Comcast Chicago just reported Wainwright will be let go tomorrow (Mon)

[LastWarrior]

Poor guy get's hurt last week and now he's getting canned.  Wonder if there are any recruits we can poach...

[Niv Berkowitz]

Poor guy. He's a good man.

[reinko]

He will get a massive buy out, retire, play golf, hang out with his family, and not have to stress/work 14 hours a day and that's a bad thing?

I say congrats.

[4everwarriors]

What does firing him mid-season accomplish? Is "Pick and Roll" Kleinschmidt going to be interim coach?

[Dr. Blackheart]

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/news/story?id=4814773

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Why would they fire him mid-season, three days after he broke his leg? DePaul is really kind of embarrassing at this point. They need a new AD to come in there and clean house.

[MUsoxfan]

From what I understand, that AD is part of the establishment at DePaul and she is valued more than the men's basketball program.  DePaul Basketball is in dire straits.   They are now probably the least desirable school in any of the major conferences as far as recruiting and getting a decent coach.    The list of why DePaul will continue to suck for a long time is seemingly endless and that really is a shame. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

From what I understand, that AD is part of the establishment at DePaul and she is valued more than the men's basketball program.  DePaul Basketball is in dire straits.   They are now probably the least desirable school in any of the major conferences as far as recruiting and getting a decent coach.    The list of why DePaul will continue to suck for a long time is seemingly endless and that really is a shame. 

Fortunately for them and for all basketball schools, it really only takes one magical hire to right the ship.  Rutgers football was horrid for years.  Just one of many examples.

If KO wasn't at USC, he would have been an interesting choice. 

Billie Gillespie might be interesting.

[willie warrior]

If they really want to clean house, they should get Calapari.

He has a rep for getting things done the right way!

[TallTitan34]

I just head this on the Score as well.  Jerry's a good guy. He just wasn't Big East calibur.

I'm glad they did it now rather than right before our games as teams generally step it up in their first game under a new coach.

With Jerry's broken leg, I think they should have just said he was going to take a leave of from coaching basketball for health reasons.

[GGGG]

Wonder if there are any recruits we can poach...

This should have been in teal right?

[NavinRJohnson]

As many have said, he is one of the good guys, but truthfully, this move should have been made a couple years ago. DePaul needs to decide what they want to be...if they are going to continue to just limp along and not make any other effort to improve, this is a pointless move. If however they are going to take an approach similar to what MU did at the Crean was hired, and decide that basketball is an important tool for the University, and start throwing additional resources at it ($$$$), then obviously, this is an appropriate first step. 

[GGGG]

As many have said, he is one of the good guys, but truthfully, this move should have been made a couple years ago. DePaul needs to decide what they want to be...if they are going to continue to just limp along and not make any other effort to improve, this is a pointless move. If however they are going to take an approach similar to what MU did at the Crean was hired, and decide that basketball is an important tool for the University, and start throwing additional resources at it ($$$$), then obviously, this is an appropriate first step. 

What scares me is that without visionary leadership, DePaul's fate could very well have been ours.  And it might be again someday.

[NotAnAlum]

The Big Question in my mind is why fire him now?  I thought DePaul was cheap and trying to ride out Jerry's contract so they didn't have to pay 2 head coachs.  What straw broke the camel's back this weekend?
Also does this make DePaul a little more dangerous because assistants that are just a few years removed from playing will be running the show?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

What scares me is that without visionary leadership, DePaul's fate could very well have been ours.  And it might be again someday.

Agree.

I LOVE MU hoops, but it's not UNC or Kansas.

The administration has to keep pushing and hiring quality people in the athletics department in order to keep the program going at this rate. (it looks like they are doing that).

A couple of small mis-steps could cost MU dearly. KU or UNC can sometimes afford a small step backwards as they will most likely recover quickly.

DePaul, St. John's, Providence, etc. etc. were all very powerful basketball school in the not-so-distant past, yet they are nationally irrelevant right now.

[The Lens]

Agree.

I LOVE MU hoops, but it's not UNC or Kansas.

The administration has to keep pushing and hiring quality people in the athletics department in order to keep the program going at this rate. (it looks like they are doing that).

A couple of small mis-steps could cost MU dearly. KU or UNC can sometimes afford a small step backwards as they will most likely recover quickly.

DePaul, St. John's, Providence, etc. etc. were all very powerful basketball school in the not-so-distant past, yet they are nationally irrelevant right now.

+1 This is why the hiring (and eventual success) of KO was a such deal.  But for him, we're Loyola-IL.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

+1 This is why the hiring (and eventual success) of KO was a such deal.  But for him, we're Loyola-IL.

Yep, KO and TC (both of them) deserve a ton of credit for bringing MU hoops back.

The current MU administration isn't perfect (see "gold"), but for the most part they have done a great job leading MU over the past 20 years.

Campus is still improving*, athletic facilities are better than ever (and still improving), enrollment is up, applications are up, Basketball program is still going up, merchandise is more available, the new logo (MU lockup) is popular, etc. etc.

I hope the next 20 years go as well as the last 20 years (I know, I know, nickname stuff sucks)


*it does suck that MU has bought up and closed some of the bars around campus, but overall its much better now. In fact, it's come a long way in the last 10 years alone.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Former UW-Madison player Tracy Webster will be the interim coach.

[Henry Sugar]

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/01/depaul-fires-wainwright-webster-interim-coach.html

Asked whether being in the Big East made the DePaul job a difficult one, Ponsetto said, "I don't think this is a hard job. I think this is a great job, as a matter of fact."

Jane, you ignorant slut

[Hards Alumni]

Jane, you ignorant slut

hahhahahahaha old SNL reference... too good.

[Avenue Commons]

From what I understand, that AD is part of the establishment at DePaul and she is valued more than the men's basketball program.  DePaul Basketball is in dire straits.   They are now probably the least desirable school in any of the major conferences as far as recruiting and getting a decent coach.    The list of why DePaul will continue to suck for a long time is seemingly endless and that really is a shame. 

First, Coach Wainwright is a great guy and a good coach, he simply was not the right person for a Big East program in this day and age.

Second, DePaul is at a low point, but you can only go so low when you are a member of the Big East and you are located in the nation's third largest media market with a massive recruiting base. DePaul will bounce back.

My longshot pick to take over the program is Duke Assistant Chris Collins.

[MUsoxfan]

First, Coach Wainwright is a great guy and a good coach, he simply was not the right person for a Big East program in this day and age.

Second, DePaul is at a low point, but you can only go so low when you are a member of the Big East and you are located in the nation's third largest media market with a massive recruiting base. DePaul will bounce back.

My longshot pick to take over the program is Duke Assistant Chris Collins.

What selling points does DePaul have right now?

Big East? Best conference
Location? Great city

Coaching stability? No
Winning tradition? Not exactly
Good fan base?  No
Nice arena?  The absolute worst.  An hour away from campus most days
A university committed to winning?  Clearly not
Game atmosphere?  Just awful
Looking like they're moving in the right direction?  They're in a tailspin


Everyone's been picking the pockets of Chicago when it comes to recruits, and rightfully so. 

[Hards Alumni]

I'd say they have a decent tradition, not a poor one.