I know we're pretty fixated on the tournament but we should track and talk smack about who lands where and why before next season. So far we got NCST making a strong -ass offer to get Will Wade. FSU landing Luke Loucks. Has this even been discussed in NBN? Darian Devries to IU, Jai Lucas to the U and now: Richard Pitino to Xavier. Didn't see that coming. Add more. Discuss.
Interesting that both FSU and UM pick young guys that have never been HCs. Hires are always a gamble but these seems like an even bigger one. Guess they're expected to kill it on the recruiting trail.
Pitino did a good job at New Mexico. Their fans were aware several teams were looking at him and were sorry to see him go.
There strong rumor is that Kevin Willard, Maryland’s coach, will be hired to take over Villanova after the Tournament.
Maybe I .missed the thread on Loucks, but this seems like such an odd hire. 4 year back up for the holes, small time pro career, then odd-job assistant/staff roles. Seems like he only has a few years of sideline assistant coach experience and now he heads a P5 program? You never want to be the guy that follows the guy and he wants THIS as his first shot? I guess ego is always huge with these guys, but the real question is why the school decided this route. If he wasn't an alum, I'd give it a higher chance of them seeing some massive potential in the guy, but it looks more like grabbing the first person to say yes. Of course, he could be the next John Wooden, but this just strikes me as... weird.
Looks like UNLV hired Josh Pastner to coach them. He was let go at Georgia Tech after the 2023 season. Rumor had it that they were leaning toward Gator Assistant Cavlin Hartman for the job at one time.
I think so, at least with recency bias. But Maryland has a proud basketball tradition, too. Willard, however, has publicly challenged the Md Administration’s commitment to excellence and big-time success, and recently called them out for nit letting them stay one extra night in NY on a road trip. Who knows what will happen, but it’s the internet rumor of the week …
Very off topic but this song hit a nerve with me. He didn't write it but Graham Gouldman wrote "Look Through Any Window" and "Bus Stop" for the Hollies. I turned my wife onto the Hollies in later life. Very pop but very good. We learned about Graham Gouldman via Graham Nash's autobiography. He also wrote "For Your Love" and "Heart Full of Soul" for the Yardbirds. And one of my favorite songs of all time "I'm Not in Love" by 10CC. And other songs by groups like Herman's Hermits. Some songwriters are famous for songs that other performers make famous. I love JJ Cale and Laura Nyro. You could put Carol King in there but I was never a fan of her songs. Willie Nelson is a great performer and song writer but the song "Crazy" is just genius and maybe the best thing he has ever done and that is high praise.
UNLV will have a new coaches in basketball (Pastner) and football (Dan Mullen). We had that situation in 2022; one hire has far exceeded expectations and the jury is still kinda out on the other one.
