UB92

Jaden Bradley, Fr from Alabama, is in the portal.  
 

He is from Rochester and also was with those other two players during the murder of that woman on the Strip.  
 

Do you think he will be persona non gratis, or will some place have interest?   Would UB have interest?

26 minutes ago, Majortomxiii said:

I will take losing coaches to bigger programs all day vs firing coaches for underachieving. The trick may be (if what we saw in this search was true), are we attractive enough to an up and comer again and again who will need to succeed with limited resources or face termination. I want the coach who is not afraid of that challenge but finding that coach may be messy. 

Can we promise as a fan base to entirely put the question of “where will Halco go next” out of our collective minds for at least the next two years?  I mean, not even entertain a thought.  Let’s just focus in UB basketball for the next two years. 

I want to focus on recruiting the guys in the portal from our end, others in the portal he wants, his assistant coaches, etc.  I am all in on Halco.  Let’s go Bulls!
 

17 minutes ago, C1ubP1fanaticM7 said:

Not the best spot for this, but have you all seen how well CUSA has performed this postseason? Quite remarkable. Charlotte won the CBI. UNT faced UAB in the NIT finals, UNT winning. And FAU is in final 4. I mean, what a showing by a mid major conference! 

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!

5 minutes ago, Bill said:

Hearing alnutt has offered the job to President Tripathi, but he has declined as well…

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.  

2 minutes ago, Tee4three said:

I will say that on the initial look at Calhoun I was very concerned but diving deeper you can see positives 

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.  
 

9 minutes ago, BasketBull said:

sounds like this could quickly turn disastrous.

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.  
 

3 hours ago, DaBulls99 said:

Horns Up is just a uniformed troll. Best not to feed him. Unfortunately the site doesn’t have an ignore feature. 

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".

2 hours ago, BasketBull said:

A bit surprised they actually pulled the trigger now rather than wait for the buyout to drop further. Have to imagine that means they have someone in mind they are targeting.

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!

3 hours ago, DaBulls99 said:

The 2025 season means 24-25. So 2 more. 

Are you 100% positive?

If so, we are at the crossroads.  Extension or fired (on April 6).

1 hour ago, MKBullsfan said:

It’s time to move on. Get a new coach. Why wait another 1-2 years of mediocrity under this coach? Start now.

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.

5 hours ago, zigo230 said:

I'm surprised Oats and Miller aren't on some type of administrative leave while this awful mess is being sorted out.  Seems like that should be the minimum consequences at the moment. 

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.

6 hours ago, DooleyBull06 said:I understand we couldn’t expect to catch lightning in a bottle for 3 straight coaches, but hindsight, our misstep may have been hiring an older head coach who viewed the job as a destination rather than a younger coach who had their eyes on bigger. Ohio, with Boals, will be a great example of this. 

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…

12 minutes ago, Erie County said:

If he goes 1 and done in Cleveland, is that it for him? 

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…

2 hours ago, UB92 said:

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)

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!

11 hours ago, BullBoy said:

I feel like this was a year for Jim to really put his stamp on the program, whether it worked or didn't.  I think Jim kept too many things that worked for Nate and he tried to adopt them because of the previous success, but that's not who he is.

1. DITCH THE HARD HAT.... It's not original anymore, heck even FLJ stole it at Syracuse. 

2. PLAY SLOWER....Nate had a very analytical approach to playing the way he did and not all coaches can understand that.  I know slowing it down is not fun to watch, but if we can be more effective in a controlled setting then they should do that.

JIM... MAKE IT YOUR PROGRAM!!!

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.