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
Drew
April 1st, 2009
2:58 am
Ed DeChellis? For goodness sake. He’s one game under .500 for his career. One trip to the NCAA tournament in 13yrs with ZERO victories. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_DeChellis
Nice work, Chip, you found the worse guy possible. Take a bow.
Quadrivium
April 1st, 2009
3:01 am
You missed Billy C. Gillispie Chip. He’s a great fit for the dogs.
BarkingBulldawg
April 1st, 2009
4:22 am
I’m just glad to hear (and I hope you are right) that Haith isn’t under consideration. A Foxsports story said he was next in line after Capel. I was starting to worry….
I think Drew and Stevens are my top 2 guys, not necessarily in that order…
athensdawg
April 1st, 2009
6:31 am
the braves had to suffer through years of the inept john mullen….finding such talent as bob walk and len barker…
the falcons had to suffer through years of ownership by the smiths – nicknamed “the clampetts” of the NFL, and their great decisions…Jerry Glanville, Dan Henning, etc.
and now we in athens have damon and mike (a former wide reciever and a man who thought jim harrick was just what we needed)……with a geologic pace they march toward making the “right” decision about their basketball coach while the rest of the conference jumps on their coaching choices.
i can’t wait to see what the dynamic duo comes up with. and how much money is uga paying this search firm to find people who DONT WANT TO COACH AT GEORGIA? hmm….maybe I am in the wrong line of work.
the ineptitude continues…………
UGA Mumm-Ra
April 1st, 2009
6:40 am
I’m confused Chip. How did Georgia miss out on Anderson if, according to you, he was never offered the job
Mr. Skynyrd
April 1st, 2009
6:45 am
Take Paul Hewitt…….PLEASE!
Sloan
April 1st, 2009
7:03 am
UGA basketball …… what do those words bring to mind? Dominique Wilkins, Hugh Durham and Tubby Smith? Or Jim Harrick, Ron Jirsa and the recently departed Dennis Felton, and don’t forget the worst excuse for a colliseum this side of Rome, Italy! Why do Damon Evans and the jerk f/k/a Michael Adams think we can just pluck a coach who is already coaching a highly successful D-1 program away and drop him in Athens? To not realistically assess where your program ranks on the list of desirable places to coach and weigh that against the other available coaching jobs and the incumbent schools involved with these proven, successful head coaches is naivety at its ignorant best! Anthony Grant should have been our #1 candidate because he was the most talented head coaching prospect that we had a reasonable chance to get. We are now going to find ourselves settling for someone that Memphis and UVA (and perhaps Oklahoma) don’t want.
Clayton
April 1st, 2009
7:03 am
Sean Miller of Xavier!!
dbc
April 1st, 2009
7:13 am
Nobody wants the UGA job and Evans overestimated how attractive the job would be. UGA will end up with another Felton while everybody else gets their #1 picks or locks their current coaches down with long term contracts. Capel isn’t coming to UGA either — why would he? Kentucky, Bama and UVA moved swiftly and got their coaches. Hows that search firm working out for ya Damon? What a joke…
Edgar
April 1st, 2009
7:22 am
I’m sure everyone can figure out that UGA basketball has a check mark by it. That is if you go there and win get out and get out quick or you become a coach with a shovel in his hand. That is he might as well start digging his own career grave after the first year there. Why? A history of being the round ball beat downs of the SEC. No first class facility (I remember when Stegeman was built. They had to repaint the roof after some students painted in large letters “GO TO HELL TECH”.) and a school president that says win for a few years and we’ll consider it. It seems UGA will never get that basketball prestige it wants so much. On a personal note I really enjoy this time of year. From the time the major conferences start their tournaments to the first Monday in April when the two teams make it to through the round of 65. It’s great basketball watching these guys play their hearts out just to win and get one more chance to play again. Evans best bet is to find that one assistant coach that’s willing to take a chance to come here and build a winner. These colleges such as American, Morehead St, Sienna and Dayton do a great job of getting these guys that not only can coach but can recruit their butts off to get the talent for invitations to the round of 65. Good luck to AD Evans and his search for that elusive basketball coach that will get UGA those rabid fans like they have at Duke and UNC.
Dawg Tired
April 1st, 2009
7:24 am
Why am I not surprised that other schools take all of a few days to hire a new coach and, yet, we still do not have one? Good gracious Batman! Did our AD really think he could get Mike Anderson? What’s he thinking? Is he thinking? Is he in charge? This is a fiasco. Am I the only one finidng this to be embarrassing?
bpdawg
April 1st, 2009
7:30 am
After the news of MA staying at Missouri, my knee-jerk reaction is disappointment with Damon. This is Damon’s first major hire as the AD for UGA and he has the opportunity to make his mark on the university with his coaching selection. We have not had a head coach since the end of January, we hire a search firm, and we wait until the week of the Final Four to strongly go after someone??? Better yet, we wait until numerous appealing coaching positions open up before we strongly pursuit someone. I do not understand it.
dap01
April 1st, 2009
7:38 am
That search firm, the obvious belief that the UGA basketball program could attract a tournament coach shows a lack of leadership and a lack of understanding by Evans and others.
Grant would have been great. Now we are left with…..
MChammer
April 1st, 2009
7:58 am
Edgar you just described the situation at GT when it comes to football coaches. Tech stands alone as the graveyard of college football coaching.
RichieDawg
April 1st, 2009
8:00 am
Can you say REJECTED? We was used by Anderson but I don’t blame him for getting a better deal. Capel would be a great hire but is probably untouchable. I say move on to Sean Miller. By the way, the UGA job is a great coaching job. Georgia is one of the most fertile states for high school basketball, UGA has one of the richest athletic departments and Athens is a great college town.
SECGoober
April 1st, 2009
8:01 am
Lefty Friezell
griffdawg1
April 1st, 2009
8:13 am
I don’t think that georgia is red faced over Anderson staying at Mizzou. It is common for coaches who want a better contract to aquire them at the expence of other interested programs. It’s a shame but a fact. Capel will never come to Georgia so throwing his name out there is ludacris. Some of the other names you threw out are nothing short of horrendous. The Butler or Xavier coaches would be good and viable candidates for Georgia.I thought from the start that Brad Stevens would be the best guy. I think Damon should go after someone and commit to it now and this search firm he hired…. what a joke! I like Damon but if he can’t do his job without hiring someone to advise him he may not be the AD for us. I beleive this search firm restricted our ability to go get Grant. What do you think Chip?
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
8:15 am
Nobody wants this job. LOL!!!
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
April 1st, 2009
8:19 am
Sloan, couldn’t agree more. Georgia is rich in talent but with the facilities UGA has without a tradition then you can never expect to get top players or guys like Capel to coach. What makes UGA more attractive than Oklahoma? Your next options are those that are using UGA as a stepping stone. If they are successful (Tubby) they find a better job. If they are note (Felton) they are fired.
JB
April 1st, 2009
8:29 am
Here’s what a high profile coach looks when UGA comes sniffing.
1. spotty or little to no winning history.
2. Old arena that seats 8 -9k people.
3. A Football School.
4. Produces some of the best talent in the Country within 100 miles or so of Campus, and NO COACH HAS EVER GOTTEN THEM TO ATHENS.
5. President runs the athletic Dept.
6. State paper (AJC) very tough on program.
7. Any breath of success leads to a job offer from a Basketball School.
8. playing in the SEC with Div 2 talent.
9. Result: Ms. Smith, if Damon Evans calls…..Tell him I’m out of Town…..
10. End of story !
RedGADawg
April 1st, 2009
8:35 am
Go for Jay Wright at ‘Nova
flats
April 1st, 2009
8:35 am
We got a coach here in union sc that coaches at the local high school that told me he would love to coach at georgia.He won alot of games man!!!!!!
JB
April 1st, 2009
8:36 am
Hey Ramble On……. That Sheriff from the Blazing Saddles movie coaching your team ain’t so hot himself. Better crawl back over to your blog and comment on the 2 to 3 entries about your program.
Comedian
April 1st, 2009
8:40 am
Lets see….Anderson was offered over twice the amount to come to UGA where he had “fertile” recruiting ground and a job that offered him a chance to move up to a higher profile school? Tell me agian why he chose to stay in that basketball hotbed of Missouri.UGA greatly and grossly overestimated their appeal to Anderson.Even the UGA fans think too highly of their basketball program. They will eventually get a coach and then the spin will begin of “this is the guy we wanted all along”, “Anderson wasn’t a good fit” “We didn’t really try to get Capel” etc. etc etc.
Michael
April 1st, 2009
8:53 am
I had a dream last night that Damon had dinner with Rick Pitino. Of course, during this same dream, I had Antlers………..I love me some mushroom pizza.
59bulldawg
April 1st, 2009
9:00 am
I love Damon but think he screwed up in hiring a search firm and then not offering Anthony Grant when he had the chance. If it’s not Capel now, then perhaps Stevens or Hamilton. Whoever it is I want the coach to come to Georgia with the idea of staying long-term and not as a stepping stone to a better job a few years down the road. Despite my obvious bias Georgia (as Tubby showed when he was here) has the potential to field a competitive team every year. But it’s going to take a good coach with excellent recruiting credentials. If Tubby would come I’d offer him the job again but if he leaves Minnesota he’s probably headed to Arizona. But no matter who we eventually get, I think the money spent on the search service was money wasted.
swgaboy
April 1st, 2009
9:03 am
If you aim high, you run the risk of being shot down. That’s part of the deal. But what’s also part of the deal is that if you don’t hit your primary target, you will still likely land some place nice if you’re persistent.
I was hoping against hope that the Kentucky and Arizona jobs would remain filled, and now Memphis. Those are high profile basketball schools. It’s not like we’re just competing with Alabama or Virginia now.
So it’s going to be tough. But I’d rather have an AD that aims high and fails than one that accepts the status quo.
red face dog
April 1st, 2009
9:04 am
2.1 vs 1.3….and he still did not come?
Chardog
April 1st, 2009
9:05 am
Chip, There’s a sense of frustration that no one know what’s going on in this search which has been evidenced by the beat writers covering it, throwing out educated guesses. We’re over 2 months now, do you have any strong inkling where this is going? This is big time hire for DE and Adams to get this right.
lawzoo
April 1st, 2009
9:14 am
Dominique Wilkins back in Stegeman Autotorium. Call it the “NiqueDome.”
Sorry ga. missed out on Anderson,if any.
Kent
April 1st, 2009
9:16 am
Tennessee was not a basketball school 5 years ago. Today they are both basketball and football. The difference is Tennessee has a better future and are willing to step up, pay and bring the quality coaches in to take them where they want to be. There is NO coach outside of Bobby Knight that wants the Georgia job (they play in a barn). Bob Knight however would at least sell tickets to the point the visiting team doesnt have a home court advantage.
Tom
April 1st, 2009
9:18 am
Rumor has it Anderson was all set to take the job…..but Trey Thompkins talked him out of it. LOL!
What’s Clem Haskins doing these days?
Nick
April 1st, 2009
9:24 am
What about Mike Davis?
JB
April 1st, 2009
9:27 am
This will be the deal…….We ( they) hire a young upstart, up and coming coach at a very winning small school and try to make a household name out of him ( hello ala Dennis Felton). He’ll be a good coach, but he won’t have the horsepower to get the top guys in the State to Athens. So, we start all over, getting the almost great players to Athens and we end up 8-12 in league play, 3rd or 4th. Same movie, different characters. Anderson left 5 mil on the table NOT to come to Athens. Got Bobby Knights number ?
Big Will
April 1st, 2009
9:32 am
I don’t see how any of these coaches make good decisions when they’re negotiating over a one-day period. But then the media castigates the school if they can’t get the deal done in that amount of time. I think everyone needs to RELAX and let things work their course. What difference does it make whether UGA signs someone today or next week? There are plenty of great coaches out there aside from the one or two media darlings.
tenn.DAWG
April 1st, 2009
9:39 am
Well boys and girls,don’t know about you,but I’m going to open up a search firm.If this is the best that can come from two months and 30k,I can do better job sitting on the sofa with a laptop and cell phone.This is Jerry Green (utk) all over again.When they started on the east coast,was turned down by four coaches till they got to Green at Oregon.WOW !
NCMTNDawg
April 1st, 2009
9:42 am
Clayton – agreed, Sean Miller is the way to go. Let’s be honest with ourselves folks, we are a football school where bball takes a back seat. We will not be able to attract the big names from Missouri, Oklahoma, etc. (schools that have a strong bball tradition). It needs to be a younger name from a smaller school, in my opinion. That being said, I am not sure Miller would accept if offered? Xavier is a good gig that has been building quite a tradition themselves. This comes from a former UGA hoops player, for what it’s worth.
Right On Time
April 1st, 2009
9:46 am
Chip:
What exactly is the role of Parker Executive Search? Are they paid to just give UGA a list of possible coaches, or are they to gauge interest and advise on the likely signing of a coach? It appears that Evans is going after the same group you writers have reccomended…without the fee.
If you recall Dooley had the ultimate “egg faced” moment with Glenn Mason in 95′. Then he got Donnan who started to pull UGA out of the mess Goff put them in. This kind of thing happens often, it is still not easy though.
Damon will get a good coach and said coach will make improvements. UGA basketball is not a great job, but it could be and will be. Panic is way overrated.
gdawgs77
April 1st, 2009
9:49 am
SEAN MILLER OR maybe Brad Stevens!!!!!!!!!!
tdawg
April 1st, 2009
9:51 am
Look how fast Alabama, Virginia and Kentucky hired their new coaches. This search firm is a good idea but waaayyy too slow in todays hiring process. Contact Tubby or whoever and get it done quickly.Quit being used for raises or being passed over because you are slow.
paul in J-ville
April 1st, 2009
9:54 am
Calculated situation since the Zar,Vince Dooley retired. Just as when he left coaching football in 88, he recommended Ray Goof, a person who would not be either qualified or capable of coaching a D-1 SEC school, so too has the Zar left us in another unqualified, incompetent person as the AD in Damon Evans. Does anybody really understand that perhaps VINCE did not want someone to replace his legacy that would diminish his accomplishments in both coaching and AD??? Yes Vince, you were great in many respects, but you certainly either have an ego a mile wide or your replacement recommendations truly are inept. Damon couldn’t pick his nose without asking permission first. What a joke and a farce in bulldog management.
slimpickens
April 1st, 2009
9:55 am
Search Firm = $70,000, for what? I would have made the phone call for $70! What a joke this search has been and we end up with a little known Mid Major coach that is willing to stick his neck out. I am an avid UGA supporter but we need a major attitude adjustment about how attractive our Basketball job really is.
JB
April 1st, 2009
9:56 am
you will have to google our new coach…..But, Bobby Knight was not famous or known when he first started.
RichieDawg
April 1st, 2009
9:58 am
I agree with Sean Miller or Brad Stevens. The UGA program is not a great move for an already established coach at a big institution. I can see why Anderson stayed, but UGA would be an excellent move for an up and coming young coach at a smaller school that can’t pay the big bucks.
Banker Dog
April 1st, 2009
10:00 am
Sam Mitchell should get this job, it seems so clear to me. He was NBA coach of the year a few years back. He is a Georgia native and early in the process was rumored to be interested. He mentored Kevin Garnett when he entered the league for many years. Look how hard he competes. Surely he could recruit with the assumption these kids want to one day play in the league. From what I hear, he runs a youth program and is a great character guy. What am I missing? He is perfect for the job. One other thing that goes without being said. The arena needs to be updated in order to have any hope of UGA being worth a flip in the future.
RJ
April 1st, 2009
10:02 am
let us just admit that Evans has blown the chance to make a great hire and really make a statement about UGA basketball. Instead he makes UGA look like a second rate school which is very hard to do given our resourcesand fan base. Had a business executive botched such an important decision like this he would have already been shown the door. And please before the excuses start,ie., the process is not over and Evans has a plan and knows what he is doing, can we just admit that Evans is a light weight in a heavy weights arena. Fire him now and get somebody than can deal with the big boys.
Larry M
April 1st, 2009
10:03 am
Agree on many of the points already made, but let me sum up.
- This search and the search firm have been a total joke. UGA basically had the first open job in the country yet only now are we getting serious about making an offer? Why were we sitting on our hands when Alabama comes in and grabs Grant? That was the guy for us to hire, we had the opening long before Alabama. We could have been ready as soon as VCU was out of the tourney, yet somehow we blew it.
- I’m not too terribly broken up that Anderson didn’t take the job, but it should function as a cold glass of water to the face of Evans, Adams, and the illustrious search firm that UGA is not a desirable destination for any coach. You’re going to have to make it desirable by not only promising a hefty salary but a commitment to dump the Stegesaurus, invest resources in the program, etc.
- Following up on the last point, those people saying we’re going to target Capel – what are you smoking? Cause I would sure like some. Why in the world would a guy like that leave an established program in a major conference to come to a, frankly, lower-tier program in a football conference? Even guys who coach at Xavier, Baylor, etc – again, why would they leave a program where they are having success to come here and a rebuilding project? As the situation with Anderson proved, money is not the sole motivating factor for a lot of guys.
- We need someone who can recruit the state of Georgia and the southeast. That is what we need to be looking for. The idea that you’re going to steal away a guy who is already successful is stupid. We need an up-and-comer, kind of like Felton was, but a guy who can actually convince some of these guys to stay home. Felton was out there bringing in dudes from New Jersey and then kicking them off the team for every weird look he got. There is PLENTY of talent in the state of Georgia that if we only got 5% of the available guys this team would be competitive. I appreciated that Felton ran a tight ship – it is what we needed after Harrick. But it was too tight. Richt proves that a coach can balance success and discipline.
- Grant was our guy and we blew it. If we can’t have him and can’t find an up-and-comer who can recruit the south, then the answer is obvious: Bob Knight. He will give us immediate stature and currency with recruits, not only here in state, but all over. Even if he only stays 3 or 4 years, at least it will bring the program up to a higher level that hopefully his successor can maintain.
dawgs2002
April 1st, 2009
10:07 am
It sounds to me like Evans had Anderson in his cross hairs from the get-go. I wouldn’t be criticizing the search firm just yet. The Firm may have even told Evans that Anderson was a very long shot. But if Evans was just arrogant enough to think he could reel him in to UGA, then this would explain this fiasco.
Unless UGA can lure in Capel I’d say the UGA basketball program is destined for another 4 or more years of less than mediocrity. Or in other words: stay the course.
What if Bobby Knight is all that’s left? Would it really be that bad to have him at the helm for a couple of years?
dbc
April 1st, 2009
10:09 am
The only coach who would instantly put UGA on the basketball map is Bobby Knight. Past that, the rest of the remaining coaches bandied about would take years to produce a quality team, if ever. A young no-name from a smaller school won’t have the cache to get the top players to Athens, nor will some retread from another school (insert Gillispie’s name here.)This search firm is a joke and Evans looks like a schmuck in way over his head. Grant was a perfect fit and Evans never even got to first base. How many days left till September?
Blindog
April 1st, 2009
10:09 am
At best Bobby Knight would stay 3 maybe 4 yrs. But he would pack the house every night and when he does leave we will have a team full of high recruts Where’s the down side I don’t see it.
John
April 1st, 2009
10:20 am
Let’s face reality: UGA hoops is a place where coaching careers come to die, save Tubby Smith. Look at the coaching circus we’ve had over the years: Jim Harrick & Son, the Ron Jirsa implosion, and Felton. No “successful” division one hoops coach currently hunkering down at a major university is jumping at the chance to move to Athens. In the end, Evans will be forced to hire another mid-major hoops coach.
David
April 1st, 2009
10:25 am
Bobby Knight? A team full of high recruits? Really? He never had them at Indiana and never had them at TT. So why would he all the sudden get high recruits at UGA?
Damon should’ve used the search frim to contact the prospects and gauge interest AHEAD of time. Not give them the same list we all have. Give him time and see what happens. But it does look dubious at best. Adams at the helm is a MUCH bigger liability against GA than you might think, believe me.
Take it easy
April 1st, 2009
10:35 am
How much despair was there when Parcells turned down Blank? How did that turn out?
This is not to say that the Falcon and UGa basketball situations are equivalent, but every sports fan with a memory ought to recognize how illogical it is to presume that we are screwed if we wind up with an up-and-comer or a retread-who-has-learned-his-lesson instead of an a-lister.
Please, though, no more Harricks. That hire smelled from the get go.
John
April 1st, 2009
10:36 am
With Calipari moving to Kentucky, any hopes of the new hoops coach keeping some of the best metro Atlanta talent within the confines of Georgia just vanished. Besides, who wants to coach at a school where the Lady Dogs, Gym Dogs and now the Diamond Dogs draw more fans than its mens basketball team? Word to the wise: the next coach will need more than four years to turn this program around. Otherwise, you’re asking for a devine intervention considering the program is essentially on life support.
Poopy Pants
April 1st, 2009
10:36 am
We’re doomed
Mobile Dawg
April 1st, 2009
10:39 am
Willie Martinez ! OK, some of you probably won’t think that was funny. Why do so many people think we have to have a big name to make a splash.
Put a search committee together, find a top notch assistant at a solid program with a good work ethic, good values, solid background, and a good personality. Hire him, support him, and let him grow with the program. If Adams can’t get it done, get rid of him, that’s his job. He’s failing miserably.
blufftondawg
April 1st, 2009
10:40 am
Don’t forget that the baseball program went after Danny Hall and every other coach who did NOT want the UGA job before hiring Donn Perno. How did that work out.
We don’t know if anderson, grant or mark few were even on damon’s list of coaches to go after. We are all speculating at this point. There might be some coaches who DO want the UGA job. Gary williams isn’t real popular in maryland, and there are probably other coaches who have been approached and are willing to talk. Damon will go to the final 4, make himself visible and go to his room. I’m sure he will come back from Detroit with a coach.
For the record, i thought dennis was a good hire when he arrived – just as i will probably think this hire is a good one. dennis had 5 yrs to recruit just 3 or 4 good players and he didnt do it. Let’s wish damon some good luck!! Somebody who WANTS the job will knock on his door.
DawgGirl32
April 1st, 2009
10:46 am
Wow. We haven’t even hired a coach yet and people are already predicting the end of the world? There have been plently of coaches hired that no one has heard of that have been very successful. Mike Smith anyone? There’s really no need to jump to conclusions yet. Just let our AD do his job. You can say all you want about how no one will want to come here because it’s just a football school and all that but they said the same thing about Florida in the 90s and Tennessee more recently. Too many debbie downers.
Dawg Fud
April 1st, 2009
10:49 am
well, we pissed away our opportunity to get Anthony Grant. he would have been perfect for UGA. now Bama has him. look for them to elevate their program exponentially.
reservoirDAWG
April 1st, 2009
10:49 am
Hire the coach from Norcross High. They have won 3 of the last 4 state championships.
AltamahaDawg
April 1st, 2009
10:50 am
Oh palez Kent! TN hired a coach from UW-Milwaukee with some personal baggage that could have just as easily backfired. Stick to your male modeling.
otisfirefly
April 1st, 2009
10:51 am
DOMINIQUE!!!!
DOMINIQUE!!!!
DOMINIQUE!!!!
Ramblinwreck1378
April 1st, 2009
10:52 am
Bob Knight is not going to Georgia. Everyone please stop that rumor right now. He would never think about coming to a school with such poor basketball prestige, as well as the fact that football is absolute king at Georgia (45-42) and their basketball facilities are sub-par to say the least relative to other programs in the country. Also, shut up about Jeff Capel too. He’s not coming either. Get over yourself, you’re basketball program will always suck. Get ready for beat downs in both football and basketball next year.
Brew
April 1st, 2009
10:55 am
Stevens or Miller are great choices, but I would doubt Miller would come given what he’s got going on at Xavier. Drew would be good as would Gregg Marshall at Wichita St. (remember his time at Winthrop). Reggie Theus or Steve Alford would be a step up.
Bob Knight would be a great short-term solution. He could revitalize a totally dead program, and make the job more attractive when he left in 3-4 years. Heck, even Bobby Cremins could improve the standing of the program. He’s old, but he can coach.
dawg
April 1st, 2009
10:57 am
Chip,
Why was the ajc so stuck on Capel and Anderson? Give the fans some other choices like none of the above. Now, With UK getting all the attention right now, bringing in Knight (if he’s still interested)might not be that bad of an idea. It would certainly still a little thunder away UK, and their hopeful new savior. If that don’t happen, why hasn’t anyone mentioned Jay Wright of Villanova? Quite frankly, he’s hotter than Capel or Anderson, and his team is in the final four!
turkey
April 1st, 2009
10:58 am
And you wonder why Florida is so far ahead of Georgia. When Donovan was thinking of leaving Florida Jeremy Foley already had a replacement in mind and did not need a “search commitee”. The Georgia AD is a joke and a bad one at that.
Bo Williams
April 1st, 2009
11:02 am
The problem is not just UGA’s. The rest of the SEC will become demoralized because it simply will not be able to compete with KY. That leaves the great players, even in Ga., to look to KY, and the rest of BB royalty (Duke, UNC, Indiana, Kansas, UCLA), in an effort to be relevant. Do you really think they want to come (other than the odd one here and there) to Ga. just to try to beat Ole Miss, Auburn, etc, in BB. Coaching prospects see this as well. To make things work, there isn’t any competitive rivalry between these schools in BB.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 1st, 2009
11:04 am
Chip, I got a baaaad omen about this, Oh Damion, Damion!
Chris
April 1st, 2009
11:05 am
Chip…….We aren’t getting Capel from Oklahoma. If I am at Xavier, Butler, teams always in the NCAA tournament, I am not coming to Athens where Football is King and the Basketball arena is a drag. I know Adams isn’t going to allow it to happen which after the Harrick fiasco I don’t know why his input should matter. We need instant credibility, somebody who will bring a spotlight to the program, and get us immediate exposure. That person is willing to come and has made his interest public. We should hire Bob Knight right now.
KYBulldog
April 1st, 2009
11:10 am
Maybe Adams needs to hire a new search agency for another $100,000. If money is short, he can always cut a few more faculty jobs.
Bill M.
April 1st, 2009
11:12 am
Why not Petrino? Offer him 4mil. for 8yrs. With a promise that Ga. build need arena.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 1st, 2009
11:12 am
Should have been talking to these target guys the day Felton was even thought about being fired. That is the mistake. This wait till the season/dance is over deal might turn into a bad Mickey Gilley song.
All its does is give the guys what Anderson got. Leverage to stay in a good situation and make more money. Duh! Who wouldn’t take their current job and a 50% pay raise for doing the same damn thing. Also Anderson actually put a lot of work into that program to get them where they are. I say take a look at the guy from Arizona. That is a tradition BB school. Let their administrators pay for their mistake. Don’t bother with Gillespie. If he couldn’t recruit at Kentucky then something is amiss.
Sarge
April 1st, 2009
11:23 am
UGA is willing to pay their new coach 2.1 million, which is higher than UNC, Duke, Uconn, etc… pay their coaches. Obviously it is a rebuilding effort, but Atlanta is a great place to draw talent from and a big time coach would actually recognize and do just that.
2.1 million, an administration clearly behind you, a significant talent pool down the street, and a great place to live and raise a family…..don’t be surprised if UGA goes after someone not on the radar right now and who is a big name….that amount of money would make the new coach one of the top paid coaches in the country. I think the Vilanova coach might be in play….what about Izoo, you think he might be ready for a change of scenery….don’t give me the uga history of the past, it is what it is (bad), but Evans is looking to build a significant future. Btw, we have some of the finest practice facilities for bball in the country, as well as coaches offices….if you haven’t seen the pictures of the new facilities take a look.
Freddy OTL
April 1st, 2009
11:24 am
Chip:
Care to contrast this post with your 3/9/2009 post? Remeber that one where you told us why Damon Evans WILL land a top coach? You sounded like UGa’s PR department then and it is your credibility that is now in question.
Listen to national opinion about the Georgia program before taking the UGa Athletics party line next time. If UGa is so great, Mr. Evans truly offered Anderson $2 million per year, then what does Anderson’s commitment to Mizzou for $1.5 million a year tell us (this, of course assumes that the $ 2 million/year offer was legit, I heard Anderson’s agent disputes this).
To Dawg Nation, would you rather spend $2 million a year on your Hoops Program OR give Coach Richt an EXTRA $1-$2 million to turn the Dawg ftball team’s defense into a Top 3 SEC unit? I think I know the answer, we all know.
Thanks,
Freddy O
Eagles1x6
April 1st, 2009
11:24 am
Who cares? It’s UGA hoops.
Dgaines
April 1st, 2009
11:28 am
HAHA Georgia.. As I Missouri Tiger fan I laugh at the idea of you thinking you could steal Coach Anderson away from us. Missouri just built a brand new basketball arena, and have the finances and fan base to support a winning program. Just admit it, you are a football school and a second tier basketball school. To some coaches winning now is more important than money. I applaud Coach Anderson for his loyalty to our program, and wish him continued success as he continues to raise the expectations at the University of Missouri. Go Tigers!! and good luck UGA with your coach search.
freshd
April 1st, 2009
11:29 am
why don”t damon and boss hogg(micheal adams) coach the team, that way they can sell the place out every night with all the uga fans who don”t like them. and you won”t have to worry about fla. stealing them away. uga was a fool for not hiring anthony grant.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
11:32 am
gdawginkalamazoo you’re correct sir. Keep getting coaches raises is all the search firm and UGAg is doing. Good stuff though. How much $ are ya’ll paying them….kind of like giving GM 18 billion to do what?
Not to mention KY is looking too. I wish we could give you Hewitt. You’ll have to settle for some Asst. Coach from Nobody University. No way in Hell will AZ coach leave, but go ahead and get him a raise too if you’d like.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 1st, 2009
11:35 am
Dgaines, congrat on keeping your coach. Your program is his baby and he wants to see it through. It shows that we were going for a quality coach and quality guy. Doh! I doubt your knowledge of college basketball when you call us a “second tier” program. Second tier? I wish we were that good.
KCDawg
April 1st, 2009
11:36 am
I’m sorry, but some of you people are idiots and have no idea what you are talking about. First, there is no search committee. Damon is working with a search firm that identifies candidates, vets them for interest (yes, Anderson showed interest, even if he didn’t take the job), and does limited background searches to see if there are any major issues that need to be examined. A search firm makes perfect sense for UGA specifically because we fired our coach in the middle of the season and could not talk to any other coaches until after they finished their seasons. But, a search firm could talk to their representatives.
Second, it is obvious that Damon wanted to go after Anderson from the beginning, and he did as soon as he possibly could. So, he struck out. I would much rather have an AD that is willing to swing for the homerun than accept mediocrity like some of you. Granted, this search might not work out the way we want it to. Damon has a lot of Georgia baggage to overcome (Stegasauros, history, ill informed fans, etc.), which certainly makes his job harder, but not impossible.
It amazes me how many people are following this search who never were interested in the basketball team before.
KCDawg
April 1st, 2009
11:37 am
One more thing: stop with the Bobby Knight talk. He is way past his prime and would do absolutely nothing for the program.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 1st, 2009
11:38 am
RambleON! The AZ coach was coach in waiting for Olsen and was suppose to take over for him went he quit/retired. AZ only offered him a 1 yr interim contract not the deal they brought him there to do originally. So he said that his principles just wouldn’t allow him to sign it.
Spoke
April 1st, 2009
11:40 am
We need to quit fooling ourselves into thinking we’re going to get a top-tier coach to come to Georgia. All that happens is that these coaches use Georgia’s interest to get themselves a better deal at their own school, and Georgia winds up getting publicly humiliated by a couple of “name” coaches before making a second-tier hire. My own preference would be for Georgia to take a chance on a promising assistant, like Wojciechowski or Chris Collins at Duke. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain by rolling the dice on an up-and-comer.
Around The SEC East - 4/1/09 | MrSEC.com
April 1st, 2009
11:47 am
[...] Halfway through spring practice, no one has claimed the starting tailback job.UGA: This writer doesn’t believe Damon Evans knows where he’s going to turn next in his coaching search, but one of the guy’s coaching in the NIT’s [...]
Bubbadawg
April 1st, 2009
11:48 am
Chad Warner @Shorter College!! Hire him NOW!!!
BadgerDawg
April 1st, 2009
11:48 am
I told you all we won’t get Anderson, I’m surprised he even considered but it was probably just a play for more $ from Mizzou. We won’t get Sean Miller either, unless $ talks. He’s at an established program. Stevens from Butler is interesting. That is a stepping stone job. Xavier is not. Gillespie is our best bet. We wouldn’t have had a shot with him but now he’s damaged goods so I think we would.
AltamahaDawg
April 1st, 2009
11:53 am
KC, not to mention, most of the critism in here is largely based of very sketchy, at best, media speculation. Nobody has any idea who has done what. Just a few years ago, we all would have found out who the new coach is when he was announced, caring not how it unfolded, and not had to suffer the relentless dooms day chatter from the now experts on search committees.
gt
April 1st, 2009
11:57 am
I did not read all theblogs, but did anyone else know that Anthony Grant discounted UGA as soon as he found out who was doing the search. Seems he was not impressed with them a year or two ago when he dealt with them. This is according to the Brimingham newspaper, quoting him, MONDAY!
Somebody please get some sense into the Board of Regents and eliminate Batman and Robin before our beloved nation does a total collapse.one can hire an accountant to shuffle money around-an Ad is supposed to DIRECT,TO LEAD.
My final question is-I am thinking of next year- has an SEC team ever gone an entire half without scoring?
GCB
April 1st, 2009
12:03 pm
http://www.gcbbuydirect.com/
lawzoo
April 1st, 2009
12:04 pm
To all the people “wondering” why Jay Wright of ‘Nova hasn’t been mentioned…….you couldn’t drag him down to that DUMP with a pack of ga. mules.
Chief Nock A Homa
April 1st, 2009
12:08 pm
Why isn’t Bobby Knight getting any more play here???
He’ll only be here for three or four years, but what an impact those years will have for a long, long time….
Stands packed, money pouring in, recruits coming, and the list goes on….
Are Adams and Evans afraid they can’t dominate him???
Right On Time
April 1st, 2009
12:12 pm
gt:
yes
lawzoo:
You underestimate how persuasive a pack of ga.mules can be.
lawzoo
April 1st, 2009
12:19 pm
I forgot, Tim Floyd(among ALL the others mentioned) fomerly of the Chicago Bulls, now in L.A. would leave SoCal to go to a suburb of Danielson,Ga. Yea, that’s a possibility. This is beyond hilarious.
Dawg97
April 1st, 2009
12:28 pm
Yeah, I’d love for us to get Jay Wright but why would he come here?
Captain
April 1st, 2009
12:29 pm
A few things:
1) to paul in Jax. Obviously you don’t know your facts, or chose to conveniently overlook them. Vince Dooley DID NOT recommend Ray Goff, Vince Dooley recommended Erk Russell. The Univ Pres Charles Knapp turned that down and in turn said he wanted Dick Sheridan. After much courtship by Knapp Sheridan turned him down. Erk got a rebound offer which he turned down. As Christmas Day approached and with Pat Dye having offered Ray a job on his staff, members of the Ath Board decided to take a chance on Ray. Those are Facts friend.
ON the basketball search….if it were only as easy as some suggest to hire a coach. There is no need to panic at this stage.
Chip, in your list of potential candidates, as well as the lists of other media guys and fans, I wonder why the name Rick Stansbury is never mentioned? The man can flat out coach, has been Miss St HC for 11 seasons, and appears to do an extremely fine job. The facilities in Athens are better, the pay is better, better recruiting area, a young man, experience in the SEC, has won SEC Championships, been to a Final 4. Is that a resume’ with which we could live?
JT
April 1st, 2009
12:30 pm
Tim Floyd wants to get back to the South. Not everybody enjoys Hollyweird Commiefornia.
wild hog
April 1st, 2009
12:35 pm
Let’s bring BOB KNIGHT in he could do wonders for this program
Vern
April 1st, 2009
12:35 pm
To Captain…..BINGO! Stansbury to me is an obvious “stealth” candidate. It may not have the sizzle a lot of folks want, but who cares? Dude can coach. Chip: what negatives does he have?
georgia $mules
April 1st, 2009
12:36 pm
I don’t know, I think a georgia mule carrying a 3millon dollar a year contract could be quite persuasive, even for Wright. Don’t know what he makes now?
braveshater
April 1st, 2009
12:37 pm
It really doesnt matter anyway, FOOTBALL is only 4 months away!
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.
Roy
April 1st, 2009
5:01 pm
I’m an ODU and Ga fan, has anyone seem Blaine Taylor coach. Not many people know about him but he can really coach and its only a matter of time before someone talks him into leaving the Monarchs.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
5:10 pm
This just in, Obama is giving Evans 1 more month to get a coach or else.
CalDogg
April 1st, 2009
5:18 pm
You get off your tail (Damon and the Search Firm That You Need to Hold Your Hand) and TRY (at this point you’d have to do some sucking up considering how you treated the rumor from the outset) to hire BOB KNIGHT to coach UGA basketball. Gain some visibility, viability and recognition. He stays for probably 4-5 years, while you keep your eyes open (and/or bring someone in to groom under Knight) for the next guy, to take what’s been built and run with it. What is wrong with you numb skulls?
As for the “pundits” (where do you get a pundit degree, btw) who pontificate that elite players won’t play for Bob Knight, it’s so much hot air. The only actual PLAYERS I’ve seen interviewed almost sounded in awe to have the opportunity.
Would you rather play for one of the greatest basketball coaches to ever coach the game, or would you tingle all over to come to Athens to play for the “promising” young coach from East Bum-You Know Where College? You want to bring up Knight’s run in with the student who referred to him as “Knight” in the IU mess hall?
You’re lucky that happened. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be available. Instead of hedging your bets and avoiding a personality that might actually stand up to your President, you should be thanking your stars that the man is out there and, at least once, expressed an interest in coaching your team.
Damon…. get you head out of your lower regions, get yourself out of the board room and start running the Athletic Department. You’re the Athletic Director. You’re a basketball aficionado (supposedly). Start directing and stop taking pulses of experts and search firms and building a consensus out of fear of being wrong.
Knight
April 1st, 2009
5:22 pm
I agree, Let Knight have it for 3-5 years and finish out his great career. Like him or not, he will put people in the stands and get us back into the tournament, then the job will be more lucrative in 5 years. Georgia needs some energy and intensity, and Knight would instantly bring that. One thing we all agree on is no matter who is picked, you are not gonna satisfy every fan.
Ben Bullock
April 1st, 2009
5:37 pm
I like Oliver Purnell. He has done a good job with Clemson. How about Ken McDonald at Western Kentucky. He is the type coach Georgia needs. He worked as an asst. to Felton. Do we hold that against him? I think not. No good experienced coach is coming here except Knight. Please don’t mention his name again, ever. Go for a young up an comer.
FL Dawg
April 1st, 2009
5:51 pm
go to capel and make an offer. poney up the cash now. why not make a run at calapari. We should be able to outspend uk. that is what it will take.
FL Dawg
April 1st, 2009
5:57 pm
Lets try a new approach. Lets hang out a sign that says coach wanted. Est. starting salary 2 mil plus benefits. At least we would get some candidates, that are actually interested in UGA.
If we don’t hire a coach do we have to pay the search firm?
SECGoober
April 1st, 2009
6:08 pm
Bobby Trippe from Aintry U.
icedawg
April 1st, 2009
6:30 pm
I do not know who would want to coach basketball at Georgia. The only word to describe basketball at Georgia, overall, is pitiful. Recruiting would be a nightmare. Who would want to come to a program that has consistently been mediocre to poor? We have virtually no alumni basketball stars who have entered coaching. In the past a few of our coaches have been probably ok, but there is no winning tradition to attract the numbers of decent players needed to consistently compete. I feel for Damon trying to recruit a top quality coach. Everything is stacked against him.
H.T.
April 1st, 2009
6:34 pm
BOBBY KNIGHT
Hire Bob Knight
April 1st, 2009
6:40 pm
Call him, apologize, and beg him to take the job.
BOB KNIGHT!
Denver Dog
April 1st, 2009
6:54 pm
Lets make a quick decison like we did with Jirsa,Felton, and Harrick. No I like the pace that they are doing, and maybe we will end up with a winner after all the whiners have had thier say. I believe that the admin will bring in the right person, at the right time.
Go Tech
April 1st, 2009
6:54 pm
Please take Paul Hewitt!!!!
freshd
April 1st, 2009
7:01 pm
Let”s kill two birds with one stone. Instead of Knight, let Damon hire Bobby”s number 1 pupil. MIKE WOODSON and then the hawks can hire a real coach. Im sure JOSH SMITH would welcome this move. Come on Damon hire WOODY .
Jeff Grady
April 1st, 2009
7:02 pm
UGA needs to apply that 2 mil to academics so that the athletic department will have an academic program it can be proud of.
UGA fan in So Cal
April 1st, 2009
7:05 pm
Why isn’t Sam Mitchell being considered? He has expressed interest in the job. He is one year removed from being the NBA coach of the year, had a long and successful NBA career, is a Georgia native, and seems to be a class act. Toronto’s winning percentage has actually gone down hill after starting 8-9 this year under him. I guess UGA considers not publicly stating interest as a prerequisite.
rpt
April 1st, 2009
7:09 pm
has anyone thought about lorenzo romar? known on the west coast for accumulating highly rated recruits and has a 103-55 record in 7 years at washington. has really turned the program around and has worked under Tom Izzo and a familiar one Jim Harrick. this needs to be looked into. Finished number one at the end of the pac 10 regular season.
rolling_in_coleslaw@yahoo.com
April 1st, 2009
7:10 pm
LOL Who wants to coach at UGA! As for Chip Towers? What a joke I told AJC he was the reason I did not renew my AJC. POOR SPORTS REPORTING CHIP!
wisconsin phil
April 1st, 2009
7:35 pm
is kenny rosemond still available/…if not NIT hugh[durham] would be a good choice
Atlanta Gator
April 1st, 2009
7:45 pm
At the risk of starting a UGA football uprising in the middle of Chip’s basketball blog, here’s a story in the Detroit newspaper on Matt Stafford’s draft prospects with the Detroit Lions. Seems that there has arisen a debate whether they draft Stafford or trade for for former Vanderbilt QB Cutler, late of the Denver Broncos . . . .
http://www.freep.com/article/20090401/SPORTS01/90401072/1049/SPORTS01/The+great+debate++Stafford+or+Cutler
Interesting stuff.
Okefenokee Dawg
April 1st, 2009
8:33 pm
Hire Altamaha Dawg.
CWM
April 1st, 2009
8:35 pm
YOU ARE NOT A DAWG FAN IF YOU WANTED GRANT (FLA GUY) WHO WANTS A GAYTURD……
gdawginkalamazoo
April 1st, 2009
8:54 pm
Atlanta Gator, yeah that has been bantered around. A lot of people want to see the Lions take Curry @ LB and I mean a lot. Or an OL. I just don’t see that happening in the #1 slot and the money they will have to pay to the #1 pick. 1st round money is okay for those postions not #1 money. If they can’t trade for Cutler they will have to take Stafford or Sanchez because they need that franchise QB. I say take the QB @ #1 then build the OL with the #20 pick then start building the defense with the later picks. If all the Lion fans want a killer LB I say take Spikes next year as I think the Lions will be high in the draft but not in the #1 slot.
AltamahaDawg
April 1st, 2009
9:02 pm
Proof at 8:33 that birds of a feather, stick together.
ACC Football=SEC Basketball
April 1st, 2009
9:08 pm
The coach at Norcross High left after the 07-08 season to go to GAC. His name is Eddie Martin. How about the coach at Augusta State? He’s been in the D2 Elite Eight 2 years running.
Steve
April 1st, 2009
10:10 pm
P J Carlesimo would be a fabulous choice – and seriously (and I know this is not popular, and almost no one agrees, but here it goes), we should have given Felton 2 more years. At 790,000 a year, he was a bargain, and was beginning to stack some good young talent in Athens.
big dawg
April 1st, 2009
10:25 pm
i know that if bobby knight were the coach here, myself and a whole lot of other folks would make it to several games a year…come on damon, i know you think that you have to hire a black coach, because that is the “in” thing to do or because you believe blacks have to stick together or something, but hey man, we’re over all of that sh*t…ALL OF US, WHITE AND BLACK, just hire the best candidate out there and put some butts in the seats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOBBY KNIGHT WILL BRING PLAYERS AND PEOPLE
hop
April 1st, 2009
10:56 pm
it appears that mr. evans is over his head. one does not spill the beans about what one is going to do until it is time to play the trump card.
georgia has mishandled this entire search and i guess we have to wait until someone like memphis hires one before we get a new coach or do we go ahead and get a coach like felton to replace felton.
Gerald Mann
April 1st, 2009
11:02 pm
Come on UGA. First you should admitt the fact that you won’t take Basketball serious.It is not against the law to have a great bastketball program at a Football school. Have you checked Florida Tennesee, LSU. Unlike these schools your state has the best high school talent in the south, so would say the country. You have the chance to go to the dwawing board and build a new arena. You are not broke build the best basketball arena in the SEC. Then your top tear coach will come with his top tear players. (other colleges have been taken our players out of state for years about 25 of them were in the tournument this year). No coach or player worth having is going to come play in a old arena were the Athletic Department only knows football. Oklaoma, Texas, Ohio State all have duel programs. Hell your program is so bad that the one coach you went after, took a million dollar pay cut to stay put.
Steve
April 1st, 2009
11:22 pm
Arizona gets Tim Floyd rumor has it – so it is possible to get a first rate coach, but now USC may be in the hunt, along with Memphis and Washington State – this is getting interesting.
Roy
April 2nd, 2009
12:08 am
I think Georgia should look at Sam Mitchell. A Georgia native and a graet coach.
Stick with a proven uga legend
April 2nd, 2009
12:08 am
Hire Prof. Harrick!
ButlerDawg
April 2nd, 2009
12:11 am
Let’s see, I’m going to use one offer of $2 million so I can get a raise on my current job and make 750K less than the 2-mil offer??
Face it fellow Dawgs, fans! We lucked out…no need for an idiot like this coaching our b-ball team anyway.
Stick with a proven uga legend
April 2nd, 2009
12:19 am
“no need for an idiot like this coaching our b-ball team anyway.”
Maybe he is not an idiot, maybe he visited Athens and the visit impacted his decision.
Cuz
April 2nd, 2009
12:25 am
Just hire anyone, I am tired of the whining. Damon get a dartboard, put some names on it and get a blindfold and throw a dart.
Chip Towers
April 2nd, 2009
12:34 am
dawgstephen: If it were up to me I’d bring back Hugh Durham and let him handle it in the short term and help pick a successor. He’s the only one who won with any consistency. Maybe not huge, but consistently. . . .
Rabun Dawg: Good question on the baseball team, and very observant. Actually coach David Perno is saving his arms and doing a very masterful job of it if you ask me. He’s been keeping a lot of his pitchers on a pitch count through this early portion of the schedule. Regardless of the game situation he pulls them out once they’ve hit their limit. That turns the game over to middle relief and, you think it’s tough to find good middle relief in the major leagues, it’s even tougher in college. But the Dogs have a lot of good arms and are kind of handing the bullpen by committee. As they get deeper into this ever-toughening schedule they may start missing closer Josh Fields more. . . . .
Same to ya, rolling-in-coleslaw or whatever your name is.
big dawg
April 2nd, 2009
12:44 am
next on damons list,,,,coach K… think we got a chance damon?
K-DAWG
April 2nd, 2009
3:53 am
IZZO is the man! UGA hires him and the bulldog nation will explode! Reach into your pockets and pay him one dollar more than Kentucky just paid. CASH IS KING! You get what you pay for, while your at it give Richt a raise too! Coach Richt is Georgia! Go Dawgs!
Nathan
April 2nd, 2009
4:34 am
The Detroit LOINS?
Dawg Tired
April 2nd, 2009
7:07 am
Do we have a coach yet?
Search seems to still be going well. Capel is apparently going to Arizona. I read this morning that Appalachian State has offered Buzz Peterson his old job as BB coach there. Is Dennis Felton available? How much are we paying the search firm? It certainly appears we are getting our money’s worth. DE’s “game plan” is really something to behold.
AltamahaDawg
April 2nd, 2009
7:16 am
I sure wish Dooley could have had the benefit of these search experts in here, before he hired Glen Mason.
HH
April 2nd, 2009
7:32 am
Give the job to Martinez. That will: 1) Fill the head basketball vacancy, 2) Get rid of him as the defensive coordinator, and 3) Keep Damon Evans from looking like a fool trying to find a basketball coach.
The basketball program will be no worse off and the prospects for the defense will markedly improve. Next, make Bobo the head coach of women’s gymnastics.
UGA Student
April 2nd, 2009
2:42 pm
Go and give Tubby whatever sum of money he wants! Back-to-back 20 win seasons and UGA in the sweet sixteen upsetting top seeded Purdue! Bring him back!
esaun
April 2nd, 2009
3:20 pm
might need sum thin drastic no one wants jobmaybe should try to hire one of ga’s top aau coaches with ga connects problem aint bad coaching its keeping top recruits in the state; ga kinda of state where recruits so good any coach would reach tourney if he had say 4 of the ga top 100 players
esaun
April 2nd, 2009
5:04 pm
hh luv that, ga aint goin win in bball no way and you came up wtith the only solution for uga to finally get sum real coordinators so we can get over the hump outside of ga program not considered among the elite in college football; need to find a d2 school so both can tune their crafts
gdawgs77
April 2nd, 2009
11:02 pm
CHIP, I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WOULD COULD NOT OF HIRED EITHER SEAN MILLER, BRAD STEVENS, BRAIN GREGORY OR TUBBY SMITH. ANY OF THOSE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD!! ESPECIALLY SEAN MILLER!!!