UB92

P7

The process was rough, but getting a Jay Wright long-time assistant who has done everything for that program is a win in my book. The guy will come here and know exactly what he needs and all aspects of every job. I expect him to hit the ground running. Go Bulls!

He didn't want to take the 50% pay cut. I have very few posts in this thread since I just wanted to see how this process played out. A few years ago, when Whitesell was hired, I sort of deconstructed some of the "after the fact" issues with the AD. I was optimistic that he was going to be over-prepared this time. After all, he fired the guy, so he needed to be 1000% confident on the next steps. But this is clearly a second failure -- and in a very public sort of way. I think the President actual has a decision to make here. You can either move on from your AD now, bring in a new AD and have that person hire a new coach (what's another 30 days). Of just let Alnutt hire his fifth or sixth choice, which will be underwhelming for us all. I am very surprised that the President allowed the AD to fire Whitesell early and cough up the extra cash. He must have convinced him about now only the need to do it now, but the consequences (from a new coach standpoint) if he didn't do it now. Now, if you are Tripathi, you basically spent extra money and DIDN'T get the guy...and still have no one at this point. It is like watching that top-3 pick slide down the draft board and the camera is on him as the 22nd team passes on him. A bad look all around.

Stare long enough at anything and you can find things you like. Heck, I am sure someone is working on tables and charts right now to compare how YSU has an 8% improved game flow in conference road games compared to similar conferences during the last three years, except for the COVID year.

Quickly is not the right word. It would appear that the target guys for the AD (the ones he had on his short list) didn’t work out for some reason (perhaps the same reasons as last time) and we are now looking at those who are more eager to leave their current situation (rather than wait for the “right fit”). You would have to be an expert contortionist (and we have a few on this board) to look at what happened last time and what is perceived to be happening now, and conclude anything other than “very disappointing” at the moment. The likelihood of an attractive, inspired hire at this point is pretty low.

What are you talking about? The site does have an ignore user feature. It is very helpful.

With all of the guys UB is losing, my guess is that the AD will circle back on Sunday to someone he KNOWS can keep a roster intact. Jim Whitesell.

At this rate, unless there is an unpassible breach as some have opined, I would expect Hodgson to get the first look at this position for the reasons people have mentioned already. I would expect a similar sort of arrangement (stay with Alabama until they are out of the tournament). If not, probably one of the guys others have mentioned as front-runners. I would NOT expect this to drag out and I would expect a coach to be named over the next few days. I look forward to this thread ending and a new one starting with a title like "Welcome Coach xxx to UB".

Yea! Okay...I am also intrigued about not waiting for the buyout. As you mention, I strongly suspect this means they have someone in mind as well. The evidence seems to indicate that, last time, Alnutt didn't exactly have all of his ducks in a row when Oats left. I have gone through that in some detail in some posts over the last few years. Thus, I would strongly suspect that Alnutt has not only a short list of candidates (made out weeks or months ago or longer), but also very specific instructions on the $$$ he can put towards this position. Indeed, I suspect that there have already been some back channel discussions with some candidates just to gauge interest via go-betweens. I wouldn't be surprised if we have a new coach sooner rather than later. As @BrooklynBull mentions, I can't see anyone having any interest in an Alabama assistant owing to what has happened and, likely, what is still to come. Go Bulls!! PS: I really miss the good old days when I was driving to Cleveland today to watch the MAC Championship game to root on our Bulls. The below will always put a smile on my face!

Are you 100% positive? If so, we are at the crossroads. Extension or fired (on April 6).

It is a good time/place for a reminder on the current contract. From the TBN: "Whitesell’s contract extension includes an agreement that the school would owe him $600,000 if he is terminated by UB before April 5, 2022, and that buyout would drop by $100,000 in each of the following years, until the expiration date of the contract. If Whitesell is to leave before April 5, 2022, he would owe UB $600,000, and that figure would drop by $100,000 in each of the following years, until the expiration date of the contract." -- So...I would assume that on April 6, 2023, the buyout would be $400,000. I think that is right around his salary amount (including other compensations). I read he is on contract through the 2025 season, so I think we would have three more years to go (assuming the 2025 season means 2025-26). I very, very, very seriously doubt he is fired this year. Next year (after the season), regardless of the outcome, I strongly expect he will be fired OR receive an extension. After all, it doesn't really make sense to get to "one year left on the contract". This coach knows that all too well. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/10/us/10cncsports.html

I think both of these takes from @enrique14150and @DooleyBull06 are interesting and provide two viewpoints. One more focused on the players and the other more focused on the coaching. Thanks for sharing your opinions on this.

If UB shows up and plays their best, which is possible (we’ve seen it this year), they can win this one. On the other hand, they have had times during games where there is that flat line for their side on the game flow. If that happens, I don’t think we cover the number. So I am predicting a win or a loss where we don’t cover. Both of those scenarios are in play. If we do lose, I hope we give it all and it goes down to the wire… Go Bulls!

For a few days, let’s all just root for wins so we are playing Saturday night. We can revisit this thread after the next loss…whether it is Thursday, Friday, Saturday…if after that! I mean we are all fans, so let’s spend this time supporting the team for the next few days. There will be plenty of time to examine everything after that.

While I have boycotted posting (mostly...) on the bball board until we have the "next coach in", I still read this board. I checked here and assumed we didn't have a game tonight. But apparently we do...in a few minutes. UB is a road favorite.

I'd have expected, for the reasons already mentioned, that Miller would have been sidelined for a time as his role was fleshed out. But someone made the decision that Alabama's season and Miller's contribution to the team were so valuable that they were willing to take the chance that this would blow over. What didn't help AT ALL was Oats' comments, especially the quotable "wrong spot at the wrong time". I think that has "turned the tide" (yes....I went there) on this and it has ignited. If this player wasn't that valuable to the team (or Alabama was 13-12), he would have already been on leave. The problem they have now is that it is a bit of a mess, since the coach has been dragged in to the situation (through his own efforts), the team is the #1 seed in Bracketology and the player is high profile (scored 41 last night). From a purely PR standpoint, I think they will likely need to cut their losses here. I would suspect in the next day or two that Oats is put on administrative leave for a few games and Miller is put on the sidelines for a period of time while Alabama does "its own formal inquiry". Alabama's formal inquiry will be about a week, at which time Miller will be reinstated...ready for the SEC championship (and, if not, certainly for the inevitable 1 - 16 matchup in the NCAA tournament). The longer Alabama waits to do something here, the worse it will get for them.

Hindsight? Truly, that is one of the funniest things I have ever read on Ubfan or its ESPN predecessor. Thanks for the laugh. You win the day!

As time progresses, it becomes abundantly clear to me how lucky UB was to have Oats here for the time we did. The Georgia coach tonight heaped a lot of praise on Oats today. Gotta enjoy the memories. Indeed, today I thought about the time I watched UB at Akron under Oats and the Akron fans have a tradition where they don’t sit until Akron scores. Since I was a guest of an Akron fan, I remember standing for an extended period as UB jumped out to a big early lead. I didn’t mind. Those were the days…

I guess if they were 5-24 or something like that, it would be unlikely but still a maybe. However, the team will be within hailing distance of .500, so he isn’t going anywhere. Nothing in how this AD/President combo tells me that they want to spend money on buying out this coach AND spending money to attract the next coach. What does this all mean? It means that this particular thread will continue on for the foreseeable future…

Oops… I didn’t anticipate UB going 3 for 25 from 3. I thought this one would be more competitive.

Ohio coming off big win against the Zips. UB coming off home loss to Kent. UB will find it easier to put up points tonight. Ohio isn’t great and maybe they will bounce off their big win. UB 92 Ohio 85 Take the over (160.5)

Now that’s a game flow we can all get behind!

I didn’t get a chance to write this before the game, but I think 1000% that JW should try to do exactly what Nate did. It worked for him and what JW had been doing for his career…maybe hasn’t been working that great. Fast gets you 92 points versus Ball State. Besides, it is much more entertaining.

A good (and continuing) game thread with almost all the discussion (even when there is a difference of opinion) about performance, strategy, etc. I like it. My two cents: Toledo was just the better team. We did play hard, but we’re out of position a few times on defense and that cost us. They also hit a few contested shots. On to the next one.

There is a poster on here who gets exacerbated by flat lines in UBs game flow. I hope he is not also a fan of BGSU. The Falcons were up 57-48 in Kalamazoo with about 17 minutes to go. Six minutes later, they were down 69-59. Nothing like a six minute 21-2 to jumpstart a team. Broncos went on to win by 16.