Has anyone heard anything about upcoming interviews?

[JakeBarnes]

*fart noise* Tony Bennet lost to UMBC and kept his job.  Sometimes your team is just bad for a game, or gets caught with their pants down.

Texas is such a strange place.  They won't be happy unless they're in the E8 every year.  And not even fans at blue bloods expect that sort of thing.  They're a bunch of unrealistic dipsticks that thinks money can buy them wins.  If they want wins, they should be banging down Mr. Pitino's door.  He is a perfect fit for those ten-gallon hat wearing nutcases.

Right. But this is why you try to steal their coach in one of those instances.

[dw3dw3dw3]

I would think the discussion is more nuanced than 7 million or 0 if Shaka is indeed an option. If he's got 2 years at 3.5 sort of guaranteed with a 7 mill buyout today, the math for marquette is difficult. Shaka could stay and get paid for the next year at least, wait and get fired and and pocket 7M (then wait out a season for another opening since there's probably some claw back in there) or if he does jump now, at what price. Are the donors willing to do a 17-20M contract for 5 years otherwise it might not make sense for him to ask out.  On the other hand, if Texas settles and gives him 2-3M no strings attached, that might be more palatable for everyone.

[Blackhat]

Has MU ever hired a coach that was just fired by another school?  Seems kind of like a low standard to me.

I don't know if you can beat the resources and talent area than Texas.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I don't think Texas would be behind the 8-ball too much. They will be going after a more accomplished coach than most schools with openings. They might target Beard or even Buzz. They have the $$$ to pay that buyout, and the name recognition to have that coach be interested. Or even Beilein. And IIRC, they don't have to convince their top players to stay, like Marquette does; their guys are seniors or are going pro.

What is, "Things Texas thought when firing Rick Barnes"?

As for your second paragraph, TAMU, didn't you talk earlier about an entire body of work? Maybe Texas looks at sub-.500 career B12 record, 4 losing conference records in 6 seasons, zero NCAAT wins in 6 seasons, all capped by a humiliating loss to a vastly inferior team, and says, "It's time."

If a Big 12 championship and a 3 seed wasn't enough to earn him another year, they should have fired him last season. Shaka had a very good year this year despite the first round exit.

I mean, if you had an opening, and unlimited $$$, and you were given the choice today between Smart and Beard, who would you hire?

Oh Beard no question (assuming no hidden skeletons). I just don't see him leaving Tech. I could certainly be wrong, but the new world order seems to be that once you get a P6 job, you stay there if you're happy. There will be exceptions like Buzz or when a Blue blood comes open, but I don't think we will see a lot of P6 schools poaching coaches from other P6 schools unless the coach is running from their current job (like Shaka would be doing).

[Hards Alumni]

Has MU ever hired a coach that was just fired by another school?  Seems kind of like a low standard to me.

I don't know if you can beat the resources and talent area than Texas.

But they have unrealistic expectations.

[Blackhat]

Texas is such a strange place.  They won't be happy unless they're in the E8 every year.  And not even fans at blue bloods expect that sort of thing.  They're a bunch of unrealistic dipsticks that thinks money can buy them wins.  If they want wins, they should be banging down Mr. Pitino's door.  He is a perfect fit for those ten-gallon hat wearing nutcases.

I generally find blanket statements about 50 plus million people hard to believe.

[cheebs09]

TAMU, would you say that despite their resources, Texas is a difficult place to win?

Since around 2005, they seem to be trying to recapture their magic. I think a favorite meme of mine is the "Is Texas back?" whenever they have a small amount of success. They've seemingly have had good coaches go there and struggle in both football and basketball.

[Hards Alumni]

I generally find blanket statements about 50 plus million people hard to believe.

Their boosters and alumni.  Not the whole state.

I thought that was obvious, sorry.

[79Warrior]

Also heard those were the four interviews and Shaka and Porter stood out.
But that stuns me to hear that Gates would have a so-so interview, he seems like a guy that would absolutely thrive in an interview setting.

So you really think Porter interviewed? There is so much BS flying around its not funny.

[JakeBarnes]

https://twitter.com/RumorsCoach/status/1374809718229729285

Because we love the idea of hilarious internet rumors. That scenario would be WILD.

For those not willing to click:
Shaka to MU
Cal to UT
Beard to UK

[cheebs09]

https://twitter.com/RumorsCoach/status/1374809718229729285

Because we love the idea of hilarious internet rumors. That scenario would be WILD.

For those not willing to click:
Shaka to MU
Cal to UT
Beard to UK

That would be wild. I don't know why Cal would go to Texas and Texas not just hire Beard.

[JakeBarnes]

That would be wild. I don't know why Cal would go to Texas and Texas not just hire Beard.

No idea, but I love how bizarre the above situation is.

[Galway Eagle]

https://twitter.com/RumorsCoach/status/1374809718229729285

Because we love the idea of hilarious internet rumors. That scenario would be WILD.

For those not willing to click:
Shaka to MU
Cal to UT
Beard to UK

I feel like we're getting the short end of the stick here

[Hards Alumni]

Why on earth would Cal leave Kentucky for Texas?   ayiyiyi

[brewcity77]

So you really think Porter interviewed? There is so much BS flying around its not funny.

Why not? If Loyola wants to keep a happy working relationship and you know he'll interview after the season ends, why not let him expedite the process? In addition, it sounds like things are very boring in Indy, so there's plenty of time to get in a Zoom.

If he gets the job, LUC can start making arrangements for where they go next, if he doesn't, they keep him happy by letting him take his shot. As an employer, not much downside to letting him interview now as opposed to 2 weeks from now.

[The Sultan]

TAMU, would you say that despite their resources, Texas is a difficult place to win?

Since around 2005, they seem to be trying to recapture their magic. I think a favorite meme of mine is the "Is Texas back?" whenever they have a small amount of success. They've seemingly have had good coaches go there and struggle in both football and basketball.

I think there are a couple of things working against Texas in basketball.  There is this image that the largest public university in Texas is going to be a natural school to consider for the best players in Texas - kind of like UW-Madison in Wisconsin.  But that's not the case.  A lot of people in Texas have no connection to UT and Austin is just as far away as Oklahoma...or Houston...   So I don't think it is necessarily a natural fit for instate talent.

And its not as though they have a long and deep tradition.  The Final Four they went to in 2003 was their first since the 1940s.  It's just not a school has generated a lot of basketball success.  Finally, it isn't the most diverse place in the world.

I would suggest that Shaka's struggles at Texas, and Rick Barnes success at Tennessee, says a lot more about how good of a coach that Rick Barnes really is.

[Pakuni]

I think there are a couple of things working against Texas in basketball.  There is this image that the largest public university in Texas is going to be a natural school to consider for the best players in Texas - kind of like UW-Madison in Wisconsin.  But that's not the case.  A lot of people in Texas have no connection to UT and Austin is just as far away as Oklahoma...or Houston...   So I don't think it is necessarily a natural fit for instate talent.

And its not as though they have a long and deep tradition.  The Final Four they went to in 2003 was their first since the 1940s.  It's just not a school has generated a lot of basketball success.  Finally, it isn't the most diverse place in the world.

I would suggest that Shaka's struggles at Texas, and Rick Barnes success at Tennessee, says a lot more about how good of a coach that Rick Barnes really is.

If the standard is Final Fours and titles, then yeah, Texas is a hard place to win. So is nearly everywhere else.
On the other hand, Barnes wasn't the first to have a fair amount of success there. Tom Penders took over a moribund program and got into the tournament eight times in 10 seasons. They won at least one game is seven of those eight appearances and got to one Sweet 16 and one Elite 8.
Maybe that wouldn't be good enough for UT today, but it's much better than Shaka has done.

[muwarrior69]

I think there are a couple of things working against Texas in basketball.  There is this image that the largest public university in Texas is going to be a natural school to consider for the best players in Texas - kind of like UW-Madison in Wisconsin.  But that's not the case.  A lot of people in Texas have no connection to UT and Austin is just as far away as Oklahoma...or Houston...   So I don't think it is necessarily a natural fit for instate talent.

And its not as though they have a long and deep tradition.  The Final Four they went to in 2003 was their first since the 1940s.  It's just not a school has generated a lot of basketball success.  Finally, it isn't the most diverse place in the world.

I would suggest that Shaka's struggles at Texas, and Rick Barnes success at Tennessee, says a lot more about how good of a coach that Rick Barnes really is.

Austin Texas: 49% White 51% Non-White
Milwaukee County Wisconsin: 57% White 43% Non-White

[Galway Eagle]

Austin Texas: 49% White 51% Non-White
Milwaukee County Wisconsin: 57% White 43% Non-White

You're comparing a county to a city... that's not exactly a fair comparison. I don't know what that'll change but for intellectual honesty purposes you should do city v city

[Pakuni]

https://twitter.com/RumorsCoach/status/1374809718229729285

Because we love the idea of hilarious internet rumors. That scenario would be WILD.

For those not willing to click:
Shaka to MU
Cal to UT
Beard to UK

Wojo to Texas Tech?

[WhiteTrash]

Austin Texas: 49% White 51% Non-White
Milwaukee County Wisconsin: 57% White 43% Non-White

Austin, TX 8% black
Milwaukee, WI 38% black

Not sure this is very relevant.

[Galway Eagle]

Austin, TX 8% black
Milwaukee, WI 38% black

Not sure this is very relevant.

Milwaukee:

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (37.6%), White (Non-Hispanic) (34.5%), Other (Hispanic) (9.72%), White (Hispanic) (8.67%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.25%).


Austin:

White (Non-Hispanic) (48.8%), White (Hispanic) (22%), Other (Hispanic) (8.21%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (8.13%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (7.59%).

[muwarrior69]

You're comparing a county to a city... that's not exactly a fair comparison. I don't know what that'll change but for intellectual honesty purposes you should do city v city

Austin is in Travis County
The 5 largest ethnic groups in Travis County, TX are White (Non-Hispanic) (48.7%), White (Hispanic) (22.6%), Other (Hispanic) (8.66%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (7.92%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (6.81%).

[The Sultan]

If the standard is Final Fours and titles, then yeah, Texas is a hard place to win. So is nearly everywhere else.
On the other hand, Barnes wasn't the first to have a fair amount of success there. Tom Penders took over a moribund program and got into the tournament eight times in 10 seasons. They won at least one game is seven of those eight appearances and got to one Sweet 16 and one Elite 8.
Maybe that wouldn't be good enough for UT today, but it's much better than Shaka has done.

Tom Penders' Elite 8 was over 30 years ago and he coached UT in the old Southwest Conference - which wasn't exactly a hotbed of college basketball at the time.  That is a lot different than the B12 of today.

And he wasn't a bad coach.  And I never said that it was IMPOSSIBLE to win there.  It's just harder than people think.

[muwarrior69]

Austin, TX 8% black
Milwaukee, WI 38% black

Not sure this is very relevant.

So diverse means african american.