Ouch! Drew turns down UK to remain at Baylor

[18IsTheMan]

They have been rebuffed by Oats, Hurley and now Drew. Early word was that Donovan was committed to the Bulls, but he was an assistant under Pitino there for 5 years., so it's thought UK will still pursue him.

Nevertheless, it's quite telling that UK was turned down by their top 2 prime candidates and their top Tier 2 candidate. Seems they don't have the blue blood power they thought they did.

Donovan could still be a good hire, but he's been out of the college game for 10 years and a ton has changed.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

I don't really think Hurley was a serious candidate, aspirational of course, however considering Hurley had just won his 2nd NC in a row, doubtful he was really in play.
I'm not making too much of Hurley not wanting to take another job.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I don't really think Hurley was a serious candidate, aspirational of course, however considering Hurley had just won his 2nd NC in a row, doubtful he was really in play.
I'm not making too much of Hurley not wanting to take another job.

Whether he was a serious candidate or not, he rejected even being considered, which is as good as turning it down. Maybe worse. The Kentucky faithful believe they should get the pick of the liter. That's not gonna happen. They couldn't even get the coach from Alabama, where basketball really isn't all that important relative to football. Think about a football coach from Kentucky turning down the Bama job today and the message that would send.

 

[KingWard]

Did any of y'all watch the "production" that Arkansas put on at Bud Walton arena to trot out Calipari. That AD made it look like an Academy Award show. Two guys, Tyson and Stephens by name, wealthy boosters from Arkansas, put the money together to make this happen and were mentioned during the event. Tyson was there to be recognized and take a bow. Folks, we ain't got that kind of horsepower around here.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Did any of y'all watch the "production" that Arkansas put on at Bud Walton arena to trot out Calipari. That AD made it look like an Academy Award show. Two guys, Tyson and Stephens by name, wealthy boosters from Arkansas, put the money together to make this happen and were cited during the event. Folks, we ain't got that kind of horsepower around here.

Comparatively, the kind of power we generate:

 

[CCUIrmo]

If this keeps up they will have to hire Darrin Horn.

 

[18IsTheMan]

If this keeps up they will have to hire Darrin Horn.

If they don't get Donovan, they'll really be in a pickle.

Timing is bad with him. Bulls have a play-in game next week, so nothing would happen on Donovan until after that. If they do play themselves into the playoffs, it would push it off a couple weeks.

 

[Prestonyte]

Did any of y'all watch the "production" that Arkansas put on at Bud Walton arena to trot out Calipari. That AD made it look like an Academy Award show. Two guys, Tyson and Stephens by name, wealthy boosters from Arkansas, put the money together to make this happen and were mentioned during the event. Tyson was there to be recognized and take a bow. Folks, we ain't got that kind of horsepower around here.

We are the ''Sad Sack'' in the financial department in the SEC. (For the comics fans on the board.) lol

 

[18IsTheMan]

We are the ''Sad Sack'' in the financial department in the SEC. (For the comics fans on the board.) lol

Don't know how we don't have one single powerful mega-rich donor for athletics. The only super rich person we're connected with is that lunatic Darla Moore.

Is there no billionaire peach magnate in the state?

 

[18IsTheMan]

And, oh, I forgot Jay Wright. He was also a firm "no" on the job opening.

 

[adcoop]

They have been rebuffed by Oats, Hurley and now Drew. Early word was that Donovan was committed to the Bulls, but he was an assistant under Pitino there for 5 years., so it's thought UK will still pursue him.

Nevertheless, it's quite telling that UK was turned down by their top 2 prime candidates and their top Tier 2 candidate. Seems they don't have the blue blood power they thought they did.

Donovan could still be a good hire, but he's been out of the college game for 10 years and a ton has changed.

I don't see why Donovan would be committed to the Bulls. They are a middling team, barely in the play-in in the weaker Eastern Conference. They have aging stars (DeRozan, Vucevic) with a losing record. It's time for him to get out of there before they fire him. He is sort of in the same situation as Calipari on the professional level.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I don't see why Donovan would be committed to the Bulls. They are a middling team, barely in the play-in in the weaker Eastern Conference. They have aging stars (DeRozan, Vucevic) with a losing record. It's time for him to get out of there before they fire him. He is sort of in the same situation as Calipari on the professional level.

Yeah, I don't see the draw to staying in Chicago. It would be damning if he chose them over UK. But there aren't many NBA coaches who choose of their own accord to go coach college ball. Any?

 

[LonghornsGamecocks]

Folks, we ain't got that kind of horsepower around here.

Nope. Not even close.

 

[LonghornsGamecocks]

They have been rebuffed by Oats, Hurley and now Drew.

Not shocked but am surprised that Drew turned them down. He's 53 and has been there for 21 years. I'd be itching to do something different; the chance to do it at Kentucky; the chance to do it for a **** ton of money; and the chance to have a 10+ year runway to really enjoy it - I assumed he'd be all over it.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Not shocked but am surprised that Drew turned them down. He's 53 and has been there for 21 years. I'd be itching to do something different; the chance to do it at Kentucky; the chance to do it for a **** ton of money; and the chance to have a 10+ year runway to really enjoy it - I assumed he'd be all over it.

But it comes at the expense of dealing with UK fans.

 

[adcoop]

Yeah, I don't see the draw to staying in Chicago. It would be damning if he chose them over UK. But there aren't many NBA coaches who choose of their own accord to go coach college ball. Any?

Pitino came back. Calipari came back. Fred Hoiberg and Leonard Hamilton are some other guys that took NBA gigs and came back. Although I prefer the professional game to the college game, I think the Head Coaching job at a major D1 program is a better gig. You can get almost the same money and have more job security. You don't get it done in the professional ranks in a couple years and they are looking to get you out of there. In the pros, you have players and agents trying to get you fired. Players don't have that type of power on the collegiate level.

 

[adcoop]

Not shocked but am surprised that Drew turned them down. He's 53 and has been there for 21 years. I'd be itching to do something different; the chance to do it at Kentucky; the chance to do it for a **** ton of money; and the chance to have a 10+ year runway to really enjoy it - I assumed he'd be all over it.

Kentucky has more tradition, but drew has built Baylor to be a better job right now. He is already getting the best players. They just built a new arena. Yeah, he might get a couple more million, but the pressure in Lexington would be immediate. Drew can make Baylor whatever he wants with little to no pressure. He made them a National Champion. He would have to screw up big time to ever be on the hot seat.

 

[ToddFlanders]

They are still very much a blue blood and one of the top 3 jobs in the country. But a coach isn't going to leave a school where they've already won a national championship. The whole reason to go to Kentucky is because you have everything you need to win one. If you already have one then Kentucky really doesn't have much else to offer. More money? Maybe. But if you're making $5-6M already, a couple more isn't going to make a difference in your life and UK fans aren't worth that headache.

They just need to grab someone who has been very good, but hasn't gotten over the hump. I think Pearl would jump at it. He's doing great at Auburn, but will always have limitations there. Just grab a Final Four coach from a major conference and let them go for it. Oats turned them down, but you have Keatts, Painter, Cronin, Altman and some others that have come close.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Pitino came back. Calipari came back. Fred Hoiberg and Leonard Hamilton are some other guys that took NBA gigs and came back. Although I prefer the professional game to the college game, I think the Head Coaching job at a major D1 program is a better gig. You can get almost the same money and have more job security. You don't get it done in the professional ranks in a couple years and they are looking to get you out of there. In the pros, you have players and agents trying to get you fired. Players don't have that type of power on the collegiate level.

I said choose of their own accord.

Pitino was fired in Boston.
Calipari was fired in NJ.
Hoiberg was fired in Chicago.
Hamilton "resigned" after one season in Washington going 19-63.

There may be some examples, but I don't know of anyone off the top of my head who left an NBA job without being fired/forced out in order to take a college job. Donovan has not done well in Chicago, so he may be fired if they don't make earn a play-in spot next week.

 

[18IsTheMan]

They are still very much a blue blood and one of the top 3 jobs in the country. But a coach isn't going to leave a school where they've already won a national championship. The whole reason to go to Kentucky is because you have everything you need to win one. If you already have one then Kentucky really doesn't have much else to offer. More money? Maybe. But if you're making $5-6M already, a couple more isn't going to make a difference in your life and UK fans aren't worth that headache.

They just need to grab someone who has been very good, but hasn't gotten over the hump. I think Pearl would jump at it. He's doing great at Auburn, but will always have limitations there. Just grab a Final Four coach from a major conference and let them go for it. Oats turned them down, but you have Keatts, Painter, Cronin, Altman and some others that have come close.

They are still a blue blood, but for no reason other than they're a blue blood. They've done nothing in the last 2+ decades to merit blue blood status. Nobody is lining up for the job. It's not shocking they didn't land Hurley. In fact, it would have been shocking if they had and it would have re-established them as a pre-eminent program. Missing on Oats, though, is pretty bad. I mean, Bama is good in basketball right now, but they've never been a perennial contender type. Historically, it pales in comparison to the UK job. Basketball to Bama is what football is to UK. That should have been a home run for UK, to back up the Brinks truck and pull him from Bama. Missing on Drew is an ever bigger black mark. Particularly, since that was seen as their "if Hurley and Oats fall through" option.

Pearl would be a good escape hire if they can't get Donovan. But he's 63, so not a terribly long-term solution.

Kentucky is still a blue blood in basketball in much the same way Nebraska is in football.

 

[adcoop]

I said choose of their own accord.

Pitino was fired in Boston.
Calipari was fired in NJ.
Hoiberg was fired in Chicago.
Hamilton "resigned" after one season in Washington going 19-63.

There may be some examples, but I don't know of anyone off the top of my head who left an NBA job without being fired/forced out in order to take a college job. Donovan has not done well in Chicago, so he may be fired if they don't make earn a play-in spot next week.

Overlooked the of their own accord, but I found one. Pitino actually left the Knicks in '89 to take the Kentucky job.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Overlooked the of their own accord, but I found one. Pitino actually left the Knicks in '89 to take the Kentucky job.

Yep, which is why I said "there aren't many who choose of their own accord to go coach college ball." That was 35 years ago, though.

We'll see what happens with Donovan. He may get fired next week, if UK is willing to wait that long.

 

[muscleknight]

Maybe UK's consultant is King Dixon lol

 

[Prestonyte]

Yeah, I don't see the draw to staying in Chicago. It would be damning if he chose them over UK. But there aren't many NBA coaches who choose of their own accord to go coach college ball. Any?

The city of Chicago is not a hometown destination for a lot of reasons!

 

[18IsTheMan]

The city of Chicago is not a hometown destination for a lot of reasons!

And the pizza sucks. In my opinion.

 

[LonghornsGamecocks]

And the pizza sucks. In my opinion.

That ain't pizza. It's lasagna.

Long live a New York slice!

 

[18IsTheMan]

That ain't pizza. It's lasagna.

Long live a New York slice!

Amen!

 

[Irvin Snibbley]

Look at Pearl.Hes about all that’s left unless they go after Pitino

 

[KingWard]

Don't know how we don't have one single powerful mega-rich donor for athletics. The only super rich person we're connected with is that lunatic Darla Moore.

Is there no billionaire peach magnate in the state?

We messed that up - twice.

 

[mickray]

HGTV star Chip Gaines on effort to keep Scott Drew at Baylor: 'We've got God on our side'

Baylor is calling in all the reinforcements to keep Scott Drew in Waco, including those of spiritual nature.

www.on3.com

Gaines must
have prevailed....

 

[CockofEarle…]

They have been rebuffed by Oats, Hurley and now Drew. Early word was that Donovan was committed to the Bulls, but he was an assistant under Pitino there for 5 years., so it's thought UK will still pursue him.

Nevertheless, it's quite telling that UK was turned down by their top 2 prime candidates and their top Tier 2 candidate. Seems they don't have the blue blood power they thought they did.

Donovan could still be a good hire, but he's been out of the college game for 10 years and a ton has changed.

Oil money trumps horse money.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Possibly zeroing in on Mark Pope. That would be a desperation hire.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Looks like Pope is the man.

Boy, this is a reality check for UK. He’s an alright coach but wouldn’t even be on their radar if he wasn’t a grad.

 

[Prestonyte]

Looks like Pope is the man.

Boy, this is a reality check for UK. He’s an alright coach but wouldn’t even be on their radar if he wasn’t a grad.

Using the grad thing for cover because they are desperately trying to save face.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Using the grad thing for cover because they are desperately trying to save face.

UK fans melting down tonight

 

[KingWard]

Oil money trumps horse money.

Oil always pays; horses largely cost.

 

[KingWard]

UK fans melting down tonight

They've experienced something we have recently suffered more times than not: a Tanner.

 

[gamecock stock]

UK fans melting down tonight

That makes my night.

 

[18IsTheMan]

That makes my night.

This is really something. UK is supposed to be a blue blood. A major brand.

Pope looks like an alright coach. He may turn out to be great for them. But this is total desperation. They could get a name so they’re going the former player route.

 

[18IsTheMan]