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Jim Whitesell - UB's New Head Coach


Kevin

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3 minutes ago, skrabukes said:

I just want to see the fun continue,  next year and beyond, without worrying about metrics, just winning games with an excellent coach and great players who play as a team.

I think that's one of the upsides of next year.  We go into a season with no expectations.  No pressure.  Metrics get tossed out and its all about growing and developing and making a run in March.  Kind of a reset.  

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I run DI coach searches...no fancy showrooms...no high rent districts. I have very low overhead and I pass the savings on to my ticket holders! I contract with other athletic directors ...in many cases the same people that are hiring the coaches for our competitors. These folks hire our coaches that are, size for size, spec for spec, exactly what our competitors offer. The difference is that I can hire them for 1/3 to 1/2 of their "supposed" cost by simply waiting ten days. I hire coaches for less...a lot less.

Mark Alnutt

Edited by squire17
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2 hours ago, UB92 said:

 

1. You say  "The naming of an interim head coach is simply having the most senior member of your staff hold the program together while you decide the path forward for the program".

-- I disagree.  The whole point of my post (which you apparently missed) is that this circumstance was unusual since it was THE MOST IMPORTANT HIRE that UB has had, for the reasons I mention.  And, thus, naming the "most senior member of your staff" as interim, while typical, was NOT THE RIGHT MOVE in this instance, for the reason I mention.

 

2. You say "You cant name a junior member of the staff as the interim head coach because that is a statement about the path of the program. That is a decision and would be done in haste"

--   On April 9th, 2015 Hurley was hired at ASU.  That SAME DAY Nate Oats was name interim head coach.  Levi Watkins was on the staff at the time...and he had more NCAA experience than Oats.   Oats was name the head coach (after being named interim coach) two days later.  My contention is that the recruits were so important to the program that Hodgson should have been named interim since there was a crucial need to work on keeping the recruits.  But you certain can name a junior member of the staff -- the AD made the choice not to.

 

3.   "Also, I believe Hodgson was gone and not available when Whitesell was named interim. You don’t give the title and power over the program to someone who just skipped town"

- Since Whitesell was name interim on THE SAME DAY Oats was announced as coach of Alabama, I am not sure that Hodgson would have left town if he was named interim.  That's just a hunch!  And I don't believe Hodgson left to Alabama on the same day Oats was announced.  Later in the week is when he was seen with Oats.

 

By the way, I am not trying to be difficult.  I want to have a conversation about this and, perhaps, I am wrong in my initial assertions. I am glad to be educated by those who have more inside knowledge.  Maybe you have some facts I am not aware of.    However, I am the fan base...I am not the reporter with the inside scoop or a friend of a friend of the AD (or Hodgson or a player or a GA ).  I am telling you what it looks like from my perspective of a 2x alumnus who has been a fan for 30+ years.

 

 

 

 

1.  No, an interim is before you make a move. It is a holding pattern.  If you make a move, you are making a statement and sending a message. Everyone knows that the most senior member of the staff takes over the duties in the interim. 

 

2. You’re wrong. Oats was making $103k when he was named the interim head coach. Watkins was making $87k.  Oats was the senior member of the staff. 

 

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2 hours ago, UB05 said:

That’s what was reported here. But ask 3 different people and get 3 different answers. Personally with all the rumors and here-say going around, I’m finding it harder to blame Alnutt, oats, Hodgson, or anyone else for anything that’s transpired. 

It was reported by Alabama local media covering Oats arrival that Hodgson traveled down with him and that he would join the staff if not given the head coach job. 

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Just now, MKBullsfan said:

Anyone know when the press conference will be this week to officially announce Whitesell as the coach? 

It will be tomorrow. Or perhaps, in keeping with the modus operandi, ten days from tomorrow. Either way it will be all the news that’s fit to print.

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5 minutes ago, squire17 said:

It will be tomorrow. Or perhaps, in keeping with the modus operandi, ten days from tomorrow. Either way it will be all the news that’s fit to print.

Can’t wait to hear from Whitsell on his plans and status of recruits/current players. Gotta give us something tomorrow to make us feel good about next season. 

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16 minutes ago, MKBullsfan said:

Anyone know when the press conference will be this week to officially announce Whitesell as the coach? 

I'll be there, it's tomorrow morning at 10AM. I'll have his quotes and ask him a few questions

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12 minutes ago, Kevin said:

I'll be there, it's tomorrow morning at 10AM. I'll have his quotes and ask him a few questions

Ask him if he can get St. Johns to play UB in the Garden (since he used to coach at St. Johns) and for us to get a return game at alumni. We should play them and Cuse every year. Just ask about scheduling at a high level overall in non-conference. 

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3 hours ago, DooleyBull06 said:

As a result had to hire a search firm. 

You also use a search firm by giving them names, tell them these are the people you are interested in and they do a lot of the vetting for.you.  Also people who are not on the list can contact the search firm and let the firm know they are interested in the opening.

Edited by BrooklynBull
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1 hour ago, MKBullsfan said:

Ask him if he can get St. Johns to play UB in the Garden (since he used to coach at St. Johns) and for us to get a return game at alumni. We should play them and Cuse every year. Just ask about scheduling at a high level overall in non-conference. 

Just stop.  Power conference schools don’t play road games.  Not happening.  Ask about AAC, OVC, A10 and MVC.  Home and homes  that could actually happen.  Keep the brand and get into good neutral court preseason tournies.

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I’m pretty happy with them hire. I too was kinda upset that we got a hiring firm and it took this long just to promote an assistant already here but as others have said I’m just hoping that they did their due diligence and interviews and picked the best candidate which happened to be Jim. Maybe he just checked all the boxes better than all other candidates and that’s all we can ask for. 

Hodgson is essentially dead to me. I’m glad he’s not here. Yea this is all business but I don’t want someone who says they will go be an assistant elsewhere if they don’t get the job here. If you’re really dedicated to being the coach at UB then focus just on that and don’t take a plane ride with oats. I want someone 100% dedicated to being the coach of UB and he clearly had his mind elsewhere so screw em. 

That being said hopefully we can bring in some experience with recruiting as an assistant and it’ll be interesting to see who gets hired for that position. 

I find it interesting some of you are acting like “just” winning a MAC championship next year would be a step back. Yea it’s nothing like this season and it’s honestly a long shot right now but if we can somehow put together a team that wins the MAC next year that is a huge next step for this program. Everyone knows and expects it will be a rebuilding year. If a rebuilding year manages a MAC championship (which would be 5 out of the last 6) it just further cements the fact that we are better than this conference and maybe deserve a move up. It’s been rough lately as a UB fan but I’m starting to become optimistic again even if it’s stupid. Our goals next year are much lower for this whole program to continue the upward trend we all desire 

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6 hours ago, weareub46 said:

I find it interesting some of you are acting like “just” winning a MAC championship next year would be a step back. Yea it’s nothing like this season and it’s honestly a long shot right now but if we can somehow put together a team that wins the MAC next year that is a huge next step for this program. Everyone knows and expects it will be a rebuilding year. If a rebuilding year manages a MAC championship (which would be 5 out of the last 6) it just further cements the fact that we are better than this conference and maybe deserve a move up. It’s been rough lately as a UB fan but I’m starting to become optimistic again even if it’s stupid. Our goals next year are much lower for this whole program to continue the upward trend we all desire 

This upcoming year was going to be crucial in Oats' development as a coach.  Gone would be the five seniors and Oats would have to figure out how to merge all of this talent on to the roster and get them to click.  I was interested to see how it would happen.  Would it have ended up with a MAC crown?  Who knows.

But now that is moot. 

I don't get your point about "goals are much lower to continue the upward trend".  So...enlighten me.  What lower goals next year, in your opinion, would constitute continuing this upward trend?  I am curious.  Remember...a month ago we were looking to be the "Gonzaga of the East".

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Anyone else hear this? Dick move if true.

"Oats was trying to poach Williams off UB and join him at Alabama. Got a text from one of Williams immediate family member this afternoon that a decision was finally made and he is officially  staying loyal to UB and not following Oats to Alabama"

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23 minutes ago, promotherobot said:

Anyone else hear this? Dick move if true.

"Oats was trying to poach Williams off UB and join him at Alabama. Got a text from one of Williams immediate family member this afternoon that a decision was finally made and he is officially  staying loyal to UB and not following Oats to Alabama"

I like these for 2 reasons. 

1. Love Williams' loyalty. I will cheer even harder for him now. It can be enticing to go play at a P5 level.

2. Oats thinks he can compete at a P5 level, which is a good sign of things to come.  

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40 minutes ago, promotherobot said:

Anyone else hear this? Dick move if true.

"Oats was trying to poach Williams off UB and join him at Alabama. Got a text from one of Williams immediate family member this afternoon that a decision was finally made and he is officially  staying loyal to UB and not following Oats to Alabama"

Where did you hear this?  He hasn't recommitted from what I've seen.

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5 minutes ago, trueblue32 said:

Where did you hear this?  He hasn't recommitted from what I've seen.

I assume he means Nate Will returning for his Soph season. Which if true would be great obviously. Also likely means Rondo is staying, as those guys are really tight. They're currently driving convertibles around Orlando 😎🤘🏼

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