Getting close with Howland

[BenCat12]

UCLA finished first in the Pac 12 in offense last year, ahead of Arizona....they were in the top 20 nationally.  When he was at Northern Arizona, three straight years they led the nation in 3 point shooting.

No doubt he is a defense first coach, but to say he has no idea how to coach offense is just not accurate.

He lasted 10 years at UCLA...the longest since a guy named John Wooden.  It's a grinder out here.    If he can get back to his roots, avoid the one and done types (which killed him at UCLA), he will be fine. 

How do you feel about his ability to recruit here?  I think everyone knows he can coach, but doesn't a school like UCLA recruit itself? 

Despite your horribly misguided opinions on home court advantages in the NCAA tournament you do seem to have a good pulse on the west coast   Curious at to what you think.

[Tugg Speedman]

Bad hire if it is Howland, has no idea how to coach offense, defensive coach, boring like Bo was until this year.  From a reliable UCLA fan, it was hard watching that team with Howland as the coach.  It is a safe hire, want a younger coach, does a 56 year old man want to drive to Chicago all the time, I doubt it.  Will lose most of the recruits MU had and has no players he can talk to, to come with him as he has been out of basketball for a year, no connections in Chicago would be my guess.  Chew would have to stay on, that is for sure.  So it has to be a package deal,
love Chew and Shaka Smart, that would be a good pair to start with.

Why?  Driving to Chicago takes as much time as driving from Westwood to Compton.  LA traffic!

[BCHoopster]

UCLA finished first in the Pac 12 in offense last year, ahead of Arizona....they were in the top 20 nationally.  When he was at Northern Arizona, three straight years they led the nation in 3 point shooting.

No doubt he is a defense first coach, but to say he has no idea how to coach offense is just not accurate.

He lasted 10 years at UCLA...the longest since a guy named John Wooden.  It's a grinder out here.    If he can get back to his roots, avoid the one and done types (which killed him at UCLA), he will be fine. 

They should have done better with the talent he had and could get.  So why did he get let go from UCLA then, Bill Walton hated his style of play. Of course, what does Bill know about hoops.

[Wisco]

I think Howland will turn out to be a good hire. Wants to be in Milwaukee and has proven himself before. It seems as though the few UCLA posters who have visited this board shared the same sentiment: the "issues" Howland had there were slightly overblown.

I was told that Shaka declined to speak with Marquette. Looks like he is committed to my current institution. Win-win for me tonight.

[MuMark]

He recruited pretty damn good at Pitt.......they were a 2 seed the year we beat them in the sweet 16 with Wade.

[ChicosBailBonds]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/21823520/uclas-ben-howland-on-his-past-his-future-and-yes-bill-walton-too

[Blackhat]

Hope Howland gets some "players coaches" on his staff....seemed he had a lot of player defects toward the end.

[ChicosBailBonds]

How do you feel about his ability to recruit here?  I think everyone knows he can coach, but doesn't a school like UCLA recruit itself? 

Despite your horribly misguided opinions on home court advantages in the NCAA tournament you do seem to have a good pulse on the west coast   Curious at to what you think.

OK, I'm glad you put the  in there.  Again, home court advantage I believe in, and yesterday the Badgers had it.  They earned that spot, that's where we differ.  Oregon had the game.

OK, can he recruit.  Well, he did at tiny Northern Arizona and did to Pitt.  The thing I liked about the Pitt teams is that he won with a blue collar mentality, he can coach guys up.  I don't know if he will be able to recruit at an elite level, that remains to be seen....if he is MU's guy.  I do think whomever he is able to land, he will be able to get a lot out of them.  That is certainly the hope.

Pitt's campus is in a tougher part of Pittsburgh, campus hasn't always been great, weather not fantastic, but he was able to do it.  I suspect he will be able to at MU as well.  My bigger concern is that he is a west coast guy and will he and his wife be ok with Milwaukee (if he is the guy) for the next 10 years.  Hell, the way things are at MU, I guess 5 years is the number.

[MUfan12]

I was told that Shaka declined to speak with Marquette.

I would be floored if this was true. He may not make a move, but he'd talk.

[NotAnAlum]

How would you guys compare Howland to Steve Lavin?  Lavin had great success at UCLA as well.  However that hasn't translated into the type of success at St Johns that MU would find acceptable.  Yes he can recruit well but hasn't be able to translate that into winning.  Its so easy to get super star talent at UCLA and that can cover up weaknesses in other areas.  I want to be excited about Ben if he's the guy but the truth is Buzz has set the bar pretty high.

[nathanziarek]

I was told that Shaka declined to speak with Marquette. Looks like he is committed to my current institution. Win-win for me tonight.

Think Smart just loves VCU, or is he waiting on something else?

[BCHoopster]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/21823520/uclas-ben-howland-on-his-past-his-future-and-yes-bill-walton-too

Read that article and you wonder how Ben would love walking to Lake Michigan when it is 10 below zero, talk about a culture shock after living in LA for 12 years or so.  My brother lives in the Palisades and calls me everyday telling me I am nuts, I guess I am but I was born and raised here.

[forgetful]

Think Smart just loves VCU, or is he waiting on something else?

I wouldn't be shocked if he is hoping for Georgetown to eventually open up.  If he likes the DC area, could make sense.

[Tugg Speedman]

OK, I'm glad you put the  in there.  Again, home court advantage I believe in, and yesterday the Badgers had it.  They earned that spot, that's where we differ.  Oregon had the game.

OK, can he recruit.  Well, he did at tiny Northern Arizona and did to Pitt.  The thing I liked about the Pitt teams is that he won with a blue collar mentality, he can coach guys up.  I don't know if he will be able to recruit at an elite level, that remains to be seen....if he is MU's guy.  I do think whomever he is able to land, he will be able to get a lot out of them.  That is certainly the hope.

Pitt's campus is in a tougher part of Pittsburgh, campus hasn't always been great, weather not fantastic, but he was able to do it.  I suspect he will be able to at MU as well.  My bigger concern is that he is a west coast guy and will he and his wife be ok with Milwaukee (if he is the guy) for the next 10 years.  Hell, the way things are at MU, I guess 5 years is the number.

He wants back in and he knows the jobs are Wake Forest or MU.  He said he wants MU.  

If he really wanted to stay in LA, wait another year and USC will fire Andy Enfield.  He's not.

[ChicosBailBonds]

They should have done better with the talent he had and could get.  So why did he get let go from UCLA then, Bill Walton hated his style of play. Of course, what does Bill know about hoops.

Bill is an opinionated guy.  He gets restless with every coach at UCLA, this isn't the first and it won't be the last.  It is how he is. 

Should have done better...maybe.  UCLA fans always think that, just as Duke fans can't believe they are out in the first game two of the last three years.  UNC not going to the Sweet 16 after going to the NIT only 3 years ago.  So on and so forth.

In his 10 years, four Pac 10 \ 12 titles.  Two runner-ups.  Three Final fours.  At Pittsburgh, two Big East titles after being 11th his first year, then 5th.  Not bad. 

He got really hurt when Kevin Love and the rest of them left early.  That was part of the downhill.  He had a really good class 2 years ago that won the Pac 12 last year and is currently playing in Sweet 16 right now. I have no doubt if Howland was still coaching this year, they would be doing quite well. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Hope Howland gets some "players coaches" on his staff....seemed he had a lot of player defects toward the end.

Buzz was a players coach, a transfer or 2 almost every year.

[DCWarriors04]

rumored that Howland will be announced tomorrow...IF true, it will be a GREAT way to start the week after the way last week went

[warriorchick]

I wouldn't be shocked if he is hoping for Georgetown to eventually open up.  If he likes the DC area, could make sense.

If the team gets worse, they will take much longer to get rid of JTIII than they probably should.  It's the whole Joey Meyer syndrome.

[BenCat12]

Bill is an opinionated guy.  He gets restless with every coach at UCLA, this isn't the first and it won't be the last.  It is how he is. 

Should have done better...maybe.  UCLA fans always think that, just as Duke fans can't believe they are out in the first game two of the last three years.  UNC not going to the Sweet 16 after going to the NIT only 3 years ago.  So on and so forth.

In his 10 years, four Pac 10 \ 12 titles.  Two runner-ups.  Three Final fours.  At Pittsburgh, two Big East titles after being 11th his first year, then 5th.  Not bad. 

He got really hurt when Kevin Love and the rest of them left early.  That was part of the downhill.  He had a really good class 2 years ago that won the Pac 12 last year and is currently playing in Sweet 16 right now. I have no doubt if Howland was still coaching this year, they would be doing quite well. 

Thanks for the insight.  But here is one for you.....how does he compare to Crean?

[Wisco]

Think Smart just loves VCU, or is he waiting on something else?

My guy tells me that he is truly happy here and would only bolt if it was a blue blood at this point. Nothing against Marquette obviously.

Shaka has never gotten further than just talking to a school over the phone. As many on here know, he was offered by the likes of UCLA, Minnesota, Illinois, USC and NC State. He has never physically stepped foot on any of those campuses to have discussions though. VCU has always met his demands.

I've been told that he wasn't quite as happy with the program his first few years but now that things are rolling with our practice facility and his budget demands have been met, along with the fact that he has an incredible relationship with our AD, president and fans, he is here until Duke et al. come calling.

[ChicosBailBonds]

How would you guys compare Howland to Steve Lavin?  Lavin had great success at UCLA as well.  However that hasn't translated into the type of success at St Johns that MU would find acceptable.  Yes he can recruit well but hasn't be able to translate that into winning.  Its so easy to get super star talent at UCLA and that can cover up weaknesses in other areas.  I want to be excited about Ben if he's the guy but the truth is Buzz has set the bar pretty high.

Steve's coaching ability has never been confused with Ben's.  Lavin won one conference title, when he inherited Jim Harrick's team. Great recruiter, but had some absolutely monster losses....like 30 to 40 point losses that had alumni freaking out here on the coast.  He was one of those guys that got hot in the NCAAs where he was 10-1 in the early rounds, but during the regular season it wasn't always pretty. 

I like Lav, nice guy and I've had the pleasure to deal with him on a few things.  Very engaging personality, but I would put Ben as a better coach as I think just about 95% of UCLA fans would as well.

[mechaghidorah]

Howland is obviously a good game coach, but I've heard that he pretty much wants nothing to do with alumni or the students.

My first choice would have been Marshall, but Howland would be next.

[Tugg Speedman]

My guy tells me that he is truly happy here and would only bolt if it was a blue blood at this point. Nothing against Marquette obviously.

Shaka has never gotten further than just talking to a school over the phone. As many on here know, he was offered by the likes of UCLA, Minnesota, Illinois, USC and NC State. He has never physically stepped foot on any of those campuses to have discussions though. VCU has always met his demands.

I've been told that he wasn't quite as happy with the program his first few years but now that things are rolling with our practice facility and his budget demands have been met, along with the fact that he has an incredible relationship with our AD, president and fans, he is here until Duke et al. come calling.

When K goes, that will be a doonybrook ... John Dawkins, Shaka, Amaker, others ... who is the early leader?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Read that article and you wonder how Ben would love walking to Lake Michigan when it is 10 below zero, talk about a culture shock after living in LA for 12 years or so.  My brother lives in the Palisades and calls me everyday telling me I am nuts, I guess I am but I was born and raised here.

Yup, that is a concern, but he could stay here and coach at Pepperdine, Long Beach, UCI, LMU, USC, etc if it mattered to him to stay.  He can comeback to the coast, but there is certainly a difference.  I tell my relatives they are nuts, but then 10 seconds later I say I'm nuts for putting up with everything else this f'd state has to offer so it goes both ways.

[VegasWarrior77]

Paint Touches ‏@PaintTouches  1m
Am told there's "no truth" to Marquette and Ben Howland being close to finishing a deal. #mubb