I think maybe the best way to look at it is to step back and look at what Crean would be risking by leaving.
If he went to a big(ger) school and didn't do "well" (whatever the definition of "well" is), it might be tough for him to get back into another situation as good as MU.
MU has the following to offer:
National TV deal and exposure
Nike contract
Top facilities
Commitment to basketball success and to academic success
Big $$$ from alumni
Big arena
Access to pro coaches and scouts
Big season ticket holder base
Crean also carries a big stick because he is the poster boy for a lot of the improvements in the past 10 years.
The guy is getting paid a ton and carries a ton of power.
Is there something else that another university could offer that would be a significant improvement over his current situation?
I love Marquette and I doubt Crean is going to leave, but Kentucky has everything you just mentioned and much, much more. There is just no comparison.
You're actually citing TV exposure, facilities, commitment to success, money from alumni (!?!?), access to scouts (what does that mean?) and season ticket holders as it compares to Kentucky? You must be kidding!!
It's like saying the Brewers job is just as good as the New York Yankees.
To use a phrase that might be understandable to those in Lexington, Kentucky is a thoroughbred and Marquette is a quarter horse -- a rising, well-regarded quarter horse, but a quarter horse nonetheless. This is not an insult. In fact, to me it's what gives Marquette its appeal as a basketball program.
Let me clarify, as I will admit that my previous post was ambigious.
I think Crean is in a unique position at MU. I'm not sure that many of these "dream jobs" (UK, UCLA, UNC, etc.) are
significantly better than his at MU.
I understand that some of these dream jobs are so good that they cannot be turned down (ben howland comes to mind), but I'm just saying Crean is in a special position at MU having rebuilt it, and I'm not sure a lot of these jobs are a ton better... they are probably somewhat better, but maybe not enough better to motivate Crean to leave his current position.
With that said, I agree with you. KY is a good job (probably better than MU on paper). I was trying to say that leaving MU is a pretty big risk. Crean's doing very well at MU, and has access to most things he could ever want or need.
Success at these "dream jobs" (UK, UCLA, UNC, Duke, and a couple of others) isn't guaranteed and most of these coaches are on VERY short leashes.
If Crean left for UK (which for the record I think there is NO CHANCE) and didn’t do well, he would be out after 4 years or less.
Then where does he go? It’s obvious he can coach, and he will get another job.
But, will the job
after the “dream job” be as good as he has it here?
At this point the guy is on his way to an almost Coach K like situation. I mean, he hasn’t had the success of Duke, but he has done so much for this program that he has incredible pull, a great reputation and can pretty much get whatever he wants from the university.
If he goes somewhere "better" and only has marginal success, where does that leave him?
Where is Tubby Smith going to land? It's only a matter of time before he is gone from UK. Is he going to land in a cushy coaching job?
A lot of coaches who chase these big time jobs never get back to where they once were.
The main point is, leaving MU isn't without its risks. It could pay off because maybe Crean ends up being the God of UK basketball... but if he doesn't win early and often, he will end up on the coaching scrapheap with the likes of Matt Daugherty, Bill Guthridge, Steve Lavin, and probably soon to be Tubby Smith. All guys who were chasing a "dream job".
MU's a pretty good situation... might not be worth it to risk leaving it.
