The Swamp

I know nothing of Hopkins but he has to be far less of an insufferable dickhead than Boeheim.

DSafetyGuy wrote: But, hey, Washington fans are disappointed, too, since they didn't get Mark Few. You know, because you leave the best program in the Northwest for the last two decades to take a gig for a team that hasn't made the tourney in six years.

I don't think anyone here in Seattle was thinking that Mark Few would come to UW. At least not any that I heard (most UW fans HATE Mark Few).

I think the general reaction here was "Who?". Hopkins may be a great hire, but certainly not a "sexy" name. I wonder if Boeheim told him "yeah...about that whole retirement/coach-in-waiting stuff...not so much". And so he decided to bail.

The expectations will certainly be lighter here. The UW program has been down for 6 years, whereas at Syracuse he'd be replacing a legend.

Curious, why do folks hate Few?

Because its so much easier to love!

DaveInSeattle wrote:

DSafetyGuy wrote: But, hey, Washington fans are disappointed, too, since they didn't get Mark Few. You know, because you leave the best program in the Northwest for the last two decades to take a gig for a team that hasn't made the tourney in six years.

I don't think anyone here in Seattle was thinking that Mark Few would come to UW. At least not any that I heard (most UW fans HATE Mark Few).

I think the general reaction here was "Who?". Hopkins may be a great hire, but certainly not a "sexy" name. I wonder if Boeheim told him "yeah...about that whole retirement/coach-in-waiting stuff...not so much". And so he decided to bail.

The expectations will certainly be lighter here. The UW program has been down for 6 years, whereas at Syracuse he'd be replacing a legend.

I would guess hating Few is because he has had a large part in making Washington irrelevant and they would come around quickly if he took the job.

Hopkins was a strong contender for the USC job when it was last open. Had Georgetown managed to beat Florida-Gulf Coast, he would have probably gotten that job. I have good information locally that the Boston College job was Hopkins' for the taking, except they wouldn't allow him an out in his contract to go back to Syracuse.

I have met Hopkins a couple times. Really great guy. Positive and upbeat, guys will want to play for him.

Nonlinear FC wrote:Curious, why do folks hate Few?

Jealousy, in large part.

Also, there was a beef between UW and Gonzaga, about the yearly game between the two schools.

Earlier this year, an olive branch was offered from Washington athletic director Scott Woodward, who proposed a new series involving a single, neutral-court engagement between the Huskies and Bulldogs at KeyArena. The bottom line was the driver – a split of yearly proceeds that projected to be $1.5 million for each school.

“I didn’t care what went on before; that’s all ancient history to me,” Woodward explained. “What made sense was making a high-profile game at KeyArena that could generate a lot of money that we would split.”

Gonzaga’s response was a pregnant pause of sorts, with Bulldogs coach Mark Few offering this now-infamous stonewall: “The chances of that happening are about the same as Bigfoot having my baby.”

My understanding is that the venue is an issue as well...with UW wanting to play every year at Key Arena (in Seattle), with Gonzaga wanting a traditional home-and-home arrangement.

DSafetyGuy wrote: I have met Hopkins a couple times. Really great guy. Positive and upbeat, guys will want to play for him.

One of the local radio guys (curiously, also a Syracuse alum) had some writers from Syracuse on the other morning, and they had nothing but positive/glowing things to say about Hopkins.

In the context of college athletics, that seems like a pretty legit reason to have beef.

That's also a VERY strange turn of phrase re: Bigfoot. I mean, maybe it's my gender hangup, but I think traditionally Bigfoot/Sasquatch is portrayed as a male figure.

It doesn't negate his point, but it sure leaves things open to interpretation. Like... Few is fucking Bigfoot? But because he's male, he won't get pregnant? Which... I dunno, maybe the Bigfoot species is different. Hermaphrodites and whatnot. Maybe they lay eggs and such.




Perhaps I'm overthinking this a bit.

Bigfoot's kind of a big deal in Washington. I'm guessing that's a regional saying.

And I can totally get Few telling to Washington to fuck off with an offer to play the game every year in a "neutral" site that happens to be about 3 miles from the UW campus (and nearly 300 miles from Gonzaga's). Especially when Gonzaga is clearly the stronger program. That's not really "an olive branch."

Shirley wrote:Bigfoot's kind of a big deal in Washington. I'm guessing that's a regional saying.

And I can totally get Few telling to Washington to fuck off with an offer to play the game every year in a "neutral" site that happens to be about 3 miles from the UW campus (and nearly 300 miles from Gonzaga's). Especially when Gonzaga is clearly the stronger program. That's not really "an olive branch."

True, but is Gonzaga pulling that in from a single game anywhere else? According to a quick google, the entire program (men's / women's) pulled in 4 million (though there's no year attached, but I saw a few different numbers and that was the biggest profit of the numbers listed,) that's a nice little addition to the coffers even if you are traveling to a not-really-neutral site.

As a fan of a mid-major, it's absolutely the right stance. Major conferences fucking love the home-or-neutral bullshit.

Rush2112 wrote:

Shirley wrote:Bigfoot's kind of a big deal in Washington. I'm guessing that's a regional saying.

And I can totally get Few telling to Washington to fuck off with an offer to play the game every year in a "neutral" site that happens to be about 3 miles from the UW campus (and nearly 300 miles from Gonzaga's). Especially when Gonzaga is clearly the stronger program. That's not really "an olive branch."

True, but is Gonzaga pulling that in from a single game anywhere else? According to a quick google, the entire program (men's / women's) pulled in 4 million (though there's no year attached, but I saw a few different numbers and that was the biggest profit of the numbers listed,) that's a nice little addition to the coffers even if you are traveling to a not-really-neutral site.

I have a hard time believing a single game between Washington and Gonzaga could really net $3M. KeyArena holds about 17K. Even at $100/ticket, that's a lot of extra revenue that I guess would have to come from TV? There's no way ESPN or CBS is paying over $1M for a single regular season game, is there?

Shirley wrote:

Rush2112 wrote:

Shirley wrote:Bigfoot's kind of a big deal in Washington. I'm guessing that's a regional saying.

And I can totally get Few telling to Washington to fuck off with an offer to play the game every year in a "neutral" site that happens to be about 3 miles from the UW campus (and nearly 300 miles from Gonzaga's). Especially when Gonzaga is clearly the stronger program. That's not really "an olive branch."

True, but is Gonzaga pulling that in from a single game anywhere else? According to a quick google, the entire program (men's / women's) pulled in 4 million (though there's no year attached, but I saw a few different numbers and that was the biggest profit of the numbers listed,) that's a nice little addition to the coffers even if you are traveling to a not-really-neutral site.

I have a hard time believing a single game between Washington and Gonzaga could really net $3M. KeyArena holds about 17K. Even at $100/ticket, that's a lot of extra revenue that I guess would have to come from TV? There's no way ESPN or CBS is paying over $1M for a single regular season game, is there?

Regardless of the specific dollars involved, it would be a hell of a big deal in the state of Washington. They should do it for that reason alone. In Colorado, the state legislature mandated that Colorado and Colorado State play an annual football game.

Shirley wrote:

Rush2112 wrote:

Shirley wrote:Bigfoot's kind of a big deal in Washington. I'm guessing that's a regional saying.

And I can totally get Few telling to Washington to fuck off with an offer to play the game every year in a "neutral" site that happens to be about 3 miles from the UW campus (and nearly 300 miles from Gonzaga's). Especially when Gonzaga is clearly the stronger program. That's not really "an olive branch."

True, but is Gonzaga pulling that in from a single game anywhere else? According to a quick google, the entire program (men's / women's) pulled in 4 million (though there's no year attached, but I saw a few different numbers and that was the biggest profit of the numbers listed,) that's a nice little addition to the coffers even if you are traveling to a not-really-neutral site.

I have a hard time believing a single game between Washington and Gonzaga could really net $3M. KeyArena holds about 17K. Even at $100/ticket, that's a lot of extra revenue that I guess would have to come from TV? There's no way ESPN or CBS is paying over $1M for a single regular season game, is there?

Don't forget sponsorship. That would probably be a huge chunk of the money.

I have a few Villanova friends and I got zero love for "more like Baker Done-Leavin, amiright?!?!?!?" and I'm wondering if I should get new friends.

mister d wrote:I keep wondering when sub-NBA kids are going to start leaving early to play overseas. It has to be coming soon, right?

B.J. Johnson Declares for NBA Draft; Will Not Sign With Agent

Hahahahahahaha fuck everything.

mister d wrote:

mister d wrote:I keep wondering when sub-NBA kids are going to start leaving early to play overseas. It has to be coming soon, right?

B.J. Johnson Declares for NBA Draft; Will Not Sign With Agent

Hahahahahahaha fuck everything.

The same thing I told a Syracuse fan who mocked Johnson for declaring: Any player with one year of eligibility left who has any kind of shot at getting to the NBA should get the NBA draft evaluation to see what he needs to work on.

Absolutely, but combining that with when we got a transfer that put us one over the scholarship limit and our fall into the toilet when players seemed to give up and it makes you wonder a bit.

mister d wrote:I have a few Villanova friends and I got zero love for "more like Baker Done-Leavin, amiright?!?!?!?" and I'm wondering if I should get new friends.

Ok, someone audit this as realistic or just wishful thinking. Dunleavy to Quinnipiac was leaked as done, including the amount, but hasn't been finalized. Alford to Indiana is supposedly now done, which opens up UCLA. Is Dunleavy on hold to take Villanova if Wright goes to UCLA???????

Ewing is interviewing with Georgetown and apparently JT's preference. Not sure going with a guy who has no NCAA coaching experience to run your program that needs big help is the right thing. He may be great on player development and in game coaching, but recruiting and rules are huge at the NCAA level.

Welp...

This is pretty incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4afzQyGo5Q

Yahoo makes a good case that Roy Williams should be considered a top five all-time coach.

Unless I missed it, they didn't list who else would be in that top five. My guess: Wooden, Krzyzewski, Smith, Rupp, Williams.

Maybe just outside that 5 - Knight, Pitino, Izzo, Calipari, etc.

If you had to go with a Mt. Rushmore, I think Williams is bumped out of that top 5.

I'd prefer to create an alternate universe where Roy Williams coaches someplace other than two bluebloods to see what he can do than accept that he's a good coach.

DSafetyGuy wrote:I'd prefer to create an alternate universe where Roy Williams coaches someplace other than two bluebloods to see what he can do than accept that he's a good coach.

Agreed. The Yahoo article addressed this criticism but I really don't think Roy is a very good in-game coach. But he's very good at recruiting and academic fraud, which goes a long way to winning in college hoops.

Joe K wrote:

DSafetyGuy wrote:I'd prefer to create an alternate universe where Roy Williams coaches someplace other than two bluebloods to see what he can do than accept that he's a good coach.

Agreed. The Yahoo article addressed this criticism but I really don't think Roy is a very good in-game coach. But he's very good at recruiting and academic fraud, which goes a long way to winning in college hoops.

In the 2003 title game, when Kansas was rallying in the second half, my confidence was buoyed by knowing Roy was on their bench.

Plenty of coaches fail to win 3 titles at great programs. So while it's fair to wonder and probably correct to question whether the in game coaching is top 5 worthy, you have to give credit where due. The players do improve and they do stay and those are the other two non-recruiting boxes, not inbound plays.

If only UNCs tutoring staff could work harder and turn borderline illiterate kids into academically eligible athletes like they do at Georgia.

http://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-pa ... ew-england

ROXBURY -- New England Patriots receiver Malcolm Mitchell had the undivided attention of youngsters at the Nathan Hale School on Monday morning as he explained to them why he has made it part of his mission to encourage them to read.

It wasn’t until he was at the University of Georgia, Mitchell explained, that he read his first book by himself. It was “The Giving Tree”, a children’s picture book by Shel Silverstein, and he picked it because it had a sticker on the front that caught his eye.

Terps get Grad Transfer Obi from Duke. Great first season at Rice and then 10 games over 3 years for Coach K. Mostly due to injuries (and better players?).

Shirley wrote:Yahoo makes a good case that Roy Williams should be considered a top five all-time coach.

Unless I missed it, they didn't list who else would be in that top five. My guess: Wooden, Krzyzewski, Smith, Rupp, Williams.

Maybe just outside that 5 - Knight, Pitino, Izzo, Calipari, etc.

If you had to go with a Mt. Rushmore, I think Williams is bumped out of that top 5.

In what universe would Jim Calhoun not be considered? On par with Dean Smith, IMHO.

Depends on your opinion of brazen cheating and how that impacts a coach's standing.

Rupp won a lot, but it's just like some of the numbers players piled up before baseball was integrated. They still look good, but you just wonder...

brian wrote:Depends on your opinion of brazen cheating and how that impacts a coach's standing.

Same could be said of Roy Williams and, in fairness, many of the most successful big-time coaches. Even when Wooden was coaching UCLA, players were getting improper benefits from Sam Gilbert. Calhoun pulled off one of the all-time great program building jobs and, in my view, was a better game coach than Williams. Almost everyone else mentioned as a historical great won at a marquee program that at least had a history of being competitive for titles before they arrived.

EnochRoot wrote:

Shirley wrote:Yahoo makes a good case that Roy Williams should be considered a top five all-time coach.

Unless I missed it, they didn't list who else would be in that top five. My guess: Wooden, Krzyzewski, Smith, Rupp, Williams.

Maybe just outside that 5 - Knight, Pitino, Izzo, Calipari, etc.

If you had to go with a Mt. Rushmore, I think Williams is bumped out of that top 5.

In what universe would Jim Calhoun not be considered? On par with Dean Smith, IMHO.

Wow. I should have included Calhoun in the list (it was off the top of my head) of just outside coaches.

On par with Dean Smith though? No. I agree that in a vacuum, his numbers come close, but other than NCAA titles (and I'm not discounting that), Smith comes out ahead in all of them. He also coached the bulk of career when the NCAA tournament was smaller. Still, he ended his career with 23 consecutive tournament appearances.

Shirley wrote:

EnochRoot wrote:

Shirley wrote:Yahoo makes a good case that Roy Williams should be considered a top five all-time coach.

Unless I missed it, they didn't list who else would be in that top five. My guess: Wooden, Krzyzewski, Smith, Rupp, Williams.

Maybe just outside that 5 - Knight, Pitino, Izzo, Calipari, etc.

If you had to go with a Mt. Rushmore, I think Williams is bumped out of that top 5.

In what universe would Jim Calhoun not be considered? On par with Dean Smith, IMHO.

Wow. I should have included Calhoun in the list (it was off the top of my head) of just outside coaches.

On par with Dean Smith though? No. I agree that in a vacuum, his numbers come close, but other than NCAA titles (and I'm not discounting that), Smith comes out ahead in all of them. He also coached the bulk of career when the NCAA tournament was smaller. Still, he ended his career with 23 consecutive tournament appearances.

I'm going by the argument of taking a university from "huh? they have a basketball team" to borderline blue blood status in the span of 20 years.

I might've been setting the bar a little high targeting Smith, but so few have ever done what JC did.

EnochRoot wrote:I'm going by the argument of taking a university from "huh? they have a basketball team" to borderline blue blood status in the span of 20 years.

I might've been setting the bar a little high targeting Smith, but so few have ever done what JC did.

OK, that's fair. It'll be interesting to see if they can maintain that status. Ollie has an NC, but the program seems pretty wobbly.

DSafetyGuy wrote:

mister d wrote:

mister d wrote:I keep wondering when sub-NBA kids are going to start leaving early to play overseas. It has to be coming soon, right?

B.J. Johnson Declares for NBA Draft; Will Not Sign With Agent

Hahahahahahaha fuck everything.

The same thing I told a Syracuse fan who mocked Johnson for declaring: Any player with one year of eligibility left who has any kind of shot at getting to the NBA should get the NBA draft evaluation to see what he needs to work on.

And he's returning to LaSalle. What a surprise.

Good for me, bad for him.



(Not because it's La Salle, because its unpaid.)

Thad Matta out by mutual agreement

wlu_lax6 wrote:Thad Matta out by mutual agreement

I'm not convinced that was the case at all. I saw something that the AD decided and Matta accepted it.