Kevin O'Neill

[ChicosBailBonds]

The main difference between KO & TC is that after 5 years at MU, another school actually wanted to hire KO.  

TC always tried to leave, just nobody wanted him.  It wasn't until IU had to go clean (eliminating a ton of candidates) and were said no to buy Few, Bennett, et al that TC was finally freed from MKE.

Inagine if after 5 seasons (2004) TC got the Ohio State job he wanted, without commitments yet from the 3 Amigos, he would have left MU with Steve, Travis and not much else.  We would have been pining for Shane Littles and Richard Shaw.

I like playing imaginary games, too, with my daughter who is 8 years old.  Tea party is one of them   

TC had several jobs, if he wanted them, including Arkansas and a few others.  He ultimately said no, and he was rewarded with additional dollars from MU.  That's the way the game is played.  You sniff, you get paid to stay.

KO wanted out at MU after year 3....Mike Deane after year 2 (FSU and St. John's).....I see a pattern developing.....

The fact of the matter is that the guy stayed 9 years....KO only 5.  Deane only 5.  Dukiet only 3.  Majerus only 3.

I hope Buzz stays 9 years and not 5, because it doesn't do the program any good to have a revolving door.  Plus, it means Buzz is having long term success. 

For those of you who still have your man crush for KO think it's a good thing that he left MU after 5 years, I think you're defying KO's own beliefs as well.  It certainly didn't do him any good.

[ChicosBailBonds]

You mean there wasn't a single school who would have taken TC in 2004?

There were many in 2004, a few in 2005 and many more in 2007. 

2006 is when he had basically no offers.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

There were many in 2004, a few in 2005 and many more in 2007. 

2006 is when he had basically no offers.

Well, my guess is that SOMEBODY would have taken him... it's just that nobody was willing to afford his salary.

It's not like he was great in 2003 and then suddenly nobody thought he could coach. MU locked him up and made it difficult for another school to come get him.

[4everwarriors]

Crean had a good gig goin' on right here in Hicksville MKE. Had the administration scarfing up his droppings, had virtually all of the fans and alums fooled, and had blank check for his dept. expenditures and salary. He was as close to a "tenured coach" as is possible.
He tried endlessly to bolt. But, was clever enough to make it appear he was the hunted. It wasn't until IU had their tit in the wringer, that someone actually bought the cow. And, he owes it all to DWade. The cat not only paved his driveway, but also set himup for life as well.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

And, he owes it all to DWade.

We're going to find out, that's for sure.

Not looking very good at IU so far though.

Next year will really be the year that he NEEDS to start winning.

[AlumKCof93]

While Crean was an ass, he did represent the school very well.  He brought life into the program as soon as he arrived and while Wade was a huge part of his success, to say it was only Wade is supremely unfair to Diener, Novak, Jackson, McNeal and others.  While Crean overstated how down the program was when he arrived, the truth is he did a great job when he was here.

O'Neill also did a great job but he was not long for any place.  His personal code of conduct did not fit a jesuit university.  I was stunned by how little he'd changed while he was at northwestern.  And while I don't know what happened at AZ, his falling out with Lute indicates that he still hasn't changed much.

[4everwarriors]

If anyone wants to see a man's coach in action, check out Evil Pat's flick in another thread. The mold was broken after that one.

[Marquette84]

I was told by a member of the '94 team who was in the going away meeting that a certain under classman said: "I'm coming with you"  KO said: "The F you are, you're all staying, you hear me, you're all staying and our recruits all coming here".  That certain under classman went on to play in the NBA.

There are two reasons O'Neill would have said that.

1.  His sense of personal integrity prevented him from accepting a transfer.
2.  He didn't want the recruits at his new school.

Point #1 is disproven by the fact that O'Neill did not tell Ron Curry to stay at Arizona.

Lets also keep in mind the underclassman referred to above had stats that were not significantly better than Erik Williams on this year's team. There was a reason why that player was told he wasn't coming--and it wasn't because O'Neill felt bad taking a player with him from a former employer. 

O'Neill took Curry because he thought Curry would help him win at MU.
O'Neill did not take any of the MU players because he thought he could recruit better players to Tennessee.

Making it sound like O'Neill was magnanimous for leaving behind NBA-level talent is hugely disingenuous.