What hoops coach should Bulldogs target now?
Wow, what a day was Tuesday. It started out well, with me thinking Georgia was moving quickly toward settling on a new basketball coach. It ended very late, with John Calipari going to Kentucky for an obscene amount of money (later confirmed to be 8 years for $31.65 million), Mike Anderson deciding to stay at Missouri and Georgia left sitting there red-faced without a coach.
Based on the information I’m getting, I don’t think Wednesday is going to be a very productive day for the Bulldogs either. Not a lot of moving and shaking planned is my understanding. In the meantime, Georgia AD Damon Evans is set to leave for Detroit and the Final Four on Thursday morning. So if anything is going to happen on the coaching search, I’d bet now it’s going to come down up there.
So the million-dollar question is — maybe that should be $2 million — who IS going to be the Bulldogs’ new coach. It’s a good question, and a hard one.
I honestly don’t think even Evans even knows at this point. I think he has been very deliberate and methodical to date, an approach you may or may not agree with. Anderson didn’t work out, so now he merely moves on to the next guy on his list. You’d figure that to be Oklahoma’s Jeff Capel, but the silence and lack of buzz surrounding that particular name has been perplexing. I can say this with some certainty: Anthony Grant would have been up soon thereafter. But he got snatched by Alabama well before the Dogs got around to him. A difference in evaluations, it would seem.
In the meantime, don’t discount the possibility that some of Georgia’s potential candidates could still be playing games. No, I’m not talking about those guys in Detroit. But you may want to glance up toward New York City where Scott Drew’s Baylor Bears are still playing in the NIT. And the guy he’ll face in Thursday’s finals, Penn State’s Ed DeChellis, isn’t bad either.
Some other coaches the Bulldogs may be considering: Southern Cal’s Tim Floyd, Clemson’s Oliver Purnell, UNLV’s Lon Kruger, Butler’s Brad Stevens and Dayton’s Brian Gregory. Some they aren’t: Miami’s Frank Haith and FSU’s Leonard Hamilton. And there’s at least a couple of possibilities with no current team affiliation: Billy Gillispie, no longer of Kentucky, and Russ Pennell, no longer of Arizona. Dare we even bring up again the biggest name of all? You know, BOB KNIGHT?
So it would seem there are plenty of viable possibilities still out there for Georgia. But are there any that will get the Bulldog Nation excited? Have I missed some possibilities? And how would you rate Evans’ coaching search so far?
I’ll leave you with some links:
Reaction to Kentucky’s hiring of Calipari has been all over the board. Lexington-Herald columnist John Clay writes that the Big Blue Nation is dancing in the streets over it. Then there’s column by ESPN’s Pat Forde. Personally I like the take on it by Ryan Parker. For him it’s all about “Caliparication.” . . .
Indications are that quarterback Matthew Stafford blew away a private workout Tuesday for the Detroit Loins. . . .
The No. 1-ranked Diamond Dawgs won again. It was their fourth win in a row, 6-5 over Clemson. The two teams will play again Wednesday night over on the other side of Lake Hartwell.
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196 comments Add your comment
Lash La Rue
April 1st, 2009
12:40 pm
UGA should hire JAY WRIGHT. Damn good Coach!
NCdawg
April 1st, 2009
12:41 pm
For all those wondering why we didn’t approach Grant, He is a Gator through & through and would leave us as soon as UF opens. I’m sure we didn’t want to be in the same position as we were with Tubby when he left for UK. Good luck to ALA keeping him if Donovan leaves.
Bo Williams
April 1st, 2009
12:44 pm
I’m going to do you a favor. Matt Daugherty. He took ND to top ten before he took UNC job. He went to UNC where he took them deep into tournament, before he got on bad side of some juvenile UNC players (in particular McCants and the other kid, with a French-sounding name beginng with letter “F”, who left after softmore season and sat on bench in NBA before going to Europe. He was a bonified head case). Those kids threatened a mutiny if Daugherty were to be retained, and UNC caved in. Daugherty then went to a school in Fl., followed by his hiring at SMU where he is now, and where the cards are stacked against him. Neither Adolf, John, nor Dean could win there. But he can coach and recruit, witness his tenure at ND. They were really upset when he left.
Cameron
April 1st, 2009
12:46 pm
Go after: Jay Wright, Capel, Sean Miller, Travis Ford, Brad Stevens, Herb Sendek, Bob Knight, and/or any other up-and-comer.
DO NOT go after: Frank Haith, Leonard Hamilton, Oliver Purnell, Tubby Smith, and Lon Kruger.
SHOULD have signed: Anthony Grant
Jeff Grady
April 1st, 2009
12:49 pm
Are there not any top-not high-school coaches in Ga. who might be interested in a lateral move but at a higher salary?
LM
April 1st, 2009
12:50 pm
Wondering why no one is mentioning Jamie Dixon from Pittsburgh…..here is part of his Bio:
Dixon won Big East Coach of the Year in 2004, and he took Pittsburgh to finals of the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008, winning in 2008 against #1 seed Georgetown. He has won 20+ games six times (2004–09), and has been to the NCAA tournament each year as well. In the NCAAs, Dixon led Pitt to the Sweet Sixteen in 2004, and again in 2007 where the Panthers lost to UCLA, coached by his former mentor Howland. Dixon, also reached the Elite Eight in 2009, a year that saw him lead the Panthers to their first ever number one ranking in the AP and Coaches’ Poll poll, as well as their first ever number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. In 2009, Dixon was also a finalist for the national Naismith College Coach of the Year award.
He also has an overall record of 163-45.
FG
April 1st, 2009
12:52 pm
Rod Barnes at GA State wil be a perfect fit for UGA !He was the national coach of the year before!!
TechTony
April 1st, 2009
12:55 pm
What I can’t imagine is why in the world UGA and Evans let it get out who they offered the job to and the potential salary in that offer. All this has managed to accomplish is to let whoever ultimately lands the job know he was second, third or fourth fiddle and that the salary now has to be in the range of what Anderson was offered or else no even half named coach would accept.
UGA, no matter what it spent, had zero shot at Anderson. Mizzou, aside from being a more respectable program at this point, had one thing that UGA could never match—Anderson’s son, a rising senior in Columbia. That seemed to be lost on Evans who, up until the whole Anderson offer got out publicly, I thought was doing a fine job of keeping things under wraps.
What the end result will likely be, to the delight of many but to the chagrin of some, will be that Evans’ future in Athens will be directly linked to the success of whoever eventually gets the job. Rightly or wrongly, that’s what it will all boil down to.
Forget Bob Knight
April 1st, 2009
12:59 pm
SAM MITCHELL.
Born in the state of Georgia, went to college in this state…. lives in Atlanta…
Lash La Rue
April 1st, 2009
1:01 pm
Lawzoo, Yes you could. Jay Wright would come for right offer. UGA should go for it.
FG
April 1st, 2009
1:10 pm
We need someone that knows GA basketball Sam mitchell, rod barnes , i really think he should hire Charlton Young the best recruitier in the state of GA . That may be the only chance we got to keep players in state !
lawzoo
April 1st, 2009
1:16 pm
Dick Stansbury sounds plausible. Miss. State’s “facillities” are not as good as ga.’s?? They don’t play outdoors do they? I know thay have a gym.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
April 1st, 2009
1:17 pm
Norcross coach off the market, he was at GAC this year and of course Norcross was eliminated. But maybe the Wheeler coach, he is a good recruiter. But seriously folks, lets not lay this at the feet of DE. He offered Anderson more money and Georgia can not compete with UVA, Alabama or Memphis when it comes to baseketball. Our facilities are aweful. Anderson used us and Grant used us. And if I hear Wrigt recommended again, I’ll scream. No one would leave Nove for UGA. You should go ahead a try to hire Roy Williams. Oh by the way, Petrino coaches football. I do like the idea of offering the moon and new arena to a big name.
Cameron
April 1st, 2009
1:19 pm
Sam Mitchell would be a great hire. His name hasn’t even came up. I wonder why we even hired a search firm. I think Damon already had his mind made up before he hired a search firm.
dogfan
April 1st, 2009
1:25 pm
The silence is deafening! Either Evans has something big going on behind the scenes or he doesn’t have a clue about what he’s doing! For his sake he better come up with a winner or UGA may need to start looking for an AD. My God, Georgia’s looking completely inept!
dantheman
April 1st, 2009
1:26 pm
Chip, What about Mark Few of Gonzaga ?
Bradley Clark Gregory
April 1st, 2009
1:27 pm
Tim Floyd! A Don Haskins prodigy!
dawgstephen
April 1st, 2009
1:29 pm
If we are talking to anderson and grant, please at least find out if FEW from Gonzaga would talk to us…you cant have the pretty girl for a GF if you dont at least talk to her
Chip Towers
April 1st, 2009
1:42 pm
Quadrivium: I did list Gillispie in there. But it ain’t gonna happen. . . . Issues. . . .
UGA Mumm-Ra: Are you slow or what? It never got far enough with Anderson to offer the job. They talked money, he went back to his folks at Mizzou and they struck a deal. Not unusual really. . . .
Sarge: Georgia didn’t over $2.1. My sources tell me it never got to $2. I’d say the deal he got at Mizzou is right about where they were. . . .
Freddy OTL: I never wrote Georgia WILL land a top coach. I said that was Damon’s plan, which clearly it was — and still is. The process is still ongoing. I’ll reserve judgment until a hire is made. But this much is clear: UGA identified Anderson as its top guy; his team kept playing into the Elite Eight; Dogs couldn’t get into detailed personal talks ’til the season ended; those talks commenced Monday and Tuesday; Anderson opted to keep his very good job; Georgia moves on to next option. It’s not complicated.
dawgstephen
April 1st, 2009
1:45 pm
Good update and response Chip. If it were YOUR decision, who would YOU go after?? just curious as to what you think
GT Fan
April 1st, 2009
1:58 pm
Please!!!!!!!!!Hire Paul Hewitt!!!Please!!!
Steve
April 1st, 2009
2:07 pm
In order I would like us to pursue:
1)Capel
2)Gillispie
3)Tubby
4)Mike Brey – Notre Dame – Vince’s choice when Adams got us Harrick
5)John Thompson III – Heard he could be had – we have the dough
6)Sam Mitchell – begging for the job
If the job is still vacant, scrap basketball and start 7 on 7 football in winter and spring! At least then we would have something exciting to watch.
Steve
April 1st, 2009
2:09 pm
I know Brey and Thompson III only made the NIT this year, but Billy Donovan has only made the NIT the last 2 years, and I still wouldn’t mind him!
Jay Wright
April 1st, 2009
2:11 pm
He may not come here, but at least give him the opportunity to say no. Like him or not, Knight is beginning to make more sense, and he gets to wear a red sweater again. And he would not be intimidated by any coach in the sec, perhaps the other way around.
BILLY JACK
April 1st, 2009
2:12 pm
HEY RAMBLE ON -STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW WHICH IS BASICALLY NOTHING AND STAY OFF OUR BLOGS YOU UGLY BITCH.
Gen Neyland
April 1st, 2009
2:20 pm
Will DTW trade away their #1 pick to DEN..? The gears are turning in the Motor City. QB’s are the head of the snake, but with what DTW puts on the OL, why sentence a rookie to the ranks of the battered and bruised..? Also, as far as a BB coach, why not look to some stout and proven assistants that have tutored under some of the best. From my seat in Thompson-Boling looking down into Athens, why not..?
Cuz
April 1st, 2009
2:21 pm
I think we should punt.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 1st, 2009
2:41 pm
General, word on the net is that that is one of the considerations. My thinking is that if keep the #1 pick don’t spend #1 money on a LB or OL. Take Stafford (my preference) or Sanchez then build from there. Have 2 picks in the first. Culpepper will take the beating this year with the OL. Don’t think they will win a ton this year so go back next year and build OL or D which ever you don’t focus on this year. I say get the D right this year after the QB pick. Work on the O while Pepper is getting beat up then next year stock up the OL with redshirted rookie QB making a debut. A few anti-Stafford fans up here. That’s okay though, ignorance is bliss. As much as the Lions have screwed up, picking Stafford wouldn’t be the worse thing they have ever done.
FLDAWG
April 1st, 2009
2:42 pm
More money is needed to get the coach DE wants in Athens. poney up people weez gots to buy a coach an’ dey is ’spensive.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
2:42 pm
now Billy
griffdawg1
April 1st, 2009
2:43 pm
CREMINS !!!!!!
griffdawg1
April 1st, 2009
2:44 pm
We can get us some one and dones!!!
freshd
April 1st, 2009
2:45 pm
P.J. CARLESIMO Great college coach, awful pro coach. Just like Pitino. Calipari, and Lon Kruger. By the way Capel is going to Arizona. Better start on Plan C, D, and E.
Standup!
April 1st, 2009
3:17 pm
What about Mark Montgomery from Mich St.? Top notch assistant that needs a shot at running his own program. Mich St. could be considered one of, if not “THE” team of the decade in college hoops. Also, these coaches have done a good job pulling a few players from the Atlanta region from all the way up in Michigan. Though the majority of football fans would complain about this hire, I think it would make sense.
athdog2
April 1st, 2009
3:20 pm
TUBBY Damon never coached, and is all about appearances. Not having coached, he had to hire a search firm since he has no idea what makes a good coach. Being appearance conscious, he had to hire a search firm so he looked as though he was familiar with the current trends in hiring…let someone else do it.
Result is we get stiffed by a guy who would rather stay in Missouri than come home to the south and leaves almost a mil PER YEAR on the table in doing so. Bring back TUBBY.
Joel in ATL
April 1st, 2009
3:28 pm
The search is going exactly they way it should. Nobody wants the job, nobody with “star power” . It’s not the facilities, it’s not that the talent is in Georgia/Atlanta and it’s no because Stegeman Colisuem in 100 years. Until the boosters and the university satff memeber not names Damon Evans decide they are going to support basketball and treat it on the level they want it to be on it will never be anything of substance. No Matter the coach the talent wil contiue to leave the state or go to school on North Ave and that’s just the way it is. UGA and it’s boosters, fans etc are all about football. True Basketball players will not consider UGA until the admin and boosters show basketball some love. Dang I miss Jim Harrick, he was all about basketball I don’t care what you say or how you feel. UGA basketball will continue to awell in the basement and that’s how they enjoy it over in Athens, trust me I grew up and saw it with my own eyes only miles from the campus. UGA basketball needs to relocate to the OVC conference.
breaking news
April 1st, 2009
3:33 pm
Dean Smith comes out of retirement to lead the Dawgs. Bobby Knight agrees to be the assistant. The dream team is here.
Coondawh69
April 1st, 2009
3:41 pm
Since Damon is obviously a TERRIBLE salesmen and given the total state of apathy surrounding the program, there is only one last thing for Damon to do…. finish what the fan base already knows…. Georgia should just PUNT on men’s basketball. You’ve hired “up and comers” and established coaches and where are we now? In shambles.
Punt on the program, offer recent graduate Dave Bliss a lifetime contract starting at $250K a year, w/ a 3-5% COLA every year. His players will not get in trouble, they will graduate on time and NOT carry a 2.19 GPA, and who knows, Dave might be a great coach… cannot be any worse that LAST in the East!!!
Nobody shows up for the games now, so don’t tell me that would be bad for the program. It’s sad, but so very true. Just ask all 1500 fans of UGA basketball!!!!!
Gen Neyland
April 1st, 2009
3:46 pm
zoo : Culpepper had a well built OL in Minnesota and a couple of go to guys named Carter and Moss. He has slippery palms and small hands, usually good for a fumble or two every time he dresses. The dilemma the Lions are facing can turn in their favor IF mgmt handles things right. Good luck with MSU.
ken
April 1st, 2009
3:53 pm
I’m a Mizzou fan, very glad UGA’s big bucks weren’t enough to lure Anderson from MU. FYI, Anderson’s son is not a “rising” senior–he’s a regular senior like his cousin DeMarre Carroll. You would have been very happy with this man, though… his players play selflessly and he’s brought integrity back to the program. I know Georgia has great players — thanks for producing our guy JT Tiller… man’s got a heart bigger than his head.
Rabun Dawg
April 1st, 2009
3:54 pm
Somewhat disturbing that nothing has happened on the “hiring” front as yet, and now another “basketball school” (Memphis) is now in the hunt for a coach. Unless Evans and Co. have something up their sleeve, we could “whiff” on this and be right back where we were. The fate of UGA basketball is rapidly approaching the “midnight hour”, and let’s hope the slipper will fit!!
Diggity Dawg
April 1st, 2009
3:56 pm
Scott Drew
He’s young, and he resurrected the Baylor program after A PLAYER KILLED HIS TEAMMATE and a major scandal that left the Bears playing only conference games for a year. Compared to what he inherited in Waco, the UGA job is a gem.
bushwacker
April 1st, 2009
4:14 pm
The only way to ever make this program successful is to get great players.
Let’s see, who would some people consider the greatest recruiter of our era, someone who competed and won in the ACC, who consistently brought in the top recruits.
I hate to say it because I am a dog fan all the way, but how can you argue against the success of:
BOBBY CREMINS
bushwacker
April 1st, 2009
4:29 pm
How serious is DAMON EVANS about competing in basketball?
Call Bobby Cremins,
Price, Salley, Joseph, Dalrymple,Anderson,Marbury,Scott and I’m leaving off other names.
How can even Ga fans say no?
gdawginkalamazoo
April 1st, 2009
4:38 pm
General, yes he did. So he is the perfect one to take the beating this year if Stafford is the chosen one. Build OL next year, get D this year.
I hope State goes all the way. I was suprised by the beat down they put on Lou. I thought they could win it but not dominate that 2nd half like they did. They are legit. Ask mentioned above grabbing that assistant from Izzo might not be a bad idea. Build a first year coach contract and load it with incentives. Izzo is a very good coach so I am sure that he has learned a lot.
Rabun Dawg
April 1st, 2009
4:39 pm
Chip, changing gears for a minute, I have a question about the UGA baseball team. I have noticed that UGA seems to get out to some big leads, and then has to hang on for dear life to win the game. What happens, do the starters just run out of gas, or is the bullpen somewhat weaker this year? I read that in the UT series in one of the games we were up something like 9-1, then hung on to win 11-9? Also had a pretty big lead in the Clemson game, had to hang on to win by one run. Seems that most college games are more high scoring than the pros, and I would guess that the aluminum bat has a lot to do with that. Is this a fact, or the pitching overall not as good?
Thomas
April 1st, 2009
4:41 pm
Why are we not talking about trying to get Tom Izzo!!! Talk about a proven commodity at a big school. 5 final fours in eleven years! And don’t tell me we can’t get him, he is at Michigan State! If no Izzo, Tubby should be the man. I am SOOOOO glad Anderson turned us down, he hadn’t proven anything, his record is lacking big time. I don’t want OU’s coach either. We need to go for a big big gun!
Mike48
April 1st, 2009
4:42 pm
No one complains about Cameron. Duke’s facility is 25 years older
than Stegeman and the consummate snake pit. If we can put a strong
team on the floor, no one and I mean no one will enjoy a trip to Athens.
Quit complaining about the facility and concentrate on the potential
coaching hire – whoever it may be. Although I think his time may have
passed, Bob Knight will put people in the stands and certainly would
provide a viable transition for the future. As a season ticket holder
since 1971, my patience (not to mention my wallet) is wearing thin !!
Bulldawg
April 1st, 2009
4:55 pm
Hey, why not scrap the basketball program and apply that $2,000,000.00 per year to the football program?
IC Atlanta
April 1st, 2009
5:00 pm
Pat Summit is a proven winner and would fit in well in Athens. She knows the SEC and definitely knows basketball.