Our long national nightmare may be over...

[mu_hilltopper]

Looks like ESPNews is reporting Bill G is taking the UK job.

[Marquette84]

Looks like ESPNews is reporting Bill G is taking the UK job.

Which can only mean Katz will soon be reporting Crean to Texas A&M

[4everwarriors]

to Texas A&M ?

[MarquetteFan94]

no frickin way....

[LastWarrior]

or is it their 4th choice... Donavon, Barnes, Crean, and Gillespe?

If Crean truly turned down the UK job, he's at MU for the long haul and hopefully this annual Crean to wherever crap can stop.  Look at the schools he turned down over the past few years... U of I, IU, OSU, and KU.  Pretty impressive lists of schools...

[jage]

agreed...he loves the confidence boost from other schools interest in him, but he is building a program here basically from scratch...recruiting classes have gotten better overall (see next '07, '08, '09 potential classes). although one entire class was a bust and most of the juco's haven't worked out, the trend of incoming talent is on the rise. his classes have lacked balance and i think this year's struggles on the frontline have opened crean's eyes to that. in my opinion, crean is finally transitioning from a "young" coach to and experienced one...i'm excited to see what next year has in store...it'll be great to have him at marquette and we should be grateful that he's here and wants to be here.

[StillAWarrior]

or is it their 4th choice... Donavon, Barnes, Crean, and Gillespe?

If Crean truly turned down the UK job, he's at MU for the long haul and hopefully this annual Crean to wherever crap can stop.  Look at the schools he turned down over the past few years... U of I, IU, OSU, and KU.  Pretty impressive lists of schools...

I think that's a bit of an overstatement.  Just because Crean reportedly said he wasn't interested in the Kentucky job does not translate into him turning the job down.  I think he probably did turn down some of the jobs on your list -- but not Kentucky.  By your logic, you should also include Pitino and Calipari because both of them said they did not want the job.  Heck, put me on the list too -- I don't want the job.

[LastWarrior]

or is it their 4th choice... Donavon, Barnes, Crean, and Gillespe?

If Crean truly turned down the UK job, he's at MU for the long haul and hopefully this annual Crean to wherever crap can stop.  Look at the schools he turned down over the past few years... U of I, IU, OSU, and KU.  Pretty impressive lists of schools...

I think that's a bit of an overstatement.  Just because Crean reportedly said he wasn't interested in the Kentucky job does not translate into him turning the job down.  I think he probably did turn down some of the jobs on your list -- but not Kentucky.  By your logic, you should also include Pitino and Calipari because both of them said they did not want the job.  Heck, put me on the list too -- I don't want the job.

Sure I can add you to the list but they weren't interested in hiring you.     They never officially offered Donavon but he still said no, same goes for Barnes.  All indications from the media (not just Katz) over the past two weeks was that it was Donavon, Barnes, & Crean in order.  So if you are saying that those guys turned UK down, then you have to say Crean did too.  Billy G??  Not sure he is the savior UK thinks he is... I still think they screwed up in running Tubby Smith out of the school.  UK fans cost themselves any chance of getting a great coach with their unrealistic expectations. 

I think this shows Crean is in for the long haul with us and I couldn't be happier.

[mu_hilltopper]

I think in the end .. I was 5% concerned Crean would be offered and accept a job at UK.  I was 15% concerned Izzo would take UK, and Crean would go to MSU.

I'm 100% hoping Billy G finds out UK has 8 inelligible players and backs out today, and every top coach instantly shuns the program.  That would be so enjoyable to watch, I may giggle myself to sleep tonight with the possibility.

[OneMadWarrior]

My dream is for Kentucky to fall off the National scene completely much in the way that St. John's ( a former basketball powerhouse) has. That would be thoroughly satisfying.

[StillAWarrior]

Sure I can add you to the list but they weren't interested in hiring you.   [Smiley removed as a matter of priciple]  They never officially offered Donavon but he still said no, same goes for Barnes.  All indications from the media (not just Katz) over the past two weeks was that it was Donavon, Barnes, & Crean in order.  So if you are saying that those guys turned UK down, then you have to say Crean did too.  Billy G??  Not sure he is the savior UK thinks he is... I still think they screwed up in running Tubby Smith out of the school.  UK fans cost themselves any chance of getting a great coach with their unrealistic expectations. 

I think this shows Crean is in for the long haul with us and I couldn't be happier.

I agree completely with the last statement you made.

And I don't seriously dispute the rest.  However, I did see some reports that had Billy G. ahead of Crean, so that probably colors my thoughts on the issue.  Two other things probably color my thoughts.  From the very beginning, I thought Cal and Billy G. would be the two top candidates, so that's influencing me.  Finally, I truly believe that Headwaters2 over at UK's Scout board was a legitimate poster who actually had inside information.  He said a week ago that Crean was out of the picture, and I credit that.  When he said that Crean was out of consideration, he predicted Crean would make a statement that he was not interested -- and that's exactly what happened.  Bear in mind, I'm completely open to the possibility that Crean was eliminted from consideration for the UK job because he let it be known that he wasn't interested.  Headwaters2 just said that he was off the list; he didn't say why.  I'm probably just as naive as all the people who were sucked in by BlueSuave at their Rival board, but the stuff he said seems pretty on target.

All's well that ends well.  We've got Crean.  I don't wish Billy G. ill, but I must admit that I'd love to see him totally fall on his face at Kentucky just so their fans can suffer.  What a pompous bunch of jerks.

[StillAWarrior]

OK, I think this might be fun.  I preface by admitting that this "Headwaters2" guy may be totally full of crap.  Who knows.  But, here's his most recent post:

i do know who was eliminated and the most prominent names under serious consideration...

background checks included: wright, gillispie, barnes, cal, crean...and matta...some were eliminated quicker than others...one had a minor ncaa blemish....one a driving blemish...one with a temper that scared some....one with a reputation as a difficult employee....in a nutshell...

One had a minor NCAA violation - That's Wright or Cal, right?
One a driving blemish - that's Gillispie.

Who has the temper that scared some, and who has the reputation as a difficult employee?  You gotta figure that one of those is our boy.

[OneMadWarrior]

I have heard stories from former players that its his temper. All he does in practice is yell and scream at the team. This is a reason why there are so many transfers out of the program. However those that stay love Crean.

[Coach Norman Dale]

Who has the temper that scared some, and who has the reputation as a difficult employee?  You gotta figure that one of those is our boy.

Why do you have to figure one of these is Crean?

wright, gillispie, barnes, cal, crean...and matta...some were eliminated quicker than others...one had a minor ncaa blemish....one a driving blemish...one with a temper that scared some....one with a reputation as a difficult employee

Six names, four "issues".  So why would you assume that Crean is not one of the two best classified as "none of the above"?  For instance, Crean and Matta in excellent situations with no reason to move (or no real interest in the job) therefore quickly "eliminated".

One thing overlooked in this whole thing has been Crean the family man.  Why would he move his wife and two small children into the chaotic situation at UK even if given the opportunity?  The junk spewed at those kids if dad did not taken the self-righteous blue nation to a Final Four every 4 or 5 years would be unreal and unbearable.  I have been saying for years, Tom learned from Al -- be loyal to Marquette and it will be loyal to you.  Then someday he will own Milwaukee like Al did!  He has a great start toward that end, in my opinion.

[StillAWarrior]

Why do you have to figure one of these is Crean?

Fair enough; you're right.  I'll edit:  You gotta figure that one of those might be our boy.  Either way, if the worst I hear about Crean is that he has a temper or that he has a repuation as a difficult employee, I've got no problem with that.

[Niv Berkowitz]

This decision by Crean to turn down Arkansas and a number of other jobs over the years has me about 99% convinced, that unless one of the following jobs opens up, Crean is at MU until he has a bad string of seasons or MSU comes calling:

UNC
Kansas
Kentucky
UCLA

That's about it. Think about it.

Two of his best friends are in the B.Ten (Izzo & Sampson). He won't be going to that conference unless it's MSU. Otherwise, he would have gone after the Michigan gig (which MU is a better gig than anyway in my opinion)

SEC? Where's he gonna go? Texas? Maybe there or Kentucky. Other than that, the guy's a midwestern boy at heart. I don't see any jobs in the SEC that are more glowing than the B.East.

PAC 10 - other than UCLA, what other job is more prolific than MU? Sure there's some east coast bias going on there, but I just don't see a jump there ever making sense.

I'm feeling pretty confident that the only place TC would bounce too are those schools mentioned above...and Michigan State at the drop of a dime.

Great news for MU today. A great day.

[Coach Norman Dale]

Moved to new thread.  Sorry for double post.

[79Warrior]

or is it their 4th choice... Donavon, Barnes, Crean, and Gillespe?

If Crean truly turned down the UK job, he's at MU for the long haul and hopefully this annual Crean to wherever crap can stop.  Look at the schools he turned down over the past few years... U of I, IU, OSU, and KU.  Pretty impressive lists of schools...

No way Crean was ever offered UK. That is a giant leap. Total BS. Crean was never offered nor oficially contacted.