A reporter for the Waterbury Republican-American and blog, A Dime Back, both reported late last night that Dan Hurley has accepted the UConn job after boosters pushed his salary offer up to around $3.1 million. There’s no other confirmation at this point, but the rest of Connecticut media is running with it — and amusingly enough to give it a better veneer of credibility, are calling A Dime Back a “news outlet.”
Whoops. Even as I started typing the big boys are also saying it.
The endgame, all but confirms what had been suspected about the leak of Pitt’s offer. It came from Hurley’s agent to help goose the offer from UConn. Hurley has a good agent. Got his client more money from the job he preferred.
Part of me started wondering yesterday, as this was dragging out, if Hurley would end up pulling a Dan Dakich/Dana Altman/Billy Donovan move of leaving URI for Pitt or UConn only to have regrets a couple days later and go running back to the old school. I mean, it could still happen given the length of his deliberations.
That means Pitt is still looking to find a new head coach.
Thankfully, that will not be Sean Miller.
“I am not a candidate for the University of Pittsburgh men’s basketball head coaching vacancy. I wish them well in their search for a new coach.”
Unlike two years ago, he did not deny interest in the job. After a week or so of swirling rumors of his interest, it was actually reported that he was interested and talked to AD Heather Lyke about the gig. The reporting of which, seemed to be what necessitated the denial that he was leaving Arizona.
Sorry, you can’t convince me after all of this that Miller leaving Arizona for Pitt would have been nothing more then trying to get out before it all goes south. Not after the success he’s had there. Not after the money he already makes there. Not after everything that is going down with the FBI. Arizona and Miller are and should be stuck with each other until this plays out.
The good news is that Hurley has dragged this out to Thursday. Which means one of my personal favorites, Eric Musselman could still be a possibility. His Nevada team plays tonight so the lengthy decision making by Hurley could give Pitt a chance to talk to Musselman this weekend without it seeming like they were waiting just for him.
It’s not like Pitt’s other potential candidates have gotten other jobs. I mean aside from Tom Crean, who likely would have been a good fit, but wasn’t the most inspiring choice.
Pour yourself another drink, relax and keep refreshing your feeds.
