A win for everybody. Coach Dixon gets around 50% raise and 3 more years on his deal. Pitt keeps its head coach, and at a price lower than what he was reportedly offered to move to Tempe — not to mention much lower than it would have cost to try and snare someone like Calipari or Prosser.
Dixon would not say if he ever considered leaving Pitt, but he made it clear that Arizona State was a second option. Arizona State officials were upset late Friday night when they learned Dixon was staying at Pitt. While Arizona State never offered Dixon a contract, Sun Devils athletic director Lisa Love was under the impression that Dixon was willing to coach at Arizona State and believed the two parties were on their way to completing a deal.
“It never really got that far,” Dixon said last night at the Petersen Events Center.
When asked what was the determining factor in his decision to stay, he said: “I just wanted to be here. I made it very clear. And they made it very clear that they wanted me to be the head coach. We talked during the year. Jeff approached me about a contract and we both agreed that it would be best if we talked about it after the season. We started Monday. We both made it very clear that I wanted to be here a long time. The commitment from both sides was huge and really set the tone. I agreed [Friday]. We got it done in four days. That’s pretty good considering I was on the road recruiting.”
And talking with another school. Apparently Coach Dixon is actually a hell of a multi-tasker. Negotiating with 2 schools, traveling, recruiting and somehow being mostly invisible to the media. And really it was just over a few day period.
The loss to Bradley was on Sunday. There may have been an initial offer made by Pitt on Monday. Contact from ASU Tuesday and some talk. His lawyer reviewing Pitt’s contract offer. Dixon going on some recruiting roadies. Still talking to Pitt and ASU through Wednesday. Thursday had more contract talks and the big offer from ASU. Probably a new offer from Pitt. Somewhere in all of this he had to be actually weighing the offers and discussing with his wife and family. Friday more negotiations, culminating late in the evening with reaching an agreement with Pitt — surprising ASU. Then Saturday. I’d be exhausted.
Pitt AD Jeff Long can continue to claim complete and supreme confidence.
Long said he was never concerned about Dixon taking another job.
“That was much more dramatic in the newspapers and on the airwaves than it was in real life,” Long said. “Was I concerned? That’s hard to say a yes or no answer to. I am human and you hear things from different places. But at no time did I ever feel like he was going to coach someplace else.”
…
Long admitted that it is more difficult dealing with agents, but he said it’s a sign of the times in college athletics.“I think agents can create difficult situations,” he said. “I think if you ask any athletic director in the country, it’s their preference to deal with a coach one-on-one. However, that has changed. There are more people representing coaches now. I did not have a difficult time with Jamie’s representation. And that was evidenced by how quickly we got this done. Let’s put it this way. We never felt leveraged. What we did was what we felt was fair.”
It was fair. But it was also leveraged.
AD Long also addressed a fan fear.
“Fans worried about this program serving as a steppingstone for coaches need not think that any more,” Long said. “This proves it’s different than it used to be. I don’t think it’s a steppingstone anymore.”
Neither Dixon, a Los Angeles native, nor Long said they were concerned about widespread reports last week that Dixon was seriously considering taking the Arizona State job. The Sun Devils are seeking a replacement for Rob Evans, who was fired March 10.
“It’s not beneficial to anybody to talk about that now,” Dixon said, flashing his trademark grin. “There is no place else I would rather be, and I made that fact clear, both to Chancellor (Mark) Nordenberg and our athletic director (Long),” Dixon said. “During the course of the season, Jeff and I discussed the future of our program, and he reinforced Pitt’s desire for me to be the head coach at Pitt for a long time.”
The Pitt players, somewhat forgotten during the week, are naturally happy that Coach Dixon will remain.
“Obviously, it was a big concern,” Gray said Saturday, shortly after coach Jamie Dixon signed a four-year contract extension through the 2012-13 season. “For the juniors, the people who only have one year left, it’s sometimes hard to get a new coach and have a new system.”
Dixon called Gray yesterday afternoon to inform him of the extension.
“He let me know we’re stuck with him,” Gray said, laughing. “It’s great, because he’s a guy who’s been here for everyone’s college career, and we’ve had a lot of success.”
Players appreciate Dixon’s coaching style. He’s a purveyor of positive reinforcement, rather than a screamer.
“Sometimes, he’s too nice,” Kendall said. “He could afford to get in guys’ faces a little more, but that’s really not his style. He does use positive reinforcement, and most guys respond to that.”
“He’s very laid-back,” added freshman guard Levance Fields, who was concerned with the rumors. “He points out certain things and feels you’re smart enough to get it done.”
The next goal is to try and get Tyler Smith to fill that final spot.
Joe Starkey, along with every other Pittsburgh columnist, was remarkably quiet in print about the whole thing all week. Now he takes aim at all those who got emotional during the week.
Good thing Pitt’s powerbrokers don’t listen to the message-board fanatics and reckless opinion-makers. Dixon’s contract extension, announced Saturday, proves, once again, this administration is willing to step up and reward a winner.
Remember, Pitt did everything it could to keep Ben Howland, but Howland had his mind set on UCLA and went there for less money.
His replacement and former lead assistant, Dixon, proceeded to extend the school’s streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from two to five. Dixon also has the highest in-conference winning percentage in Big East history, two appearances in the conference title game and a 3-3 record in the NCAA Tournament.
The latter figure doesn’t exactly put him in John Wooden territory, but it’s not all bad when you consider Pitt won just three NCAA Tournament games in 15 years before Howland/Dixon.
Hey, fans are supposed to be emotional. It’s not our job to separate our feelings from reality. I may not have been freaking out on this site, but I understood. In fact, the AD should want that to some degree. He should want the fans fired up about the situation. Agitating for news and resolution. The last thing AD Long wants is a return to the apathy that greeted the hirings of Walt Harris and Ben Howland.
Otherwise it isn’t a bad piece and points out the growth and progression of the basketball program and the talent it attracts.
Pitt’s new facilities have been in place for only four years. The program has been winning regularly for only five. Pitt is starting to beat the big dogs to recruits, even if the players don’t always live up to their billing.
North Carolina wanted Chris Taft. Maryland wanted Sam Young. Gonzaga and Oklahoma wanted John DeGroat. Duke and UConn were interested in Tyrell Biggs. Villanova had Keith Benjamin before he de-committed. Maryland and West Virginia made offers to 6-foot-6 forward Gilbert Brown, who committed to Pitt and will join the team next season.
Even as we speak, Pitt is in the hunt for its most talented recruit in years — 6-7 forward Tyler Smith, whose finalists reportedly are Memphis, Pitt, Kentucky and Iowa.
Personally, I think the best is yet to come for Pitt.
