And rarely with any long-term success.

 

John Groce went to one Sweet 16 with Ohio and got the Illinois job. He no longer has the Illinois job.

Rick Pitino?

John Groce went to one Sweet 16 with Ohio and got the Illinois job. He no longer has the Illinois job.

So many examples....

Travis Steele (easy hire, continuity, safe hire for Greg Christopher who HAS to get this one right)

 

John Brannen would have to have a few others say "no" first.

 

I have no dog in the fight other than a general preference for all of the local schools to be successful. I've thought Mack was the odds on favorite when Pitino eventually retired for a few years now, but until a year ago I didn't see Rick stepping aside any time soon. I say this because I'm curious how long Steele has been next man up, and if the feeling was that Mack would leave for new job sooner rather than later whether UofL or somewhere else.

 

I could be way off, but I seem to remember the NKU job coming down to Brannen vs. Steele. It is interesting to me that Brannen has done such an incredible job at NKU, but Steele is the odds on favorite to take over at XU. I completely get it, and Xavier has an awesome track record of it's last two assistant promotions. I just wonder what broke the tie for NKU, ties to Northern Kentucky specifically? Feelings he might stay longer? Money?

I'm not a fan of Amaker at all. Struggled mightily at both Seton Hall & Michigan. Has done well at Harvard, no doubt, but is in the middle of a three year tournament drought there.

 

You saved me some typing. I was just getting ready to post the same comments.

 

Porter Moser (Loyola Chicago) - Final Four run sure makes him interesting

 

Until this year, He did not finish over .500 in his own conference in the last 5 years.

Until this year, He did not finish over .500 in his own conference in the last 5 years.

 

Postseason basketball can be kind of a dice roll in college. Heck, before Pitino went to back to back Final Fours in 12 and 13, some fans were getting frustrated with first round losses ever couple years.

 

As a fan, what I want to see from any perspective coach is the ability to take what you got and gradually improve it over time. Mack took over a quality program and made it into the kind of team that won a regular season title in one of the best conferences in America and got a No. 1 seed in the NCAA. That’s achievement over time.

 

Thats what you’re trying to find.

Until this year, He did not finish over .500 in his own conference in the last 5 years.

 

Like most of America I haven't looked twice at Loyola in my entire life until this March. I think I've heard they have a few transfers, but it seems crazy to me that they are just now having success because their style of play is so beautiful. I guess when you win your first 3 games by 4 combined points, one missed shot would have precluded all of this from taking place.

Until this year, He did not finish over .500 in his own conference in the last 5 years.

He went 1-17 one year in the Horizon league.....

I just wonder what broke the tie for NKU, ties to Northern Kentucky specifically? Feelings he might stay longer? Money?

 

I think the best way to put this is Travis mis-played his final interview with Ken, John didn't.

I think the best way to put this is Travis mis-played his final interview with Ken, John didn't.

Travis may have ended up doing great at NKU, but as we sit here right now, it looks like it may have worked out best for all involved.

Travis may have ended up doing great at NKU, but as we sit here right now, it looks like it may have worked out best for all involved.

I certainly didn't mean to imply otherwise, you know how I feel about John. And so does he, for the record. Turned out to be 100% the right choice.

 

On a separate note, back to the point of the thread, I believe Xavier is at a very tenuous point, where a major back-slide is not only possible, but probably likely.

I certainly didn't mean to imply otherwise, you know how I feel about John. And so does he, for the record. Turned out to be 100% the right choice.

 

On a separate note, back to the point of the thread, I believe Xavier is at a very tenuous point, where a major back-slide is not only possible, but probably likely.

imI was not meaning to imply otherwise at all. Sorry if it came off that way.

Is Kenny Payne looking for a head coaching job? There was some (however serious) talk about him being a candidate for the UL job. I think someone should give him a shot.

I was talking to someone who is very in tune with the college game and hiring process. One interesting point he mentioned was that being in the Big East Xavier has to pay around $2M or so for a head coach. You can't be paying coach $700K in the Big East if you want to be taken seriously.

 

Is Travis Steele worth $2M?