MU admin flying to Richmond today

[mu03eng]

Why is MU busting its collective @ss to land someone who clearly needs a ton of convincing to come here when there is a more highly accomplished candidate, with a long-term track record of success and putting players in the NBA, openly saying he WANTS to be at Marquette?

Oh...and this candidate already did his dance at the "blue blood" school, has a chip on his shoulder from the way it ended, and is highly unlikely (in my opinion) to want to go down that road again, meaning he doesn't view MU as a stepping stone job.  How is THIS not the most attractive prospect?

Anyone?

Who says Howland is even still an option from either his side or ours?  I'd be fine with Howland but keep in mind he has some UCLA baggage, and if the reports are to believed their was baggage left over for Buzz and MU with the Halloween issue....do we want to co-mingle those baggages?  Not saying we shouldn't but it's not cut and dry.

[mug644]

Flight aware shows this over Richmond.

Except that's Boston. Maybe that's the 'neutral' location? Lovell is flying there to meet Shaka and Cords is flying there (separately of course) to meet Howland.

It makes sense, I mean Doc coached in Boston, right?

[THRILLHO]

No benefit to signing last year, he made several million NOT to coach.   Pure business decision

And I believe that if he got hired then UCLA didn't have to pay his buyout so by not taking another job he was able to stick it to them a bit. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

You guys are totally right, no one outside a tight circle at MU knows with certainty what is going on.

I formed my opinion, and it's just that, an opinion, based on what Smart has done over the last few years while flirting with other offers and what has transpired this go-round with MU.  Again, much of this is based on speculation.  I give you that.

That said, Howland flat out said he wanted to be here.  That appears to be fact.  It gets back to my first post, when a guy who made his bones at UCLA stacking up THREE final fours and he WANTS to be here...  Man, hard not to jump at that.

I have faith MU will get this right and I do respect the process.  I just don't understand the process from my seat outside looking in.

Kind of agree with this at this point. If he has done this flirtation process with multiple schools... and seems to be doing it here... do we want a guy who might be hyper prone to flirting with other schools, could be a(nother) prima dona. On the other hand, a guy with 3 FF's wants to be here and we sit on that? Seems odd.

[Hards Alumni]

No benefit to signing last year, he made several million NOT to coach.   Pure business decision

Well aside from keeping his ear to the ground, staying up on recruits etc.

I get keeping the money, but taking a year off is kind of like taking a year off from college.

[Ari Gold]

There are no direct flights from Mitchel, Timmerman, Waukesha or Dane and Norfolk or Richmond Airfields.
4 flights between Chicago area airports and Richmond however
https://flightaware.com/

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

If there's one thing I'll take away from this coaching search it's that there are A LOT of loose lips on our Board.

[LastWarrior]

There are no direct flights from Mitchel, Timmerman, Waukesha or Dane and Norfolk or Richmond Airfields.
4 flights between Chicago area airports and Richmond however
https://flightaware.com/

I believe someone last night said that if the tail number is hidden, you can't track the flight via flightaware.  Apparently Strong's personal jet has it's tail number hidden.

[denverMU]

There is interest in Howland. There *may* be someone we are more interested in than Howland, but less than Shaka.

.....and He may be coaching Friday night!

[Warriors10]

There are no direct flights from Mitchel, Timmerman, Waukesha or Dane and Norfolk or Richmond Airfields.
4 flights between Chicago area airports and Richmond however
https://flightaware.com/

The only thing I am certain about this whole thing is that if the administration was flying out there they would be taking a private jet and therefore wouldn't show up on this.

[Windyplayer]

The Minnesota process was very different. The administration put a tight lid on communications and it was mostly wild/certain speculation Shaka would come because of his relationship with AD Norwood Teague. It was clear pretty fast that Shaka wasn't coming. Then radio silence for like three weeks. And then They announced - Richard Pitino. Who hasn't turned out to be that bad a coach, despite the fact that he looks like a student manager.  I predict five years from now he'll be the new Shaka, and the blue bloods will come calling.

...AND extorion-hungry tramps?

[TVDirector]

ahhh, that's a cutout of doc...
check the easel-like legs behind 'him'.
sheeesh.

[mu03eng]

Kind of agree with this at this point. If he has done this flirtation process with multiple schools... and seems to be doing it here... do we want a guy who might be hyper prone to flirting with other schools, could be a(nother) prima dona. On the other hand, a guy with 3 FF's wants to be here and we sit on that? Seems odd.

Again, keep in mind this is not JUST about basketball for MU.  Yes, basketball is a huge focal part but as the out reach arm of the larger vision.  Part of the incompatibility it seems with Buzz was him not being on board with whatever the new vision is.  So if we understand the new vision(some of which is revealed with the new prez) we get an idea of what the coaching hire will look like.  I don't know that Howland fits that vision

[🏀]

There are no direct flights from Mitchel, Timmerman, Waukesha or Dane and Norfolk or Richmond Airfields.
4 flights between Chicago area airports and Richmond however
https://flightaware.com/

Batten?

[bean]

Yesterday VCU assistant Mike Rhoades' introductory press conference as the new head coach at Rice was delayed to today due to "mechanical" issues with his flight.  Today the "powers that be at Marquette" are flying into Richmond to meet with Smart.

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think they are related.  Wouldn't VCU want to retain Rhoades if Smart left?

[mu03eng]

If there's one thing I'll take away from this coaching search it's that there are A LOT of loose lips on our Board.

Dunno, the leaks here have been about as bad as the leaks in the Penn State James Franklin, if not a little better than that.....this is the internet age and the new norm....twitter didn't exist the last time we went through this process we must respect.

[drewm88]

.....and He may be coaching Friday night!

We're flattered, Mr. Calipari, but we won't be needing your services at Marquette.

[NavinRJohnson]

ahhh, that's a cutout of doc...
check the easel-like legs behind 'him'.
sheeesh.

OMG, I hope you're joking.

[RyanConroy]

Yesterday VCU assistant Mike Rhoades' introductory press conference as the new head coach at Rice was delayed to today due to "mechanical" issues with his flight.  Today the "powers that be at Marquette" are flying into Richmond to meet with Smart.

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think they are related.  Wouldn't VCU want to retain Rhoades if Smart left?

He got in and met with his new team late last night.

[bean]

He got in and met with his new team late last night.

Okay, thanks for the info.  I'll move on to my next conspiracy. 

[Jet915]

He got in and met with his new team late last night.

I just can't imagine Shaka letting his associate head coach leave for Rice if he had any inkling of leaving VCU.

[Aughnanure]

Okay, thanks for the info.  I'll move on to my next conspiracy. 

There is no Rice basketball team....

[RyanConroy]

I just can't imagine Shaka letting his associate head coach leave for Rice if he had any inkling of leaving VCU.

Agreed, but maybe Rhoades wanted a challenge. You never know.

[Windyplayer]

I just can't imagine Shaka letting his associate head coach leave for Rice if he had any inkling of leaving VCU.

Arguments cut both ways for that.

[WadeATKBurton]

This