Martin ends up getting the job

[MUfan12]

Howland is the college version of Scott Skiles. Very strong, defensive minded coach. Kind of an ass. Can he still recruit without the UCLA name? I have my doubts there.

I guess I look at it this way... who is more likely to retain players, and relate to recruits? To me, that's Martin.

[MUSF]

If we could forget about the prestige aspect, Wardle is a no brainer IMO. He would give it 110% and he's well liked amongst everybody...but he's not a sexy hire.

I don't think anything about Wardle makes him a nobrainer. He's had a decent run at a much lesser school. Handing him the reins at MU would be like making a guy that runs a successful microbrewery the CEO of Miller.

If he gets the job it will be a risky hire. He could turn out to be the real deal, but right now he is hardly a nobrainer.

[mattyv1908]

I don't think anything about Wardle makes him a nobrainer. He's had a decent run at a much lesser school. Handing him the reins at MU would be like making a guy that runs a successful microbrewery the CEO of Miller.

If he gets the job it will be a risky hire. He could turn out to be the real deal, but right now he is hardly a nobrainer.

Bad analogy.  Almost any guy running a microbrew would improve The Miller Brewing Co's product.

That said, I don't want Wardle.

[chapman]

Let's not forget that it seems that this hire is more about program "prestige" than coaching abilities.

Martin is probably the best bet right now, because he's got a great record and also from a big SEC school. People like Howland because he's from UCLA but totally forget about his slow playing style and questionable coaching habits.

If we could forget about the prestige aspect, Wardle is a no brainer IMO. He would give it 110% and he's well liked amongst everybody...but he's not a sexy hire.

We are all hoping this hire will elevate Marquette's (and the BE) status, so I say Martin is the best of both worlds.

The opposite is true of all of the above.

[MarqLaw]

The opposite is true of all of the above.

Seconded, except I kind of hope we get Martin. It seems like the administration doesn't want Howland for some reason, and since I cannot affect their decision, I may as well get on board.

[MU B2002]

I think the only way I could make peace with a hire like Wardle, is if we had a proven recruiter on his staff like a Jerrance Howard type guy, but obviously that would never happen.

[Tums Festival]

Howland's last class at Pitt was ranked $9 in the country by Rivals. He also brought Brandon Knight, Karl Krauser and Julius Page into that program. Shows he's had recruiting success outside of UCLA. There's no evidence he can't relate HS players. People on this board are trying to talk themselves into that, just like they're trying to make themselves OK with a Cuonzo Martin hiring.

[Litehouse]

I'm not totally sure of that, I think Tony Bennett is #2.

Bennett is making $1.8M plus bonus incentives.  If we're offering over $3M I suppose he might be poachable.  I doubt it happens, but that would be a huge impact hire.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2014/03/24/virginia-coach-tony-bennett-bonus-money/6843981/

[thekahoona]

Howland's last class at Pitt was ranked #9 in the country by Rivals. He also brought Brandon Knight, Karl Krauser and Julius Page into that program. Shows he's had recruiting success outside of UCLA. There's no evidence he can't relate HS players. People on this board are trying to talk themselves into that, just like they're trying to make themselves OK with a Cuonzo Martin hiring.

I prefer Howland as well, but how many years ago was that? What worked then might not work now... Having said that, I still think Howland's ability to develop players into NBA guys is the next turn of the crank for the MU program.

[willie warrior]

While not my first choice:

1.  Great KenPom numbers indicate he does have some X and O ability

2. Has relationships with our current recruits and targets may provide some level of stability with more certainty than our previous hire

3.  Wants to be here

How the hell do you know he wants to be here? People said that about Smart--until he didn't.

[MUEng92]

The opposite is true of all of the above.

Having 4000+ posts, I would think you would have grasped the concept of the long winded, personal attack diatribe style of post.  If everyone here starts posting so efficiently, we will have twice as much server space available and I will waste half as much time on this website.

[Groin_pull]

Howland's last class at Pitt was ranked $9 in the country by Rivals. He also brought Brandon Knight, Karl Krauser and Julius Page into that program. Shows he's had recruiting success outside of UCLA. There's no evidence he can't relate HS players. People on this board are trying to talk themselves into that, just like they're trying to make themselves OK with a Cuonzo Martin hiring.

Well, Howland isn't happening, so I'm trying to move on. Martin seems like the guy.

[bradley center bat]

Alot of damage might have been done by Bill Walton and the SI story on Ben Howland.

[Keeyan Half Court Dunks]

Could their bad year up until their last ditch effort to get into the tourney be considered a statistical anomaly given their strong KenPom numbers? (Top 25 in both offense and defense)

[jt92]

You people are nuts!  He a marginal recruiter at best Martin is. Just what we need.

[marquetteff03]

Jeff Goodman tweeted that the "mystery candidate" is now out of the tourney.

So it's either Bennett or Martin. Erase Stephens name from the list. Obvious clues are Martin as this thread suggests. He didn't say he had a source!

[Groin_pull]

You people are nuts!  He a marginal recruiter at best Martin is. Just what we need.

No one is doing cartwheels. Just looking for positives. This could be the guy.

[miggs0721]

Jeff Goodman tweeted that the "mystery candidate" is now out of the tourney.

So it's either Bennett or Martin. Erase Stephens name from the list. Obvious clues are Martin as this thread suggests. He didn't say he had a source!

Where is the tweet, I don't see it anywhere???

[marquetteff03]

Just go to @GoodmanESPN. It's the 3rd most recent tweet in response to a question.

https://twitter.com/goodmanespn/status/449780685687894016

[MUEng92]

Where is the tweet, I don't see it anywhere???

It is a reply to an #mubb question someone asked him. His reply doesn't actually refer directly to #mubb.  Took a minute for me to find it too.

[marquetteff03]

Apologies....if I learned anything this week I should name and include "my source" #donedeal

[miggs0721]

Got it, thanks a lot.  Still can't figure that it would be Tony Bennett, has to be Cuonzo.  Who knows at this point???

[cheebs09]

No one is doing cartwheels. Just looking for positives. This could be the guy.

Exactly. He isn't going to fire up the fan base and students like Shaka. He would be a risk, but almost everyone is except an Izzo or Coach K type. I was excited for Shaka because I thought he'd be able to pull in a lot of top shelf recruits, his hiring would make a statement, and he'd be a lot of fun to have here. However, I'm not convinced he's a better X's and O's coach than Martin.

MU basketball is my favorite sports team and I want them to be as successful as possible, so if we have a coach that looks likely, I'm going to try and find the positives that show he can take it to the next level. Frankly, I see a lot of positives with Martin. The big knock seems to be his recruiting so far, but he had offers out to JuJuan Johnson and Ahmed Hill. He was a part of Looney's finalists. I believe he's been recruiting Diamond Stone.

He got Jarnell Stokes to Tennessee. He has some good recruits. Hubbs is a five star on Scout. Cofer I think is a 4 star in some places. He and his assistants have very strong Midwest ties, much  more than the south. With Marquette's recruiting recources, I think his recruiting could greatly improve. Also, now he has a Sweet Sixteen to sell, and they were one possession away from the Elite Eight.

[marquetteff03]

Yes I agree, deductive reasoning....Bennett said no last time while at WSU and has since moved to a higher profile gig at a better school in a better conference where he has been successful. Doesn't add up. But what do I know.
If I had to guess they talk to Martin and either announce him Monday afternoon or move to Wardle by Wed.

No sources, I use logic.

[NavinRJohnson]

Could also be Johnny Dawkins. Don't know if any Pitino assistants are possible, Hoiberg not likely, but now out. Cuonzo appears the likely candidate, but my gut has been screaming at me about Johnny Dawkins.