Coach K's Seat

[warriorjoe]

Tough afternoon for Coach K, but he should be fine. Over 1,000 wins, five national titles, Hall of Fame. He will probably win one more championship in the next two years and then call it a career. It is a little premature at this point to say who will succeed him. He will be asked for a recommendation from Duke's AD, but will not choose a successor. My guess is that the man who would be king of Duke will come from outside the Blue Devil family. I would not be surprised to see Mike Brey lined up outside Cameron Indoor Stadium to vie for the job. I think a coach outside the Coach K tree will get it. Someone like Brad Stevens of the Celtics. Who knows? But it is fun to speculate.

Go Warriors!

[MU82]

Someone like Brad Stevens of the Celtics.

Why? He can make as much money as he wants with the Celtics. He has smart, supportive management. When healthy, his team can contend for titles. He doesn't have to recruit. He doesn't have to follow Coach K.

I know you were only using Stevens as an example, but I don't see what the attraction would be. Everything Duke can offer, he has it in Boston - and more.

[warriorjoe]

The NBA lifestyle is not conducive to raising a young family, especially in an unforgiving sports town like Boston. It has been said that the NBA is where college coaches go to die. And there are even a couple of Hall of Famers who experienced that (Calipari and Pitino). He is making a great paycheck, but what price can he place on his peace of mind and that of his family? Now, I have not heard whether the pressure of the job is getting to him, but he may at some point decide that he wants to go back to being a college coach, even with the high stakes game of recruiting.

What was impressive to me (and seemingly to Coach K) was that he was able to take a mid-major program to the NCAA Finals two straight years, with talent that was not at Duke's level. And at a school where academics are also prized.

After Duke's escape in its championship final against Butler, I watched Coach K talk to Stevens for a longer time than most opposing coaches linger in the handshake line. It looked to me like he was taking the time to compliment what Stevens had accomplished and how he did it. Coach K was impressed.

Coach K is close to Chris Collins, Wojo, Quin Snyder, Jeff Capel, Johnny Dawkins, Mike Brey and many of the others who have played and/or coached for him. Obviously, he does not want to play favorites with any of those former players/assistant coaches. So, he will probably not recommend any of them.

But I do think he would recommend Stevens. Now, who knows what may happen with the Celtics or Stevens. The vicissitudes of the NBA, especially in relation to coaches, are perilous. The players, owners and fans are mercurial, and it is a lot easier to get rid of a coach than it is a team.

In the meantime, I see Coach K retiring from the game with his sixth national title in the 2018-19 season. At that point he will be 72 and ready to call it a career.

Go Warriors!

Go Warriors! 

[VegasWarrior77]

Don't forget Bobby Hurley. One of coach K's favorites and he could have a final four team this season. He might be the coach who replaces the coach who replaced K.

[rocket surgeon]

mark few?? 

[warriorjoe]

I guess we will all find out soon enough. In the meantime, let's enjoy Wojo and what he is doing for MU.

Go Warriors!

[MU82]

The NBA lifestyle is not conducive to raising a young family, especially in an unforgiving sports town like Boston. It has been said that the NBA is where college coaches go to die. And there are even a couple of Hall of Famers who experienced that (Calipari and Pitino). He is making a great paycheck, but what price can he place on his peace of mind and that of his family? Now, I have not heard whether the pressure of the job is getting to him, but he may at some point decide that he wants to go back to being a college coach, even with the high stakes game of recruiting.

What was impressive to me (and seemingly to Coach K) was that he was able to take a mid-major program to the NCAA Finals two straight years, with talent that was not at Duke's level. And at a school where academics are also prized.

After Duke's escape in its championship final against Butler, I watched Coach K talk to Stevens for a longer time than most opposing coaches linger in the handshake line. It looked to me like he was taking the time to compliment what Stevens had accomplished and how he did it. Coach K was impressed.

Coach K is close to Chris Collins, Wojo, Quin Snyder, Jeff Capel, Johnny Dawkins, Mike Brey and many of the others who have played and/or coached for him. Obviously, he does not want to play favorites with any of those former players/assistant coaches. So, he will probably not recommend any of them.

But I do think he would recommend Stevens. Now, who knows what may happen with the Celtics or Stevens. The vicissitudes of the NBA, especially in relation to coaches, are perilous. The players, owners and fans are mercurial, and it is a lot easier to get rid of a coach than it is a team.

In the meantime, I see Coach K retiring from the game with his sixth national title in the 2018-19 season. At that point he will be 72 and ready to call it a career.

Go Warriors!

Go Warriors!

Many coaches who have done both prefer the NBA because they do not have to lie to 18-year-olds' mothers. In other words, no recruiting. It's a breath of fresh air to them. Plus, they get to work with the best players in the world.

But yes, there are those who prefer college because it's their own fiefdom. They literally are the BMOC.

Have you heard something about Stevens' family having a tough time in Boston? Maybe they love it.

You wanna talk about "unforgiving," just try coaching in Durham, Chapel Hill, Lexington, Lawrence, Bloomington, Westwood, etc, and NOT succeeding. Even the likes of Champaign, Austin, Tallahassee - and Milwaukee! Or you could succeed but not succeed quite enough - ask Joe B. Hall, who was never truly loved in Lexington.

College towns are much more of a "closed community." Don't succeed enough and there sometimes are death threats.

I don't know Stevens well enough - and I'm pretty sure you don't, either - to know what he'd prefer, long-term.

But if I've got a great NBA job in a great sports city for an iconic franchise with supportive ownership and a GM who knows how to build a roster, I ain't leaving to go to any college job.

[warriorjoe]

No, I don't know Stevens and what he may or may not be going through. It is just a statement on my part that raising a family in an NBA lifestyle is probably not conducive for a family man like Stevens. And previous college coaches have not thrived or survived in the NBA coaching environment, mainly because the pro game is a players' game. The college game is a coach's game. Where they have much more control. Sure, there is plenty of pressure in high Division 1 college towns, but not like the pressure in the NBA. We will see who gets the Duke job when Coach K calls it a career. Let's enjoy Wojo and what he is doing in Milwaukee.

Go Warriors!

[warriorchick]

No, I don't know Stevens and what he may or may not be going through. It is just a statement on my part that raising a family in an NBA lifestyle is probably not conducive for a family man like Stevens. And previous college coaches have not thrived or survived in the NBA coaching environment, mainly because the pro game is a players' game. The college game is a coach's game. Where they have much more control. Sure, there is plenty of pressure in high Division 1 college towns, but not like the pressure in the NBA. We will see who gets the Duke job when Coach K calls it a career. Let's enjoy Wojo and what he is doing in Milwaukee.

Go Warriors!

And being a college coach is conducive to raising a family?  I am sure that Wojo and his peers work 80+ hours a week 52 weeks a year and spend a third to one half of their nights away from home.  Sounds like the perfect job for a family man.

[naginiF]

And being a college coach is conducive to raising a family?  I am sure that Wojo and his peers work 80+ hours a week 52 weeks a year and spend a third to one half of their nights away from home.  Sounds like the perfect job for a family man.

It wasn't that long ago a guy/gal could make a few million a year AND have good work:life balance. 

[MU82]

And being a college coach is conducive to raising a family?  I am sure that Wojo and his peers work 80+ hours a week 52 weeks a year and spend a third to one half of their nights away from home.  Sounds like the perfect job for a family man.

Exactly.

[brewcity77]

And being a college coach is conducive to raising a family?  I am sure that Wojo and his peers work 80+ hours a week 52 weeks a year and spend a third to one half of their nights away from home.  Sounds like the perfect job for a family man.

This exactly. If anything, college is worse for a family because you spend your off-season at recruiting events. In the pros, they have scouts for that.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Bobby Hurley's stock for replacing Coach K went up a lot this week.  After last year, I would have put Collins up there as the likeliest target.  In any event, I don't see Wojo being a favorite - at present - due to the success of other Duke alumni/Coach K assistants in comparison to Wojo.  Wojo has done fine here, no doubt - but others have reached higher levels of success. 

Brey will not be considered, IMO.  He is a lifer at ND. 

Others to be considered will be Tommy Amaker, Johnny Dawkins, and Jeff Capel.

[MU82]

Bobby Hurley's stock for replacing Coach K went up a lot this week.  After last year, I would have put Collins up there as the likeliest target.  In any event, I don't see Wojo being a favorite - at present - due to the success of other Duke alumni/Coach K assistants in comparison to Wojo.  Wojo has done fine here, no doubt - but others have reached higher levels of success. 

Brey will not be considered, IMO.  He is a lifer at ND. 

Others to be considered will be Tommy Amaker, Johnny Dawkins, and Jeff Capel.

Seriously, aside from Brey, which K proteges have reached "higher levels of success" than Wojo?

Amaker, Dawkins and Capel are all borderline. Each got fired at least once for not  being successful enough. At best, Collins and Hurley get "incompletes" - as does Wojo.

All 5 of those might be better choices than Wojo, but none is a slam dunk based on accomplishments so far.

[OhioGoldenEagle]

We're really discussing "Coach K's Seat"???

Next

[warriorchick]

We're really discussing "Coach K's Seat"???

Next

It's all part of the Circle of Scoop:

Lose a game -- Call for Wojo's firing.

Win a game -- Worry that Wojo will be hired away.

[Goose]

Wojo is not being hired away anytime soon, nor is he getting fired anytime soon. At this point, I would Wojo will be candidate for exactly zero jobs at the end of this season. Not a rip on him, just he is a work in progress.

[Galway Eagle]

Wojo is not being hired away anytime soon, nor is he getting fired anytime soon. At this point, I would Wojo will be candidate for exactly zero jobs at the end of this season. Not a rip on him, just he is a work in progress.

Maybe nowhere that could take him away from us but I'm confident a mid major would hire him in a second.

[Loose Cannon]

Maybe nowhere that could take him away from us but I'm confident a mid major would hire him in a second.

Agree.

[Goose]

I sure as hell hope a mid major would not think a MU coach was available and try and hire him. I assumed that was understood in my post.

[Galway Eagle]

I sure as hell hope a mid major would not think a MU coach was available and try and hire him. I assumed that was understood in my post.

It is was not. Glad we cleared that up.

Edit: read your post wrong initially my bad. 

[4everwarriors]

Why wee all concerned over all deez coach's asses, hey?

[Goose]

4ever

Not much concern on my front.

[MU82]

I'm not "concerned" about anything.

It's a topic of discussion, and I have discussed.

[GB Warrior]

I will never buy another vehicle without heated seats, and I believe all seats should have the option of being hot.