CBS Sports article on Coach K's replacement: Wojo #1 on list

[avid1010]

Chance wojo doesn't take the Duke job if offered...0% 

[Jockey]

A 3rd grader wrote that article.

My favorite line was "Wojciechowski starred at Duke, where he played from 1994-98 and earned the moniker "Wojo."


Think about that for a minute. He had to live almost 20 years before some genius thought up the nickname "Wojo".

[Lennys Tap]

Brad Stevens is one of the most secure coaches in the NBA. He's not trading that in. The only reason people ever mention him is because he's clean cut and white.

First, that's 2 reasons, not one. Second, it's BS. There are plenty of clean cut white guys coaching basketball who aren't mentioned. He's mentioned because a) it's a top job and b) he's a top coach.

[Lennys Tap]

My favorite line was "Wojciechowski starred at Duke, where he played from 1994-98 and earned the moniker "Wojo."


Think about that for a minute. He had to live almost 20 years before some genius thought up the nickname "Wojo".

And he had to EARN it, dammit!

[GGGG]

First, that's 2 reasons, not one. Second, it's BS. There are plenty of clean cut white guys coaching basketball who aren't mentioned. He's mentioned because a) it's a top job and b) he's a top coach.

Picture of Lennys

[real chili 83]

Picture of Lennys

So, you and Brew are saying Duke is racist.

#stirringthepot

[alexius23]

If offered the job....how could he possibly turn it down? Even more tha Crean to Indiana this would be an elite job. Thankless perhaps ....but a huge jump up from MU

[Lennys Tap]

Picture of Lennys

If he had his head up his ass....

[brewcity77]

So, you and Brew are saying Duke is racist.

#stirringthepot

No, I'm not saying that about Duke at all.

[real chili 83]

No, I'm not saying that about Duke at all.

No need to respond. I was gigging you. 👍

[MomofMUltiples]

If offered the job....how could he possibly turn it down? Even more tha Crean to Indiana this would be an elite job. Thankless perhaps ....but a huge jump up from MU

I think if Wojo has any sense of basketball coaching history, he'll turn it down in a heartbeat.  Historically, coaches following legends just haven't done that well, unless they have their own long and successful coaching history.  Quick, who were the coaches that followed Lute Olson, Dean Smith, Bobby Knight, John Wooden, Adolph Rupp, Al McGuire (ok, most of you know that one)?  Exactly!  Assuming that Duke thinks he has had the experience and success sufficient to take over the "elite" Blue Devils, why would Wojo want to take the job?  Especially if he's building something nice at Marquette.  The pressure to perform will be enormous, the probability of failure will be high - maybe there will be some success in the first year with K's old recruits (Tubby Smith...), if they decide to stay around rather than hitching their star to another elite coach.

Wojo is simply the most convenient answer to this question.  K's long term assistant, blah, blah, blah, Duke pedigree, blah blah blah.  My bet is that when the time comes, Duke will be looking for a proven name to replace K, and that name won't be Wojciechowski. 

ETA:  This is not to say I think Wojo will never coach at Duke.  After his 3rd natty at Marquette, and K's successor craps the bed, he'll accept the Duke job.

[Loose Cannon]

I think if Wojo has any sense of basketball coaching history, he'll turn it down in a heartbeat.  Historically, coaches following legends just haven't done that well, unless they have their own long and successful coaching history.  Quick, who were the coaches that followed Lute Olson, Dean Smith, Bobby Knight, John Wooden, Adolph Rupp, Al McGuire (ok, most of you know that one)?  Exactly!  Assuming that Duke thinks he has had the experience and success sufficient to take over the "elite" Blue Devils, why would Wojo want to take the job?  Especially if he's building something nice at Marquette.  The pressure to perform will be enormous, the probability of failure will be high - maybe there will be some success in the first year with K's old recruits (Tubby Smith...), if they decide to stay around rather than hitching their star to another elite coach.

Wojo is simply the most convenient answer to this question.  K's long term assistant, blah, blah, blah, Duke pedigree, blah blah blah.  My bet is that when the time comes, Duke will be looking for a proven name to replace K, and that name won't be Wojciechowski.

I Agree with this analysis.  I think when Coach CC was here he commented that he wouldn't be surprised if Wojo turned the Duke job down. 

[Lennys Tap]

I Agree with this analysis.  I think when Coach CC was here he commented that he wouldn't be surprised if Wojo turned the Duke job down.

Who is Coach CC?

[VegasWarrior77]

Assuming Wojo has success at MU in the coming years I think he pulls a "Roy Williams" and turns down his alma mater the first time.

[Loose Cannon]

Who is Coach CC?

Chris Carrawell

[MU82]

I wonder what Krzyewski did to earn the moniker "Coach K."

[The Lens]

Does the Duke AD have any past connections to successful basketball coaches? 

[dgies9156]

Here we go again.

Anytime we get a whiff of success, we automatically assume our coach is going elsewhere.

I've said it in the past and I'll say it again -- the Duke job is one of the most prestigious in basketball. They'll have their pick of anyone not coaching at the University of North Carolina. To assume the top candidate must be of the Coach K tree is folly. Surely the powers that be at Duke will consider the Coach K tree, but they also will consider just about anyone else they think might have a high probability of maintaining Duke as a College Basketball Blue Blood.

The road is littered with former elite programs that had coaching miscues along the way. Some, like Indiana, Marquette, Georgetown, etc., have struggled. Some like North Carolina fixed the errors of their ways while others, like UCLA, have been in and out and in national prominence. The financial implications of losing blue blood status are SO Great that most rational schools will take their time and look wherever they can to find the right leader for their basketball program.

Bottom line: If Coach K decides to hang it up and we're a Top 10 or Top 5 team, I'm sure Coach Wojo will be considered. Duke would be folly not to consider and Coach Wojo would be nuts not to listen. But a lot of you are assuming at that point he'll want to leave. There's no guarantee that if he's built something here, that if Doctor Lovell and our university make him happy and the program is humming, he might not just stay for the duration.

Don't sell us short, especially if we continue to build, we hit the Top 10 or Top 5 and we're putting 17,000 a night in the Computing Castle.

[Loose Cannon]

Does the Duke AD have any past connections to successful basketball coaches?

The only thing I know is Duke AD Kevin White's son Mike White is the current Gator coach  with stops at LA Tech, Old Miss and Jackson State.

[The Lens]

The only thing I know is Duke AD Kevin White's son Mike White is the current Gator coach  with stops at LA Tech, Old Miss and Jackson State.

Or Billy Donovan?

Who I have been saying for 10 years should be the next Duke coach. 

[MomofMUltiples]

I could see someone like Jay Wright being offered the job. And don’t tell me he’s already at his destination. People said the same about Chris Mack.

[MU82]

I could see someone like Jay Wright being offered the job. And don’t tell me he’s already at his destination. People said the same about Chris Mack.

How many national titles did Mack win at X?

Wright doesn't have to leave Nova to win titles and to make big coin.

Mack had to leave X to have a shot at titles and to make big money.

Not saying Wright wouldn't leave -- none of us know any of this crud -- but what I just said is truth.

[willie warrior]

Here we go again.

Anytime we get a whiff of success, we automatically assume our coach is going elsewhere.

I've said it in the past and I'll say it again -- the Duke job is one of the most prestigious in basketball. They'll have their pick of anyone not coaching at the University of North Carolina. To assume the top candidate must be of the Coach K tree is folly. Surely the powers that be at Duke will consider the Coach K tree, but they also will consider just about anyone else they think might have a high probability of maintaining Duke as a College Basketball Blue Blood.

The road is littered with former elite programs that had coaching miscues along the way. Some, like Indiana, Marquette, Georgetown, etc., have struggled. Some like North Carolina fixed the errors of their ways while others, like UCLA, have been in and out and in national prominence. The financial implications of losing blue blood status are SO Great that most rational schools will take their time and look wherever they can to find the right leader for their basketball program.

Bottom line: If Coach K decides to hang it up and we're a Top 10 or Top 5 team, I'm sure Coach Wojo will be considered. Duke would be folly not to consider and Coach Wojo would be nuts not to listen. But a lot of you are assuming at that point he'll want to leave. There's no guarantee that if he's built something here, that if Doctor Lovell and our university make him happy and the program is humming, he might not just stay for the duration.

Don't sell us short, especially if we continue to build, we hit the Top 10 or Top 5 and we're putting 17,000 a night in the Computing Castle.

Hope you are not referrin to last year as a "whiff of success"

[avid1010]

Here we go again.

Anytime we get a whiff of success, we automatically assume our coach is going elsewhere.

I've said it in the past and I'll say it again -- the Duke job is one of the most prestigious in basketball. They'll have their pick of anyone not coaching at the University of North Carolina. To assume the top candidate must be of the Coach K tree is folly. Surely the powers that be at Duke will consider the Coach K tree, but they also will consider just about anyone else they think might have a high probability of maintaining Duke as a College Basketball Blue Blood.

The road is littered with former elite programs that had coaching miscues along the way. Some, like Indiana, Marquette, Georgetown, etc., have struggled. Some like North Carolina fixed the errors of their ways while others, like UCLA, have been in and out and in national prominence. The financial implications of losing blue blood status are SO Great that most rational schools will take their time and look wherever they can to find the right leader for their basketball program.

Bottom line: If Coach K decides to hang it up and we're a Top 10 or Top 5 team, I'm sure Coach Wojo will be considered. Duke would be folly not to consider and Coach Wojo would be nuts not to listen. But a lot of you are assuming at that point he'll want to leave. There's no guarantee that if he's built something here, that if Doctor Lovell and our university make him happy and the program is humming, he might not just stay for the duration.

Don't sell us short, especially if we continue to build, we hit the Top 10 or Top 5 and we're putting 17,000 a night in the Computing Castle.

agree with the fact that duke can land a better coach....think of a list of coaches you believe duke could land and then tell me how many you would trade for wojo. 

don't agree with the "don't sell us short"...we aren't duke.  that's silly.  the better argument would be to not sell wojo short.  always an outside chance he goes the jay wright, mark few, etc... route...

[brewcity77]

No need to respond. I was gigging you. 👍

I know...I should've added the hashtag #grabsthespoonandstirsfaster