 pm
It's Bennett from Wash. State. See Daily Progress.
Comment by Henry — March 30, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
That's kind of out of the blue isn't it?? Greg Roberts is saying the same thing.
Comment by Justafan — March 30, 2009 @ 5:10 pm