Maybe it’s the egos and money involved. Maybe it’s because to some degree it involves a little exposure on incompetent bureaucracies, but I do find myself following all the coaching moves with great amusement.
I do love this rumored interest that Arizona State might want to consider Bob Knight. Seems quite unlikely, but then that is why it’s a fun rumor. Heck, any rumor involving Knight tends to be fun. It means another chance to dreg up his antics and insanity. Shooting his friend during a hunting trip seems to be a popular one to rehash at the moment. Not sure why.
Iowa Head Coach Steve Alford going back to his alma mater Indiana seemed like fait accompli for the last month or so. Now reports are that Indiana will interview only two candidates. Neither of whom will be Alford. Not that Iowa and Alford are necessarily stuck with each other. Missouri sought and received permission from Iowa AD Bruce Bowlsby to interview Alford. The Missouri search is far from close to complete, though.
Sources confirmed that representatives for Missouri have contacted the intermediaries for LSU’s John Brady and Pitt’s Jamie Dixon to test their interest. Another source said Creighton’s Dana Altman is a strong choice for Missouri and might be interviewed as well. A source said Missouri has also had interest in UAB’s Mike Anderson.
No actual word, though, as to any of these coaches interest.
In a surprising burst of confidence, and much to the dismay of at least one member of Missouri’s search committee, Rick Majerus and Bob Huggins are not on the Missouri short list.
About the only high-profile names left on the list are Jamie Dixon of Pitt and John Beilein of West Virginia. If either of those coaches doesn’t wind up at Missouri, the choices might fall back to some coaches who once were considered in the lower level of possible candidates.
My sense is they are dying to try and nab Beilein, but are stuck while he is still coaching and just aren’t getting clear enough signals whether to wait on him or find another. For some reason, I don’t put a lot of stock in their interest in Jamie Dixon. There just hasn’t been much talk about him.
I really hope someone offers Majerus a job and he takes it. Anything to get him off ESPN and doing “analysis” of games. Between always sounding like he just crammed another donut in his mouth and not actually saying anything useful, he has rapidly risen on my dread list for people calling games.
As for Coach Dixon and Pitt, the news seems fluid from day to day. Today seems like an optimistic day.
The matter could be resolved as early as this week, according to multiple sources connected to Pitt.
Dixon confirmed that athletic director Jeff Long has offered him an extension, even though the coach’s current pact, worth upwards of $600,000 annually, has four years remaining.
“Jeff and I have talked about it. They want me to coach here for a long time,” Dixon said.
While Dixon and his staff continue to woo Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy star Tyler Smith, two recruits — Gilbert Brown of South Kent (R.I.) Prep and Austin Wallace of New York La Salle High School — already are committed to Pitt for next season. Both say they hope Dixon remains with the Panthers.
Brown, by the way, stated that he was coming to Pitt regardless of what happens with Dixon. He doesn’t have a lot of leverage since he signed an early letter of intent.
