nope, not at all
Coaching Carousel
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It’s a pretty good day to be these guys.
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
So, just to summarize, we are fighting UK to keep OA, and we are fighting both UK and KU to keep Chin.
Right....
Hey Blue Bloods:
Right....
Hey Blue Bloods:
JW
- Vancouver
JW is willing to spend and fight for our program.
Though I have to wonder if this isn't madness. Is OA really worth that much money?
Loyalillini10
- Urbana, IL
That is a true statement. Quite possibly the most accurate post I’ve seen in days.
Deleted member 747903
D
Guest
Even if he’s not worth the money, the money is worth it to make a statement to the rest of the programs in the country
What's it worth to risk losing the momentum we've built these last couple years? That's what'd we be risking.
JW
- Vancouver
I don't disagree. And I support JW and really want to keep OA and Chin.
But...to be fair...we didn't just win a national championship. We had a very good season, and got mauled in the tournament. I feel this is a little bit of Tom Sawyer's fence...
Govoner Vaugn Fan
- New Orleans
OA's ROI? Take two players he delivered, Kofi and Belo. What is their value in revenue (ticket sales, TV rights, merchandising etc). Also did the #1 seed vs bubble status help with donor income? I don't know, but bet it far exceeds the amount of the boost in salary.
Maybe but if OA signs with KY this costs JW nothing at all and his phone will be ringing off the hook with zillions of great replacement candidates hoping to become at least the second best paid asst. coach for us.
Heck this is probably even better than using Monster.com or Indeed to fill this position! LOL
Roger Powell and Mennegua are looking pretty good right now.
IF true, then do we have a JW reset?
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Honestly, I think he is. No guarantees obviously, but if OA staying on staff means that Kofi comes back for another year, then it's already worth it. If Kofi also goes on to feature in the NPOY race, insanely worth it. And if Kofi develops his game and moves up draft boards to become a first rounder under OA's tutelage, then the value generated is immense. Program-redefining value.
Think of it this way: Cal is desperate to put a horrifyingly bad season in the rearview, and he is banking on OA to be one of the key people to help him to do it. That alone makes OA arguably one of the top assistants in all of college basketball. UK could have gone to any other program to try and poach assistants, but they went straight to OA with no hesitation. And the role he could play in helping UK bounce back is the role he can play in helping us to sustain what we've just started building.
Honest question...do you really think we can be Kentucky or Duke? Its this unrealistic rhetoric that makes the fall so hard for people. We are much closer to Utah and LSU than we are to Kentucky and Duke. Ive never understood why we do this exercise.
We get a 5 star player once or twice a decade. We have a great team every 15-20 years. Now compare that to Duke and Kentucky.
As long as we don't bring back Weber to do a "funeral" I don't care.
same with the Groce ladder
YES. This is my thought more than anything.
There is zero downside to this because if this team keeps the roster intact and continues the hype coming out of COVID stoppage the revenue impact will be much more than their salaries.
The downside risk is that they underperform, but paying this much puts every other assistant coach on their heels loving to get that paycheck shall they faulter.
This is important I believe. UI recently announced 15 pledges of 3mil for Ubben. JW wants to keep the train rolling...
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
Insider or wishing?
I would not go that far, but, yes OA would move the needle substantially for us.
I think we are a couple of years away from making that comparison. However, we are headed in that direction and could be fairly close. I would say the day we beat UK in 50+% of recruiting wars then we are at the doorstep.
Doable. IF OA sticks around for 4 more years, IMVVVVHO
Everybody’s got a price...
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
Getting buzzed and looking at this was a serious mistake
So was not and looking at it
illini55
- The Villages, FL
A tall order? Pun intended??
Stop it. I'm busy drinking O&B Kool-aid over here.
We are definitely a bigger basketball program than Utah (?!?) or LSU for godsakes.
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