Bracketeering - IU's Sweet Sixteen
By now you know that Mike Davis has resigned as the Indiana Men’s head basketball coach.
There is an ongoing debate about what name will next be on the door for the head coach’s office at Assembly Hall.
And so, when I printed out my bracket this week for the tournament my eyebrows went up. If IU fans were kids (and many are) then the tournament this week will be the candy store. The best 64 teams in the nation will be competing (many nationally televised ) which means that many fans will have at least a glimpse of what may be in store for IU hoops.
I’d like to point out a few items before I get into details about coaches that will be at the dance this week with their respective Cinderella. Although many of them will be dancing for weeks on end with the same dame, many will also have one eye on another girl on the floor. You guessed it, it’s the soon to be single Indiana Hoosiers.
I have narrowed the field from 65 all the way down to sixteen. And not that I’m a conspiracy theorist, but I feel that six of the sixteen suitors could come from the “Oakland Region.” Suspiciously that also happens to be the bracket in which Indiana was seeded.
One might ask, “Just how do you throw out 49 others without going into details?” My answer is two fold and simple. First, it’s my blog, right? Because I can, that’s reason numero uno. Second, because as in life there are contenders and there are pretenders. The chair that will soon be vacant in Bloomington is one of the most coveted positions in collegiate athletics. Five national championship banners hang in Assembly Hall. For what it’s worth I’d liken Indiana Basketball to Notre Dame Football. Some may disagree with that assessment, but looking through the history the two have been nearly mirror images of one another. That being said, Notre Dame has struggled to be a consist winner since the Holtz era ended. As has Indiana since Coach Knight finished his tenure just outside the Hoosier National Forrest.
Normally at this point in the conversation the Mike Davis coaching record debate begins. Not this time. In sticking to the subject I’d like to point out a few coaches that I feel are legitimate candidates.
There has been so much speculation about so many names, but let me start by throwing out the ones that are on the top shelf. The one’s that IU cannot reach and therefore will not even sniff at because the answer will be a polite, “No thank you.” Keep in mind, these are names I’ve heard in many forums and conversations, so really, I’m not trying to be Mr. Obvious.
Top Shelf Candy - “No way. No how. Not in a million years.”
Jim Calhoun- Winning at Uconn and playing in his own back yard in Big East which at the moment is a better place to be.
Tom Izzo- Michigan State would never let him step foot off campus, coaches rarely migrate within same conference.
Roy Williams- At home in powder blue, Williams finally won the big one at Chapel Hill. More work to be done.
Lute Olson - Winding down his career, Zona is home to many and one of those many is Olson.
Mike Krzyzewski- Like I said before “No way. No How. Not in a million years.”
Ok, so now that we’ve got those guys out of the way. Let me talk to you about some pretending that’s been going on. IU fans are…well…they are fanatical. There was a very strong bond between IU’s following and former Coach Robert Montgomery Knight. Historically speaking Coach Knight’s departure was abrupt at best. Many fan’s followed him to Lubbock. But let’s get one thing straight here people. Coach Knight is not coming back to Bloomington. So with that let’s look at some pretenders.
Pretenders - “Been there. Done that. Burned and Splintering Bridges.”
Rick Majerus - There are so many issues packed into those six letters “H E A L T H” that it would be less detrimental to this man for the IU administration to call in a hit on “Big Rick.”
Isiah Thomas - I know the joke is used up a little, but he’d really struggle with the “unpaid players” thing. IU already has enough budgetary headaches.
Patrick Knight - “Yeah right.”
Robert Knight - “Yeah right A#$hole.”
With some additional thought on the subject, I’ve decided that not every candidate will be coming from the current coaching ranks of the NCAA. There have been a few names tossed around that come from a higher place. That’s right people let’s take a peek at some NBA level coaches.
Higher Learning - “Back from greener pastures.”
Mike Montgomery - Was a great history at Stanford. Is now tanking with the Warriors.
Randy Whitman - A popular name these days with the IU crowd. Easily the step-child between himself and another former Indiana standout.
Lon Kruger - Although he went to the next level , he is now back in the NCAA ranks. Based on his success at another Big Ten school, I’d think that he would be given at least serious consideration in Bloomington.
Rick Pitino - An impressive tenure at UK, a slight disaster in Bean town, and now back in the Blue Grass pastures. Hard to imagine isn’t it? Not for some.
OK…OK…I know you want me to get on to the meat of the story. And just like the tournament people are anxious to see which teams will be penciled in on those remaining sixteen lines. Before I finish, I’d like to point out one more time that of these sixteen suggested candidates, I’ve noticed that six of them hail from the same region that IU is in for the tournament. Could it be a conspiracy? Probably, but only in my head. Here they are in no particular order.
The Contenders - “Hello Coach _______ ? We’d like to have you visit our campus.”
Tubby Smith- Yes, I said Tubby Smith. On the hot seat in Lexington Tubby is possibly one of the most under appreciated coaches in the nation. Is he a serious candidate? Probably not.
Bruce Pearl - One year removed from a Cinderella story Pearl is making waves in the Smokey Mountains. With links to Indiana he may also receive serious consideration.
Jay Wright - A young coach with lot’s of experience who may be looking for a conference that is not so congested at the top.
Thad Matta - I almost moved Matta into the “No way” simply because he is currently coaching within the same conference. I guess it depends on how much IU likes him or he likes IU. Make no mistake there will be at least a dialogue.
Karl Hobbs - Cleary a budding overachiever Hobbs has done a remarkable job. However, he also has ties to the Northeast and probably will move his way up the chain in conference that feels more like home.
Jim Boeheim - Forget it. I did screw up on this one. “No way. No how. Not in a million years.”
John Beilein - Last year, Beilein was Cinderella’s escort to the Dance. I personally feel the jury is still out on his success. I feel he would do well…eventually, but IU clearly wants to win now.
Steve Alford - Nothing makes me cringe more than the thought of IU blindly handing the job to Coach Alford. Many speculate that he IS the next coach. He is not popular in Iowa City and I’d hate to see his legacy crumble if that sentiment is passed along to Bloomington.
Lorenzo Romar - Now if there ever were a “Dark Horse” this would be my best guess. Romar has improved the status and record of his team since day one at U-Dub. He may not be a candidate, but he should be.
Rick Barnes - Barnes is listed here simply because I’d like to quell some of the rumors out there about a Maverick and his money. Rick Barnes will retire from Texas. Why? Because you don’t leave an athletic program like Texas for one like Indiana. It’s that simple.
So now we’re down to those final six that currently are dressing for a chance to dance in Oakland. I really don’t feel that there is any significance relating Indiana’s tournament placement to coaching candidates . It just sounds good. Here are the final six…some will get serious consideration others probably won’t even be mentioned in formal talks, but I still like them for IU in some way shape or form.
Six Pence - "May we dance with your dates?"
John Calipari - What he has done in his short tenure at Memphis is brilliance. That being said, I feel the timing isn’t just right. I was never convinced the he and his former big man weren’t a one trick pony at Umass. My opinion…the jury is still out.
Jamie Dixon - Some say he is riding the recruits of another great coach. I say he is competing in the Big East two years after that fact. Dixon is an up and comer who should not go overlooked.
Bill Self - It would be a stretch to see Self move from an elite program like Kansas. However, Self has experience winning in the Big Ten and could easily accomplish the same as a Hoosier. He may be the Champaign that slips through the fingers of IU’s root beer budget.
Mark Few - This guy seems to finish in the top three in every conversation. Why? I ask. I just don’t see that he is that great of a coach. His team plays at a high level in a questionable conference. He recruits well and one or two good players can help you win convincingly in most conferences, but it takes more than that to win in the Big Ten.
Sean Miller - I know…I know…another stretch but you have to look at where he has been for the last several years. He has been around big time basketball his entire career. He will probably not even be mentioned among the decision makers, but I feel that he has what it takes.
Tom Crean - The man who invented flying under the radar by landing quite possibly the best basketball player in the world right now as a recruit out of high school. My feeling is that he will be the one. He will be the next IU coach.
That concludes my long windedness. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. I’m sure there are many more worthy of noting, but this is my list…not yours.
There is an ongoing debate about what name will next be on the door for the head coach’s office at Assembly Hall.
And so, when I printed out my bracket this week for the tournament my eyebrows went up. If IU fans were kids (and many are) then the tournament this week will be the candy store. The best 64 teams in the nation will be competing (many nationally televised ) which means that many fans will have at least a glimpse of what may be in store for IU hoops.
I’d like to point out a few items before I get into details about coaches that will be at the dance this week with their respective Cinderella. Although many of them will be dancing for weeks on end with the same dame, many will also have one eye on another girl on the floor. You guessed it, it’s the soon to be single Indiana Hoosiers.
I have narrowed the field from 65 all the way down to sixteen. And not that I’m a conspiracy theorist, but I feel that six of the sixteen suitors could come from the “Oakland Region.” Suspiciously that also happens to be the bracket in which Indiana was seeded.
One might ask, “Just how do you throw out 49 others without going into details?” My answer is two fold and simple. First, it’s my blog, right? Because I can, that’s reason numero uno. Second, because as in life there are contenders and there are pretenders. The chair that will soon be vacant in Bloomington is one of the most coveted positions in collegiate athletics. Five national championship banners hang in Assembly Hall. For what it’s worth I’d liken Indiana Basketball to Notre Dame Football. Some may disagree with that assessment, but looking through the history the two have been nearly mirror images of one another. That being said, Notre Dame has struggled to be a consist winner since the Holtz era ended. As has Indiana since Coach Knight finished his tenure just outside the Hoosier National Forrest.
Normally at this point in the conversation the Mike Davis coaching record debate begins. Not this time. In sticking to the subject I’d like to point out a few coaches that I feel are legitimate candidates.
There has been so much speculation about so many names, but let me start by throwing out the ones that are on the top shelf. The one’s that IU cannot reach and therefore will not even sniff at because the answer will be a polite, “No thank you.” Keep in mind, these are names I’ve heard in many forums and conversations, so really, I’m not trying to be Mr. Obvious.
Top Shelf Candy - “No way. No how. Not in a million years.”
Jim Calhoun- Winning at Uconn and playing in his own back yard in Big East which at the moment is a better place to be.
Tom Izzo- Michigan State would never let him step foot off campus, coaches rarely migrate within same conference.
Roy Williams- At home in powder blue, Williams finally won the big one at Chapel Hill. More work to be done.
Lute Olson - Winding down his career, Zona is home to many and one of those many is Olson.
Mike Krzyzewski- Like I said before “No way. No How. Not in a million years.”
Ok, so now that we’ve got those guys out of the way. Let me talk to you about some pretending that’s been going on. IU fans are…well…they are fanatical. There was a very strong bond between IU’s following and former Coach Robert Montgomery Knight. Historically speaking Coach Knight’s departure was abrupt at best. Many fan’s followed him to Lubbock. But let’s get one thing straight here people. Coach Knight is not coming back to Bloomington. So with that let’s look at some pretenders.
Pretenders - “Been there. Done that. Burned and Splintering Bridges.”
Rick Majerus - There are so many issues packed into those six letters “H E A L T H” that it would be less detrimental to this man for the IU administration to call in a hit on “Big Rick.”
Isiah Thomas - I know the joke is used up a little, but he’d really struggle with the “unpaid players” thing. IU already has enough budgetary headaches.
Patrick Knight - “Yeah right.”
Robert Knight - “Yeah right A#$hole.”
With some additional thought on the subject, I’ve decided that not every candidate will be coming from the current coaching ranks of the NCAA. There have been a few names tossed around that come from a higher place. That’s right people let’s take a peek at some NBA level coaches.
Higher Learning - “Back from greener pastures.”
Mike Montgomery - Was a great history at Stanford. Is now tanking with the Warriors.
Randy Whitman - A popular name these days with the IU crowd. Easily the step-child between himself and another former Indiana standout.
Lon Kruger - Although he went to the next level , he is now back in the NCAA ranks. Based on his success at another Big Ten school, I’d think that he would be given at least serious consideration in Bloomington.
Rick Pitino - An impressive tenure at UK, a slight disaster in Bean town, and now back in the Blue Grass pastures. Hard to imagine isn’t it? Not for some.
OK…OK…I know you want me to get on to the meat of the story. And just like the tournament people are anxious to see which teams will be penciled in on those remaining sixteen lines. Before I finish, I’d like to point out one more time that of these sixteen suggested candidates, I’ve noticed that six of them hail from the same region that IU is in for the tournament. Could it be a conspiracy? Probably, but only in my head. Here they are in no particular order.
The Contenders - “Hello Coach _______ ? We’d like to have you visit our campus.”
Tubby Smith- Yes, I said Tubby Smith. On the hot seat in Lexington Tubby is possibly one of the most under appreciated coaches in the nation. Is he a serious candidate? Probably not.
Bruce Pearl - One year removed from a Cinderella story Pearl is making waves in the Smokey Mountains. With links to Indiana he may also receive serious consideration.
Jay Wright - A young coach with lot’s of experience who may be looking for a conference that is not so congested at the top.
Thad Matta - I almost moved Matta into the “No way” simply because he is currently coaching within the same conference. I guess it depends on how much IU likes him or he likes IU. Make no mistake there will be at least a dialogue.
Karl Hobbs - Cleary a budding overachiever Hobbs has done a remarkable job. However, he also has ties to the Northeast and probably will move his way up the chain in conference that feels more like home.
Jim Boeheim - Forget it. I did screw up on this one. “No way. No how. Not in a million years.”
John Beilein - Last year, Beilein was Cinderella’s escort to the Dance. I personally feel the jury is still out on his success. I feel he would do well…eventually, but IU clearly wants to win now.
Steve Alford - Nothing makes me cringe more than the thought of IU blindly handing the job to Coach Alford. Many speculate that he IS the next coach. He is not popular in Iowa City and I’d hate to see his legacy crumble if that sentiment is passed along to Bloomington.
Lorenzo Romar - Now if there ever were a “Dark Horse” this would be my best guess. Romar has improved the status and record of his team since day one at U-Dub. He may not be a candidate, but he should be.
Rick Barnes - Barnes is listed here simply because I’d like to quell some of the rumors out there about a Maverick and his money. Rick Barnes will retire from Texas. Why? Because you don’t leave an athletic program like Texas for one like Indiana. It’s that simple.
So now we’re down to those final six that currently are dressing for a chance to dance in Oakland. I really don’t feel that there is any significance relating Indiana’s tournament placement to coaching candidates . It just sounds good. Here are the final six…some will get serious consideration others probably won’t even be mentioned in formal talks, but I still like them for IU in some way shape or form.
Six Pence - "May we dance with your dates?"
John Calipari - What he has done in his short tenure at Memphis is brilliance. That being said, I feel the timing isn’t just right. I was never convinced the he and his former big man weren’t a one trick pony at Umass. My opinion…the jury is still out.
Jamie Dixon - Some say he is riding the recruits of another great coach. I say he is competing in the Big East two years after that fact. Dixon is an up and comer who should not go overlooked.
Bill Self - It would be a stretch to see Self move from an elite program like Kansas. However, Self has experience winning in the Big Ten and could easily accomplish the same as a Hoosier. He may be the Champaign that slips through the fingers of IU’s root beer budget.
Mark Few - This guy seems to finish in the top three in every conversation. Why? I ask. I just don’t see that he is that great of a coach. His team plays at a high level in a questionable conference. He recruits well and one or two good players can help you win convincingly in most conferences, but it takes more than that to win in the Big Ten.
Sean Miller - I know…I know…another stretch but you have to look at where he has been for the last several years. He has been around big time basketball his entire career. He will probably not even be mentioned among the decision makers, but I feel that he has what it takes.
Tom Crean - The man who invented flying under the radar by landing quite possibly the best basketball player in the world right now as a recruit out of high school. My feeling is that he will be the one. He will be the next IU coach.
That concludes my long windedness. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. I’m sure there are many more worthy of noting, but this is my list…not yours.
posted by Jeremy @ 9:57 AM
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