Jay Wright to UCLA

[Eldon]

In all of this frenzied Buzz to Minnesota/UCLA wrist-slitting party, it seems overlooked to me that Jay Wright is in these convos.  Why?  Is he known to be unhappy at Nova?

I like Jay Wright and hope that he stays at Nova, it would be better for the conference.

Lots of same sentiments as us on the Nova board

http://villanova.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?SID=1000&fid=1159&style=2&tid=163558248&Page=1

[NavinRJohnson]

I gotta be honest. He was the first guy I thought of when UCLA opened up.

[dwaderoy2004]

He'd basically be Steve Lavin Redux.

[BubbaWilliams]

I'm not a fan of the Pu$$y Katz, but here is an article saying that Shaka is their primary target.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/9094778/ucla-fires-ben-howland-begins-search-replace-college-basketball

[jsglow]

The news to me was that UCLA forces the team to fly SWA!!  Now I'm a huge fan of SWA but can you imagine Buzz asking if they at least get Preferred A boarding passes for the guys?  And then all the Hollywood types floating around the program?  Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun.   

[Abode4life]

I'm not a fan of the Pu$$y Katz, but here is an article saying that Shaka is their primary target.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/9094778/ucla-fires-ben-howland-begins-search-replace-college-basketball

And no mention of Buzz

[Benny B]

@franfraschilla Fran Fraschilla
Don't mess with happy! RT @SIPeteThamel: Sorry, UCLA. VCU is working on contract extension to keep Shaka Smart. Should have agreement soon.


Another Buzzism goes mainstream.

[muwarrior69]

Actually isn't that a Mrs. Buzzism?

[Pakuni]

Zags blog says now that Smart and Stevens seem out of the picture, UCLA boosters are making a push for Mark Gottfried.

http://zagsblog.com/articles/source-ucla-boosters-want-mark-gottfried/

[Marquette_g]

VCU's ongoing commitment to Shaka is likely to keep them relevant  for the forseable future. They seem to have a greater commitment to their basketball program than some of the other rumored adds and some of the C-7 (looking at you Seton Hall)

[The Lens]

Zags blog says now that Smart and Stevens seem out of the picture, UCLA boosters are making a push for Mark Gottfried.

http://zagsblog.com/articles/source-ucla-boosters-want-mark-gottfried/

The only thing Gottfried has over Howland is that Gottfried could beat Crean.  But otherwise, are you serious?  That's retread city.  He's coaching at Retread U.  If they are going that route, bring back Lavin.  Lavin 2.0 would kill it in Westwood.  It could be a Majeus type situation.  I think Lavin will eventually get St. John's cranking and the delay is only because of two huge blows (Cancer and his Dad's death).

[NavinRJohnson]

  Lavin 2.0 would kill it in Westwood.  It could be a Majeus type situation. 

Funny you bring up Majerus because UCLA, while still a top job seems to be living in the past just as bad as they were when they didn't hire Rick when they were prepared to years ago, because he was a big fat guy who didn't fit the profile they were looking for. He would have recruited the hell out of LA, and gotten them exactly where the fat cats who opposed his hiring wanted to be.

[chapman]

I think Lavin will eventually get St. John's cranking and the delay is only because of two huge blows (Cancer and his Dad's death).

And that half of the players he recruits wind up not being eligible.

[Hards Alumni]

Mike and Mike (Dickie V agreed) that UCLA isn't a place that people want to go anymore... And Shaka Smart should not take that job over VCU

[Lennys Tap]

Mike and Mike (Dickie V agreed) that UCLA isn't a place that people want to go anymore... And Shaka Smart should not take that job over VCU

But, but, it's a "blue blood", a top 6. It's UCLA, it's UCLA for God's sakes. Indiana had to settle for Crean, Kentucky couldn't get Florida's guy and now coaches at Butler and VCU don't want the Bruins. Conventional wisdom has been turned on its head in college basketball.

[ChicosBailBonds]

But, but, it's a "blue blood", a top 6. It's UCLA, it's UCLA for God's sakes. Indiana had to settle for Crean, Kentucky couldn't get Florida's guy and now coaches at Butler and VCU don't want the Bruins. Conventional wisdom has been turned on its head in college basketball.

Much truth to what you are saying, the question comes down to if there is one guy willing to do it.

Jim Harrick was UCLA's 5th choice.  He won a national title there.  IU had to "settle" for Crean, and he just had them win their first Big Ten outright title in 22 years and only their 3rd number 1 seed in their history.  Kentucky couldn't get Donovan, but won a national title with another choice.

The difference is certainly that there are more players in the game, more programs willing to pay and compete.  But all it takes is for one guy to say IT's UCLA, IT's UCLA and we all know that will happen.  All it takes is one, but I don't disagree with your overall premise.  This is why the articles from some reporters seem not to recognize the changes out there.

[Aughnanure]

But, but, it's a "blue blood", a top 6. It's UCLA, it's UCLA for God's sakes. Indiana had to settle for Crean, Kentucky couldn't get Florida's guy and now coaches at Butler and VCU don't want the Bruins. Conventional wisdom has been turned on its head in college basketball.

Let's hope so.

[forgetful]

I would love to see a joint news conference between Buzz, Wright, Stevens and Shaka (after we extend a VCU invite) along the lines of:

People continually bring our names up to move to Blueblood programs that have lost their luster.  Well, we are in the spotlight now, we have created Premier programs that are outperforming these so-called Blueblood programs.  We have a new conference with 4 of these premier coaches that everyone wants, we have resources competitive with any institution and a reputation for elite basketball.

Thank you for the offers, we are already somewhere better.  Better basketball, Better life, Happy Wife.

[Lennys Tap]

Much truth to what you are saying, the question comes down to if there is one guy willing to do it.

Jim Harrick was UCLA's 5th choice.  He won a national title there.  IU had to "settle" for Crean, and he just had them win their first Big Ten outright title in 22 years and only their 3rd number 1 seed in their history.  Kentucky couldn't get Donovan, but won a national title with another choice.

The difference is certainly that there are more players in the game, more programs willing to pay and compete.  But all it takes is for one guy to say IT's UCLA, IT's UCLA and we all know that will happen.  All it takes is one, but I don't disagree with your overall premise.  This is why the articles from some reporters seem not to recognize the changes out there.

You're right, there will always be someone out there who says "it's whoever" and the second, third or fifth choice at a blue blood will be a higher profile guy than the same choice elsewhere.

My main point is that the press and the fans who assume that the coach from school A would crawl through broken glass to coach at school B because of its "higher profile" haven't been paying much attention to reality.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I gotta be honest. He was the first guy I thought of when UCLA opened up.

He was near the top of my list as well, not from a UCLA perspective but from a possibility perspective.  NCAAs 8 or the last 9 years, a Final Four, Elite 8.  Villanova fans becoming restless (this is one of the problems with fan bases, the more you win the more they want the next step....it will happen at MU as well, I'm sure..."we tired of just Sweet 16's"...ugh).

He has the stereotypical good looks, etc.  No idea if it would happen, but I suspect this is one example where It's UCLA, It's UCLA would fit considering his current situation.

[mu-rara]

He was near the top of my list as well, not from a UCLA perspective but from a possibility perspective.  NCAAs 8 or the last 9 years, a Final Four, Elite 8.  Villanova fans becoming restless (this is one of the problems with fan bases, the more you win the more they want the next step....it will happen at MU as well, I'm sure..."we tired of just Sweet 16's"...ugh).

He has the stereotypical good looks, etc.  No idea if it would happen, but I suspect this is one example where It's UCLA, It's UCLA would fit considering his current situation.

And he's not called Buzz.  I guess this is important to the Bruin fans.

[ChicosBailBonds]

And he's not called Buzz.  I guess this is important to the Bruin fans.

It is to a few fans, I guess.  People get in their own world.  UCLA fans are in their bubble, just as many of our fans are.  Like I said not long ago, most people out here in California have no clue where Marquette is, may have heard of the school, and the chances of them knowing our basketball coach is extremely remote.  They are concerned about things here, not what's happening 2,000 miles away.  The same can be said about a lot of areas.