“Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.”
–Edgar Allen Poe
Obviously, Poe was familiar with coaching searches.
The least surprising development out of Pitt’s firing of Kevin Stallings, the players are unhappy and want to explore their options.
JUCO commit, Danya Kingsby had asked to be released from his National Letter of Intent over the weekend. Now Parker Stewart wishes to be given his release to look into transferring. In addition, Marcus Carr appears to be making a similar request.
The loyalty to Stallings. The sense of betrayal the kids feel is normal. I would like them to at least meet whoever becomes the next Pitt coach first, but they should definitely be allowed to explore other possibilities.
For some it might even make sense. In no small part because there were at least a few players who absolutely should have redshirted this past year. But for the complete lack of anyone else to play. Transferring means sitting out a year. An enforced year of only practicing with a new team would be very good for some.
On to the the coaching front.
Thad Matta does not appear to be a candidate for any job, any longer. He used Georgia to make that clear.
“It was the most difficult decision because Georgia is a tremendous opportunity for a coach to build a great program,” Matta told ESPN. “Unfortunately, I just don’t feel that I am completely ready at this point to give [Georgia athletic director] Greg McGarity and the University of Georgia what they deserve. It’s truly a special place, and he is a tremendous leader I would have loved to work for.”
I mean, I suppose he could turn around and say, “But for Pitt I am totally ready.” But that seems unlikely.
Pitt has met with Tom Crean, despite some reports earlier that Crean wasn’t interested in Pitt. Not much other news on that front. I think Crean wouldn’t just be a good hire, but a solid fit with Pitt. Not simply because he can be a bit of a lunatic. He coaches with a chip on his shoulder, as it were. His best work is when he perceives himself and the program as the underdog. That’s a lot of what Pitt needs right now.
The primary target, though, is in Pittsburgh. Just not for an interview (yet). Dan Hurley, the Rhode Island coach will likely be choosing between Pitt and UConn.
There was little fanfare surrounding the Rams’ open practice Wednesday, an environment entirely devoid of homemade signs from fawning Pitt fans hoping to sway the man some hope will be the Panthers’ next coach. Those like Ryan Wolf, a Pitt senior who made the trek to the arena in an Oakland Zoo shirt, were there to get a glimpse at Rhode Island and the other teams set to play Thursday, not to do anything that could be seen as overbearing or counterproductive.
“It’s probably not going to be the determining factor, like ‘Some kid showed up with a sign, now I’m going to go there,’ ” Wolf said. “It would take away from this atmosphere and this opportunity for his team tomorrow.”
There is also the possibility of Hurley staying at Rhode Island. But Dana O’Neil lays out the cons pretty well. As usual it is all about the money.
He withdrew his name from the Rutgers search, hunkered down at Rhode Island and proceeded to take the Rams to their first NCAA game in 18 years the following season. He remains far behind his father in tenure, now just finishing his sixth year, but he’s already discovered what kept Bob at St. Anthony’s all that time. “This program has become special,’’ he said. “We built an amazing thing at Rhode Island.’’
None of this is to say he won’t leave. Hurley’s salary package tops out at $1.1 million a year, plenty for a kid raised with his brother, sister and parents in a two-bedroom house, but considerably less than his peers — and even less than Bobby, who was making $2.1 million at Arizona State even before taking the Sun Devils to the tournament for the first time on his watch this season. And while he has made Rhode Island competitive, elevating the Rams to the level of a Wichita State or more, getting in Villanova’s stratosphere, is a big ask. According to the Department of Education’s equity in athletics database, Rhode Island revenues top out at $4.8 million, compared with $9.8 million at Wichita State and $13.8 at Villanova.
Asked directly about the Pitt job, Hurley deflected, saying a lot of words without answering the question. To his credit, he didn’t pretend to be unaware, but he offered nothing in the way of concrete confirmation either.
As for the possibility of UConn, this article points out the problems in UConn overall and why Pitt might be the better option.
The history, fan support and devotion to basketball in the state haven’t changed. But college athletics has been disrupted significantly in the past decade, with the evolutions not kind to schools that favor basketball but still have aspirational football. UConn’s meager revenue from the American Athletic Conference, a lack of resonance from its geographically disparate league (i.e. home games with East Carolina) and the flopping of Ollie (post-national title) have left administrators there pondering how UConn can resuscitate its brand nationally.
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He’s considered a top candidate for the open Pittsburgh job, and one of the things he may mull is whether the more stable revenue stream from the ACC – more than $20 million annually in league revenue – outweighs UConn’s richer history and more fertile recruiting area.Pitt also has a strong basketball fan base, recent winning tradition and showed an extraordinary commitment to football coach Pat Narduzzi once he proved a strong fit there. But the biggest sell is the ACC and stability that comes along with it. (Plus, after 0-18 in league play, it can’t get any worse.)
One thing Pitt doesn’t have is the specter of Calhoun, the Hall of Fame coach in both basketball acumen and cantankerousness who ended up clashing with Ollie. (The firing of former assistant Glen Miller was a big issue.) Politics is a much bigger part of the UConn job, and ring kissing isn’t exactly a defining Hurley family trait. (Calhoun was also caught cheating, and it’s always hard to follow a cheater and win at that level without, well, actually cheating. Ollie also leaves the program under NCAA investigation, continuing the tradition.)
The other looming issue at UConn is that a pedestrian football program is serving as an anchor to a once-great basketball program. UConn faces a philosophical decision of whether it needs to de-emphasize football for the sake of the future of basketball program. This is easy to write and much more difficult to execute.
He could also choose to stay at Rhode Island and wait for what he would consider to be an even bigger opportunity. Like Archie Miller did at Dayton.
And now a brief word about Sean Miller:
NO
A little more? Fine. There are at least some rumors that Sean Miller might actually be willing to listen to Pitt this go round. If that is true. After his rather impassioned defense of his integrity and swearing his fealty to Arizona a few weeks ago. Then the Feds definitely have something on him or Arizona, and he is looking to bail ahead of that. Not something Pitt should want to go near.
Another downside for Hurley going to UConn is that he “WILL” be compared to the Womens BB program. Doubt he’d want that
PITT’S location may hurt. Dan Hurley is a Jersey guy, and Jersey means Shore. UConn is closer to water and family. However money talks, and buy Jersey Shore homes.
I think PITT would be a good fit for Dan. It is a family town.
Dixon spent a number of years at PITT. In the end Dixon lost his mojo in recruiting. Maybe he was too honest for the changes in the recruiting “game”. I’m guessing he also felt he was underpaid and unloved.
I would take Bobby too. Summers are rough in AZ.
For anyone defending Stallings and railing against his firing, how do you feel about Paul Evans? If you had a time machine, and could get him back, would you? That’s a fair question. I’ll wait a moment for you to think about it….
There… My guess is that if you’re old enough remember Paul Evans, it didn’t take you long to answer “NO”.
Evans was the consummate “ham and egg” coach. He made good teams average and great teams good. His most poignant moment at Pitt was an overtime loss to (ironically) Vanderbilt in the NCCA tournament – with a team that many picked as a final four team talented enough to win it all. That loss defined him here. The administration felt he was “good enough” – to the extent that they kept him around a total of 8 years. He had some good teams but none of them ever reached their potential. Eventually he was succeeded by Ralph Willard and the (sub)mediocrity continued for another 5 years.
So… what’s the point? He was a BETTER coach than Stallings. And anyone who remembers him wouldn’t want him back. There’s a real possibility that Pitt would have kept him for his contract, even extended him, if he got to .500 ball in the ACC. One of the biggest problems with Evans? The players didn’t like/respect him much. Sound familiar. This really is a blessing – an ugly one at the moment, but a chance to pull back from the brink of utter insignificance. Anyone lamenting Stallings departure in any way isn’t thinking the situation full to the fullest extent. Yes it might be costly, and yes, the record might not be much better of the next couple of years, but at least there’s hope. Stallings would have never been better than Evans and arguable worse. Believe it.
And leave you with this anecdote I heard from a former player during the Evans years. I have no way to certify it’s validity but it’s all you need to know about Evans:
Apparently, at one evening practice, Paul Evans, in an attempt to motivate/fire up his team, brought a starter pistol into the locker room. At one point, he doused the lights and fired one or two “shots’ into the air. In the ringing silence that followed, Jerome Lane’s voice emerged through the total darkness:
“Did he get you, Demetrius???”
True? Urban legend? I don’t know. It was funny as hell at the time, and seemed to line up with how Evan’s coached and how his players felt about him – at least at times.
We need to do better, and at least we have a chance. Consider it a gift.
When you read this article in HoopDirt.com, you come away with the impression he would have been a very good fit at Pitt.
Next…
I have to gripe here for a sec…is it me, or does the PG and Tribune reporting on Stallings getting fired and the subsequent coaching search TOTALLY SUCK or what? I think I have just read 5 of the worse 10 Pitt articles of my life in the past week. These prognosticators are just….stupid, sorry I have no other word for it. The articles are just terrible.
Cool story bro.
Uh well, by hiring one of the top current Pitt head coaching targets. Any of them. Case closed.
If it makes you feel any better Greg, no one at Pitt blames Stallings. As a matter of fact, Pitt hates the guy who hires him a lot more.
I hope some of these young men decide to stay at Pitt but I wish all of them nothing but the best wherever they go in the future.
H2P!!!
Pitt interviewed Thad Matta…
In 4 of your 5 posts on the last topic, you did nothing but call Blaterites, and I quote, neanderthals, dumb, idiotic, lacking any integrity and a few other things I wont go back to dig up.
And the best part was, all while claim you are someone very high in integrity! You actually said that. Apparently intelligent, you implied too.
What a hypocrite you are.
Honestly, I think there should be a reasonable Blather rule Chas: If a poster attacks and insults other Blatherites in EVERY post they make, they are saying, I do not really want to be part of the Blather.
The Blather is not a home for people to feel they can just attack people. Its cowardice and degrades what the Blather is all about.
If these kids stay with their decisions to leave, Pitt will not be able to even field a team next year.
A competent new coach will fill the roster with talent equal to or better than what Stallings brought in..
Greg go away!!!!
Nate Oates looks interesting, but remember he was an assistant to the other “Hurley” before Bobby went to ASU. I think we need to consider Bobby Hurley too and have said so from the beginning.
Hurley’s name, the family’s name, is worth something in recruiting.
UPitt, learn your lesson and keep your mouth closed.
My post above summarized what was already apparent to anyone who was paying attention to Pitt basketball 20+ years ago. Stallings was WORSE than Paul Evans career wise to this point and had a tougher road ahead of him. Even with his successes, Evans was a bit of a train wreck. Cutting Stallings loose is a gift – i hope Pitt doesn’t squander it.
i’m not going to put anything on the kids. They stepped into a pretty big pile coming into this circus. I respect them for at least showing up and making an effort. That being said, most of them wouldn’t get much of a a sniff from any other ACC school – possibly Power 5. Luther is the exception – he rides a lot of pine and winds up a role player most places. Great kid who was dealt a tough hand, but NOT the second coming.
Final thought: Dixon is still Dixon. Very good, but not great. Saw a lot of “Pitt” in his performance tonight. He’s a great X’s and O’s guy but he’s no tactician, and I question his strategic acumen as well. He’s got a bunch of kids that work hard, but lack elite talent. He had enough to win tonight but never got into rhythm. How many years has JD had to figure out the SU zone? 14 give or take? But his team still looked like deer in the headlights most of the game. His end of game coaching was questionable at best, waiting too long to foul and counting on desperate, dicey possessions from a team that couldn’t shoot beyond the arc to save it’s life. Still having trouble recruiting shooters after all these years. Yeah, I’d seen it all before. Good coach, great guy, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for him. It’s early – for all I know he’s in the final four in two-three years.
I wish him all the best, and part of me wishes he was still here, but tonights game took a lot of the sting out of his departure for me.
Question fo the Day: If you could be guaranteed that Sean Miller would not be indicted or otherwise accused of breaking any LAW, regardless of NCAA violations or sanctions against Arizona, would you consider him? AZ wants him out, he wants out, they agree to terminate his contract on University favorable terms, and he picks up the phone?
What say you? Why? 🙂 Let’s have some fun….
But … improvement was never going to happen under Stallings. 5-6 ACC wins was going to be his max. He was over his head in the ACC. Hell, he was a little over his head in a weak SEC.
Mrs. Stallings (Greg?) – What are you talking about? You’re just rambling now.
If you’re embarrassed because Pitt keeps making national headlines for the wrong reason, I agree. That doesn’t mean change wasn’t a necessity, however. You are in a clear minority on this topic. Clear.
This isn’t a case of the vocal minority overshadowing a more rational fan base … No one went to games. No one to the tune of about 4K per game in a 12K seat arena. A majority of Pitt fans wanted this move to take place.
You can argue that maybe we didn’t give Stallings a fair shot. That’s an entertain-able argument. But you’re being completely irrational in your defense of Stallings. It’s such an overwhelmingly supported move that it’s actually united a traditionally divided fan base.
Rarely, do Pitt fans agree on one topic so vehemently as they do with the Stallings firing.
He was a bad fit. It’s that simple. He and Pitt should never have been married. Barnes got drunk and Pitt ended up exchanging vows in front of an Elvis officiant in Vegas … and signed a pre-nup to boot. That’s all this was.
Pitt woke up with Stallings in bed with a ring on the finger and had instant regrets. The fans were left wondering what kind of drugs Barnes was using the night before to end up with this mess.
“Barnes got drunk and Pitt ended up exchanging vows in front of an Elvis officiant in Vegas … and signed a pre-nup to boot. That’s all this was.
Pitt woke up with Stallings in bed with a ring on the finger and had instant regrets. The fans were left wondering what kind of drugs Barnes was using the night before to end up with this mess.”
Thank you Tossing. You made my day….
Bennett reminds me a little of Dixon during his Pitt years in that this loss was more of a systematic failure. It (the system) was predicated on working the shot clock and keeping the tempo manageable. It’s all about efficiency and defense for VA (as it was for Pitt mostly). It’s great for long haul, season/conference play. Statistically, if you have enough decent talent, you win a lot of games. The problem is, the tournament isn’t a long haul. You get a team that you don’t know, come out a little tight, don’t shoot well for a stretch (VA did NOT shoot well) and suddenly you find yourself in a situation that your system is not designed to accommodate. For an entire season, VA was successful essentially playing “less basketball” (limiting possessions) – when they got down, they couldn’t get enough possession and did not have the ability to adapt. There’s a great article in the NY Times that breaks it down better than I can, and it makes some interesting comparisons to “Billy Ball” (Oakland A’s) – they won a lot of games but but never a title. The system works statistically over a 160+ game season, but not in a seven game series against a more talented or completely different type of opponent. Billy Bean’s most memorable quote? “My sh*t isn’t designed for that” (that might be paraphrased…).
And such is the NCAA tournament. You never know who you’re going to get next, you don’t have a lot of time to prepare, and the teams that ultimately win titles seem to have that a of talent, athleticism, and an ability to adapt. Bennett is a very good coach with very good players, but he’s fallen short on the big stage multiple times now – this is just simply his most egregious/notorious defeat, but it happens to teams that are built the way his team is built. I argue that both Dixon and Howland ran into this repeatedly with a great regular season system that wasn’t adaptable in a quasi-random one-and-done tournament format. There’s no shame in that. Really, there’s not. But people need to have reasonable expectations, and that’s hard when your teams goes 31-2, cruises through the ACC tournament, and lands the overall top seed. It stings. Bad. But we’ve felt it here, too.
Diduniversityofmarylandbaltimorecountywin.com
As I was leaving, I ran into Narduzzi. He was alone, on his phone, standing near the security entrance.
Could it be that a URI alum is trying to court a URI coach to join him in Oakland?
New basketball coach by Tuesday.
How about Kevin Willard?
Ryan Odom took a D2 school to the quarters in his only season there.
In his first year at UMBC, “Odom orchestrated a 14-win improvement over the team’s 7–25 season the previous year to a 21–13 overall record, and fifth-place finish in the America East Conference. The 21 wins are second-most in school history.”
His 2nd year was this season and we all know how that’s going …
So, add in Musselman and Odom to Matta, Oats or Hurley … and Pitt should not have any excuses for not coming up with a good coach. None. Don’t F this up, Heather. Please.
I’m a Dixon apologist but I can accept that the program had become stale and that it needed a spark. Consistency can become hypnotizing and lull you to sleep.
I’ve said it many times before, however, that you don’t replace an excellent coach who needs a change of scenery with a less excellent coach who also needs a change of scenery.
