Three-day summary
Hey everyone. Sorry for the dearth of posts lately, but there are good reasons. It's spring break. That means Auburn players are gone, the coaches are doing their thing as well since Spring Practice starts next week and the basketball search hasn't yet started.
This is the calm before the storm ... if you consider Spring Practice a hurricane of activity. It can be.
This is the calm before the storm ... if you consider Spring Practice a hurricane of activity. It can be.
- SCHEDULE UPDATE: I'm planning to talk with Ben Tate tomorrow. The goal is to simply check in with him, see what's been happening since Pro Day and how he's holding up. I'm sure these are tough days. He'll be a millionaire soon, but he's still a (semi-)broke college student for another six weeks.
- HOOPS COACHING SEARCH: Athletic director Jay Jacobs had some names in mind for Jeff Lebo replacements before this whole thing went down. He's sniffing around to gauge interest from those guys before getting a search firm involved. Who will be on that list? Chuck Person is on it. Tubby Smith, the former UK figurehead and current Minnesota coach, is on it. I know nothing substantive beyond that. They have not been interviewed and, as far as I know, permission hasn't yet been granted in either case. Since Minnesota backed into the NCAA Tournament, an interview with Smith wouldn't happen for a bit.
Is Smith a real candidate? It doesn't look like a good financial fit. Though his buyout is essentially zero right now, Smith is guaranteed to make at least $1.8 million during each of the next four seasons. When Jacobs said Auburn would offer a competitive salary in an SEC context, I think he means ~$1.3 million. That's much higher than Lebo's $750,000 salary, but it's well short of what Minnesota pays. I don't see Smith accepting a pay cut to take over this program. It's not like he's from Alabama; he grew up in rural Maryland.
Are you wondering about Missouri coach Mike Anderson? He is guarnateed $1.55 million per season through 2016, though a portion of that is withheld each year until 2013 for a deferred compensation fund. It's a way to keep him at Missouri.
Anderson had the opportunity to leave Missouri for Georgia last spring. Reports say he left at least $500,000 on the table to stay with the Tigers, so Auburn's chances don't look very good. That's not even considering what happened when Auburn expressed interest in 2004. Short answer: It didn't end well.
I know you want to discuss more candidates, but I can't identify the actual targets just yet. Jacobs isn't to that stage. - BASEBALL UPDATE: Auburn was rolling right along until the trip to No. 2 Arizona State last weekend. The team flew home winless in three games, but didn't play poorly overall. Arizona State is really good. The Tigers probably will crush Alabama A&M today and Wednesday before opening conference play at Georgia this weekend.
Is this the Auburn team that finally can qualify for Hoover? Magic 8 Ball says: Cannot predict now.
The Tigers currently are 9-5.
posted by Jay G. Tate at
2:23 PM
51 Comments:
UNO SUBSTANCE!
Wow, I finally leave and go to the grocery and look what's here when I return!
i would love me some Tubby Smith. however, lots of UK folk don't think too much of his recruiting (or lack of it), though.
Scottie B trivia....I had several classes with the former UK punching bag (aka, 'Daddy's Boy') Saul Smith back in the day. He wasn't a bad guy.
I have a feeling it is going to be someone who hasn't even been mentioned yet. No information, just a feeling.
Cincy ... if it's not Chuck Person, I agree with you.
Ben Tate has been pretty active on facebook. Ask him does he plan to continue this access for his fans once he becomes a millionaire.
What happened with the Mike Anderson situation in 2004?
Cincy, you're not singing that 'Black Eyed Peas' song while you type are you? hope not. ;)
I interviewed/talked to Saul may time in college. He was helpful and cool.
Scottie...
Could his recruiting be worse than Lebo's?
No, no it could not.
Ed Richardson, Auburn's interim president at the time, insisted that Mike Anderson come to campus for an interview. That's generally seen as a move reserved for coaches who aren't proven. Anderson considered himself proven, I agreed with his assessment, and declined to interview.
Then he was removed from consideration.
G, what are your thoughts on Person and the chances he is the next coach?
JGT,
Do you really think AU would hire Person without a college degree? Or is he close enough that he could achieve that quickly? I just don't see that as a good example to athletes who are quick to jump to the NBA as it is. As a mama I think they need something to fall back on.
yeah, is it hard to tell kids to go to class if you didn't finish? legit question? dunno.
scottie,
I don't think I would know the Black Eyed Peas if they came up and slapped me. Sad, I know. In the car I listen to local sports talk radio, or if Finebomb is on, I listen to satellite FOX news or sports. At home I listen to K-Love on the internet. Boring, but true :(
In my mind, Tubby = not a good idea. Chuck Person represents the smoke screen/fallback.You have to figure that in mid-December, they started researching the marketplace when the embarrassing losses occurred.
Based on the way we've seen them operate, one figures they've got a couple of folks in mind, and it's not the names that have been circulated (Tubby, Anderson, Person).
I concur with Jay G about the money. They want to spend $1.0-$1.3 million, and think they can get a good coach for that.
Until someone tells me otherwise, my guess is that the "real" list looks something like: Tony Barbee, Tony Jones, Ron Hunter and Sam Mitchell.
Ben Tate interview now officially scheduled for Wednesday. I will ask about the Facebook/social networking stuff.
Anything else you'd like me to ask?
I don't have a strong opinion on the need for Chuck Person to have a degree. You're paying him to coach. If he shows an appropriate level of respect for academic pursuits, I don't see why it matters.
In fact, if he doesn't have a degree and he elects to work toward completing his degree while coach at Auburn ... wouldn't that bolster your opinion of him and provide an ideal example?
well, i listen to sports radio 75% of the time, old cd's/ipod the other 25%.
all good cincy.
Who in the world is from Poughkeepsie, NY?
I read an article talking about Sam Mitchell. Some people have said that since he had only been in the NBA and never coached in college that he may not be a good fit. He had a good answer for that. Basically he said a majority of the guys come into the NBA with very little college. Therefore he is coaching sophomores and juniors.
I just noticed that my spell checker was set up for English(England). I was wondering why in the heck words I knew were correct kept popping up as misspelled.
What is this basketball of which you speak?
JGT, out of curiosity... what do you think of FeedJit? I've used it for a while and kinda like it. It's fun.
Jay,
I think if he is working toward his degree that sets a great example for our players.
It is just that so many athletes don't make it into the professional level of their sport. I think it is important for them to have a degree to fall back on. I know you can get a job without a degree, but chances are much improved with that little piece of paper.
Is a degree required to become a Hottie?
Is everyone signed up for the Bracket Challenge yet?
Go to the Tourney Pick'em on Yahoo Fantasy Sports...
Join a group and use the following to enter...
GROUP ID: 26461
PASSWORD: hatebama
no MJT, but there is an on-line course you must complete.
saw an old football program from 1925 from another SEC school this past weekend. The front cover said "Gameday Programme." That wasn't that long ago, as far as evolution of language is concerned.
That SEC school must have had a brit working for them or something. Learn our language (and spelling) or git out!!!!
Miller
I am in thanks
I am adamantly opposed to hiring a coach who has had over 20 years to earn a college degree and still hasn't done it. I'm even adamantly opposed to hiring said person once they get their degree. Maybe we should have hired Brent Fullwood instead of Chizik.
Oh, THT, you and your standards. I'll bet it would bother you if the new coach pays players' "street agents" too, wouldn't it? Get with the times, man!
Great substance JGT. Obviously it will be awhile before the next Basketball coach will be known due to the ongoing NCAA March Madness unless it is someone not involved. Spring practice is on the way.
depends. is said coach going to get caught?
So... What does everyone think of the new AU football website?
http://www.auburnwareagle.com/
Miller ...
I was going to take a look at it tonight in depth ... the opening is pretty sharp.
Same here. The opening is pretty sharp and the site looks well done. I need to explore it a little more though. I couldn't delve too deep into it here at work.
that site is seriously high tech. I'm ready for some football!!!!
Thanks for the link to the site. It is amazing, but there are quite a few typos. I hate typos in a professionally done presentation. Hopefully those will be corrected soon.
Agreed, Cincy. That was very disturbing to "the Monk" in me. But, I'm still fired up for some Auburn football!
Why is "the" inside the quotation marks? It's a good thing that wasn't a professionally done post.
THT,
We aren't professionals here. Typos gladly accepted.
That website has a ton of information. It will take quite awhile to be able to read it all.
I consider myself a proffesional.
You also consider yourself Queen of Eurasia. They can't both be true can they?
King of Eurasia, Queen of HABOTN actually. Professional HABOTN Commenter is just another hat I wear.
Tubby was on Atlanta radio earlier this afternoon and he honestly appeared to be rather content with his life in Minnesota.
so is there a HABOTN bracket this year? I know I haven't been around but I'd love to play..little help???
Wartigee,
see my post at 3:36
ok, I won't even up the post count on any earlier threads... for now.
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